[RASMB] How about an online library?

[Peter Schuck]

Allen,

What I would like about this idea of a library is to make the older 
literature available, in particular since the search engines don't usually 
work very well for publications before 1970s and 1980s and it's sometimes 
difficult to find out what has been done.

However, the problem is - what is a "key" publication?  That will depend on 
the problem you have at hand for which you need a solution (what may appear 
trivial detail to one can well be a key observation for somebody else), as 
well as very much on the personal interest and background.  I believe 
selection by a committee will invariably produce bias and hamper 
development.

Instead, it would be better to make a library of *ALL* methodological AUC 
papers, including papers of applications that contain some useful AUC 
aspects.  They could be submitted by authors or readers who find a 
particular paper interesting or helpful in some way.  There should be no 
editorial selection and it should be open, perhaps with the information on 
who suggested it and a comment why.  I don't see a reason to constrain the 
number, since the submission can be made automatic web-site based.  Maybe 
it could be either pdfs (preferable, of course), or abstracts.  We can 
share information how to get permission from the publisher (if possible) to 
scan and post pdfs of old papers, and/or have volunteers work on this part.

It could be made more readable by a set of keywords and/or a short 
paragraph extracting the type of information contained, such that one has a 
chance to search the library for papers that address a particular 
problem.  Perhaps it would be possible to have a category of 'my favorite 
reading list' that one could post - I'm sure that would be quite 
interesting and very different for everybody, even the more experienced 
colleagues.

Peter Schuck



At 11:04 AM 1/27/2005 -0500, you wrote:
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>Dear RASMB aficionados -
>
>I have been an interested bystander to many of the discussions taking 
>place in this forum, and have repeatedly observed that many, if not most, 
>of the questions asked are answered in a relatively small number of 
>publications that are well known to the more experienced among us, and 
>should be made familiar to anyone attempting to practice the dark art of 
>analytical ultracentrifugation.
>
>I suggest that it would entirely within the mission of RASMB to provide an 
>online library of key publications. I understand that permission to offer 
>these online must be obtained from the original publisher, but I don't 
>think that would be an obstacle in most instances, particularly when the 
>original publication is old and not readily available otherwise. Keep in 
>mind that much of the 'old' classical literature is still valid and highly 
>relevant to today's applications. For publications that are currently 
>available online through the journals themselves, links may be provided in 
>lieu of the actual publication.
>
>If the suggested library is realized, then much of the unnecessary 
>repetition of subject matter can be avoided by simple reference to the 
>appropriate publication.
>
>First, I ask Walter whether he is agreeable to this proposition in 
>principle, as by default he would have to take care of the technical 
>details. If so, volunteers would be solicited for a library committee to 
>select content and secure copyright permissions.
>
>Do I hear the sound of hands raising to volunteer for the library 
>committee? I volunteer to be one of a group, not the sole volunteer.
>
>Allen Minton
>
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