Showing papers in "portal - Libraries and the Academy in 2001"

How Many Dimensions Does It Take to Measure Users' Perceptions of Libraries?: A LibQUAL+Study

Abstract: The present study is one in a series analyzing the results of a large- scale web-based survey of library service quality at several ARL member institutions. The current study explores the question: what are the fewest dimensions required to measure users' perceptions of library service quality? Understanding the number and hierarchy of dimensions that users employ in evaluating library services is important, because we want to use scoring dimensions that correspond with users' perceptions rather than our own preconceptions of what those perceptions might be. The study was conducted as part of the LibQUAL+ project, which is one of the ARL "New Measures" initiatives. Results for data provided by 3987 participants from eleven ARL institutions were consistent with a view that a single set of scores is one reasonable way to characterize user perceptions of library service quality.

Internet Communication and Qualitative Research: A Handbook for Researching Online (review)

Abstract: Another chapter covers how to organize and provide access to electronic resources, a topic often overlooked in the selection process. Gregory presents a series of questions that librarians should address in determining how best to provide access to these new resources. She presents several levels of organization that range from no organization (Level 1) to full MARC cataloging (Level 5), as well as a discussion of user authentication. Collection assessment has usually been associated with monograph and serial collections but the proliferation of electronic resources makes evaluation of these materials an important part of a library’s overall collection assessment. A chapter provides suggestions for collecting evaluation data and presents a number of quantitative and qualitative measures that can be used to conduct an assessment project. Gregory provides useful coverage of intellectual property rights, including purchase of the information vs. the licensing of a product. In particular, she reviews the current status of copyright and the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA), which can be a real threat to the concept of “fair use.” The section on negotiation of licenses includes a series of questions that need to be considered during the negotiation process as well as who should do the negotiating. She also provides good suggestions on how to manage the licenses once they are signed. As “fair use” continues to be under attack, it is essential that librarians keep informed about the changing landscape of copyright and licensing issues. Preservation is the last substantive issue covered. Library procedures for preservation largely have been based on traditional print materials. In most cases these will not work in the world of electronic resources. As the technology needed to provide access to these materials keeps changing, how will we be able to guarantee access to materials bought just a few years ago? The library and publishing communities are just beginning to grapple with the preservation and archiving of electronic materials. Although there are few answers, we must keep preservation of these resources at the forefront and work to find ways to solve that problem. Gregory makes the case that this is an issue for all libraries, not just the largest research libraries. As libraries purchase increasing numbers of electronic materials and provide access to them both on site and remotely, the issues covered in Selecting and Managing Electronic Resources will be of increasing importance for librarians to consider. Included throughout the volume are useful worksheets, checklists, and lists of useful resources to review.

Ebooks: Some Concerns and Surprises

Abstract: Many librarians believe that the publication of Stephen King’s Riding the Bullet will be a turning point in the history of libraries. Until its publication, electronic books represented an alternative to paper-based books, not a replacement for them. But the success of King’s ebook-only novella demonstrated that a title could be a bestseller without the author ever putting ink to paper, and many more ebook-only titles are in the works. Should libraries further embrace the digital world by providing access to ebook content or continue to focus their often scarce resources on their more traditional collections? Many of those libraries that wish to include ebooks in their collections are hesitating, in part because of a number of assumptions concerning the reactions of patrons to this new technology. For instance, there is a general assumption that patrons would be dissatisfied with the low resolution of the ebook readers and the lack of color and pictures. Or, the fragile nature of the reader apparatus would lead to many damaged devices. Or, when given the option, people simply would rather read from the traditional ink-onpaper format than on the small screen of an ebook reader. Several libraries in the Rochester, New York, area were provided the opportunity to test these assumptions and discovered that, in many cases, these assumptions were not supported by the results.

The Case for Creating a Scholars Portal to the Web: A White Paper

Abstract: In September 1999, the Association of Research Libraries and OCLC hosted a meeting designated as a Strategic Issues Forum for Academic Library Directors. Held in Keystone, Colorado, and attended by eighty academic librarians, the meeting yielded a somewhat unexpected outcome when a consensus emerged that in the World Wide Web environment the library world is in danger of abandoning its constituency to commercial information services. The basis for the consensus was not that libraries don’t offer web access but rather the general nature of this access. Our existing library web pages are focused mainly on individual libraries and the resources and services they offer. Consequently, with rare exceptions web access hosted by libraries is not designed to serve as a general entry point for the larger world of web-accessible resources. Neither are the multitude of individual library web pages equal to a single, widely known, dependable beginning place for research in the web environment. For this reason, library users and librarians in search of web-based information turn instead (and are sometimes directed through library web pages) to search engines or information services created by what may be referred to in the new parlance as information.coms.1 A number of recently created content providers may also be counted among the information.coms, including netlibrary.com, questia.com, and several ebook providers.

The Symbolic Meaning of Libraries in a Digital Age

Abstract: As an increasingly virtual society anticipates the decline of print, it looks to the keepers of the written record to maintain continuity with its past. Libraries cannot formulate intelligent collection and preservation policies without taking into account current perceptions of the fragility of historical memory. Understanding the symbolic role they play in the cultural imaginary will help libraries to map a future that addresses public concerns about the preservation of the historical

Method or Madness? Educational Research and Citation Prestige.

