2011 Emerald Digital Usage Award, in partnership with Student Competitions: Call for recommendations relating to online usage of academic publications

2011 Emerald Digital Usage Award, in partnership with Student Competitions

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Call for recommendations relating to online usage of academic publications

Emerald Group Publishing Limited, in association with Student Competitions, is offering three cash prizes for business plans that contribute to the development of library electronic resources by analysing and developing practices which will increase online usage. Academic publishing is currently undergoing major changes, as print materials are converted to electronic format.

Emerald is dedicated not only to increasing usage but also to increasing the citation of research based on relevancy and practical implications, rather than on traditional rankings alone.

The winning business plan should actively promote and uphold the use of Library Electronic Holdings.

There will be one award of £1,000 for the winning business plan, and two awards of £500 each for highly-commended runners up.

Winners will also receive a certificate and a winners' logo to attach to correspondence. Ideas from the winning business plan will be disseminated to libraries globally to support the management of electronic holdings and the communities which use them.

Judging Criteria

Entries should:

• Recommended strategies for increasing low usage;
• Include ideas for promotion at journal and/or database level;
• Outline replicable strategies to increase usage of electronic holdings within college/university libraries and corporate and public sector organisations;
•  Demonstrate originality and innovation;
• Specify the expected timescales;
• Outline projected costs.
• Consider a range of traditional and non-traditional marketing techniques.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Award, the lead researcher must be a current student or have completed a course of study no earlier than 2006.

Submission requirements

Applicants must be submitted online using the application form at: http://ww2.emeraldinsight.com/awards/usage.htm

The following documents will be required electronically:

• A business plan providing potential solutions to increase the efficiency and decrease the cost of Library Electronic Holdings. It should not exceed 2,000 words (tables, notes, figures, appendices and reference lists, if provided will not be counted on total words);
  
• A covering letter containing contact information of all contributors to the business plan, indicating who will be the main contact

Key Dates

• The closing date for applications is 27 January 2012. 
• Winners will be announced in March 2012.

Further Details