.@uflib launches #OA institutional repository for @UF community

ANNOUNCEMENT Date:     November 18, 2014 To:          All UF Graduate Students and Faculty From:    UF George A. Smathers Libraries RE:         New Resource: IR@UF (Institutional Repository at the University of Florida)

New Resource: IR@UF (Institutional Repository at the University of Florida)

IR@UF (Institutional Repository at the University of Florida) is a new resource for graduate students and faculty, among others — a digital archive for the intellectual output of the UF community, including research, news, outreach and educational materials.

It is a central and secure place where any member of the UF community — faculty, students, researchers, etc. — can store, archive, display, showcase, share, highlight and visualize their output.

For a PDF poster about the benefits of IR@UF and how to use it, click on this link:

http://ufdc.ufl.edu/l/AA00027045/00001

For a video explaining IR@UF and how it benefits students and faculty, lick on this link:

http://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00026849/00001 More from the UF George A. Smathers Libraries about IR@UF…

New video explains what the Institutional Repository at UF is and how it benefits faculty and students

Explaining what an Institutional Repository (IR@UF) is and how it benefits faculty and students has long been a difficult task not only at the University of Florida, but at universities across the United States. The George A. Smathers Libraries have launched a new video and accompanying poster that explains in a graphical and humorous manner what the IR@UF is, what types of content can be uploaded, how to upload content and the benefits of placing materials in the IR@UF.

The $5,000 project was funded by an internal library mini-grant awarded to Scholarly Communications Librarian Christine Fruin and a project team of library faculty and staff. After bids were received from four local designers, Sequential Arts Workshop (SAW) was chosen to conceive, write and illustrate the video and poster in collaboration with the project team. Justine Mara Andersen of SAW was the primary illustrator, designer and animator, with assistance from SAW Executive Director Tom Hart. UF theater students Nazeeh Tarsha and Angelique Rivera lent their vocal talents to the video.

Fruin explained, “A common reaction from non-library folk upon hearing the term ’institutional repository’ is a glazed-eye confusion about what it even is and how it can be used. The term is so clinical and dry, as is often the attempt to describe it. I have often marveled at some of the creative messages, infographics and the like, that have been employed by libraries and other organizations in communicating technical, factual and even legal information. So I thought, ‘hey, why can’t we do that to get people interested in the IR?’ SAW took our list of concepts and points of information and created an entertaining marketing device that I think will get the UF community interested in this wonderful resource we offer them.”

Andersen said “I had no idea when we at SAW started work for the IR@UF that the end result would become one of the projects I am most proud of. It’s obvious to anyone who looks at the animation that it was a labor of love. A spirit of humor, beauty and full color fun runs through all 6 minutes and 40 seconds of the piece. So sit back and enjoy, and if it’s half as much fun to watch as it was to create, then we have all done our jobs. Oh…and if you manage to learn how valuable the IR@UF is while watching it…that’s groovy, too.”

The video can be viewed from the IR@UF: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00026849/00001 The poster can be viewed here: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/l/AA00027045/00001

UF George A. Smathers Libraries University of Florida POB 117000 Gainesville FL 32611-7000 352.273.2505

 

 

PHOTO: Tyler codes while Emilio pretends he’s teaching him how (Credit: Bruna Lab)