Open Password – Friday, November 5, 2021
#994
Working under Corona conditions – ZB MED – COVID-19 pandemic – COVID-19 Hub – Bertolt Brecht – Crisis team – Konrad Förstner – Juliane Fluck – SARS-CoV2 virus – Digital calls – Technical infrastructure – Library area – Research data management – Open access -Platforms – LIVIVO – Marketing – Genome Browser – Multiple Sequence Alignment Viewer – Text Mining Corpora – NFDI14Health – NFDI4Microbiota – Interlibrary Loan – Document Delivery – First Lockdown – Second Lockdown – Open Password – Medical Librarianship Working Group – Lighthouse projects in medical libraries – E-learning offers – Research Colloquium – Cookie Lecture – Life Science Research
Otto Brenner Foundation – Corona reporting – Crisis reporting – Leif Kramp – Stephan Weichert – Deformation Professional – Journalism-audience relationship – Jupp Legrand – VIPKid – China – New Oriental Education – Springer Nature – Climate Research in Action – Taranis – Albo Climate – Satellite-Based Remote Sensing – Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Global Clean Index – Bloomberg Law – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Framework – Clarivate – Moody – LinkedIn – Service Marketplace – Outsell – Coalition for Cultural and Creative Industries – Coalition negotiations
- Title
Working under Corona conditions: Discovering the possible – ZB MED in times of the COVID-19 pandemic – How the COVID-19 Hub came about
- Otto Brenner Foundation
III. International News
- k3d: Coalition for Cultural and Creative Industries
Working under Corona conditions
The discovery of the possible:
E.g. MED in times of the COVID-19 pandemic
How the COVID-19 Hub was created*
Yes, just make a plan! Just be a great light!
And then make a second plan – neither of them will go.
Bertolt Brecht in the Threepenny Opera
At the beginning of the year (2020, ed.) ZB MED had a variety of strategic goals and action plans. There were planned workshops, conferences and other events, detailed planning and appointments for exchange and networking with other libraries or research institutions. ZB MED assumed that the year 2020 should be dominated by an overarching objective, namely to sharpen the new profile of ZB MED as a central specialist library on the one hand and as a research center on the other and to optimize the services for the target groups.
In mid-March, ZB MED was like everyone else: the plans were null and void. The considerations now related to two very specific problems:
- How can ZB MED maintain important services in order to ensure the supply of life science literature and information – especially at a time when research is working on topics whose support is ZB MED’s original task?
- How does ZB MED reorganize work from one day to the next so that it works digitally and remotely as much as possible?
ZB MED made the decisive decisions on Friday, March 13, 2020 – a day that will certainly be remembered by many because the scope of the pandemic became clear and the consequences became apparent to everyone. After the schools and daycare centers were closed, the decision was made to stop using ZB MED on-site and, if possible, to have the workforce work from home.
On the 14th/15th Two further important measures were introduced in March: Firstly, a COVID-19 crisis team was set up. On the other hand, the research teams led by Prof. Dr. Konrad Förstner and Prof. Dr. Juliane Fluck laid the foundations for the so-called COVID-19 hub in a weekend campaign to support research into the SARS-CoV2 virus.
Dietrich Rebholz-Schuhmann, scientific director of ZB MED:
Not only the management, but also them, were crucial in overcoming the challenge of the pandemic.
_____________________________________________________
Crisis team to reorganize work
_____________________________________________________
The crisis team with representatives from management, staff council, occupational safety and the individual departments met daily for quite some time to specifically organize the work, discuss problems, find solutions and communicate information to the company. Literally overnight, analog meetings turned into digital calls. All available laptops were used to enable mobile working to as many as possible.
