Thinking big picture: meeting the needs of researchers in northern Australia

Due to the increase in research activity at Charles Darwin University in recent years, the Library created the position of Research Services Coordinator to meet researcher needs. Eighteen months after the new staff member was in place, an online survey was carried out to gauge the success of the new services and resources provided, and thereby identify any gaps. The survey focused on four main areas: research workshops, research consultations, library collections, and overall library support and services. On the whole, the results showed the Library was on track, but that there were areas for improvement. To provide further insight into the feedback provided during the survey, and to build on the initial recommendations, four focus group meetings were convened. The results again confirmed that the Library was providing appropriate levels of support to researchers, but funding constraints to acquire quality resources remained an issue. Focus group recommendations led to further fine-tuning of the products and services offered. The evaluation process was a useful management tool and will be carried out on a regular basis to ensure service quality and impact

Reframing research access

Purpose: The paper describes how Charles Darwin University (CDU) used a three-pronged approach to better serve its researchers: it developed a single interface for improved accessibility and discoverability of its research outputs, consolidated its corresponding policies and procedures and implemented training programs to support the new portal. This in turn made its suite of research outputs more openly accessible and better discoverable. The intention was to make CDU research compliant with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) policy statement, affirming the need to make Australia's research more visible, thereby enabling better access, better collaboration locally and internationally and researchers more accountable to their community. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses case study methodology and a qualitative approach. Findings: CDU Library collaborated with the University's Research Office in undertaking a series of strategies towards reframing access to its research. The partners migrated their research collections into a single, new, integrated interface; developed new policies and consolidated existing ones; and to this end, rolled out a training and educational program for the research community. The intention of the program was to introduce the Pure repository to new researchers and to train all staff to self archive and curate their own research outputs. This new streamlined approach ensured a more comprehensive and timely availability and accessibility of the University's research outputs. Originality/value: A single source of truth was established through the migration of iCDU's research collections, ensuring data quality was maintained. At the start of this project, there were few institutions in Australia using the Pure system, and even fewer using it as their sole repository for displaying research outputs

Towards a unique archive of Aboriginal languages: a collaborative project

Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language and cultural materials that encounter many hurdles for their long-term survival. The library is supporting an ARC-funded project known as the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, by providing a repository, web application, digitisation programme and professional advice. The collaboration between the library and research team addressed a number of challenges in relation to appropriate ways to represent complex and variable metadata, widely varying content from diverse sources and in various conditions, and in making these fragile and endangered materials accessible to a global audience. The open access archive now includes thousands of items in dozens of Northern Territory Indigenous languages, providing a sustainable repository for researchers and allowing Indigenous communities to share their languages, histories, knowledge and practices around the world. The project serves as a rich case study demonstrating how academic libraries can work with researchers to support the archiving of cultural heritage

Assessment of the effect of calcium on the anti-inflammatory activity of etoricoxib in albino rats

Background: It would be worthwhile to investigate if it is possible to obtain an anti-inflammatory effect with a lower dose of etoricoxib after it has been combined with calcium, the effect of which is equivalent to higher dose of etoricoxib. Hence the aim was to study effect of calcium and calcium gluconate on the anti-inflammatory activity of etoricoxib.Methods: Animals were distributed in five groups each group containing six rats. Experiments were conducted between 9:00 to 16:00 hours. All animal procedures were performed in accordance with the recommendations for proper care and use of laboratory animal .The doses of drugs employed in the study were based upon the human dose after conversion to that of rat.Results: The results of present study indicate that calcium gluconate (50 mg/kg) combined with etoricoxib (5 mg/kg) possesses significant anti-inflammatory property both in acute and subacute models of inflammation which was comparable to that of etoricoxib (8 mg/kg).Conclusions: From the present study it is concluded that calcium gluconate (50 mg/kg) possesses an anti-inflammatory activity. Lower dose of etoricoxib (5 mg/kg) if combined with calcium gluconate (50 mg/kg) can produce significant anti-inflammatory effect. The advantages of such combined preparations are obviously a reduction in the dose of etoricoxib that could still produce significant anti-inflammatory action and a possible protection against COX -2 inhibitor induced prothrombotic events. It is worthwhile to evaluate such preparations through clinical trials

Open access repositories in the Asia-Oceania region: Experiences and guidelines from three academic institutions

In recent years open access models have transcended traditional modes of publishing, thus enabling freer access to research. This paper takes a trans-regional approach to open access publishing in the Asia and Oceania region focussing on individual institutions in three countries – Charles Darwin University (Australia), University of Hong Kong and the University of Malaya, reflecting on how each one is rising, in its own individual way, to meet the range of challenges that its research communities are facing. Specifically, it focuses on open access and institutional repository development, and traces their development at each of the aforementioned institutions. This paper is based on interviews conducted with staff involved with the development of the repository, and the open access collection in particular, at each of the three institutions. It synthesises open access developments and reviews the role the library has played in each institution in the development of open access across the academic and research community; and the success that has been achieved to date. It highlights any common factors between the approaches taken by each institution, as well as any significant differences of note. The findings reveal that each of the three institutions is at a different stage of development with the University of Hong Kong repository ranked at the top within Asia. Each has used a slightly different approach toward open access, and used different software to develop their repository. The authors have collated the overall experiences of each institution in open access publishing and repository development. They have highlighted the successes and failures that each has experienced and formulated a set of guidelines that may help those embarking on establishing an open access repository.postprin

Reconciliation in Australia: the role of the academic library in empowering the Indigenous community

This article discusses the role of the academic library in contributing to the reconciliation process in Australia through the lens of James Cook University. Reconciliation in this context is defined as the process to bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian peoples to overcome the gap that exists between them. Two of James Cook University's campuses are located in North Queensland, an area with a high Indigenous population. It has in place a Reconciliation Action Plan and Statement of Strategic Intent, which provide a clear statement supporting its Indigenous students and staff. This article focuses on the participation of James Cook University Library and Information Service in the university's reconciliation goals through four broad areas of interest: procurement, engagement, staffing, and information literacy training. Of particular note is the naming of the Townsville Campus library – the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library – in recognition of Mabo's connection with James Cook University, marking the significance of the role this Indigenous man played in Australia’s history