PCMath receives the CNRS Crystal Medal 2024
The Plan de Conservation Partagée des Périodiques Imprimés en Mathématiques (PCMath) celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. The result of an initiative by Insmi and set up by the Réseau National des Bibliothèques de Mathématiques (RNBM) for the French mathematical community, PCMath was awarded the CNRS Crystal Medal in 2024. Nathalie Granottier, coordinator of the PCMath Technical Committee, looks back at the main advances and challenges of the Plan since its inception.
Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Nathalie Granottier, Head of the Library of the Centre International de Rencontres Mathématiques (CIRM) and coordinator of the Technical Committee of the Plan de Conservation Partagée des Périodiques Imprimés en Mathématiques ("Shared Conservation Plan for Printed Mathematical Periodicals" aka PCMath).
What is PCMath, and why did you join the program?
There were several factors that motivated me to join this initiative. Firstly, the emergence of electronic periodicals led to a significant increase in rates, putting financial pressure on already limited budgets. Faced with this reality, it was clear that many libraries were making default unsubscription decisions to alleviate this pressing situation. A second point of concern was the growing observation of libraries massively unsubscribing from small associative and academic publishers, in favor of the big publishers and their big deals. This trend risked further marginalizing small publishers, who are essential to the diversity and richness of mathematical literature. It was crucial to act before this situation became irreversible, in order to guarantee access to current and past documentary resources for future generations.
Faced with these challenges, it seemed obvious to me that collaboration and a collective conservation strategy were essential. I'd heard of regional conservation plans to safeguard the daily press, and it seemed natural to apply a similar model in the field of mathematics. By pooling our efforts within the PCMath, we could better anticipate future challenges and work together to preserve essential resources for the future.
Since its creation in 2013, the PCMath has made significant progress, demonstrating its commitment to the preservation and promotion of mathematical periodicals. Here is an overview of the main achievements and key figures:
1. Corpus expansion
The first test phase launched in 2013 included a corpus of 79 titles. In ten years, this corpus has grown considerably to reach 1381 titles, making it almost the ideal corpus selected by mathematicians. There are still a few titles to be processed.
2. Growth of the network
The PCMath has succeeded in mobilizing a dynamic network of participating libraries. Initially made up of 20 libraries, the network now includes 37 institutions committed to the preservation of mathematical periodicals.
3. Reporting quality
Knowing who preserves what is essential to making collections visible and usable, which is why we have made reporting quality a central commitment. During this decade, the PCMath has devoted significant effort to improving the quality of bibliographic reporting on its corpus. All the libraries participating in the plan have carried out considerable work, characterized by its precision, technicality and meticulousness, to correct and update the description of their collections in the national catalogs: CFP and SUDOC. The PCMath actively encourages this work through various educational initiatives, such as publishing articles in its newsletter, holding training sessions by videoconference or during the Members' Day (JDA), and sending files to help identify and correct errors. In addition, the PCMath supports this process by funding fixed-term contracts (CDD) to reinforce the teams engaged in this essential task.
4. Tool development
The PCMath has equipped itself with essential tools to achieve its objectives. In particular, it has contributed to the development of the Catalogue Fusionné des Périodiques (CFP), which has become a benchmark for the management of mathematical periodical collections. This tool is recognized as innovative and serves as a model for the development of national tools.
5. Training and communication
The PCMath regularly organizes information and training days (Journée des adhérentes et adhérents) for member libraries, promoting the exchange of best practices and the enhancement of technical skills. In addition, a regular newsletter ensures effective communication within the community. This year, to mark its 10th anniversary, the plan adopted a new logo, and celebrated the occasion in style by inviting pilots from other plans to a highly successful round table discussion on the difficulties and prospects of shared conservation plans.
6. Funding and support
The PCMath received substantial financial support, notably from the Centre Technique du Livre de l'Enseignement Supérieur (CTLES) through the CollEx Persée call for tenders. In total, the plan received overall funding of 282,279 euros, supplemented by co-financing from the Réseau National des Bibliothèques de Mathématiques (RNBM ). These resources were used to finance the operation of the plan, specific missions, fixed-term contracts, safeguarding and binding operations, thus benefiting all participating libraries.
What are the plan's objectives for the next 10 years?
For the next ten years, the PCMath has set itself several strategic objectives and challenges in order to effectively pursue its mission of preserving and promoting mathematical periodicals:
1. Finalize the selection of the ideal corpus of mathematical paper periodicals
One of our main objectives is to complete the selection of mathematical periodicals to be preserved.
2. Strengthen the security of the existing corpus
It is essential to increase the number of titles secured by 2 reference collections (colref). The reference collection is a collection (or part of a collection) with no gaps and complete information on the life of the printed periodical, preserved by one or more conservation hubs, identified in the MFF to benefit, within the plan, from priority attention in terms of preservation and conservation effort. To achieve this objective, the plan provides for the number of member libraries to be increased, for libraries to be assisted in reporting their collections, for transfers to be carried out and for funding to be provided for the binding of documents.
3. Reporting quality
The plan will continue to work to improve the quality of resource reporting data. This work is essential if collections are to be correctly and accurately identified and located. This work will be particularly delicate for seminars.
4. Expanding the network
The PCMath aims to integrate more Services Communs de Documentation (SCD), as is the case at the Bibliothèque de l'Université de Poitiers.
5. Diversify the corpus
In addition to periodicals, the plan aims to broaden its scope by including new types of documents, such as seminars, often considered as grey literature. Work is underway to locate, identify and preserve these documents. A test phase will be launched this summer with seminars digitized by Numdam.
6. Coordinating the long-term preservation of paper and electronic documents
In view of the increasing number of publishers no longer offering paper versions, the PCMath is considering the long-term preservation of natively electronic documents. This also includes the transition of existing periodicals from paper to electronic format, as well as criteria for determining when it might be acceptable for digital preservation to take over from paper.
In summary, the PCMath's orientations for the coming years aim to consolidate and extend its preservation actions, while adapting to technological developments and integrating new types of documents to meet the needs of the mathematical community.
How do you see the application of this conservation plan in your CIRM library?
We are currently positioned as a conservation center for 163 titles, 73 of which have the colref label. We take particular care with these collections. Our first obligation is to keep our collections up to date in the CFP and Sudoc. Although the conservation plan is not a shared acquisition plan, we do our utmost to maintain subscriptions for living titles for which we are conservation centers. We prioritize the treatment of these titles for bindery trains. We try to fill the gaps in titles for which we are a conservation hub, and we give conservation hubs that ask us to do so the booklets they need to fill the gaps. We have also introduced a labelling system on the shelves to facilitate the physical location of documents. This reinforces vigilance with regard to these titles, and in the event of an emergency, enables rapid identification of the documents to be saved as a priority. We use the conservation plan as a basis for weeding operations, which have enabled us to gain space to create a seminar room in the library or to reorganize work areas.
PCMath receives the CNRS 2024 Crystal Medal
Find the official CNRS announcement here. [link pending]