Work on Sloan application

[Klarster]

Going through the correspondence between Mitar and Jim. Creating a first draft. This is gonna take a while :)

[raaswol]

(labels and milestones) Thank you Klara, you rock!

[Klarster]

I hope to finish the LOI draft by next week :)

[ciaobrian]

While Klara focuses on this since it's our top priority, I will be looking over Simon's so she can devote her full attention here. :)

[Klarster]

Great, if you need something, just let me know ;)

[mitar]

One idea I have is that we could try to be very short in budget in the letter, but present both the short and long term vision and how much it would cost, short term being that probability math vertical, and long term with more features. And then we would leave to them to decide which version should we work on together. So this is just a letter, we will work with them to create a good proposal.

[Klarster]

Question: does the " $510,000 to finance the transition from a volunteer-run project to one with a dedicated and full-time team" apply here? are we intending to apply for more or less than $125,000? Should I even be using the estimates from the KNC proposal (https://www.newschallenge.org/challenge/2014/submissions/peerlibrary-capturing-the-global-conversation-on-academic-literature) ?

[Klarster]

Done with reading guidelines and materials. Made the 1st draft (spent 8 hrs so far), ready to review with Mitar.

[mitar]

Should we meet or should I just read it?

[mitar]

So I would apply for $125k for now asking for one year to implement few basic features:

• reputation-based collaborative metadata editing
• math support in annotations

And to:

• bootstrap the project by
  • promoting it around
  • importing all probability publications
  • engaging with this community
• test the platform, evaluate, learn
• connect with our partners:
  • Internet Archive (http://archive.org/) to deposit all publications/data there
  • WikiData to federate metadata with them (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Source_MetaData)

And we already have stuff:

• basic system for organizing publications
• displaying PDFs in the browser
• highlights and annotations

[mitar]

We can explain that this is a part of a bigger project, and list all other features, or hint at them, but our focus in application to them is this focus on math and collaborative metadata editing, because it is the basis of the rest of the platform.

[mitar]

(Updated the list above a bit.)

[Klarster]

Awesome, I think I can use this info and the LOI will be all set. Will get back with the final version.

[Klarster]

Made some fixes (2hrs), still needs improvement and clarifications.

[Klarster]

Finished. (about one hour polishing it all up)

[mitar]

Not so quickly. :-)

[mitar]

Not so quickly. :-)

[mitar]

We also have to send it first into review to others (Jim, Internet Archive, WIkidata, Dawn).

[Klarster]

Right. Also, there are 2 LOIs because we're applying to Sloan with 2 different projects. I'll keep working on the second one while the 1st is being reviewed :)

[raaswol]

Can you also add the main link here : https://github.com/peerlibrary/outreach/wiki/Funding

[Klarster]

It is listed there, under Foundations and other funding organizations: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

[Klarster]

Umm, seems like the LOI for this second project has already been created, and we are listed as partners. Not sure if I am allowed to link it here...

[mitar]

Yes, we have to check if everything is OK from our side, and I have to get you into the contact with others so that you will be in the loop and that we can see if we have to do anything more from our side.

[Klarster]

Ok, here is the link: https://github.com/holtzermann17/pdbooks/blob/master/short-letter.tex

[mitar]

Yes, so how does it look to you?

[Klarster]

It looks nice, includes everything that is requested for the LOI. However, it would be nice to include just a tiny bit more about how each partner will contribute to the project. It would also be nice if was presented at the beginning how this mathematics library will solve an existing problem in the community and how the community will benefit from this project (to show that this is something that is actually needed and solves a very important existing problem).

[mitar]

OK. I will add you to the discussion with others and then you can tell them and discuss this with others. :-)

[Klarster]

Haha, ok :)

[mitar]

OK. I looked at it now. I think this is addressed by referencing the "Developing a 21st Century Global Library for Mathematics Research" report. That report analyzed things and now we are proposing to address them. I think it is good enough.

[Klarster]

Ok, I'll move on for now, and wait for feedback on the 1st LOI. Leaving this issue open for future discussions.

[Klarster]

Spent about 1hr looking through this LOI 2, reviewing and writing what I think about the LOI :)

[mitar]

OK. Made one more iteration on LOI 1. Please check it out.

[raaswol]

Can we get the link for the application you're doing Klara?

[ciaobrian]

Same. Would like to contribute. :)

[Klarster]

Please, note that this is limited to 1 page. See guidelines here: http://www.sloan.org/apply-for-grants/letters-of-inquiry/

[mitar]

Yes. Make it so. ;-)

[mitar]

Where is link to the document?

[Klarster]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BucQ2732oBcy1KtCQfqt7FQV1D37SxR9pK3oyYqg0OM/edit

[mitar]

What is the status of our application?

[Klarster]

Umm, I believe you said you would take a look at it and after you say it's ok, I'll send it.

[Klarster]

We talked about this in emails, too.

[mitar]

I did that 11 days ago? https://github.com/peerlibrary/outreach/issues/141#issuecomment-65965429

[mitar]

Or is there anything new to check?

[Klarster]

Ok, I was waiting for you to say it's okay to send :) I'll send that LOI right away then :)

[mitar]

No no. I didn't say that it is OK to send. I said that I went through it and commented it. Did you addressed my comments and made another iteration? If so, you should comment here so that I know to check again.

[Klarster]

Right, I checked. And I just realized, you should send it when it's ready because you actually talked to the program directors.

[Klarster]

(I thought you get notifications via email when I resolve or answer a commend on the doc)

[mitar]

(I thought you get notifications via email when I resolve or answer a commend on the doc)

I do get notification about that, but that does not tell me that you think that everything is done. It is like adding a commit to the pull request. You could be adding more changes. You have to tell when you think it is ready again for (code) review/feedback/comments.

[mitar]

I like it. I think it is good. Just few smaller comments. I will share this with Jim now and let's see what he will comment.

[mitar]

Jim OKed the letter. Check my comments and when you say that things are OK, I will be sending it.

[Klarster]

Ok, I just changed some things - where you commented. I believe it is OK now.