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1 – 10 of over 35000The evolution of technology in libraries is causing more technically oriented professionals to join the library profession. Having an electronic services librarian has become a…
Abstract
The evolution of technology in libraries is causing more technically oriented professionals to join the library profession. Having an electronic services librarian has become a hallmark of the electronic age. Many imaginative but similar job titles appear in library employment advertisements: “Network Services Librarian,” “Reference and Electronic Information Services Librarian,” “Electronic Information and Multimedia Librarian,” “Information Integrator.” Why is this new field in librarianship so popular? What are the requirements to be an “electronic services librarian?” What will their future be like? Is this new professional the answer to all new library technology developments? This article examines these questions and explores the problems in this emerging position by analyzing the experience of one academic library.
The paper presents performance indicators for the library’s electronic services. Traditional performance indicators were meant for libraries with print collections and lending…
Abstract
The paper presents performance indicators for the library’s electronic services. Traditional performance indicators were meant for libraries with print collections and lending services. In several projects and international cooperation indicators have been developed for library networked resources and services. The paper describes the problems of data collection and gives definitions for the electronic collection and the different steps of using electronic services.
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In recent years, electronic resources have become the library's important storage of a university library, and the fund purchased electronic resources also increased quickly, year…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, electronic resources have become the library's important storage of a university library, and the fund purchased electronic resources also increased quickly, year after year. In order to find out the readers' present conditions, difficulties and requirement of using e‐recourses, The Library of Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, carried out sampling, questioning and investigating of all teachers and students at campus. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of this investigation.
Design/methodology/approach
The investigation was carried out in 206.3 at the campus, and the investigative target involves teachers, scientific staff, gadre, graduate students, scientific staff, undergraduate students, and some training students, from 15 institutes in the whole university. It centers on seven subjects, deigns 24 question and 155 selective answers, and everyone is multilateral, 1,000 questionnaires were sent out, 909 reclaimed. The ratio is 90.9 percent.
Findings
The investigative result shows that: nearly half of the readers investigated are satisfied with e‐resources of our university. At present, the main way that reader's obtained rebases or literature is from traditional library storage. This illustrated that the printing literature obtained important functions. The e‐book does not substitute the traditional printed book. The construction of library storage should advocate the printed one. Readers selecting the printed and e‐book occupy the greatest majority. This shows that the two type of literature are not completely substituted, only mutually supple. The way readers liked obtaining information is to skim the homepage of the library. This indicated the homepage had become the important window to give publicity and serve the outside. It also shows the use of reading on screen, non‐familiarizing the structure and the retrieval method. Showing that the net condition and computer facilities are the main external factors.
Research limitations/implications
This paper analyses the consciousness of using e‐resources, and the ability of obtaining literature for university readers, by investigating some readers' utility of e‐resources at Shaanxi University of Science and Technology. Therefore the readers' range is limited.
Practical implications
In this paper the result from one side reflects every unit and layer personnel's utilizing condition and difficulty of e‐literature at the whole university. By investigating and analyzing, the work emphasis of the library is defined.
Originality/value
The investigating table does not only look into some teachers and students' utilizing condition, and readers' opinions and proposing to use the library's, but also obtains the disseminated fanfaron to all people using the library. By angling the result, it supplies theoretic foundation of e‐resources' order, storage's construction, readers' serve, etc.
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Xiaoyin Zhang and Michaelyn Haslam
To address the UNLV Libraries movement toward a predominantly electronic journal collection including evaluation of library collection and reevaluation of organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
To address the UNLV Libraries movement toward a predominantly electronic journal collection including evaluation of library collection and reevaluation of organizational structure, staff resources and workflow to find the best ways to provide library users with timely and reliable access to electronic resources.
Design/methodology/approach
A range of UNLV Libraries initiatives in building and managing electronic resources is described to demonstrate how the library moved from a predominantly print environment to a predominantly electronic environment. The paper consists of sections: development of the electronic resources collection, reengineering acquisitions/periodicals, new responsibilities and new skills, next steps, and conclusion.
Findings
Since 1999, the composition of the Libraries journal collection has been dramatically changed. The percentage of print‐only subscriptions decreased from 59 percent in 1990 to 20 percent in 2004, while electronic journals jumped from 35 percent to 75 percent. The percentage of Libraries materials acquisitions budget spent on electronic resources rose by at least 10 percent each year. The proliferation of electronic resources had a major impact on the acquisitions/serials activities from handling physical objects to initiating and ensuring ongoing access to electronic resources. It has resulted in a workflow that requires ongoing review and change to accommodate the constant technological developments that have impacted the management of information delivered electronically.
Originality/value
The focus of this paper on changing workflows in the implementation of electronic resources is unique. As Libraries incorporate electronic resources into their collections, the necessity to develop new workflows presents challenges at all levels from daily activities to long‐term planning. The experiences at Lied library offer other Libraries practical examples of ways the challenges have been met.
