LexBlog’s new Syndication Portal solution could possibly serve as the foundation for a law school library archive.
Talking to law librarians about our portal technology, I receive more ideas on how our portal product can be used.
One could be a law school library archive.
The mission of a law school archive appears to be at least twofold – though I am far from an authority on such archives.
One, to preserve and make accessible records of enduring value regarding the history of the law school and law in general, and two, to preserve and make accessible historically significant material published by the law school’s legal community – professors, admin’s, law students and alumni.
A law school could be collecting the historical and ongoing works of members of its legal community by having books, journals and periodicals of such works in its library – in print and digitally.
I am not sure how all of these works would be made readily available to legal professionals, off campus, or on a Google search.
Works could also be available via scanning to pdf much like Archive.org is doing in creating the world’s largest library. Again, I am not certain how those works are available on a Google search.
In either case, concurrent publishing by alumni, students and professors on open publishing platforms, personally edited, including blogs would not be captured.
The law school library would not be aware of all of such open publishing.
Apply portal technology to law school archiving.
- Open publishing would instantly be picked up via RSS feeds from the publications.
- The minute the approved publication published a piece, the piece would be displayed at the law school’s archive, and the author’s profile page, publishing organization’s profile page (law firm, law school, etc), and the publication’s page would be updated.
- Original publishing could be added to the law school’s archival, via the portal.
- Pdf’s could possibly be scraped or entered on a site with an abstract entry and fed to the portal via RSS – though we’d need a indexable entry for Google.
- Email updates to subscribers.
Advantages I see, and I am sure I am missing items a library would want to achieve, include:
- Scalable and easy way to operate an archive – operates on SaaS solution requiring no tech nor development work by the library.
- Capturing open publishing/blogs, now being missed – a body of work that’s only growing.
- Building profiles of authors, organizations and publications.
- Growing body of indexed work and profiles of authors for Google.
- Nurturing relationships with Alumni. Having your law school showcase your publishing as an alum is a nice piece of recognition and opens doors for reputation and relationship building among other alums leading to legal work. Alums would appreciate the law school’s effort.
- Showcasing the open publishing and profiles of your law professors.
- Showcasing the open publishing and profiles of your students – attracting new students and opening career opportunities by virtue of reputation building by students
As much talking and thinking out loud, as anything. But that’s how ideas and product development evolve – and feedback and ideas are received.