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Simon Bains

@simonjbains

University Librarian, University of Aberdeen https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/simon.bains Open research, digital preservation, library spaces, running Views my own, and often of nice sunrises/sunsets

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Latest posts by Simon Bains @simonjbains

Scottish Research Cultures 2026 flip chart illustration, with a huge number of really well drawn and coloured doodles representing the various themes that have been discussed over the course of the day.

Scottish Research Cultures 2026 flip chart illustration, with a huge number of really well drawn and coloured doodles representing the various themes that have been discussed over the course of the day.

All conferences should have an official illustrator working live.

05.03.2026 15:47 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Fascinating to be in my third event in two weeks discussing research sharing, and again in a very different community. No publishers or librarians here (other than me!).

05.03.2026 12:51 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Image of the screen and panel seating ready to go at the event.

Image of the screen and panel seating ready to go at the event.

After a week in London at #R2RConf and #CopimConference my open research roadshow continues at a 'Scottish Research Integrity and Culture Week' event at @rcsed.bsky.social in Edinburgh where I'm on a panel to talk about 'expanding openness' for arts + humanities.

05.03.2026 09:52 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Logo for Scottish Research Integrity and Culture Week, featuring a map of Scotland showing all the universities joined up as dots on the map

Logo for Scottish Research Integrity and Culture Week, featuring a map of Scotland showing all the universities joined up as dots on the map

Scottish #ResearchIntegrity and Culture Week is finally here! πŸŽ‰
Check out the full list of events happening throughout Scotland, both in-person and online, here www.sricw.co.uk/programme

02.03.2026 09:20 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2

We're very pleased to publish what we hope will be a useful resource helping those that are new to thoughts about building inclusive collections

02.03.2026 17:22 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Now we’re frustrated by things like institutional debt says Gatti. Though I’d say these severe financial challenges have sharpened the institutional focus on the costs we have railed against, and we’re starting to see the results #CopimConference

27.02.2026 16:10 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Gatti: β€œCollective grumbling is very powerful”. #CopimConference

27.02.2026 16:06 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Rupert Gatti speaking, with a backdrop slide with the logos of the project and funders and request to sign up to the mailing list - COPIM@jiscmail.ac.uk

Rupert Gatti speaking, with a backdrop slide with the logos of the project and funders and request to sign up to the mailing list - COPIM@jiscmail.ac.uk

#CopimConf is summed up by @rupertgatti.bsky.social and we thank all the folks involved in making this happen and powering the projects that underpinned it πŸ‘

27.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I’ve often been asked to help someone find the next item on their grocery list in supermarkets.

27.02.2026 15:47 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Is this hypothetical or actually happening? I’d be really interested to see real world examples to help me understand this perspective. It’s a long way from my own #CopimConference

27.02.2026 14:28 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

"Don't ask me what our business model is". That's a very familiar feeling... #CopimConference

27.02.2026 14:04 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

There are barriers in the way of using experimental publishing to support the emerging interdisciplinary spaces, noting in particular the conservative academic culture. This is something we aspire to @abdnunipress.bsky.social and capacity is certainly one of the barriers we face #CopimConference

27.02.2026 12:22 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Interesting to note that generative AI (just mentioned) has not had much airtime at #CopimConference. #R2RConf was obsessed by it.

27.02.2026 12:10 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

This was a really inspiring call to action in the context of being more inclusive and interdisciplinary through experiment that isn’t happening in the traditional sector. Even if the speaker did (I think) just call me a prehistoric ape 🦍 #CopimConference

27.02.2026 12:02 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Example of a publication that includes embedded media on Michigan’s Fulcrum publishing platform.

Example of a publication that includes embedded media on Michigan’s Fulcrum publishing platform.

A shout out to Michigan University Press @uofmpress.bsky.social on their innovative experiment representing work in a way traditional publishing can’t do. I think that MUP’s director @charleswatkinson.bsky.social is watching this event online… #CopimConference

27.02.2026 11:56 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Now hearing from @uolpress.bsky.social at #CopimConference. How the other new OA presses do things are always so helpful to hear as we learn as we go at @abdnunipress.bsky.social

27.02.2026 11:38 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Fascinating to hear from Loughborough about theses when your daughter is doing a PhD at Loughborough! #CopimConference

27.02.2026 11:17 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

As a panellist, with a different (literal) perspective, I can now say with confidence that this is the segment of the scholarly research communications community that collects laptop stickers #CopimConference

27.02.2026 10:51 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ‘ Brilliant; well done @abdnunipress.bsky.social team!

27.02.2026 10:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Agreed with @emmabooth.bsky.social that lobbying LMS vendors is frustrating, but not that metadata is low priority when procuring (in my experience) #CopimConference

27.02.2026 09:49 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
New Report: International Metadata Recommendations and Platform-Specific Requirements for Open Access Books and Chapters We are pleased to announce the publication of **International Metadata Recommendations and Platform-Specific Requirements for Open Access Books and Chapters**, a substantial report from Thoth Open Met...

The @thoth-metadata.bsky.social metadata report that @emmaboothmather.bsky.social has just highlighted at #copimconference is at thoth.pub/blog/10.7095...

27.02.2026 09:40 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Reflecting, not for the first time, that #CopimConference and #R2RConf have been so close in terms of content, date, and location, but not community. There was a whole workshopping series during Research to Reader where (mainly) publishers discussed "Book Metadata, Discoverability & Usage"

27.02.2026 09:35 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Hearing from @emmabooth.bsky.social on that great irony that open access books are hard for libraries to make discoverable #CopimConference

27.02.2026 09:28 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

I’m delighted to see that the amazing Vincent W. J. van Gerven Oei of @thoth-metadata.bsky.social has PhD from @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social #CopimConference

26.02.2026 17:21 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Zeyen: accessibility goes beyond the need for compliance with standards. Scholarly writing is often inaccessible to others. There are wider questions about good science communications and also a need to acknowledge how much time this can take #CopimConference

26.02.2026 16:17 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Another good point from Pete Barr. Librarians aren’t the ultimate decision makers in their universities; lots of factors in play. No one who knows me would accuse me of supporting the status quo, but Aberdeen hasn’t left any of the deals. I’d be delighted to talk about that. #CopimConference

26.02.2026 14:47 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Graham Stone is positive about things changing in the context of open monographs, and it’s helpful, as he does, to take a longer view and reflect on how far we’ve come. I’ve been in this space for 20 years: much has changed for the better! #CopimConference

26.02.2026 14:42 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ensure your content budget strategy makes β€˜open’ a commitment, and is signed off at the highest level. Another great point from Pete Barr. There’s important β€˜soft politics’ here. Do we have the diplomacy and leadership skills to be sure we can make this approach succeed? #CopimConference

26.02.2026 14:26 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Yes, always (3 different unis). It needs some relationship building work and the agency and willingness to speak up and see who responds. My open research team have champions across the university helping them get these messages across. I’d say this is getting better all the time. #CopimConference

26.02.2026 14:19 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

β€˜Spend to save’ can be a good driver, but it’s hard in the context of immediate in year savings targets.

26.02.2026 14:14 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0