Wednesday 4th June
- 08.30 - Registration Opens
- 09.30 - Pre-Conference Parallel Workshops
Newcomers' Workshop
Distributed Digital Preservation Workshop
European Workshop
Click here for details of the content of the workshops
- 12.30 - Lunch
- 14.00 - Welcome to RGU
Professor Peter Robertson (Vice-Principal, The Robert Gordon University)
introduced by Dr Susan Copeland (ETD 2008 Conference co-Chair)
- 14.15 - NDLTD Welcome and Introduction
Professor Edward A Fox (Executive Director, NDLTD)
- 14.30 - Keynote Address
Title: Digital Strategy: European perspectives on E-Theses developments
Author:
Dr Paul Ayris
Director of UCL Library Services & UCL Copyright Officer
introduced by Christopher Pressler (ETD 2008 Conference co-Chair)
Abstract:
This paper will look at the strategic imperatives facing research-led universities and their libraries in Europe. Having identified some current drivers for change, the paper will then look at the landscape for European E-Theses developments in the context of LIBER, the Association of European Research Libraries, and offer some suggestions for future development paths.
- 15.30 - Tea Break
- 16.00 - Posters
Click here for details of posters.
16.30-17.00 - Plenary Session
Title: Making ETDs Accessible to the Visually Impaired and the Blind: a Project Under Way
Author:
Ana M B Pavani* (PUC-Rio – Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
introduced by Margaret Buchan (The Robert Gordon University)
Abstract:
Among the main objectives of the ETD programs in different institutions, one is making the contents of theses & dissertations available to the academic community. This availability knows no borders since digital libraries can be accessed on the Web by users all over the world. At the same time, there are users who can be very close to an ETD program, like students or faculty, but who have difficulties in accessing the contents of digital theses & dissertations. It is the group of blind or visually impaired persons.
Cátedra UNESCO de Leitura PUC-Rio (http://www.catedra.puc-rio.br/), a project sponsored by UNESCO (http://www.unesco.org.br/) and devoted to reading activities, suggested that the ETD digital library be enhanced to be used by readers who do not have normal vision – either they can have subnormal vision (visually impaired persons) or be blind. In January 2007, the work started after financial support was received from FAPERJ – Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (http://www.faperj.br/). The work is divided in two different activities and each focuses two different problems seeking the most suitable solution for each one. The activities are:
• Navigation in the digital library – this comprises a set of activities devoted to allowing users navigate in the system and using the search, retrieve and access digital functions of the digital library. Two types of analysis are perfomed to generate sets of specifications for the interfaces for theses users – the solutions in both cases are completely different.
• Reading the contents of ETDs – this comprises the activities devoted to allowing users to read the contents. As before, the solutions are different for blind and visually impaired readers.
The use of software to read digital files (transforming .doc. .pdf, .html, etc. files into sound) is under consideration; commercial and free products have been examined. The challenge in the use of these products is the nature of ETDs – many have mathematical expressions, images, graphs, etc.
The digital library team is working with persons who are blind or visually impaired; some of them belong to the group (at the university) that works towards the inclusion of persons with special needs. This paper presents partial results, problems without solutions (so far) and the next steps of the project.
- Evening - Civic Reception
Civic Reception held at Aberdeen Beach Ballroom
Entertainment provided by the City of Roses Chorus