Altmetrics a new role for library and information professionals

Preview:

DESCRIPTION

Altmetrics are an area of increasing interest in the library and information sector. If you don’t know what Altmetrics are, they are the alternative measurement of scholarly output, a bit like the impact factor but more social and reactive. They measure research via tools such as Twitter, Mendeley, Altmetric.com and Impact Story et al. We see them as modern channels of communication and dissemination, they go beyond the traditional models of journals and conferences. The purpose of our talk is two-fold and will showcase the technical and negotiating skills library and information professionals need to enable academics to embrace Altmetrics. We will show case studies including a department-wide trial to encourage academics to use Altmetrics and Social Media; how we have mentored internal and external partners and delivered Altmetrics workshops and talks. Most academics still haven’t heard about Altmetrics and many who have don’t know really know the benefits and challenges of using them. This talk will showcase what we are doing in ScHARR to support academics to understand more about what Altmetrics can do and to rethink how they deliver their research outputs and ideas beyond the paywalls of academic publishing to increase their impact and access a bigger audience.

Citation preview

Altmetrics:

A new role for library and information professionalsImage CC BY mkhmarketing http://bit.ly/1qwdZHC

What is Altmetrics?

A new way to communicate researchA new way to measure that researchMeasures research we ignore - datasets etcGoes beyond who is looking at your paper, but where they are and what they are doing with it

The research process

Have an ideaSearch for research

Filter and review the research

Publish anddisseminate the research

Measure anddiscuss the research

The research process and you

Have an ideaSearch for research

Filter and review the research

Publish anddisseminate the research

Measure anddiscuss the research

LIS Professionals host, catalogue and search published research

LIS Professionals carry out systematic and literature reviews from search results

LIS Professionals experts in publishing and communication.OA, Social Media, blogging

LIS Professionals experts in measurement,bibliometrics,work in neutral role

Do you use any of these?

And these?

Do you recognise these?

Filt

erin

g

Te

chnologist

Appraising

Social Media

Com

munications

ImpartialFlexibleHelpful

NetworkedCentrally based

Bibliometrics

Searc

hing

Indexing

What you can do

UnderstandDemystifyTrainPractice what you preachBuild a case

#Understand

Image CC BY Glen Edelson http://bit.ly/1o3tFb8

● Their way of working -long periods doing the same thing

● Their concernsPressure to publish research

● Their fearsMay not be used to Social Media ortechnology for that matter

● How busy they are● What they can get out of

Altmetrics

and what you can do to help them

#Demystify

Image CC BY Sarah http://bit.ly/ZyiXxw

● Explain that Altmetrics are notabout Justin Bieber’s Tweets to his Beliebers

● That using tools like Altmetrics,Mendeley, Twitter and ImpactStorywill show them where their researchis reaching globally

● Help build case studies toshow what is out there

● Show junior researchers andstudents that their research andprofile will benefit

#TrainImage CC BY Sarah http://bit.ly/ZyiXxw

Image CC BY Michael Younghttp://bit.ly/Zyk2Wh

● Bite size sessions● Workshops● Video tutorials● Webinars● Hangouts

The ScHARR HEDS Case Study

Social Media/Altmetric Case study

● Took over Chair of our Communications and Impact (CIG) group in Feb 2014

● Wanted to get more staff using social tools to improve research impact and engagement

● Staff want EVIDENCE ● that it works

Image by: West Midlands Police: https://www.flickr.com/photos/westmidlandspolice/ used via CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Project!● Agreed to develop a small group of staff who were

not currently using social media to promote their research

● Gave training in Twitter● Regular emails to inform and encourage● Curated Twitter List to monitor their activities

Results!● All of them are now tweeting at least once per fortnight● All have gained 30+ followers● Some are much more active, writing own tweets, MT-ing,

etc.● But! Lots of them just retweet :0(● But then again, its early days :0)

...Next, I begged, borrowed and stole their PPTs and Posters...

Slideshare!

● ...to do a companion, comparative study on Slideshare● Slides of posters and conference PPTs currently on

web pages also uploaded to SlideShare● Half tweeted, half not● Compared views for each half of ‘trial’

Results!● All slides/posters have had over 35 views in 5

months● 70% have over 100● Tweeted ones have average of 166 views● Non-Tweeted ones have average of 55 views● So these things work in ● tandem with each other!

MICHELLE PORUCZNIK ANIMATED GIFSOURCE: porucz.tumblr.com

In summary

LIS Professionals are fluent in…Using Social Media and Web 2.0 toolsMeasuring qualityUnderstanding databasesCommunicating across wide audiencesWorking with academics and students

In summary - pep talk

You have a diverse set of skills - Don’t hide your light under a bushelThis is an area waiting to explore - LIS professionals are explorersAltmetrics are just part of the jigsaw - Lot’s of opportunities to engage

@andy_tattersall

@beakybeecroft