Showing papers in "College & Research Libraries in 1998"

Explaining User Satisfaction with Academic Libraries: Strategic Implications

Abstract: Competitive pressures, information availability, rising costs, and an increasingly aware and selective student population mandate that academic libraries become more user focused. This calls for a better understanding of the specific needs of library users in order to provide the appropriate type and level of service that meets those needs. This study proposes and tests a five-factor model to explain user satisfaction with academic libraries. Students availing the services of three academic libraries in Erie, Pennsylvania, were surveyed over a period of three semesters. The model explained 64 percent of the variation in the dependent variable. Strategic implications of the proposed model are discussed.

Defining and Measuring the Library’s Impact on Campuswide Outcomes

Abstract: Accreditation agencies, higher education institutions, and professional organizations all emphasize the importance of measuring and assessing the impacts or effects of teaching, learning, and other valued institutional activities. Academic libraries, one of the key players in providing and structuring instructional resources and services, also are expected to document how their performance contributes to institutional goals and outcomes. Using accreditation and ACRL sectional standards/criteria, higher education outcomes assessment research findings and recent findings from performance effectiveness studies, this article identifies important institutional outcomes to which academic libraries contribute; describes specific performance indicators whose measures of impacts and outputs provide evidence about progress and achievement; and offers a conceptual framework of assessment domains for the teaching–learning library.

Library home page design : A comparison of page layout for front-ends to ARL library Web sites

Abstract: The author examined the home pages of all 120 libraries in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in order to compare design similarities and differences. This was accomplished by first filling out a questionnaire on each home page and then tabulating the findings using simple averages and medians. Areas examined were: backgrounds, document headers, document footers, document body, page length, number of steps to library home page from parent institution Web site, and domain name servers. A typical home page is discussed using the averages of these results.

Development of Critical Thinking Skills: An Analysis of Academic Library Experiences and Other Measures

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the influences that affect the development of critical thinking skills in undergraduate students. This study examines data from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ), a national, cross-sectional survey completed by students during the 1992–1993 academic year. Using Astin’s I-E-O model and Pace’s quality of effort theory as the conceptual framework, the study examined students’ background characteristics, library experiences, experiences with faculty, course learning, and experiences with writing to determine the greatest influences on gains in critical thinking development. Results of the factor analyses and the hierarchical multiple regression indicated that grades, class year, focused academic library activities, informal faculty interaction, active course learning, and conscientious writing all resulted in gains in critical thinking. Implications of these findings suggest that academic librarians should design library research skills courses to increase students’ focused use of the academic library and its resources in order to increase their critical thinking skills.

Using Transaction Log Analysis to Improve OPAC Retrieval Results

Abstract: This OPAC transaction log analysis study compared data derived from two sets of logs within a six-month period. Analysis of the first set of data revealed that users experienced difficulty with basic searching techniques. The OPAC introductory screens were simplified and clarified to help users improve search success rates. The second set of data, analyzed after screen changes had been made, showed statistically significant differences in search results. Regular monitoring of OPACs through transaction log analysis can lead to improved retrieval when changes are made in response to an analysis of user search patterns.

Catalogers in Academic Libraries: Their Evolving and Expanding Roles.

Abstract: Catalogers in academic libraries who belong to ALA’s Technical Services Division were surveyed to determine if and how their job functions have changed over the past ten years. The 271 respondents indicated a change from print to electronic formats, involvement of nonprofessionals in higher levels of cataloging, a trend toward outsourcing (particularly, copy cataloging and foreign-language materials), and more cataloging of specialized items, audiovisual materials, and digital documents by professional librarians. The latter now use their expertise to edit problematic records, engage in managerial tasks, catalog and attempt authority control of Internet resources, do Internet training or Web page design, and use HTML. More and more catalogers are involved in activities formerly in the domain of systems librarians (selecting and implementing catalog products, database maintenance, etc.).

Computer-Assisted Instruction: Is It an Option for Bibliographic Instruction in Large Undergraduate Survey Classes?

Abstract: Developing effective library instruction for large undergraduate survey courses can be a difficult task. In 1993, librarians at UCLA’s Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library decided to develop a computer-assisted library instruction program for the roughly 800 to 900 undergraduate biology students per year who are enrolled in the department’s basic, required-for-the-major introductory course. A formal summative evaluation of the effectiveness of this CAI, as compared to the lecture method, also was developed. The evaluation utilized both a quantitative pre- and posttest design using objective questions and a qualitative follow-up survey featuring open-ended questions.

