Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources: The New Challenges for Research Libraries. Papers Presented at the 2004 University of Oklahoma Libraries Conference

Ina Fourie (University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa)

Online Information Review

ISSN: 1468-4527

Article publication date: 1 November 2006

165

Keywords

Citation

Fourie, I. (2006), "Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources: The New Challenges for Research Libraries. Papers Presented at the 2004 University of Oklahoma Libraries Conference", Online Information Review, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 744-745. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520610716216

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources focuses on the challenges faced when managing digital collections and brings together the insights of a number of experts in the field. Eight papers are included; these were first presented as conference papers at the 2004 University of Oklahoma Libraries Conference.

First, Fred Heath and Jocelyn Duffy consider the responsibility of the research library with regard to collections of record and scholarly communication. According to them, alternatives need to be found to the traditional methods of information exchange. They especially stress the viability of open access publishing. Paul German considers collection development and the transformation of scholarship. He places emphasis on the need for libraries to acquire contemporary digital materials not duplicated elsewhere and to assume the role of cultural heritage institutions.

In “Better mousetraps in turbulent times? The global resources network as a vehicle for library cooperation” Dan Hazen explores institutional cooperation in the management of digital collections. Although a very important issue, it is not without its problems. Hazen discusses the AAUA/ARL Global Resources Network as an initiative that may prove more enduring.

Karen Hunter considers the initiatives vendors can take in providing research materials to academic libraries. Her discussion is followed by a paper by Kevin Guthrie on Ithaka, a not‐for‐profit organization created to assist libraries to develop new ways to work together in sharing resources in the digital environment. Guthrie focuses on the course Ithaka is taking to assist libraries in the use and development of areas of shared services.

Mary Case, director of ARL's Office of Scholarly Communication, looks at interesting data gathered by ARL in two member surveys of electronic journal subscriptions and journal package renewals and licensing issues. She concludes that the two surveys provide a benchmark for helping describe the character and nature of the electronic environment in 2002/2003. If followed by further research, this can help to form a basis for our understanding of the environment of electronic collection building.

Richard Johnson, director of SPARC, explores reasons for the fact that scholarly and especially scientific scholarly communication has not yet received the full benefit of the digital age. He also examines open access communication models and the ensuring benefit to scholars and academic libraries. Frank Menchaca spends time on the new opportunities for LIS to bring more information to users, more quickly and in a less intimidating way. In his view libraries and publishers need to assume new roles as teachers to put resources in perspective and to provide new and expanding information sets to researchers. This will mean that libraries and vendors of resources will need to adjust their missions and techniques.

Some of the chapters, e.g. those by Heath and Duffy, as well as the chapter by Hazen, conclude with extensive lists of references, which offer valuable sources for the reader for further research. Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources ends with a well‐structured and extensive 11‐page index. It is recommended for library administrators as well as librarians involved in collection building.

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