The IT department performed a small miracle and made a large number of people fit for work within a very short space of time. When it became clear after a few weeks that mobile working was becoming the new normal, the commercial management gave the okay to purchase additional laptops, headsets, keyboards and monitors in order to enable even more colleagues to work from home without any problems. _____________________________________________________
ZB MED COVID-19 Hub
_____________________________________________________
The goal of supporting research into the coronavirus was a consensus across departments and had the highest priority. When setting up and expanding the COVID-19 Hub, the research groups worked hand in hand with the traditional library area. The colleagues from research data management and the open access platforms were just as involved, as were the LIVIVO team and marketing – librarians, researchers, colleagues across all areas and hierarchies worked networked and very closely and well together . Every morning at 8 a.m. there was a call from those involved in order to implement the COVID-19 hub in the shortest possible time.
The basis for this was current interactive, bioinformatic tools such as a genome browser, a multiple sequence alignment viewer and text mining corpora. The library department and marketing team worked with management to build a systematic collection of various resources – freely available scientific publications and other reliable Internet sources. The LIVIVO team developed a special application for the ZB MED search portal – the LIVIVO COVID-19 Collection includes the same research options as the regular LIVIVO search, but is limited to specific entries on SARS-Co-V-2 and COVID-19. The research data management team provided infrastructure and advice for publishing research data. In addition, the two NFDI consortia with ZB MED participation – NFDI14Health and NFDI4Microbiota – were also committed to offering research. The COVID-19 Hub has now returned to “normal operations” and is available as a normal service. To do this, it is updated regularly, outdated offers are removed and new ones are added.
Inserted text, originally a line of images: Impressions from the home offices: The workstations are set up as individually as the employees are different. Some of them are very professionally equipped with several screens, as ergonomic as possible and I like to be in the company of four-legged colleagues. Video conferences are part of everyday life because meetings and committee meetings take place exclusively online. Children at work are part of the reality of parents who have to combine care and work.
Konrad-Förstner: Helped set up the COVID-19 hub.
_____________________________________________________
Accessible despite lockdown
_____________________________________________________
The library department worked intensively to maintain services and found creative solutions. Interlibrary loan did not deliver the orders via the libraries as usual, but rather via direct delivery to the customers. Document delivery was maintained continuously and additional services were expanded digitally in a very short space of time. The fact that ZB MED had long taken the digital path in many respects paid off here.
During the first lockdown, the lending department and the InfoCenter prepared a hygiene concept to quickly enable safe visits to the library. In addition to the ubiquitous Plexiglas protective walls, walking paths were set up and a booking system for workstations in the reading room was installed. In the second lockdown, this system could also be used to book fixed pickup times for the contactless handover of ordered media.
_____________________________________________________
Opportunities taken advantage of
_____________________________________________________
Of course, one or two technical difficulties had to be overcome. Nevertheless, the conclusion can be drawn that after a short phase of reorientation, work at ZB MED not only went smoothly, but was even more successful than originally planned. In May, ZB MED organized the first major library online conference on the “Future of academic libraries?!”** Around three times as many visitors registered for the virtual event as for the one originally planned on site.
The COVID-19 Hub has significantly raised ZB MED’s profile and has been linked worldwide. ZB MED participated in the COVID-19 Task Force within the NFDI14 Health consortium. In September, the Association for Medical Libraries (AGMB) awarded the COVID-19 Hub a special prize in the lighthouse projects competition for medical libraries . The laudatory speech emphasized the great importance of research support around the virus and the enormous speed with which this hub was created.
The e-learning offerings were expanded with online training, webinars and workshops, numerous specialist lectures were held at online conferences and even partner events were hosted. Library tours and advice in the InfoCenter were also moved online.
Even internal formats that previously took place in person were transferred to a video conference. The research colloquium with reports on current research results, projects and activities from the company now takes place online regularly once a week and is becoming significantly more popular. If necessary, the weekly slot can be used for a cookie lecture . This was originally developed to inform ZB MED colleagues about important work content and to exchange ideas about it over coffee and cookies. Now everyone has to provide their own cookies and make their own coffee, but the exchange is almost more lively than before. In addition, the events are recorded on video and are therefore available to those who cannot attend.
