Zero-based serials review: An objective, comprehensive method of selecting full-text journal resources in response to local needs

Scholarly communication in the U.S. has been closely examined in the past two decades by librarians because of the acceleration in costs of serial, scholarly communication. Specific disciplines of research have increased at unprecedented rates, namely the areas of scientific, technical, and medical (STM) publishing.

Case Examination of Decision-Making Factors: Do Faculty and Librarians Agree on Criteria Upon Which to Cancel Journals?

Summary As technology races forward, public library OPACs have established a barrier to access. Computer literacy is required of the patron to access the collection through the OPAC. This barrier may be addressed with more active service. Rather than the librarian at the reference desk waiting to be asked, go to the patron. But will the patron accept? This study looks at who did accept and how often. Patrons heading towards the OPAC were greeted by an individual and offered assistance. Conducted at the Guilderland Public Library, a suburb of Albany, NY, in the fall of 1996, this study compares the responses of these patrons grouped by sex and approximate age. In 20 hours over five consecutive days, 189 patrons were recorded. Additionally the study touches upon other factors such as sex, race, dress, and more effective wording for the approach and offer.

Offering assistance at the OPACs

This study was conducted in two phases. The first involved questioning catalog users at Emporia State about their experiences and their evaluation of NOTIS in order to assess how patrons felt about the catalog and how well they used it. The second portion of the study focused on the instruction offered by 59 randomly selected NOTIS libraries. Responses were solicited concerning the University or College, the library, and training methods for OPAC users. With the information gained through both parts, the library instruction program and information regarding NOTIS at White Library could be evaluated and modified.

Terri Pedersen Summey Ba

Papers

An Investigation into Use and Instruction for an Online Catalog