Abstract: As citation indexes become a central component of faculty evaluation, potential inequities are a growing concern. This study explores Social Sciences Citation Index's (SSCI) coverage of the field of education as it relates to indexing in the discipline's major conventional indexes and with regard to education journal literature in general.

Factors Influencing Undergraduates' Self-Reported Satisfaction with Their Information Literacy Skills

Abstract: This study investigated factors influencing 643 undergraduates' self-reported satisfaction with their information literacy skills. Regression analysis revealed that students of color, students satisfied with campus library facilities, and students engaged in interactions with faculty reported greatest satisfaction with their progress. These results have implications for the redesign of academic library services.

Two-Year College Freshmen and the Internet: Do They Really "Know All That Stuff?"

Abstract: Freshman English classes were surveyed to determine the students' computer experiences before coming to college. More than half the students surveyed had used the Internet once a week or less, and only about half had received any kind of computer training. These results are attributed to a variety of factors. T

Reference Linking for Journal Articles: Promise, Progress and Perils

Abstract: The increased availability of electronic journals on the Web has not only improved access and convenience for readers, but has occasioned many improvements in how journal literature is found and used. In many online services, the full text of journal articles is directly searchable, multiple formats of articles are available, and direct e-mail links to authors are given. Internal hyperlinks within articles improve navigation through different sections and among text, tables, footnotes, and references. Users can tailor their default displays, increase font size, and magnify illustrations. Undoubtedly, however, the most significant innovation of all for the scholarly community is the implementation of reference linking. Reference linking is one of the important added values to emerge from the rise of electronic scholarly publishing. Indeed, such technologies are a key raison d’etre for the move to electronic publishing. Reference linking has existed in one form or another for some time now, and the technology is advancing rapidly in providing increased functionality for the user and increased feasibility for the producer. However, it is important to grasp the significant obstacles to developing complex applications in the Internet environment where libraries are only one of the players. This column describes the state of the art in reference linking and suggests why librarians should care enough both to understand the technology and to influence the shape of its application.

Time and the Academic Librarian

Abstract: In order for academic librarians to balance time requirements for research, service and job duties they need a keen sense of where their time is allocated. Although the literature gives some idea of average time allocated, a more detailed view is obtained through examination of one librarian's seven-year accumulation of daily time logs. The log as a method for achieving balance and the goal of balance itself are explored.

The Myth of "Obsolescence": the Monograph in the Digital Library

Abstract: This article will attempt to address some traditional assumptions librarians have made about the use of monographic collections. In the course of exploring these assumptions, a more subtly nuanced articulation of library collection use may emerge, which could lead to a new appreciation of the need to ensure that information access is designed specifically to support a wide variety of uses.

Acquisitions Allocations: Fairness, Equity and Bundled Pricing

Abstract: This paper examines the effect of an interdisciplinary, web-based, citation database with full text on a library's acquisitions allocation plan. List price of full-text journals in the electronic database is used to calculate increases in acquisitions funding. The increases show unplanned, unexpected results.

Integrating Electronic Resources into the Library Catalog: A Collaborative Approach

Abstract: The growing number of electronic resources, along with the desire for a more streamlined virtual presence, was the motivation behind the University of Mississippi Libraries' project to catalog purchased electronic resources. Having completed this project, access to electronic resources is now available only via the web-based library catalog. Success of the project was due, in part, to collaboration between cataloging and systems personnel. Outcomes include a catalog that more accurately reflects library subscriptions, centralization of electronic resource maintenance, and heightened user awareness. B efore discussing the unique set of problems that electronic resources present to catalogers, we must first define "electronic resource." For purposes of this article, the term electronic resource refers to a subscription product available via the Internet. The idea of using the catalog to manage resources over which the library has no physical control is daunting. However, as the nature of library collections changes, so too does the role of the library catalog. From the user standpoint, students and teachers expect to find more and more of the materials they need online and in an easily accessible format. Current literature shows that the issue of access versus ownership of resources is not a new problem. An informal sampling of several academic library web pages and web-based catalogs indicates that, in an attempt to address this issue, they are developing many different ways of providing access to electronic resources. This paper presents how one library changed the role of its web-based catalog from an inventory of materials on the shelves to a more accurate representation of all materials to which the library has access, regardless of physical location. Early methods in offering access to electronic

Alliance Building in the Information and Online Database Industry

Abstract: Alliances have become integral to the information database industry. Using environmental scanning methods, an analysis of information industry alliance formation is presented covering the 1) literature, 2) background, 3) industry and market structures, 4) commercial and academic models, 5) trends, and 6) implications for information providers, libraries, and users.

Research Findings of a Library Skills Instruction Web Course

Abstract: This causal-comparative, quasi-experimental study asked the question: In a university library skills credit course, how does a group of traditionally-instructed students compare to a group of web-based instructed students in skills level, satisfaction, and demographics? Analyses of the data suggest that nontraditional students preferred the web format over a traditional course.

