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- 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 (http://arxiv.org/help/ancillary_files ), and will ingest data from the pilot as ancillary files to support it long-term.
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- 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 & Organizational Model
- Created a job description for a new Scientific Director position and began effort to recruit an Interim arXiv Scientific Director -
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- 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)
- Created Bylaws for the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
- Started posting a roadmap (2013 & 2014) 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.
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- Created a Library Guide
Create a working relationship between SAB and MAB - The advisory groups need to regularly exchange information in order to contribute to each other's agendas in a meaningful and useful manner. For instance, CUL will provide joint briefings(reports) to SAB and MAB to highlight common interest areas and complementary perspectives. Having ex officio member representation in each group will also faciliate information sharing and developing a common understanding of the respective goals. Status as of 8/13: In progress as we've appointed representatives for each group
Further refine the benefits of being a member for participating institutions - During the governance planning meetings, several ideas emerged as potential free services for members; however, implementing these features may require significant staff time. Therefore these services need to be considered in the context of arXiv's current maintenance and development priorities. After the MAB is formed, in order to better understand demand for services, CUL will invite ideas/proposals and review them with MAB and SAB. Some of the ideas to be considered include: submission-based data when arXiv's metadata structure is ready; institutional repository bulk download. Member institutions are also very keen on informing their scientists and researchers about arXiv's business model (e.g.,arXiv LibGuide to share with their faculty and students in related disciplines). Often, we are advised to make it easier to find business info on the arXiv webpage (one idea proposed is to put links from abstracts or submission forms to 'sustainability' page). Status as of 8/13: To be discussed during the September SAB meeting
Continue the membership drive - We are very encouraged with the five-year pledges received so far. We want to increase the number of arXiv member institutions to create a large and international network of supporters. Another goal is to be able to reduce the institutional membership fees in the future (current annual institutional fees are in the $1,500-$3,000 range). Status as of 8/13: In progress
New Partnerships & Communication
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