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Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to show how an institutional repository can be successfully created by university libraries with limited financial and technological resources. Design/methodology/approach - In this paper the library's experience creating an institutional repository despite financial and technological limitations is recounted. Findings - The paper finds that a serviceable repository may be created by focusing on its critical elements, and adapting existing resources, including a proprietary system currently used for other digital resources. Practical implications - The paper shows that librarians should not assume that open-source systems are the only vehicles for providing institutional repositories, or that such a service is necessarily beyond their capabilities. Originality/value - Academic libraries do not have to follow an involved, idealized process to create an institutional repository based upon open-source software. Systems already at hand, even if proprietary, may be adapted and real-world limitations surmounted to create such a resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to report on the impact and cost/benefit of implementing three - EPrints digital repositories at the University of Otago, and to encourage others to follow suit. Design/methodology/approach - Three repositories were successfully implemented at the University of Otago using existing commodity hardware and free open source software. The first pilot repository was implemented within ten days, and is now a fully functional system that is being championed for institutional-wide use by the University Library. The other two repositories emerged from different community needs. One is academic, concerned with collecting and researching indigenous content; the other is designed to preserve and manage collective memory and heritage content for a small rural community. Findings - The paper shows that digital repositories can be established quickly and effectively with surprisingly few resources; readily incorporate any kind of extant digital content, or non-digital material that is converted to electronic form; meet multifarious needs, from academic institutions seeking to enhance research visibility and impact, to individuals and small communities collecting and preserving their unique memory and heritage records; and establish connectivity with the global community from the moment they go live. Practical implications - The technology and global support community have matured to a state where a fully-featured repository can be quickly and easily implemented. Originality/value - This paper describes the short history, development and impact of the first live repositories of their kind in New Zealand. Their utility and implications for the unique communities that have given rise to them are also explored, by way of encouraging others to take up the digital challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to synthesize different research projects and approaches to managing the "hidden collections" problem. Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes current research and practices. Findings - Hidden collections are a problem for both libraries and archives. "Hidden collections" are materials that cannot be found in the online catalog or may be found there only under a collective title or un- or under-processed primary sources. These materials transcend all formats of library and archival materials (print, microform, video, etc.) and can be found throughout the library in a variety of collections from government documents to area studies to music to the reference department. It is in the area of archival and special collections, however, that this problem has received the most attention and where the greatest challenges and opportunities for exposing these collections exist. Practical implications - Many archives have backlogs and "hidden collections". This article discusses some recent efforts to identify and expose these collections to enable better archival control and researcher access that may be applied in other settings. Originality/value - This article identifies and highlights different approaches and potential solutions to the problem of hidden collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to focus on the efforts of the National Library of Singapore (NLS) to make accessible resources to users who may not come to the library physically or resources that the library may not hold or own, and to discuss some of the initiatives launched by the NLS in the past five years, including the encyclopedic Singapore Infopedia, the landmark collaborative project between the NLS and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) that initiated NewspaperSG, and the Singapore Memory Project, a nationwide initiative to build a national digital collection of materials about Singapore. Design/methodology/approach - The paper takes a descriptive approach. Findings - With libraries the world over facing the challenge of meeting the needs of users in improving access, the National Library of Singapore (NLS) has, in the past decade, sought to explore ways in which remote reference services can be improved and access to its collections in the online space enhanced. Originality/value - The paper gives an insight into the latest developments at the National Library aimed at servicing its remote users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to chronicle the Lamar Soutter Library's effort to build an educational image database, and how the project developed into an institutional repository. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is divided into three phases and highlights the organizational, political, technological and resource issues that are unique to a specialized library with a medium-sized staff, lacking the resources of a traditional university campus. The case concludes with a list of barriers and facilitators to success and a summary of lessons learned. Findings - The paper finds that a library with limited staff, funding, and systems development resources can initiate and support an institutional repository. Facilitators of success include clear lines of authority, a strong champion, and the appropriate technology for the project. Originality/value - This paper serves as an example to libraries that are in the beginning phases of developing an institutional repository by discussing the barriers to and facilitators of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits and challenges of creating a shared institutional repository and to, describe the process by which a consortium was able to establish such a service. Design/methodology/approach - A case study is presented outlining the process through which the Washington Research Library Consortium selected and implemented the DSpace institutional repository software in a shared information technology environment. The issues confronted in dealing with a multi-institutional implementation are examined through both a detailed description of the implementation and a generalized description of the challenges the consortium faced. Findings - The paper finds that while a shared implementation of an institutional repository does present significant challenges that would not be present for a single institution, the collaborative approach also presents significant benefits in drawing on the breadth of expertise available among the Consortium and utilizing a shared information technology infrastructure. Originality/value - Institutional repositories have generally been implemented within the context of a single institution. An alternative model is described that draws on the experience and expertise of multiple institutions to achieve a common goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to replicate a study done in 1992 on the bibliographic availability of 55 popular culture periodicals sold by a Kroger supermarket in Royal Oak, Michigan. The earlier study asked the question whether time might be a relevant variable for the number of holding libraries. Design/methodology/approach - The authors searched WorldCat for the number of reported library holdings for the same 55 popular