Citation Patterns to Traditional and Electronic Preprints in the Published Literature

Abstract: The number of physics and astronomy preprints available electronically has increased dramatically over the past five years. Internet-accessible preprint servers at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and elsewhere provide unrestricted access to citations and/or full text of many physics and astronomy papers long before they appear in print. Because of the timeliness of these papers, as well as the increasing demand for current research, physicists and astronomers have found it necessary to cite these pre-prints in their research articles rather than wait until they appear in print. This paper identifies the growing importance of electronic preprints in the published literature and addresses several areas of concern regarding the future role of electronic preprints in scientific communication.

The University of Iowa Libraries’ Undergraduate User Needs Assessment

Abstract: The university community is not a static environment but, rather, one fraught with change and adjustment to change. How do academic libraries within a university setting effectively address the evolving service and resource needs of a diverse patron community? One method that has received increasing attention is the development and implementation of internal instruments specifically designed to assess user satisfaction with services and resources. This study assesses undergraduate resource and service needs, identifies librarywide unmet needs, and gives both library user and librarian an opportunity to engage in proactive dialogue.

Academic Librarians and the Pursuit of Tenure: The Support Group As a Strategy for Success

Abstract: Faculty status with the accompanying quest for tenure is a fact of life for three out of four academic librarians, and achieving tenure is a tough proposition. Most librarians have not received extensive training in research methodology, their work schedules lack flexibility, and they usually have limited access to research funds. Given these constraints, the support and assistance of colleagues is crucial, and the establishment of an informal tenure support group can provide a mechanism for discussing common concerns and channeling efforts toward finding effective solutions.

An Analysis of Articles by College Librarians

Abstract: College librarians recognize research and publication as important components of professional growth and communication. Yet, compared to their counterparts in universities, they author fewer articles in the professional literature. This paper examines articles published by college librarians in College & Research Libraries and Journal of Academic Librarianship from 1986 to 1996 to provide a profile of college librarian authors and to identify factors that contributed to their success in publishing.

Effects of library instruction on university students' satisfaction with the library : A longitudinal study

Abstract: Consideration of satisfaction should be an important part of the evaluation of library services. Satisfaction depends, to some extent, on patron expectations of services. This study evaluated changes in student expectations following library instruction and how they were related to overall, long-term satisfaction with the library. Satisfaction appeared to be related to student perceptions of information accessibility, staff competence and helpfulness, computer usefulness and ease of use, and skill level for using libraries. The study suggests that libraries may be well served by measuring patron satisfaction and learning what variables drive satisfaction at particular libraries.

Challenges and Opportunities: A Report of the 1998 Library Survey of Internet Users at Seton Hall University.

Abstract: This survey aims to collect data to enable Seton Hall University librarian faculty and administration to analyze user satisfaction with information services provided through the Internet’s World Wide Web. Seton Hall faculty and students completed 786 questionnaires. About 80 percent of the respondents reported that they used the Web on a daily or weekly basis. The results reveal valuable information about the Internet users’ search strategies and their levels of satisfaction in using the Web. Analysis of the data suggests three challenges for academic librarians and five opportunities in providing Internet information services.

The University Library as Learning Organization for Innovation: An Exploratory Study.

Abstract: This study examines an innovating university library as a learning organization and explores the mechanisms by which organizational learning facilitates innovation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied. Three levels of library activity—individual, departmental, and organizational—are studied. Three aspects of a learning organization model are considered: continuous learning, team learning, and shared vision. Internet use serves as the outcome variable, representing innovation. Through qualitative analysis, a series of vehicles for organizational learning is identified, and partial support for the model was established through quantitative analysis.

The Role of Recruitment in Achieving Goals Related to Diversity

Abstract: One of our diversity-related goals is to broaden the number of perspectives represented in academic library decision-making, administration, and library services. The research conducted in library and information science, as well as that conducted in numerous other disciplines, provides a basis for identifying those factors that have an impact on the decisions of individuals to choose a particular profession and/or professional specialty. This information should inform our recruitment strategies, as we identify approaches that will prove effective in increasing the number of minority academic librarians, and thus help to achieve our goals related to diversity.

