Search results

The purpose of this paper is to look at some of the broader design and management issues that occur during the implementation of a federated search tool in a modern academic library, and tries to tease out some of the background concepts that librarians should consider.

An overview of the main advantages and disadvantages of federated search tools in comparison with existing library tools and internet search engines such as Google.

A successful implementation of a federated search engine was found to depend on a radical approach which subordinates other existing library search tools to the new one‐stop search engine. This new search interface must in turn be designed for simplicity, and not to mimic existing, overly complex library information retrieval devices.

The emphasis is on the softer, general aspects of managing search tool implementation, rather than the hard, technical side. So, this paper may be best read in tandem with a specific description of a search tool implementation, which describes some of the technical “back office” aspects of federated search. Research developments in these technical areas may well soon lead to the elimination of some of the negative aspects which this paper presents to the non‐technical library manager simply as a “given”.

This paper outlines many of the practical challenges in search tool implementation which librarians might otherwise not anticipate.

The approach in this investigation is to present the broader implications of search tool implementation in a way that is stripped of technical complexity, in order to show the larger management issues as clearly as possible.

As the number of citation management tools including Refworks and EndNote increased in recent years, academic libraries struggle to remain on top of new developments and support all of the tools used by their users. This paper seeks to address these issues.

A librarian at the University of Illinois surveyed graduate students and faculty about which tools they use, reasons for tool adoption, features that influence adoption, and support they expect from their library.

The results highlight that many users still use older tools including EndNote and RefWorks, but do have interests for and reasons to use new tools including Zotero and Mendeley and may not need as much library support as librarians believe.

This is the first research paper on citation management use and can influence what products libraries use and the support they offer.

The paper intends to provide an overall picture how libraries use different tools, integrated to remote access facility and offer improved off-campus services.

Web content analysis was used as research method to collect data from academic libraries in four continents.

The results highlight that libraries use different types of online tools integrated to remote access facility; however, the techniques involved and purposes of use vary from library to library. Citing numerous examples, the paper approaches to draw a comparative figure of differential use of remote access tools across the continents.

The paper is the first of its kind and may guide library professionals to plan and implement online tools, integrated with remote access facility and support education, research and training of the parent institution.

The present investigation aims to measure the extent of the adoption of research tools among libraries of higher education (HE) institutes across the world based on the types of research tools and their diverse purposes of use. This study also intends to identify the current practices followed by the HE libraries to implement research tools.

First, a stratified sampling method was used to select 130 HE libraries from four continents – Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America. Second, a two-step Web content analysis was followed to collect data from the selected libraries along the parameters chosen for the survey.

This study gives an overview of the recent advances in the use of research tools by the libraries with numerous examples. Highlighting the differential rate of adoption of research tools across the regions, this study illustrates the degree of acceptance of research tools among the libraries.

This study limits itself to a handful of libraries with English websites in four regions only to avoid the language limitation of the researcher. Inaccessible websites of libraries of HE institutes were also excluded from the survey.

Future researchers may use the evaluation instruments as basic tools to develop advanced research instruments to carry out Web content analysis in diverse spheres. This study guides librarians to develop an improved understanding of the requirements of an immersive online environment with enhanced accessibility to a multiplicity of research tools and facilities to provide improved research support throughout the entire research life cycle.

Libraries worldwide, including Hong Kong, increasingly use social media tools to introduce and promote their services and resources to users. Instagram, in particular, is used to target younger users. This study investigates the effectiveness of Instagram in promoting library services and university students' perceptions of the value of Instagram as a learning support tool.

A major academic library in Hong Kong was chosen for this study. Library users' habits, perceptions, preferences, and views on Instagram's effectiveness as a learning support tool were compared in two age groups. The data were collected using a survey based on the 5E Instructional Model.

Despite the significantly higher frequency of Instagram use by younger students, the results showed that Instagram was probably an ineffective promotion platform for either age group because of low user engagement, relatively neutral perception of Instagram as a learning support tool, and notably low user acceptance of Instagram as a promotional tool.

Studies of student perspectives on various social media tools have increased; however, few have explored the use of Instagram, especially in Hong Kong or Asia. This study provides researchers and librarians with practical insights into current Instagram users' engagement, perceptions, and preferences and their view of its effectiveness as a learning support tool. The study also provides suggestions for improving the current situation.

This paper aims to determine the current usage of next generation online public access catalogs (OPACs) and discovery tools in academic libraries in the USA and Canada.

Using the same random sample of 260 colleges and universities in the USA and Canada from their original study, the authors revisited each institution's library web page to ascertain whether the OPAC interface(s) offered were the same or different than in their initial data collection. Data was collected and analyzed in October and November 2011.

