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Purpose - This paper aims to describe the development of a fiction web service which will serve as a tool for information searches, and a place for saving and sharing tacit knowledge of and experiences with fictional works. Key partners are the Turku City Library, the Semantic Computing Research Group, Libraries.fi editorial staff and Vaasa City Library. Design/methodology/approach - The system's technical infrastructure was built in the autumn of 2010: database, data storage platform and content description. Base data have been converted, data-saving protocols created and system data verified in order to stay up to date. Information on the project has been widely distributed to libraries, book industry actors and other potential partners, even at the international level. Design of the user interface has begun, and with its construction it will become apparent how well the project targets are being met, i.e. to make available a user-friendly service that offers library fiction collections and their attendant expertise and inspires service users to read, make recommendations and evaluate fiction by the spring of 2011. Findings - Fiction is an integral part of Finnish library collections. However, its information search and help desk resources are lacking, and the content of older works of fiction has not been systematically described. Where fiction customer service is concerned, the librarian is largely left to rely on their own reading, memory and associations. This Kirjasampo Project will provide better access to fiction collections. Content description is done using ontologies, thus requiring the ontologisation of Kaunokki, the Finnish fiction thesaurus, as part of the project. In addition to Kaunokki, time, place, language and nationality ontologies are used. Originality/value - In the wide-ranging and multidisciplinary Finnish Kirjasampo Project, thought has been given to how these problems can be solved using modern technologies. Because the service will have a large number of features that cannot be realised with existing library systems, it will be done using semantic web tools. A fiction metadata schema, which defines the necessary fields in information models, was developed for the service. The Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) was applied in the information models, with the content of each work being described ("abstract work") and the various versions and institutions ("physical works") linked to it. This information is saved in the RDF database using a Kirjasampo-SAHA annotation editor, which is a browser-based and user-friendly metadata-saving tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to clearly show the process, cost, and benefits of an audio digitization project within a university library. Design/methodology/approach - From formulating the idea for a new digital collection available to patrons via the library catalog through implementation, promotion, and gathering feedback, each step is detailed. Findings - Although it is a time-consuming endeavor, the creation of unique digital library collections can produce a variety of benefits for both library patrons and librarians. Originality/value - The paper is written by a librarian who is neither a computer nor cataloging expert. It is an attempt to show others who may have important but antiquated collections that digitization projects may be successfully completed without advanced technical skills or a large budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether aggregator packages might be appropriate to replace or supplement print collections in business and nursing, it aims to identify e-book equivalents for print books acquired for an academic library's collections. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a list of the library's acquisitions in two disciplines checked against e-book aggregators' holdings. The comparison is analyzed and discussed. Findings – The results confirm findings of a previous study showing that less than one-third of print books acquired for this library's nursing and business collections have e-book equivalents available from aggregators, so the aggregators' holdings do not strongly match the library's collecting profile. Research limitations/implications – The present study applies previous research to a different type of collection, and tests previous conclusions. Originality/value – This paper contributes to assessment of the value of e-book collections for academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate the collections within digital libraries and repositories in India available in the public domain. Design/methodology/approach — The digital libraries and repositories were identified through a study of the literature, as well as internet searching and browsing. The resulting digital libraries and repositories were explored to study their collections. Findings — Use of open source software especially for the creation of institutional repositories is found to be common. However, major digital library initiatives such as the Digital Library of India use custom-made software. The collection size in most digital libraries and repositories is in a few hundreds. Practical implications — The paper highlights the state of digital libraries and repositories in India in late 2007. Originality/value — The paper is the first of its kind that attempts to identify and evaluate digital libraries and repositories in India. It also gives a comprehensive listing of digital libraries and institutional repositories in India available in the public domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The literature on collection development largely discusses all kinds of managerial and practical issues. There appears to be a noteworthy gap in LIS literature regarding the philosophical and conceptual underpinning of the subject. The paper aims to attempt to explore the developments in the theoretical foundations of collection management practices in libraries. Design/methodology/approach - An extensive review of the available literature was made to synthesise the study. It illustrates the impacts of the developments in civilization, from ancient times to modern, on the collection management services of libraries. Findings - It was found that the philosophy underlying collection management work has expanded through the ages due to various factors. Originality/value - The paper provides an overview of social and technological changes on the philosophy of managing collections through the ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Proposes encouraging librarians to be more informed about the value of collection evaluations. Design/methodology/approach - Three examples of collection evaluation methods (user-centered evaluation, physical assessment and specific subject support) are explored. Findings - Many strategies are available for evaluating collections, regardless of the kind of library or size of the collection. Evaluation allows librarians a more thorough knowledge of what already exists, what may be needed, and whether collection development goals are being achieved. Practical implications - Methods of meaningful collection evaluation are shared so that librarians may create an evaluation that will provide useful information to them in their library setting. Implications for successful future collection management, financial resource management and effective format selection are discussed. Originality/value - Discussion that includes the "assessment of specific subject support" and "assessing and building specific subject collections" encourages librarians to recognize their major and minor collections, creatively assess those collection areas, and involve techniques or individuals who might guide them to specific subject materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to libraries in the U.S. Preliminary results of 2007 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study states that although almost all of the libraries in the country are connected to the Internet and are increasingly offering wireless service, they still face problems in providing adequate bandwidth. Google Inc. continues to strike new agreements with libraries that wish to make their collections available for the Google Books Library Project.

Purpose – The purpose is to explore using databases of freely available electronic books as part of a library's collection. Design/methodology/approach – The paper considered whether expensive discovery services, an OCLC product, or an open source product would be practical alternatives to the current labor-intensive system used. Findings – An open source product introduced in 2010 called GIST Gift and Deselection Manager (GDM) appears to fit the author's needs nearly exactly. Research limitations/implications – Since earlier Getting It System Toolkit (GIST) workflow products have a proven track record, the author would expect library students and practitioners to also experiment with the Gift and Deselection Manager. Practical implications – All can start using GDM anytime when they are ready, without spending any money. Social implications – The paper highlights an open source workflow option. Originality/value – The paper notes that the Gift and Deselection Manager was released on August 16, 2010, an event of which some library professionals might not be aware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]