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Ling‐Feng Hsieh, Jiung‐Bin Chin and Mu‐Chen Wu
This paper establishes an appropriate model of university electronic library performance indicators to evaluate the electronic libraries in Taiwan. Resources referred to in the…
Abstract
This paper establishes an appropriate model of university electronic library performance indicators to evaluate the electronic libraries in Taiwan. Resources referred to in the process of establishing an initial model of performance indicators include the performance indicators for electronic libraries found in the EQUINOX system; the balanced scorecard concept, designed and implemented in Germany to evaluate the performance of the three largest university and research libraries; and the approach outlined in the ALA's standard for college libraries. Moreover, the Delphi method, the persistent mailing of questionnaires and interviewing of specialists, was applied to obtain the various opinions of library specialists, head librarians at university libraries, and other staff members working in university electronic libraries in Taiwan. Through this process a practical model of electronic library performance indicators, was established appropriate to the needs of Taiwan which will be acceptable to the majority of Taiwan's university libraries.
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The elements of a conceptual and organizational model for conducting systematic selection of electronic publications are presented. Refined at Mann Library over the past decade…
Abstract
The elements of a conceptual and organizational model for conducting systematic selection of electronic publications are presented. Refined at Mann Library over the past decade, the model is designed to develop staff expertise in selection of information resources across formats, and to ensure that the full impact of selections on every part of the library organization is anticipated at the time of selection. Described are the concept of information genres, the role of genre specialists, and a selection review board, the Electronic Resources Council, which is made up of representatives from throughout the library organization. The model is presented as a method of mainstreaming, or operationally and conceptually integrating, electronic publications into the library's resources and services.
This article is based on a study undertaken for an MSc dissertation looking at the impact of electronic journals on the relationship between acquisitions, inter‐library loans and…
Abstract
This article is based on a study undertaken for an MSc dissertation looking at the impact of electronic journals on the relationship between acquisitions, inter‐library loans and journals departments in academic libraries. The study shows that, although electronic journals may be affecting departments in libraries, other factors may be present, e.g. budget cuts, staffing levels, etc. At present, it is still too early to judge the full impact of electronic journals on library services.
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Chia-Chang Huang, Ching-Jung Chung, Yi-Ting Wu, Po-Ting Hsu, Jen-Feng Liang, Ying-Ying Yang and Jie Chi Yang
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a digital medical library, including department-based electronic journal access, library training course participation and scholarly…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a digital medical library, including department-based electronic journal access, library training course participation and scholarly publications.
Design/methodology/approach
The data on full-text electronic journal access, participants of library training courses and scholarly publications were exported from a digital medical library database during 2017–2021. In addition, electronic journal access and library training courses were divided into high-level and low-level groups, while scholarly publications were divided into physician and non-physician groups.
Findings
The scholarly publications had a positive correlation to library training courses and electronic journal access. Furthermore, scholarly publications showed a significant difference between the high-level and low-level electronic journal access groups but not between the high-level and low-level library training course groups. Scholarly publications and electronic journal access had positive correlations for both the physician and non-physician groups. Scholarly publications and library training courses, and electronic journal access and library training courses had positive correlations only in the non-physician group.
Practical implications
The importance of electronic journal access for scholarly publications is suggested based on the findings of the present study. The training courses held by the medical library had a positive effect on scholarly publications for the non-physician group.
Originality/value
The current study provides insights relevant to the electronic journal access of library-supported scholarly publications among medical departments. These results can serve as a reference for medical library development planning and decision-making in the future.
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Abstract: The Nordic Electronic Research Library is a concept which NORDINFO, the Nordic Council for Scientific Information, will use as an umbrella for its activities during the…
Abstract
Abstract: The Nordic Electronic Research Library is a concept which NORDINFO, the Nordic Council for Scientific Information, will use as an umbrella for its activities during the coming years. The concept is based on national developments within the research library sector in each of the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The goals of the Nordic Electronic Research Library are built on national goals, which in general terms are to make scientific and technical information easily available in all the Nordic region, independent of subject area, publication form and location of the user. This paper explores briefly the developments of the electronic research library in the Nordic region and how the concept is carried out. NORDINFO provides grants and project money to support coordination and cooperation within the field and the question is raised as to how NORDINFO can assist this development and increase cooperative efforts.
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Little is known about the current state of industry standards subscriptions in US libraries. In this age of electronic access and tightening budgets, many libraries are…
Abstract
Purpose
Little is known about the current state of industry standards subscriptions in US libraries. In this age of electronic access and tightening budgets, many libraries are re‐examining whether or not to alter paper subscriptions of standards to electronic versions and/or switch to on‐demand delivery.
Design/methodology/approach
Two surveys were conducted in an attempt to gauge the extent to which other libraries are currently collecting standards in electronic format, or providing on‐demand purchasing for industry standards.
Findings
The number of libraries purchasing electronic standards or providing on‐demand purchasing in 2003 appears to be incongruous with comments from both surveys. In the 2001 survey, librarians could not find ways to fund on‐demand purchasing and, in the 2003 survey, a number of libraries were purchasing some sets on an irregular basis to save money. A little over half (51 percent) of the responding libraries provide electronic versions of standards and 60 percent indicated they provide on‐demand purchasing of individual standards.
Originality/value
Survey responses resulted in several local changes to improve patron success rates at acquiring industry standard including: created a publicly‐searchable database of locally‐available standards, initiated a purchase on‐demand process, worked with interlibrary loan (ILL) staff to determine which standards would be better to purchase versus request on ILL, and became more adept at reference interviews involving requests for standards.
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