Discovery tool use has practically doubled in the last two years, from 16 percent to 29 percent. A total of 96 percent of academic libraries using discovery tools still provide access to their legacy catalog. The percentage of institutions using ILS OPACs with faceted navigation has increased from 2 percent to 4 percent. Combining the use of discovery tools and faceted OPACs, at least 33 percent of academic libraries are now using a faceted interface. Discovery tools that aim to be the “single point of entry for all library resources” are the most recently popular.

About 16 percent of the institutions (n=43) in the sample either did not have web sites or did not provide access to their online catalogs. Thus, some data might be underreported.

The findings identify trends that may inform academic libraries in the quest to providing next generation interfaces to their varied resources.

This study gives a timely update of next generation catalog (NGC) and discovery tool usage in academic libraries in the USA and Canada.

This review allows librarians to compare three of the major discovery services – EBSCO Discovery Service, Ex Libris’ Primo and Serials Solutions’ Summon – on the basis of price, content, user experience, features and functionality and back-end configuration to make informed decisions about the best tool for their institutions.

The comparisons were made through a literature review, study of the vendors’ websites, several interviews and personal usability testing of each tool.

The tools each have their strengths and weaknesses, and a decision of which tool is most appropriate for an institution varies depending on the institution’s needs and current situation.

A literature review shows that no study has yet been conducted comparing these three discovery tools, and few comparative studies of discovery tools have been published recently.

The purpose of this study was to bring library practitioners and researchers together to develop two co-designed tools for helping library practitioners gain a more holistic understanding of families in underserved groups and identify their values with the goal of developing more relevant learning experiences for them. The co-designed tools were then tested with Master’s of Library and Information Science (MLIS) students at two universities, whose feedback yielded several valuable findings and informed revisions to the tools.

A participatory, design-based approach was used throughout the study, both with engaging library practitioners in the co-design of different tools and processes introduced in the Toolkit, and to help MLIS students and library practitioners test the tools and provide feedback on the tool revisions.

Students indicated that the tools helped them develop a deeper understanding of underserved groups and their values and gave the students the time and space to reflect on their understanding of the socio-cultural and value contexts of their communities and the values they hold.

This study can help libraries more effectively design strengths-based learning experiences that are meaningful and relevant to underserved groups and their values, particularly for children and families from underserved communities.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate tool lending library patrons’ perception of their tool borrowing, in order to explore the role of a public lending service in the context of their lives. It addresses the research question, why do patrons borrow tools from the library?

A case study was conducted, consisting of semi-structured interviews with patrons of a tool lending library. Led by a phenomenographic approach, the interviews focused on participants’ recounted experiences. Transcripts were structured into major categories and underlying themes. Findings were discussed from a perspective taking departure in Wiegand’s notion of “the library in the life of the user,” and summarized with regards to sustainable community development.

Participants are found to talk about their tool borrowing from two main viewpoints. First, reasons for making the decision. This involves weighing practical considerations, e.g., cost, storage, access, and frequency of use. It also includes ideological motivations, and sympathy with the concept. Second, effects of their borrowing, interpreted as how it enables them. This enablement includes inspiration, learning, support to self-employment, and strengthening of community. Patrons focus on local aspects of social and economic development, rather than global or environmental motivations.

A single and in part unique setting was studied. The findings provide foundation for a developed discussion on the societal role of public libraries providing “non-traditional” materials such as tools, with particular regards to community settings and sustainability.

Addresses knowledge gaps on borrowing and tool lending libraries.

The present study aims to investigate levels of awareness and use of Web 2.0 tools by librarians in the university libraries of East Azerbaijan (EA) in Iran and to determine how librarians use these tools in everyday life.

A Web-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 38 per cent librarians in the university libraries of EA.

The research findings indicate that the librarians were more familiar with Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and blogs. While librarians widely use blogs and wikis, tools such as social bookmarking, social networks, RSS feeds, instant messaging and digital maps were less frequently used. Results obtained from present study indicated that librarians use Web 2.0 tools mostly to communicate with friends and family, to keep up-to-date, to collaborate with colleagues and for curiosity and fun. Also, librarians believe that Web 2.0 tools can be used mostly for sharing information about library resources. Internet filtering, lack of access to high-speed internet and lack of training were the major obstacles for Web 2.0 adoption by librarians.

This study is a useful source for implementing Web 2.0-based technology in libraries. Also, this study will help managers understand the librarians’ needs about Web 2.0 to improve their library services.