The LibraryThe HEP Databases&The Changing Science at SLAC

External review?

R&D management suggested an external review of TIS

Library/HEP Databases preparation Committee composition & Charge User input Metrics

Focus on past/present as predictor of future success in meeting user needs

But…user needs will change as SLAC changes

Problem—Too many changes

SLAC’s science and organizational structure are changing

Would a review be useful? Would it ask the questions that need answering?

How should the Library & HEP Databases respond to the changes at SLAC?• Photon science • Accelerator science• Particle physics shift

Changes to SLAC Science

Increased focus Accelerator R&D (Photon Science, ILC, &?) SSRL

New areas LCLS Particle Astrophysics theory & experiments

Similar to present HEP Theory HEP R&D for non-SLAC experiments (ILC, &?) Possible ‘new’ HEP directions?

Three questions face us

How should the HEP DB’s continue?

How should traditional Library services change?

What are the needs of our new user communities?

How should HEP DB’s continue?

We propose to table this question for 2 reasons:

We need to explore the resource mapping issue with management

We are still learning about the information needs of our new user communities

Review: HEP Databases

Literature database Preprints, e-prints, published papers, theses,

reports, conference papers 600K records (SLAC pubs = ~2%) Covers high-energy physics, particle

astrophysics and accelerator physics Core tool of the international community 1M searches per month

Review: HEP Databases

Other databases are interlinked with literature database Experiments HEP/Astroparticle People Institutions Conferences Books Jobs Streaming media/Talks

Review: HEP Databases

1/2 of Library FTE effort spent on HEP Databases

Worldwide HEP DB collaboration effort ~50% of worldwide FTE effort spent on HEP

Databases is at SLAC All development and technical expertise at SLAC

Remaining ~50% of FTE effort is distributed at FNAL, DESY, KEK, Durham, & IHEP

Future Questions: HEP Databases

Should the effort map to SLAC’s evolving funding profile and if so, to what degree?

Continue HEP DB at same level? managed by SLAC?

Shift resources into building a useful (different) suite of tools for photon science/accelerator science?

How should traditional Library services change?

50% of effort spent on traditional library work supporting High-energy Physics & Particle Astrophysics Accelerator Physics Computing SSRL Engineering ESH, Administration, Management, & Other

Supporting Staff

Review: Current Library Services

Traditional collections, reference, etc. will change to meet changing information needs of our resident and visitor communities….A challenge, but not insurmountable

More substantial changes to the library services or spaces may need to be considered

How do we serve our new user communities?

Core Competencies

Creation and management of electronic information resources that are useful and responsive to a worldwide scientific user community HEP Databases

Management and development of scientific and technical collections and provision of expert reference and research assistance Books, Journals Access to Online Databases

Changes to SLAC Science

Increased focus Accelerator R&D (Photon Science, ILC, &?) SSRL

New areas LCLS Particle Astrophysics theory & experiments

Similar to present HEP Theory HEP R&D for non-SLAC experiments (ILC, &?) Possible ‘new’ HEP directions?

Questions

What are the information needs of a ‘new’ field of ultra-fast photon science?

How should we use our core competencies to support this cutting-edge science?

How should we ‘Repurpose’ or extend resources currently needed for supporting HEP Databases?

Will current accelerator R&D Library support need to expand?

What will be the balance between SU & SLAC Libraries re collections of books, journals, & databases?

Will the information needs of Astrophysics need augmenting?