Library launches repository for SU research, scholarship

Syracuse University Library has announced the launch of SURFACE (http://surface.syr.edu), a full-text, multimedia online database that provides open access to the extensive and diverse array of scholarly, professional, scientific and creative output produced at Syracuse University. At the same time, SURFACE increases the visibility of authors’ works; maximizes research impact; facilitates interdisciplinary research; and provides local, regional and global communities with immediate and permanent access.

A launch party will be held Monday, Oct. 18, from 4-6 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons of Bird Library. Light refreshments will be served. All faculty and graduate students are invited to attend. In addition, special workshops to introduce SURFACE to those interested in depositing their work will take place in Room 046 of Bird Library from Tuesday, Oct. 19, through Thursday, Oct. 21.

Many SU faculty members have already contributed content, including physics professor Eric Schiff, who says, “I personally believe in this endeavor, and for the last decade I’ve maintained a publicly accessible archive of the papers I’ve co-authored on a University server. SURFACE is the next phase of this activity for Syracuse authors, and I intend to encourage this activity and to participate in it.”

Beginning in December 2009, a team of librarians, staff, and students from the Syracuse University Library, the H. Douglas Barclay Law Library, the University Archives, Syracuse University Press and the iSchool, with advice and consultation from University faculty, collaboratively planned and implemented SURFACE. Their efforts are now reaching fruition, with more than 1,500 SU documents now housed in SURFACE.

For more information, contact Charlotte Hess, associate dean for research, collections and scholarly communication, at 443-5528 or hess@syr.edu