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Collection development activities that involve electronic content require knowledge of quantitative research methods. The ability to calculate cost per use, identify usage trends, and provide evidence for collection development decisions are essential skills in the digital age. Because of the dynamic nature of electronic resources, particularly e-books, it has been challenging to create standardized methods that support routine evaluations of collection materials. While the term quantitative analysis can seem daunting, I hope this issue of Library Technology Reports (vol. 53, no. 4), “Applying Quantitative Methods to E-book Collections,” demonstrates that it is possible to hone quantitative skill sets and develop an evaluation framework for e-book collections based around readily available quantitative data sources regardless of the size of an individual library system or equipment budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this issue of Library Technology Reports (vol. 58, no. 7), “The Current Landscape of Electronic Resources Access Issues,” we discuss the current landscape of electronic resources access issues through the lens of the prevailing access tool employed by academic libraries: the discovery service. The report outlines the technical components through which library end users gain access to electronic materials through the discovery system environment and describes the common points of failure within them. The report also discusses the troubleshooting techniques and tools through which access issues are identified and diagnosed. The report closes with a discussion on new technological developments in library discovery and access, highlighting the new opportunities for access failure, as well as the initiatives aimed at mitigating these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little has been written on attempts to understand access disruption trends holistically, such as through help ticket analyses. In chapter 3 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 58, no. 7), “Overview of Common Issues and Symptoms,” we summarize the available library science literature studies and then describe the common points of failure within library discovery system components. We cover access issues originating from user error, personal devices, discovery systems, link resolvers, knowledge bases, central indexes, IP and VPN authentication, EZproxy, federated identity management, and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chapter 2 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 58, no. 7), “Components of E-resource Access,” defines the technology components through which library end users gain access to electronic materials, focusing on those that comprise the discovery service environment. We describe how each component works, the role it plays within the larger library system, and how metadata from these key systems plays an integral role in e-resource access. We discuss different types of metadata, the systems from which they originate, and the spheres of control that govern their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Vendor Products to Support Outreach and Marketing.

Explains the concept of the virtual library, a managed collection of information resources and services available electronically through the Internet. Library categories; Standard definition of digital libraries within the networked environment; Kay Gaspen's definition of the virtual library; A.J. Harley's definition of the virtual library; Hybrid library; Impact of the Internet and Web on libraries.

The article discusses the Free Reading Zones (FREZ) initiative to offer free access to electronic books (e-books). Topics include the use of sponsorship to fund the access rather than advertising within an e-book, the role of a reading application (app) in enabling people to use the FREZ on smartphones or tablets, and the business models of e-books in relation to the FREZ model.

This issue of Library Technology Reports (vol. 53, no. 7), "Free Reading Zones: Transforming Access to Books through Technology," explores Free Reading Zones (FREZ), which are designated areas that provide people free and uninterrupted access to e-books through sponsorships. The report sheds light on what FREZ is, how it came about, who's behind it, and what its short-term and long-term goals are. Roncevic explores how FREZ can empower the e-book industry--consumers, aggregators, distributers, and publishers--by equalizing access to knowledge and education in areas beyond thriving city communities. Describing her experience launching the first FREZ in a small European café and turning the entire country of Croatia into an open virtual library for one whole month, she shows how creating open virtual libraries can make reading more accessible and open. The goal of this report is to both inspire and motivate librarians to embrace the idea of open virtual libraries and attempt similar initiatives in their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the importance of digital collections of a library for students. Topics discussed include the learning management system (LMS) embedded librarianship, the pricing models of the library for electronic books (e-books), and the start of the open-access movement in 1990 and open-access repository ArXiv.org with more than half a million of scholarly electronic articles.

The article discusses the evolution of library instruction at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) in New Mexico. Topics covered include the increase in fall semester instruction sessions from 2009 to 2014, the creation of a standardized curriculum, and providing students with hands-on time in instruction sessions. Also mentioned is the mixing of new iPads with a slightly outdated SMARTboard.

In chapter 5 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 50, no. 7), “Social Media Curation,” the authors report on interviews with librarians at special libraries who curate large digital portals. These librarians’ major concerns center on ensuring the quality and integrity of their collections, ensuring the appropriate description of records, and ensuring that their efforts are discovered and used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several aspects of increasing demand for electronic books (E-books). It mentions assessing value of e-book collections begins with a foundational knowledge of patron information needs and publishing trends and electronic content has resulted in a greater emphasis on e-book collection development. It also mentions role of technological innovations like virtual reality in disseminating information quickly around the globe.

Chapter 2 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 50, no. 3) "Electronic Resource Management Systems: A Workflow Approach" provides a brief overview of the areas necessary for successful electronic resource management as well as the current software available to manage them. The chapter discusses the knowledge base of resource information, management of acquisitions, collecting and saving administrative records, storing license information, and compiling and producing reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chapter 3 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 50, no. 2), "Streaming Video Resources for Teaching, Learning, and Research," provides a list of excellent examples of multimedia and web-based video resources. I've included brief annotations on why I feel the sites are usable particularly for learning management systems like Moodle, Sakai, etc., but also for content management systems like LibGuides and WordPress, which allow for embed of video and multimedia content. I've provided extensive explanation on a few sites I believe are innovative in the creation, maintenance, functionality, and organization of their content. I also detail some of the issues surrounding video search and the nature of multimedia items, as opposed to textual formats and retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several appendixes are presented on topics including library surveys, search engines and product literature.

Chapter 1 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 49, no. 1) "Resource Sharing in Libraries: Concepts, Products, Technologies, and Trends" presents some of the conceptual approaches available to libraries in the way that they provide access to materials to their patrons beyond their local collections. Models of resource sharing discussed include sharing an integrated library system among the members of a regional consortium; implementing a resource sharing environment to connect ILS implementations to enable consortial borrowing; and providing materials through document delivery services or global interlibrary loan systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As e-books emerge into the public consciousness, "open access" (a concept already familiar to scholarly publishers and academic libraries), will play an increasing role for all sorts of publishers and libraries. This chapter of The No Shelf Required Guide to E-book Purchasing discusses the meaning of open access in the context of e-books, the ways open access e-books can be supported, and the roles that open access e-books will play in libraries and in our society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web scale discovery services for the library environment have the capacity to more easily connect researchers with the library's vast information repository. This includes locally held and hosted content, such as physical holdings, digital collections, and local institutional repositories. Perhaps more significantly, web scale discovery also accesses a huge array of remotely hosted content, often purchased or licensed by the library, such as publisher and aggregator content for tens of thousands of full-text journals, additional content from abstracting and indexing resources, and content from open access repositories. This chapter defines web scale discovery and highlights a few key concepts essential for understanding these services. For anyone who has worked a reference interview and heard a student utter, “I couldn't find an article in the library catalog,” web scale discovery services hold tremendous potential. Extensive research on user expectations in the discovery arena, and the tools used by those seeking information—tools often disassociated from the library and often overlooking much of what the library holds and licenses—provide ample rationale for why web scale discovery is important for the library environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]