Jerusalem, Israel — June 21, 2018
Unified research data management and metadata handling are the first step toward automated research workflows, greater exposure of research output, and collaboration among stakeholders
Jerusalem, Israel—June 21, 2018. Ex Libris®, a ProQuest company, is pleased to announce that the Ex Libris Esploro™ research services platform will now be available to all Esploro development partners. The first release of Esploro represents an important phase in the development of a unified research platform that will lead to broader impact of research output, greater productivity, and increased collaboration.
Esploro development partners are already beginning to implement the first release, which supports the deposit and management of several research data types, as well as streamlined metadata handling that enables libraries, research offices, and researchers to work together on research projects.
The data flow and accuracy enabled by Esploro’s handling of metadata is crucial for leveraging library expertise…while the research asset management will enable our library to better support academic research.
The Esploro early adopters program is now open for those who wish to be part of the next phase of Esploro development and implementation. Through the program, early adopters will receive preferred business terms and prioritization of their requested enhancements. Participants will have an opportunity to provide feedback that will help Ex Libris tailor the Esploro solution to the needs of all stakeholders.
Carl Grant, associate dean of knowledge services and chief technology officer at the University of Oklahoma (OU) Libraries, an Esploro development partner, explained, “We are excited to see the first fruits of our collaboration with Ex Libris and the Esploro team. Managing research assets within Esploro will enable us to interweave the libraries into the research processes on the campus with minimal disruption, while adding major new efficiency and effectiveness to the research processes. Esploro will position the OU Libraries to become valued collaborators in research, a crucial and rapidly growing area of the university.”
Paul A. Soderdahl, associate university librarian at the University of Iowa, noted, “With Esploro, the library demonstrates one more way in which we support the campus research enterprise, by collecting and curating all publications, scholarly contributions, and creative works produced by our researchers and scholars—in all formats and media—and doing so in an efficient and scalable way. The functionality in this early release of Esploro will enable us to better leverage technology by matching institutional data with web-scale discovery, thereby enabling us to develop and promote a comprehensive research collection that showcases Iowa’s contributions, advancing knowledge and discovery in the sciences, the humanities, and the arts.”
The University of Miami’s Leland Deeds, head of information systems, added, “Esploro promises to enable our libraries to increase our support for the research needs of our faculty, academic staff, and graduate students and to further streamline workflows and data management between our libraries and our research office. The achievement of a more unified workflow throughout the research process has become increasingly important as our data management and preservation needs have grown.”
Masud Khokhar, assistant director of digital innovation and research services at Lancaster University, commented, “This is a thrilling first step on the path to a comprehensive research services platform that will be unique to the research services management market. The research data management in the first release of Esploro will support a more unified workflow and better collaboration between libraries and research services.”
The University of Sheffield’s Tracey Clarke, associate director of academic and digital strategies, added, “We are eager to have access to the new Esploro release. The data flow and accuracy enabled by Esploro’s handling of metadata is crucial for leveraging library expertise and allowing library and research systems to work together, while the research asset management will enable our library to better support academic research.”
Shlomi Kringel, corporate vice president of Learning and Research Solutions at Ex Libris, noted, “Ex Libris is excited to share the first release of Esploro, an important step toward revolutionizing the way in which research data services are managed. With strong development partners at our side, we have full confidence in reaching our goal.”
To learn more, visit the Esploro overview page.
About Lancaster University
Lancaster University is an internationally regarded leader in the provision of inspiring teaching and research. Recently named “University of the Year” by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018 and awarded Gold in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Lancaster has fostered a culture of emphasizing the student experience, teaching, and strong research. The University advances knowledge and understanding across a variety of disciplines and makes major contributions in arts and social sciences; management, health, and medicine; and science and technology. The thriving Lancaster community is culturally diverse, with research, teaching, and student exchange partnerships with leading institutions in 24 countries around the world. Staff and students from over 100 countries are attracted to our beautiful campus in North West England. For more information, see www.lancaster.ac.uk.
About the University of Iowa
A major research and teaching institution, the University of Iowa offers internationally recognized programs in a diverse array of academic, medical, and artistic disciplines. The University of Iowa has a faculty of 2,800 and a permanent staff of 16,000 serving 31,000 students, almost 40% of whom are from out of state and close to 10,000 of whom are registered in graduate and professional degree programs. The University of Iowa is home to the Writers’ Workshop, the oldest graduate creative writing program in the country and the blueprint for many of the creative writing programs that now thrive on campuses worldwide. For more information, see https://www.uiowa.edu.
About the University of Miami
A private research university with more than 16,000 students from around the world, the University of Miami is a vibrant and diverse academic community focused on teaching and learning, the discovery of new knowledge, and service to the South Florida region and beyond. The University comprises 11 schools and colleges serving undergraduate and graduate students in more than 180 majors and programs. The libraries of the University of Miami rank among the top research libraries in North America with a combined collection of over 3.75 million volumes, with 95,600 current electronic and print serials.
About the University of Oklahoma
Attracting top students from across the nation and more than 100 countries around the world, the University of Oklahoma (OU) provides a major university experience in a private-college atmosphere. OU is number one nationwide in the number of National Merit Scholars enrolled in public universities and is in the top 10 nationwide in the graduation of Rhodes Scholars from public universities. OU has emerged as a pacesetter for public higher education in the United States; the Princeton Review ranks OU among the top 10 public universities in the nation in terms of academic excellence and cost for students. For more information, see https://www.ou.edu/.
About the University of Sheffield
In 1897, the Sheffield Medical School, Firth College, and Sheffield Technical School merged to form the University College of Sheffield, which became the University of Sheffield in 1905. The University now has over 26,000 students from more than 130 countries, with a faculty and staff of about 6,000. Academic departments are grouped into five faculties: Arts and Humanities; Engineering; Medicine, Dentistry, and Health; Science; and Social Sciences. The University Library has a reputation for innovation and a strong focus on customer satisfaction. Its digital and print services are delivered from five sites, including the award-winning Information Commons, an integrated learning environment for students. For more information, see https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/library.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education. Offering SaaS solutions for the management and discovery of the full spectrum of library and scholarly materials, as well as mobile campus solutions driving student engagement and success, Ex Libris serves thousands of customers in 90 countries. For more information about Ex Libris, see our website, and join us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
