Annie Johnson, photography by Dustin Fenstermacher

By Beckie Dashiell, Editor, Temple University Libraries

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Annie Johnson, Temple University Libraries’ first Library Publishing and Scholarly Communications Specialist, to speak about her new position. In her dual role, she reports to both the Libraries and Temple University Press. Many of Johnson’s projects will foster collaborations between the Libraries and the Press, which share a reporting relationship and work together to support publishing, scholarly communications, and access to the cultural record.

Beckie Dashiell: Can you begin by telling me about your position and what it entails? And, what new opportunities might your position open up for both the Press and the Libraries?

Annie Johnson: My main role is to act as a bridge between the Libraries and the Press,
and to deepen the connection between the two. Both the Libraries and the Press are thinking about how to better support recent changes in scholarly communication. My job is to develop and coordinate services and programs that address those changes.

BD: Can you share some of the projects you are working on right now?

AJ: I’m involved with the Alternate Textbook Project, which encourages faculty members to use free, open educational resources in their classes instead of costly, commercial textbooks. Since 2011, the Alt-Textbook Project has saved Temple students over $300,000. In addition, I’m helping to launch Temple’s new open access undergraduate research journal, which will be hosted by the Libraries using the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. The first issue will be published in 2017.

BD: To briefly circle back to the Alternate Textbook Project you mentioned, I’ve been hearing a lot about open resources and access. Can you speak a bit more to your role in helping the Temple community navigate questions around open access?

AJ: Open access means scholarship that is free to read and use. Many authors are beginning to make their work openly available because it can help them reach a larger audience and increase the impact of their research. However, there are also reasons why authors may not want their work to be open access. Rather than advocating for one mode of publishing or another, my role is to educate students and faculty about publishing scholarship in the digital age.

BD: What’s next as you settle into your work at Temple Libraries and Press?

AJ: At the Press, we’re starting to explore digital publishing, and more specifically, we’re thinking about how we might support the creation of digital companions to print books. The Library has also been working on building an institutional repository, which will serve as a digital archive for faculty and student scholarship. Once launched, it will be a great showcase for all the research going on at Temple. Overall, it’s a really exciting time for both the Libraries and the Press!

Perhaps you’ve noticed the brand-new, colorful signs and posters around Temple University’s Samuel L. Paley Library today; if not, look around and you may find you recognize some familiar faces. Today marks the launch of the Libraries’ new public relations campaign, Got Sources?, which features your very own librarians and highlights the personalized instruction, guidance, and support they provide.

According to Jenifer Baldwin, Head of Reference and Instructional Services and Media Services, this campaign will serve to remind students of the level of personal support available to them. “Engagement with the library can be very important to student success,” notes Baldwin. For example, did you know that you can quickly connect with Temple librarians in-person; online; or via chat, text, and email? Essentially, this new campaign functions to draw renewed attention to our suite of services, all available via Ask a Librarian.

The Libraries’ graphic designer, Rachel Cox, designed the campaign materials and directed the librarian photo shoot. As a designer, she’s concerned with clearly communicating complex ideas, particularly to students who may not be familiar with all the library has to offer. Her vision for the Got Sources? campaign is direct, challenging, and visually appealing. The new signs also serve as a way to recognize faces around the library.

Got Sources? reminds us that librarians can help you locate, use, and cite sources, but that librarians are also sources of support themselves. And, ultimately, the photos serve to reconnect human interaction to the research process.

Next time you wonder if you’ve Got Sources, remember to Ask a Librarian!