culture periodicals and analyzed the results. Findings - During both periods, 34 periodicals with holdings had a median increase of 58.4 percent; but, when the 83.5 percent increase in OCLC governing members during the same period was taken into account, holdings had a median decrease of 13.7 percent. For the 19 cases with no library holdings in 1992, eight (42.1 percent) now had library holdings, including several high circulation periodicals such as Marand Soap Opera Weekly. Practical implications - Popular culture materials read by many Americans are still not widely available in libraries or are not entered into WorldCat, the prime source for bibliographic holdings. Originality/value - This paper provides additional statistical evidence on the availability of popular culture materials in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This paper sets out to investigate the meaning, role and implications of contextual information associated with digital collections. Design/methodology/approach — This paper is based on an extensive review and analysis of both the scholarly literature from many disciplines about the concept of context and the professional literature (including standards) related to the description of information artifacts. The paper provides an analysis of context, distinguishing three main ways in which that term has been used within the scholarly literature. It then discusses contextual information within digital collections, and presents a framework for contextual information. It goes on to discuss existing standards and guidance documents for encoding information related to the nine classes of contextual entities, concluding with a discussion of potential implications for descriptive practices through the lifecycle of digital objects. Findings — The paper presents a framework for contextual information that is based on nine classes of contextual entities: object, agent, occurrence, purpose, time, place, form of expression, concept/abstraction, and relationship. Research limitations/implications — Research and development about and in support of digital collections will benefit from a clear articulation of the types, roles, importance and elements of contextual information. Practical implications — Future users of digital objects will probably have numerous tools for discovering preserved digital objects relevant to their interests, but making meaningful use and sense of the digital objects will also require capture, collection and management of contextual information. Originality/value — This paper synthesizes and extends a previously diffuse literature, in order to clarify and articulate core concepts in the management of digital collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — To explore the relationship between the importance of African studies programs and the acquisition of African imprint titles in four selected American academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach — The paper examines the characteristics of the African studies programs in four universities in comparison with library holdings including the percentage of holdings from four major English-language African publishers. Finding — The four research libraries acquire substantial numbers of African monographs in keeping with the importance of their African studies programs. Originality/value — The paper provides information on four major African studies programs and the library holdings that support them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to discuss a project to enhance Texas A&M University at Qatar Library's (TAMUQL's) engineering curriculum, graduate, and research programs with newly acquired monographs and maps. Design/methodology/approach - The project was carried out with the partnership and cooperation of TAMUQL, YBP Library Services and TAMUL. Findings - The project succeeded in meeting the objectives of the project, which included supporting the needs of freshmen to senior levels of the liberal arts curriculum as well as those of the faculty. Originality/value - This paper adds to the growing documentation of the value of working partnerships between libraries and vendors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper sets out to provide an overview of the current state of library services to the poor, and to suggest how it can be improved. Design/methodology/approach - Uses examples to illustrate the gulf between how public libraries often and the services to poor patrons, and the obstacles faced and services required for poor patrons to use the library. Findings - While many libraries think they are adequately serving their poorer constituents, often this is not the case. While one removes barriers to the traditional services one provides, determining the services they want or need is often neglected. Originality/value - Uses examples of how libraries can better serve poor patrons, and offers sound advice on establishing reasonable limits in developing such services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — To discuss the challenges of developing a branch library of Texas A&M University Libraries to serve the faculty and students in a new degree-granting program as part of Education City in Quatar. The goal of the program is to provide students in Qatar an authentic "Aggie" education and experience. Design/methodology/approach — Discusses the development of this new branch library to support undergraduate degrees in electrical, mechanical, chemical and petroleum engineering. Findings — Library service in support of these degrees was developed so that duplication of resources and size of collections that had to be managed in Qatar were minimized. The TAMUQ library has successfully provided a full range of information services in support of this innovative collaboration between the university and the government of Qatar. Originality/value — This paper provides a model for the development of a branch library using the resources of the main campus as much as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This case study seeks to reflect upon the short history and rapid development of electronic journals (e-journals) at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). It describes the scope of the journal migration project and its impact on library operations. UAEU (with over 16,000 students) is the flagship university in the UAE, and much farther along in the transition to electronic-only access to journal literature than most libraries in the Arab world. Design/methodology/approach - The article begins with background information on UAE and its academic institutions, then discusses the development of e-journals at UAEU starting with the rationale and decision to cancel print journals and move to an all-e-journal collection. Findings - The author shows that e-journals have added enormous resources to the collection, improved service, enhanced access to journal literature, increased its usage, and decreased the demand for document delivery of single articles. The author also indicates the challenges of offering e-journals as "bundled" packages and UAEU's concern about the library's inability to remove irrelevant titles, control cost, and retain the freedom to make changes on its journal collection. Originality/value - Since there has been little or no discussion in the library literature on the impact that the increasing use of e-journals has on academic institutions in developing countries, this case study of the UAEU experience should be useful to others in the Gulf region and in other parts of developing countries, as well as the library community in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes briefly the impact of Information Technology on collection management in libraries and also on the librarian's role. Discusses the factors affecting collection management in libraries and emphasizes the need for change in collection management policy. Provides information about the availability of various electronic formats such as online sources, CD-ROMs, Internet sources and Web sites along with criteria to evaluate them. Discusses the usefulness of subject gateways and compares pricing structures of different e-sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]