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An integral part of our sustainability planning process has been assessing the technologies, standards, services, and policies that constitute arXiv. The sustainability of arXiv also depends on enabling interoperability and creating efficiencies among repositories with related and complementary content to reduce duplicate efforts. 2013 has been a transition year for arXiv including adding new staff and exploring new organizational models. Here are some of our key accomplishments and areas that are work-in-progress:
Technical Features and Infrastructure
- Started modifying the email handling system to support arXiv admin and moderation ticketing system
- Gathered requirements list to improve tools and interfaces to support moderators in interacting more directly and efficiently with the arXiv system and administrators
- Reviewed use of and experience with the Data Conservancy pilot, which ended in March 2013 (see a summary of our conclusions). We will continue to support modest sized datasets and other materials using the existing ancillary files mechanism and will ingest data from the pilot as ancillary files to support it long-term.
User Support and Moderation
- Started working with moderators to gather and refine requirements for new tools and interfaces to support their work in a more systematic way.
- Began the process of shifting all communications with users and moderators to a web-based issue tracking system (Request Tracker). The new system will provide us with better tracking and built-in reporting for answering user questions, troubleshooting technical problems, soliciting and following up on moderator input, responding to and resolving moderation appeals, etc.
Governance, Communication, & Organizational Model
- Created a new Scientific Director position to bring in scientific expertise to Cornell's arXiv team and to provide intellectual leadership for arXiv's operation. We are in the process of recruiting an interim Scientific Director in order to test and further refine this position.
- Established a Member Advisory Board (MAB) to represent participating institutions' interests and advises CUL on issues related to repository management and development, standards implementation, interoperability, development priorities, business planning, and outreach and advocacy. Representation on MAB is reserved for libraries, research institutions, laboratories, and foundations that are members of arXiv and that contribute to the financial support of the service. The detail the goals, composition, operation, and election of the Board.
- Created bylaws for the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to describe the group's goals, composition, operation, and member election process.
- Started posting a roadmap (2013 & 2014arXiv Annual Update for 2013\) to bring further transparency to arXiv team's goals and priorities, especially for SAB and MAB members to help them understand the vision, priorities, and challenges to be able to contribute to the arXiv's governance.
- Created a Library Guide
- Continued the dialogue with a group of publishers/societies that are interested in Cornell's sustainability planning efforts to discuss the emerging mandates for open access and ideas for collaboration.
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