Conclusion: More colleagues than ever are taking part in the digital format. The second wave of equipping the workforce with laptops was not only important for this purpose.
The pandemic with its shocking and sad consequences is very present at ZB MED. There is also an awareness of the enormous importance of research in the life sciences – it has also increased significantly throughout society since March 2020 – and ZB MED is an essential part of this research. We responded to the global crisis with our means and possibilities and, as a result, grew even stronger (together).
Making plans still makes sense. And it makes just as much sense to remain level-headed when plans change.
* Taken from: Service for Science – Science for Services, ZB MED – Annual Report 2020, Cologne 2021
** in joint sponsorship with Open Password.
Advertisement
Otto Brenner Foundation
Solution-oriented Corona reporting: Potentials and limits of audience proximity
and activism
(Otto Brenner Foundation) Solution-oriented crisis reporting can strengthen the discursive character and diversity of society’s debate culture, but at the same time repeatedly makes the limits and potential of audience proximity and activism in the media visible. This is one of the results of the study “Constructive through Crises?” published by the Otto Brenner Foundation. The study by media researchers Leif Kramp and Stephan Weichert examines for the first time the constructive reporting of German-language media on the Covid-19 pandemic in ten “case analyzes of corona journalism”.
“The solution-oriented approaches we examined reflect the desire of many journalists to work together with their audience to improve the crisis-torn world,” says Stephan Weichert. “This world-improvement journalism does not necessarily lead to a “professional deformation” if such reporting intentions are made sufficiently transparent.” In particular, “political or personal motives of individual journalists” must be clearly marked in order to prevent the media from “whitewashing” reality in the eyes of their users and thus losing credibility. The results of the study – for which the author duo analyzed the reporting of public broadcasters, traditional newspaper companies and digital publishers and asked pioneers of solution-oriented journalism about its possibilities for further development – show that this is not always sufficiently taken into account.
Constructive offers have a positive impact on improving audience relations and dialogue with users. “Crises in particular awaken a strong need for reliable information and education. The Corona pandemic has shown how good journalism can constructively contribute to making people more resilient in the face of profound uncertainty,” says Leif Kramp. Constructive approaches are “an investment in the journalism-audience relationship and promote interaction with users in many ways.”
The reports analyzed for the study are dedicated to reporting on Covid-19 from different perspectives and across the existing variety of genres, genres and formats, which, according to Kramp, shows that constructive reporting is “low-threshold in conceivably different editorial contexts and in a large one range of topics is possible”. As long as it is carried out honestly, constructive journalism can provide orientation and generally strengthen trust in journalistic achievements.
“A critical, open-ended inventory of journalistic work is generally important due to dramatically changing conditions,” says Jupp Legrand, Managing Director of the Otto Brenner Foundation. Due to the experiences of the Corona crisis, it is more urgent than ever to address the opportunities, but also the limits, of the concept of constructive reporting. Although there are definitely pitfalls caused by “simplification or reinterpretation of reality in the form of positive shades”, Legrand continued, he is convinced that constructively conveyed topics can have a high useful value for the general public, especially in crises.
The study concludes with editorial recommendations for action that see constructive crisis reporting as a component of future journalistic work.
Leif Kramp/Stephan Weichert: Constructive through crises? Case analyzes on Corona journalism, OBS-AH 107, Frankfurt am Main, in October 2021
International News
Once Worth $3B, Online Tutoring Giant VIPKid Will End Flagship Program in China
VIPKid will end its flagship education program in China by early next month. The announcement comes after months of tumult and change in the multibillion-dollar online tutoring industry, precipitated by new education regulations from the Chinese government that effectively ban private tutoring lessons with foreign educators.
New Oriental Education Cuts Services for Youngsters amid Tutoring Reforms
New Oriental Education announced it would stop providing extracurricular classes for kindergarten, primary and junior secondary school students by the end of November. The tutoring company is the latest casualty of China’s policy reforms that upended the private tutoring industry.
