Organization

MPDL Big Data Analytics

The division MPDL Big Data Analytics studies the worldwide scientific publication process, underlying networks, and influential trends. Analysis, visualization, and reporting provide a comprehensive insight into the scientific publication landscape. Through integration and harmonization of numerous external data sources within the framework, the team prepares them for use in various scenarios. This includes creating publication profiles (overviews, statistics, networks) for Max Planck institutions, monitoring nationwide and global patterns (e.g. open access, publication channels, interdisciplinarity), and providing diverse support in license management (MPG-Literatur-Grundversorgung, MPDL Services gGmbH for the nationwide consortium DEAL). Efficient and highly automated processes and frameworks are developed and used for this purpose, which can be flexibly expanded to meet specific requirements of our stakeholders.

MPDL Collections

With its MPDL Collections division, MPDL maintains data collections and applications for scientific information management. Its main focus is on operating and supporting the institutional repository software on behalf of the Max Planck Society (MPG.Pure). This system is the backbone for the search engine visibility of the Max Planck Society publications; it is also used to validate bibliometric databases and to provide data feeds for a variety of homepages, applications, and reports such as the Yearbook of the Max Planck Society. This department also operates and supports a series of software suites and production systems filled with research data. These activities are based on sustainable application scenarios together with appropriate operational concepts as developed in collaboration with the respective Max Planck Institutes. Building on its experience in handling different digital formats, metadata, and harvesting standards and in data processing, MPDL Collections can also offer advice for concepts and policies in research data management.

MPDL Digital Labs

With its MPDL Digital Labs division, the MPDL supports the Max Planck Institutes with inventive tools for scientists, contemporary infrastructures, and information on new services. The mission of Digital Labs is to ensure a constant pipeline of new technologies to provide innovative and sustainable services for all Max Planck researchers. Contributing to the requirements of the constantly evolving scientific work environment, Digital Labs implements novel and sustainable tools for scientists within the MPG by evolving new ideas and technologies. With this unique approach, Digital Labs develops concepts, services, and initiatives, that allow user autonomy, encourage open exchange between scientists and help benefit scientific research. In particular, with the blockchain-initiative bloxberg – the first global scientific blockchain – Digital Labs aims to provide researchers with decentralized and autonomous services and to foster collaboration among the international scientific community. The development and use of innovative tools and infrastructures also ensure a huge competitive advantage for the MPG.

MPDL Software Licensing

The MPDL Software Licensing (SoLi) division is the point of contact for all questions concerning the basic supply of software and online services for the Max Planck Institutes and MPG facilities. SoLi provides central contracts for widely used software from science, IT infrastructure, and administration. The aims of the basic software supply are low-threshold use of software, minimization of local effort, and economic benefit for the entire MPG.
The SoLi team is responsible for all activities related to needs assessment, procurement, license management, and provision across all Max Planck Institutes. In addition to contacts with manufacturers and distributors, the communicative focus also includes close cooperation with technical experts from the Max Planck Institutes as well as regular exchange with a cross-section advisory commission. Via several transparent platforms and instruments that are also managed by Software Licensing, anyone interested in the MPG can find out about the constantly growing portfolio of the service and suggest missing products for inclusion in the basic software supply of the MPG.

MPDL Core Service Operations

With a primary focus on internal matters, MPDL Core Service Operations (CSO) provide a variety of central services within the MPDL, which enable employees to work efficiently and effectively. This service portfolio covers numerous areas, including financial and personnel administration, support for internal IT resources, system administration of web services, support for quality assurance and process optimization, as well as people development.
The acquisition of new, skilled team members for the MPDL is the focus of the division. CSO strives to find new people whose ideas will help to develop tools, services, and information infrastructures for shaping the future of science. It is the division’s goal to welcome new employees within the MPDL community and to foster them throughout their MPDL career. Various instruments and methods of human resource development, change management, diversity management, and (corporate) health management. The purpose of CSO is to strengthen the MPDL from within and thereby make an important contribution to the science community.