Collaborative Project: Assessing the User-base and Expanding the Usability/Reach of the Analytical Sciences Digital Library through Developmental Workshops

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This collaborative project, involving experts in analytical science, library science, and intelligent Internet search, is enhancing the usability, value, scope of content, user base, and organizational self-sufficiency of the Analytical Sciences Digital Library (ASDL). A broad assessment of current usability, content, and practices of the ASDL is being conducted that will serve as a guide to reform and enhancement efforts. The usability of the collection is being streamlined through reorganization of contents based on concept hierarchies. New software tools are being provided for automated data harvesting and intelligent metadata collection, resulting in increased editorial staff efficiency. The breadth of the ASDL collection is being enhanced through development of new content areas including The Virtual Laboratory and Online Articles, a resource describing effective strategies for integrating cutting-edge research into the classroom. National and regional user workshops are planned to demonstrate effective applications of electronic resources in lecture and lab courses and expand the user community. A special focus of user workshops is on innovative pedagogical approaches incorporating problem-based and service learning methodologies. Finally, the project is forming new partnerships with related NSDL collections to both broaden its user-base and address multidisciplinary applications. The Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the NSF Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) is providing significant co-funding of this project in recognition of the value of this work in advancing the larger educational goals of MPS.