Springer Nature Launches COP26 Climate Research Campaign
Springer Nature has launched its Climate Research in Action campaign to highlight the importance of research in identifying climate solutions. The campaign includes a new compilation of the most important research articles related to climate from across the Nature Portfolio. The articles will be free to access during conference.
Taranis and Albo Climate Announce Partnership to Deliver Satellite-Based Carbon Credits Verification
Taranis and Albo Climate announce a partnership. By using satellite-based remote sensing to reduce the cost of verification of Soil Organic Carbon, Taranis and Albo will allow agriculture retailers to scale carbon programs and help farmers move their carbon credits more easily into the carbon credit markets.
Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs Asset Management Launch Global Clean Energy Index
Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs Asset Management announce the launch of the Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Global Clean Energy Index. The index is a modified free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index tracking the performance of over 175 global equities with business exposure to the clean energy sector.
Bloomberg Law Launches New Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Framework Index
Bloomberg Law announced that it has named 28 US-based law firms to its inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Framework, the legal industry’s first and only standardized, fully transparent methodology to measure law firms’ performance in this critical arena.
Clarivate Reports Third Quarter 2021 Results
Clarivate Plc reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021. Third Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights: Revenues of $442.1 million and Adjusted Revenues of $442.2 million, increased 55% and 54%, respectively, at constant currency.
Moody’s Corporation Reports Results for Third Quarter 2021
Moody’s Corporation announced results for the third quarter of 2021 and updated its full year 2021 outlook. Moody’s Corporation reported revenue of $1.5 billion for the three months ended September 30, 2021, up 13% from the prior-year period. Foreign currency translation favorably impacted Moody’s revenue by 1%.
LinkedIn Rolls Out Its Freelance Services Marketplace Globally
LinkedIn is opening up a new front in the job market for freelancers. Service Marketplace is a new feature that will let people advertise themselves for short-term engagements to those looking to hire people for such roles, competing against the likes of Fiverr and Upwork for sourcing skilled knowledge workers.
Source: Outsell
k3d
Coalition for Cultural and Creative Industries
(k3d) Leading private sector interest groups from the areas of books and fashion, journalism, music, games, TV, radio and film, cultural events, galleries, architecture and design have formed the “Coalition of Cultural and Creative Industries in Germany (k3d)” as an open alliance merged. In the future, this wants to be a competent dialogue partner with politicians at federal, state and EU level and a source of inspiration for the industry’s common interests. Together, the initiators of the coalition want to communicate more to the outside world the relevance of the cultural and creative industries as an economic sector and for society. k3d will develop and represent overarching positions, statements and demands on cultural, media and economic policy issues. In view of the current coalition negotiations, k3d is in favor of a central contact point in the new federal government for all matters relating to the cultural and creative industries.
With a gross value added of 106 billion euros in 2019, the cultural and creative industries contribute 3.1 percent to the overall economic output in Germany. This makes it the third largest economic sector after the automotive industry and mechanical engineering. At the European level, it achieved sales of 643 billion euros and total value added of 253 billion euros in 2019. The core activities of the cultural and creative industries therefore account for 4.4 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product. Their economic contribution is therefore far greater than that of the telecommunications, high-tech, pharmaceutical or automotive industries.
OpenPassword
Forum and news
for the information industry
in German-speaking countries
New editions of Open Password appear three times a week.
If you would like to subscribe to the email service free of charge, please register at www.password-online.de.
The current edition of Open Password can be accessed immediately after it appears on the web. www.password-online.de/archiv. This also applies to all previously published editions.
International Cooperation Partner:
Outsell (London)
Business Industry Information Association/BIIA (Hong Kong)
Open Password Archive – Publications
OPEN PASSWORD ARCHIVE
DATA JOURNALISM
Handelsblatt’s Digital Reach