The Sociotechnical Networks of Scholarly Communication

Abstract: The complex state of flux in scholarly communications and publishing today cannot be described or analyzed adequately in economic or technological terms. Actor-Network Theory (ANT) offers an interdisciplinary vocabulary and methodology that may have promising application to understanding this flux and its impact on libraries. Key terms and concepts advanced by several ANT researchers are applied to an overview of the evolution of scholarly communications networks and to an analysis of the strategy of the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC). A possible adaptation of the Jenkins-Fricke analytical matrix for tracking actors across the network is also discussed, as well as its potential as a predictive mechanism for anticipating future network elaboration.

Infusing Information Literacy into the Core Curriculum: A Pilot Project at the University of Nevada, Reno

Abstract: The easy availability of information on the World Wide Web adds urgency to the need to teach information literacy concepts and skills to students. The author led a team of faculty and graduate teaching assistants in an information literacy pilot project at the University of Nevada, Reno, in the spring of 2000. This article reviews planning, execution, and student/faculty assessments of the project, discusses future plans based on the project's results, and relates the UNR experience to librarians' subsequent efforts to promote information literacy.

DW3 Classical Music Resources: Managing Mozart on the Web

Abstract: This paper discusses the genesis and development of DW3 (Duke World Wide Web) Classical Music Resources, a vertical portal that comprises the most comprehensive collection of classical music resources on the Web with links to more than 2,800 carefully selected, non-commercial pages/sites in over a dozen languages.

The Principles of Marketing and Relationship Management.

Abstract: This paper treats the concepts of marketing and relationship management as they apply to libraries The author begins with a description of the current situation of libraries, librarians, and customer perceptions, and assesses the library's environment in light of the new realities of the workplace Relationship management and its importance to the library's future success are defined

Flying First Class or Economy? Classification of Electronic Titles in ARL Libraries

Abstract: This paper addresses the utility of classification in both current and future applications and demonstrates an important role librarians can choose to play in enhancing public access to information available on the Internet. It also reports on a survey of current trends in classification of electronic titles as revealed in the catalogs of members of the Association of Research Libraries.

Technical Services: The Other Reader Service

Abstract: Technical services is often seen by some librarians as something other than a reader service. This paper explains why this perception is flawed and why it must be changed in order for libraries to deal successfully with their evolution into libraries of the twenty-first century. It suggests that a systems approach to librarianship is necessary to develop the solutions to problems that cross many functional and administrative boundaries, and that such an approach requires the deep integration of technical with other reader services. The paper then defines this deep integration, explains the forces pushing for and against it, and illustrates how it might be implemented in libraries.

Planning the Academic Library of the Future

Abstract: Designing an academic library is a form of scholarship because the building embodies certain basic principles of modern librarianship. New libraries then serve as "teaching and learning instruments" that encourage students to develop the electronic research skills demanded by an information society. Design considerations determine how well a library will be able to fulfill this mission.

XML, TEI, and Digital Libraries in the Humanities.

Abstract: XML is a new "language" for creating electronic texts, especially for the Web. When used in an encoding structure called TEI, it offers the humanities extensive analytical possibilities. Although the special needs of theater and drama reveal some limitations in TEI, in general XML will probably become very popular for humanities texts.

Creating a Culture of Security in the University of Maryland Libraries

Abstract: Academic institutions must take a greater interest in the security needs of their libraries and invest management skills, time, and finances proactively in this sphere. Above all, the role of the library staff must be central to any envisioned program of library security. This article reports a recent intensive collaborative effort between the University of Maryland Libraries and the Association of Research Libraries to scrutinize and to revamp security practice and policy of the University libraries. We believe it was a fruitful association particularly because it made us focus on the active role of the library staff in fostering and maintaining a spirit of security.

Fair Use and Digital Publishing: An Academic Librarian's Perspective

Abstract: Originally presented at the symposium "Fair Use and the Internet: Current Status and Emerging Trends," which was held by the National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services, January 25, 2001, in Washington, D.C.

The Future of Scientific Publishing on the Web: Insights from Focus Groups of Chemists

Abstract: Focus groups of academic and industrial chemists were asked to describe their use of the Internet in the process of writing and disseminating scientific research. They were also asked how they envision these processes changing in the future. The focus group participants currently use the Internet extensively for literature searching, communication with colleagues, and collaborative research and writing. Use of personal or departmental web pages to disseminate completed research, however, is still rare. Conferences, collegial networks, and the traditional system of scientific journal publishing remain central to their work. Factors inhibiting greater use of the Web include fear that the peer review system will be weakened, lack of time, and worries about plagiarism or alteration of their work in the electronic environment. They foresee increased electronic publishing in the future and expressed ambivalence about it. The chemists' views serve as a lens for examining the recently promulgated Principles for Emerging Systems of Scholarly Publishing. By understanding where the principles align with scientists' current priorities and where they may diverge, those leading the transition to electronic publishing may be better prepared to build support, deal with resistance, and shape systems that will meet with wide acceptance by authors and readers.