Scholarly Publications

My varied interests are reflected in the range of articles you see here. As far as scholarly work goes, I have a strong preference for publication in Open Access journals… and though “gold journals” are the ideal, this has not always been possible.

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The Digital Disease in Academic Libraries

Know Your Audience(s): Collaborating for Copyright Education

Joseph, Kris, Julia Guy, Amanda Wakaruk, Adrian Sheppard, and Michael B. McNally. “Know Your Audience(s): Collaborating for Copyright Education.” International Journal of Open Educational Resources 2, no. 1 (2020): 79–98. https://doi.org/10.18278/ijoer.2.1.

Abstract: This paper reviews the experiences of a multi-unit collaborative open education project to develop instructional copyright modules as OER.  It has the aim of explicating the value, tensions, and limitations of collaborating to develop resources for multiple audiences. Specifically, these modules are used for in-class instruction in graduate courses, but also utilized more generally as copyright instructional modules for staff, students and faculty of the university, as well as being available to the general public. This paper’s unique contribution is that it focuses on how collaboration can lead to the development of OER that treat two distinct audiences as primary.

Toward a Critical Approach to OER: A Case Study in Removing the Big Five from OER Creation

Joseph, Kris, Julia Guy, and Michael B McNally. “Toward a Critical Approach for OER: A Case Study in Removing the ‘Big Five’ from OER Creation.” Open Praxis 11, no. 4 (December 31, 2019): 355–67. https://doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.11.4.1020.

Abstract: This paper examines the role of proprietary software in the production of open educational resources (OER). Using a single case study, the paper explores the implications of removing proprietary software from an OER project, with the aim of examining how complicated such a process is and whether removing such software meaningfully advances a critical approach to OER. The analysis reveals that software from the Big Five technology companies (Apple, Alphabet/Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft) are deeply embedded in OER production and distribution, and that complete elimination of software or services from these companies is not feasible. The paper concludes by positing that simply rejecting Big Five technology introduces too many challenges to be justified on a pragmatic basis; however, it encourages OER creators to remain critical in their use of technology and continue to try to advance a critical approach to OER.

Wikipedia Knows the Value of what the Library Catalog Forgets

Kris Joseph, “Wikipedia Knows the Value of What the Library Catalog Forgets,” Cataloging and Classification Quarterly 57 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1080/01639374.2019.1597005

Abstract: Shifting library catalogs from physical to digital has come at a cost. Catalog records no longer leave traces of their own evolution, which is a loss for librarianship. The subjective nature of information classification warrants self-examination, within which we may see the evolution of practice, debates over attribution and relevance, and how culture is reflected in the systems used to describe it. Wikipedia models what is possible: revision histories and discussion pages function as knowledge generators. A list of unanswerable questions for the modern catalog urges us to construct a new, forward-thinking bibliography that allows us to look backward.

Ongoing Policy, Regulatory, and Competitive Challenges facing Canada’s Small Internet Service Providers

McNally, Michael, Dinesh Rathi, Kris Joseph, Jennifer Evaniew, and Amy Adkisson. “Ongoing Policy, Regulatory, and Competitive Challenges Facing Canada’s Small Internet Service Providers.” Journal of Information Policy 8 (2018): 167–98. https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.8.2018.0167.

Abstract: Many rural and remote Canadians continue to experience a digital divide. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operating in these communities play a crucial role in connecting Canadians, yet they are understudied. This study aims to address this gap in the literature by focusing on policy, regulatory, and competitive challenges and issues facing small ISPs. Small ISPs face competitive pressures, but more importantly deal with regulatory challenges induced by the lack of a coherent national approach to rural broadband. Ten Canadian ISPs were interviewed as part of this study. The paper recommends the Government of Canada develop a national broadband strategy informed in part through consultation with small ISPs.

Moving Open Access to “Post-Open”

Kris Joseph, “Moving Open Access to ‘Post-Open,’” Public Services Quarterly 14, no. 1 (2018): 83–91, https://doi.org/10.1080/15228959.2017.1413480.

Abstract: The Open Access movement was born near the turn of the century and has been catalyzed by agreements like the Budapest Open Access Initiative and the Berlin Declaration. Advocates have succeeded in creating widespread awareness of Open Access initiatives, but adoption levels remain low. This article argues that it is time to reframe library services as “post-open,” where Open Access is implemented as an underlying principle instead of a value-added supplement to traditional public services. Opportunities for this view are presented through the lens of current Open Access challenges, including the universal application of “open” principles, ongoing articulation of the case for openness, transparent identification open resources in catalogs and metadata, and the development of new publishing models.