Member Relations
During the 2010-2012 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. 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).
- Special services for membership (such as providing additional statistics to member institutions)
- Strategies for promoting libraries' research laboratories' role in arXiv's sustainability to scientists
Members: Jim, Eva, Molly, Zhixiong
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).
Financial Planning
- Raising additional funds in order to lower the current tier structure or to support R&D projects
- Creating a lower-priced tier for members from developing countries
- Guidelines for using reserve funds, communication with members and scientists about arXiv
- Assessment of the current financial model, adding new arXiv members
Members: Uwe (Esther), Yuri, Philip
Develop reserve fund policies - The purpose of the arXiv reserve fund is to support unexpected expenses to ensure a sound business model. Currently, arXiv has a reserve fund of approximately $100,000 that accumulated during 2010-2011 due to unexpected staff vacancies and other savings (2012 expenses have not been factored in yet). The 2013-2017 budget projections assume that we will be able to add $50,000-$100,000 per year to the reserve funds. We need to develop policies about how contingency funds will be used and how the account will be structured (e.g., funds needed for closing the business versus development funds - also a part of the reserve funds to create an endowment & the interest can be use the interest for reducing membership fees). Also, we need to determine at what point of reserve fund accumulation (total reserve balance) we will consider to lower the annual membership fees.
Collaboration with Publishers and Societies
- Please see the September 2011 planning meeting summary about the outcomes of a collaboration discussion with a group of publisher and society representatives. We would like to review, prioritize, and move our initial meeting recommendations into action. What are your recommendations?
Members: Catriona, Carol, Tim, Diane, Tommy
Research and Development Agenda
- Moving beyond the current sustainability model that focuses on operations to a strategic plan for arXiv's further development and innovation
- Setting R&D priorities & assessing collaboration opportunities
- Setting a 3-5 year strategic plan for arXiv (encompassing all aspects of arXiv, not limited to technologies) - moving beyond the 2013 Roadmap
Members: Tommy, Mackenzie
New Partnerships & Communication
Define a R&D agenda and seek external funds to advance arXiv - So far, CUL's sustainability planning efforts focused on arXiv's operational budget to support the core services and arXiv's strengths in order to stay mission-centric. One of the key goals ahead of us is to define a research agenda for arXiv. We'll seek input from the advisory boards, users/scientists at large, and information scientists. We will develop a methodology for making decisions about arXiv's R&D projects and partners. One of the challenges will be maintaining/developing arXiv as a distinct system vs. envisioning it as a part of a joint scholarly communication infrastructure (interoperability, research data, tracking funding sources, etc.). This is likely to be a potential tension area between the library community and scientists.
Continue the dialogue with publishers/societies - In celebration of the arXiv's 20th anniversary, on September 23, 2011 Cornell University Library (CUL) hosted a meeting at Cornell with the representatives from several publishers and societies that are interested in Cornell's sustainability planning efforts. The meeting report provides a synopsis of the discussion and recommends next steps for continuing this dialogue. We will resume this investigation and discuss the feasibility and desirability of establishing a research and innovation collaboration in support of arXiv. This effort is envisioned to entail a separate funding stream (created by participating publishers and societies) from the operational budget, which includes resources for the routine and core services currently provided by the arXiv team (including essential updates).
Define and communicate measures of success - To address this dynamic process, one goal over the next several months is to create an assessment model to help CUL continue to fine-tune the sustainability model. An assessment plan will also help identify unforeseen developments and making course adjustments to the service and collaboration model. Working with the SAB, one of the goals of the transitional MAB will be to develop an assessment framework with three key components:
- Desired outcomes and success measures to measure progress (for instance, dynamics of the governance model, level of financial support, enhancements to arXiv, improvements to moderation system, etc.).
- Assessment model to gauge and report success based on the identified outcome measures.
- Plan a five-year review process to enable CUL to conduct a comprehensive self-evaluation with input from the Simons Foundation, MAB, SAB, and other key partners
Develop guidelines for engagaing in new partnership - arXiv is approached on a regular basis by outside groups asking for advice or special services. Sometimes the assistance requested is minor, but often it would require devoting some amount of staff effort. We need guidelines for determining under what circumstances we will allocate resources in order to collaborate with an outside organization.Working with the arXiv Boards, develop policies that guide consideration of potential working collaborations with outside groups.
Put in place a systematic and regular communication strategy for MAB and SAB - Communication and follow-through are essential - don't promise anything to SAB or MAB members if Cornell will not be able to fulfill. Make sure to follow up - whether it is relaying progress or delays (or rejecting a recommendation). Be clear with your expectations (seeking input vs. help CUL make a decision by selecting one of the alternative strategies). Explain that CUL has limited resources and set expectations accordingly. If there are requests that Cornell cannot meet, someone (member) may be able of pay. Seek partnerships and other revenue streams.
Enhance communication with users (scientists) - Share opinions received from scientists and users with SAB and MAB.How about seeking input from other scientists, arXiv users? What is working well for them that needs to be maintained? What are their unmet needs? What kinds of changes they want to see implemented? CUL needs to have a systematic way of gathering user feedback and this info ought to be shared with MAB and SAB (both groups are also important channels of input as they represent other groups). Will it be useful to encourage users to send feedback directly to SAB and MAB and make them aware of these advisory groups (through a mailing list)?
Build awareness about sustainability aspects of open access - Scientists know very little about how arXiv is run and how much it costs. Improve communication, it is important for scientists to know that open access is not free and even open access systems need to be carefully managed. Some scientists may think that they don't need libraries any longer. Be vocal about libraries' new roles. Use members to spread info to their scientists - there needs to be outreach to scientific community. Also make it known that arXiv has a QC strategy - many librarians don't know about it.