Access Apocalypse? Be Prepared for Anything

Access to online resources is a lot more complex than it used to be. Changing expectations about data privacy are leading to greater scrutiny of who, what, when and why of sharing, impacting the current technologies supporting access to content (e.g., IP-based and federated access). The evolving regulatory landscape is increasing responsibilities for those collecting personally identifiable information. And then the pandemic upends the world by pushing remote access to the max.

The NISO Plus conference brings people together from across the global information community to share updates and participate in conversations about our shared challenges and opportunities. The focus is on identifying concrete next steps to improve information flow and interoperability, and help solve existing and potential future problems. Please join us to help address the key issues facing our community of librarians, publishers, researchers, and more — today and tomorrow!

I would never have guessed that my degree in Library Science would have led me to organize and lead some of the most technical, volunteer-driven organizations on the Internet. But, as it turns out, things like standards development and digital identity are easy enough to understand when you love engaging with highly technical people and have a knack for translating geek-speak into human communication. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with organizations like the IETF, DIACC, and Internet2 (to name a few), doing just that — leading, collaborating, and translating, all to build a better Internet. Now, as Principal at Spherical Cow Consulting, I work with collaborations that span a variety of industry sectors. My goal is to work with these organizations to make the Internet a more functional, diverse, and less biased platform for the world. This involves hands-on engagement in developing and expanding business and administrative processes, designing technology strategies, forming and leading teams, and technical writing and editing. My leadership style is built on the belief that consensus is fundamental; every team I lead is empowered to express their thoughts with respect and work towards a final product that is better than what anyone thought of on their own. I have managed and facilitated global-scale technical projects as coordinator, strategist, executor, and communication expert. My end-game is not a corporate title or a crazy bottom line; it’s about doing whatever I can to help make the Internet better and the people who build it be proud of the work they’ve done.

Jason Griffey is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at NISO, where he works to identify new areas of the information ecosystem where standards expertise is useful and needed. Prior to joining NISO in 2019, Jason ran his own technology consulting company for libraries, has been both an Affiliate at metaLAB and a Fellow and Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, and was a Faculty member and academic librarian in roles ranging from reference and instruction to Head of IT at the University of TN at Chattanooga. Jason has written extensively on technology and libraries, including multiple books and a series of full-periodical issues on technology topics, most recently AI & Machine Learning in Libraries. He has spoken internationally on topics such as artificial intelligence & machine learning, the future of technology and libraries, decentralization and the Blockchain, privacy, copyright, and intellectual property. A full list of his publications and presentations can be found on his CV. He is one of eight winners of the Knight Foundation News Challenge for Libraries for the Measure the Future project (http://measurethefuture.net), an open hardware project designed to provide actionable use metrics for library spaces. He is also the creator and director of The LibraryBox Project (http://librarybox.us), an open source portable digital file distribution system. Jason can be stalked obsessively online, and spends his free time with his daughter Eliza, reading, obsessing over gadgets, and preparing for the inevitable zombie uprising.

Dr. Sandra Hirsh is Associate Dean for Academics in the College of Professional and Global Education at San José State University (SJSU). She previously served as Professor and Director of the SJSU School of Information for ten years. She is immediate Past President of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) and has served previously as President of the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T). She co-founded and co-chairs the global virtual Library 2.0 conference series (https://www.library20.com/). She holds both a bachelor's degree and Ph.D. from UCLA and a MLIS degree from the University of Michigan.

Tim Lloyd is founder and CEO of LibLynx, a company providing Identity, Access, and Analytics solutions for publishers and libraries. His career spans several decades in a variety of product development and operational roles in online publishing, with a particular focus on developing innovative products and services to support online learning and research. Tim is a member of the governance committee of SeamlessAccess.org and co-chair of the outreach committee, and is also a member of the Project COUNTER working group on OA /unpaywalled reporting.