Recommendations for Benchmarking Web Site Usage among Academic Libraries

Abstract: The Web sites that academic libraries are developing for their research communities represent an important new aspect of information management. Comparative statistical analysis of Web site usage among similar institutions would improve librarians’ ability to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts. A centralized voluntary reporting structure for Web server usage statistics, coordinated by the Association of Research Libraries’ (ARL’s) Office of Statistics, would provide a significant service to academic librarians. Factors to consider in designing such a benchmarking program are discussed, based on a pilot study of Web site usage statistics from fourteen science and technology libraries.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Electronic Information: A Case Study

Abstract: Library services and products have associated costs, including direct monetary costs and indirect costs such as time. The decision to acquire or provide a particular product or service should involve an examination of its costs and benefits to library customers. One technique for analyzing cost-effectiveness is to perform a cost-benefit analysis (CBA). CBA involves analyzing the benefits, or potential benefits, of offering a product or service and comparing them to the costs of offering that product or service. This article describes a study in which CBA was used to examine the cost-effectiveness of an electronic database. Librarians can use the results of CBA studies to justify budgets and acquisitions and to provide insight into the true costs of providing library services.

Faculty-Library Teamwork in Book Ordering

Abstract: Faculty liaisons help to select books and other materials in many libraries, especially those without specialized bibliographers. To get the best results from a faculty liaison system, library staff must take into account the varied nature of academic collections and the uneven pricing of materials, respect departmental cultures and be willing to make adjustments for them, and frequently reassess and fine-tune the system. Using these principles, the College of Charleston has developed a liaison system that permits a range of practices. Two examples, the computer science collection and the English collection, illustrate this range: the former requires the most recent information available and uses relatively little faculty input; the latter seeks to balance primary and secondary materials and benefits from extensive faculty advice. In conclusion, the authors suggest how the institution might further improve its system in the next few years.

The Downside of Scholarly Electronic Publishing: Problems in Accessing Electronic Journals through Online Directories and Catalogs

Abstract: This article reports the results of a study on the usefulness of four online e-journal directories and two online union catalogs in accessing electronic journals. The coverage, accuracy, currency, and overlap among the six sources are compared. Multiple uniform resource locators (URLs) were found for most of the e-journals. Directories were found to include fewer URLs per title than the union catalogs, with a higher percentage of current, functioning URLs; the catalogs offered the highest number of working, current URLs. The findings point to different functions served by directories and catalogs, and highlight the difficulties involved in maintaining these reference sources in the Internet environment. Strategies for improving the accuracy and currency of the catalogs and directories are suggested.

Peer Review in Carnegie Research Libraries

Abstract: The review of librarians by their peers is an elemental factor in advancement and continuing appointment. This article reports the results of a survey on structure, support, and expectations in place for peer review of librarians. The authors provide comparisons to previous research and discuss new information on the value placed on individual contributions in the review process. Librarian status is reviewed to uncover important differences in the specific structure of the review process and in how professional activities are weighed.

Machine Help and Human Help in the Emerging Digital Library

Abstract: As the infrastructure of the digital library takes shape, a range of trends is gradually leading to the disappearance of human help in patron interactions. Taking the place of human help are ever more sophisticated types of machine help. This paper reviews these trends, posits a future scenario of almost total reliance on machine help, and explores implications and policy options for the profession.

An Empirical Examination of Subject Headings for Women’s Studies Core Materials

Abstract: The ACRL Women’s Studies Section Technical Services Committee investigated the assignment of subject headings to core works in women’s studies. Annotations for the works were compared with subject headings on OCLC cataloging copy, mainly created by the Library of Congress. Inadequacies were identified and traced to three sources: inadequacy of terminology, the complexities of assigning headings in interdisciplinary and/or emerging fields, and standard cataloging practices. Recommendations for amelioration of these problems are made.

Representations of the Alternative Press in Academic Library Collections

Abstract: This study uses the list of periodicals indexed by Alternative Press Index to examine the holdings rates of alternative press titles in U.S. ARL libraries. Holdings rates are examined by library, by title, and by subject category. Alternative press titles are not widely held in U.S. ARL libraries. Titles falling into categories such as leftist/Marxist politics, gay/lesbian, and labor are particularly underrepresented in library holdings, as are titles that are newsletters or magazines. The impact of these low holdings rates on scholars, students, and archival library collections is discussed.

