David Ball

Affiliate Associate

David is a consultant with many years’ experience, specialising in scholarly publishing, Open Access, e-books, virtual learning environments, design and management of academic libraries. Recent projects include: research in the area of open access publishing for Public Library of Science (PLOS) and the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften (see http://edoc.bbaw.de/frontdoor.php?source_opus=2515); a full library service review for City University London; an e-books contract for Jisc Collections; research on approaches to collection management by universities for a major serials agent; training in Open Access for SPARC Europe and UKeiG (UK Electronic Information Group).

As University Librarian at Bournemouth he created a vibrant library service, chiefly electronic in delivery, both for research, through the institutional repository and e-journals, and for teaching, pioneering the integration of paid-for and open educational resources into the virtual learning environment. He also won two prestigious national awards: the quinquennial SCONUL Library Design Award 2007 and the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Award for the Outstanding Library Team 2009. David has a strong record in procurement, having led six ground-breaking national and regional tenders for journals, books and e-books, with individual contracts worth £10m per annum.

Previous experience includes the private sector, as information manager for the Glasgow Herald and Evening Times, where he was responsible for transforming a cuttings library into a full-text electronic archive. He was also responsible for negotiating the sale of rights to text and pictures, publishing the first digital newspaper in Scotland on CD-ROM. He has a strong publishing record; including a major book, Managing Suppliers and Partners for the Academic Library. He is also a frequent speaker at conferences, particularly on e-books, VLEs and procurement. For a list of major publications click here.

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