The Cyberarchive: A Look at the Storage and Preservation of Web Sites

Abstract: Although librarians recognize the Internet as a resource for knowledge and information, they have yet to make a formal effort to collect and preserve the Web sites found there. This paper addresses not only the need to set up a cyberarchive but also some of the issues involved. With Web sites appearing and disappearing constantly from the Internet, the time to save them is now—before we lose a precious thread in our cultural and intellectual history.

Perceptions of discriminatory practices and attitudes : A survey of African American librarians

Abstract: The perceptions of African American librarians regarding discriminatory practices and attitudes in the workplace and how they influence job satisfaction were the focus of this study. A descriptive survey, including a questionnaire, was used to observe both personal and observed experience of racial discrimination within the profession. Practicing librarians were surveyed for their observations of the situation as it stands today, as well as for their ideas and opinions on issues facing the African American librarian in the future. This study focused on relationships with supervisors, patrons, coworkers, and management.

New roles for special collections on the network

Abstract: There will be no special collections on the network in the traditional sense because electronic information is not maintained in artifacts. Special collections have existed to support preservation of the human record as instanced in original documents or in specific documents of importance. Electronic documents, however, do not depend on their physical medium for their importance, nor does their medium provide evidence that assists in better understanding their texts. Special collections will continue in importance because of the continuing importance of artifactual documents. Special collections librarians may have new and distinctive roles in the electronic environment, particularly with respect to intellectual property and in the merging of special and general digital collections.

The Training of Academic Library Staff on Information Technology within the Libraries of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System

Abstract: There is much discussion in the literature of library and information science on the need for training, and it is generally recognized that libraries do not devote as much time and energy to training their staff as they should. However, the surveys of training practice that are common in the private sector seldom are done in the library world. The purpose of this study was to survey academic libraries within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system to find out what the current training practices are within these libraries. Seventeen out of twenty-three libraries responded to a survey that attempted to determine (1) the types of technologies on which staff receive training, (2) the methods being used to train staff on technology, and (3) whether any differences exist in the training that professional and paraprofessional staff receive.

Small College Library Directors: Getting in the Door and Surviving on the Job

Abstract: This article reports findings from a 1996 survey that examined job preparedness of library directors at four-year colleges in twelve midwestern states. The survey measured: (1) qualifications possessed at the time each person obtained his or her first director’s position; and (2) the skills and abilities directors felt were essential to surviving and doing well in their positions. One hundred fifty-eight directors returned questionnaires for a response rate of 84 percent. Participants in the 1995–1996 College Library Director Mentor Program also supplied a list of essential skills for the first year in a new position.

Question Master: An Evaluation of a Web-Based Decision-Support System for Use in Reference Environments

Abstract: Designed for librarians, Question Master (QM) (at http://purl.org/net/Question_Master) is a decision-support system automating some of the more routine, fact-type reference questions encountered in libraries. A series of Web pages guides librarians through a set of clarifying questions before making recommendations of an appropriate electronic or relevant print resource from WorldCat, the OCLC Online Union Catalog. The goal is to improve the accuracy of reference transactions, which in turn should lead to increased end-user satisfaction. Based on usability studies of QM’s biographical module, this study found that although the system already was easy to use, its usability could be improved in several ways. Its ability to answer questions was 100 percent, with an accuracy rate of 66 percent compared to Weil’s 64 percent accuracy. In addition, QM accuracy was substantially better than most reported studies of real reference environments and certainly better than the Internet results of 20 percent for HotBot and 30 percent for AltaVista.

Listserv lemmings and fly-brarians on the wall : A librarian-instructor team taming the cyberbeast in the large classroom

Abstract: Computer technologies, in both the library and the classroom, have the potential to serve the aims of liberatory pedagogies, especially when used creatively to empower students in the shared construction of knowledge. However, such empowerment can happen only if students are given the tools to find their way through the ever-increasing complexity of print and online resources. This article shows how a reference librarian and a faculty member can team up effectively to teach research strategies and critical thinking skills (including analysis and evaluation of resources, so necessary for the Internet) in a large classroom through careful use of a list (e-mail forum) and focused research assignments. Such strategies revolutionize the ways that reference librarians do their work, greatly increasing their interaction with students by overcoming students’ reluctance to seek help and their fear of computerized resources. Librarian, instructor, and student become partners in the creation, evaluation, and dissemination of scholarly information.