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The Journal of the Australian Library & Information Association has published a special issue featuring papers from the 2023 Research Application in Information and Library Studies (RAILS) conference. RAILS serves as an important platform for library and information research in Australasia and the Pacific region, aiming to raise the visibility of research from this area and promote a more balanced and representative research environment. The papers in this issue cover a range of topics, highlighting the diversity of research activities and expertise in the region. The upcoming RAILS 2024 conference, with the theme "Making a Difference: Research with Real-world Impact," is scheduled for November and aims to explore how research can lead to improved outcomes for library and information services. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this paper is to present some thoughts on the sidelines of the international conference "The privilege of the written word: management, conservation and enhancement of personal papers and books", held at Salerno University on April 10-12th 2019. The conference represented a significant moment of meeting for the scientific and professional community of archives and libraries in order to debate the issues related to conservation, management and valorization of personal collections. This event also provided an opportunity for the presentation of the 'Guidelines on the treatment of personal funds' edited by the National Commission of special libraries personal archives and libraries of the Italian Library Association (AIB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several books related to library and book collection. They include "Book Talk: Essays on Books, Booksellers, Collecting, and Special Collections," by Robert H. Jackson and Carol Zeman Rothkoph, "Blueprint for Your Library Marketing Plan: A Guide to Help You Survive and Thrive," by Patricia H. Fisher and Marseille M. Pride, "Burning Books and Leveling Libraries: Extremist Violence and Cultural Destruction," by Rebecca Knuth and "Developing Library and Information Center Collections," by G. Edward Evans and Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro.

The author discusses his past (1998) and more recent (2015) work on documenting the holdings of the historic collections of East Slavic Modernist imprints at the New York Public Library and Columbia University, providing a brief account explaining what makes the NYPL collections so unique. The author then takes the narrative forward, to more recent and ongoing efforts at Columbia and Cornell to build holdings of both Slavic and non-Slavic interwar Modernist imprints, most especially from Central and Eastern Europe, including Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A large number of the libraries'' selection of research papers are based on the quality and quantity of the papers selected. Most recently, a new mode for this type of selection appeared in the field of scientometrics. The Hirsch index provides new viewpoints to meet the criteria regarding the quality of journals. An understanding and use of the Hirsch index provides assistance to those librarians who wish to expand their libraries'' selection, find it important to maintain a higher quality, and want to develop the standards of their library. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a case study of the British government's State Paper Office, with a particular focus on the relationship between archives and libraries prior to the development of modern archival theory in the early 20th century. Details on processes of appraisal, arrangement, and description are presented. It is suggested that while the office's collecting policies were similar to those of modern archives, its organizational philosophy was more closely aligned with those of libraries.

Who Wants Yesterday's Papers? was a symposium organized by librarians and graduate students at the University of Maryland in 2002 to bring the debate about the future of print collections to campus. The symposium included academic faculty to strengthen communication with them about these issues. Besides reporting what the faculty said they wanted at the symposium, Carignan describes some of the trends changing research libraries in ways not anticipated in 2002, and some of the responses needed for continued stewardship of and access to print collections in research libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the core literature of aerospace studies and the databases necessary to ensure its coverage in a collection for aerospace scientists. The paper also aims to examine whether China has different needs from other countries. Design/methodology/approach – A sequence of bibliometric analyses was used. Institutions and countries with high aerospace research productivity were identified from 4,290 papers published in "aerospace engineering" journals in Science Citation Index. Journal papers cited in these papers (14,618 extracted from 17,015 citations in all) were analyzed to discover the core source journals for aerospace research. The availability of the core journals in online databases determined necessary library provision for aerospace research. Findings – The most productive aerospace research institutions are in China and the USA. Journals are the most important information resources. While 20 per cent of cited journals were discipline-specific, 80 per cent were in related fields. Chinese researchers had similar resource needs to researchers from other countries. To provide for aerospace research, a library collection needs to include the databases of the field, and commercial and open access journals that cover aerospace engineering, related disciplines and the sciences in general. Originality/value – The paper reveals the characteristics of the literature of the aerospace discipline for the first time. It identifies the core journals used by aerospace researchers and the bundle of online resources necessary to adequately provide for research in the field. The technique used can be applied to other disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the role of mobile applications in enhancing library-related tasks. Mobile technology emerges as a valuable resource for saving time and eff ort. The study demonstrates how mobile applications can simplify tasks like stock-taking and generating other collection-related statistics within a library. The paper takes a distinctive approach by recording book usage statistics and monitoring staff activities, specifically the re-shelving of books. This method carries significant implications for collection development and the efficient management of library staff. It underscores the potential of mobile technology to enhance library services' economic and sustainable operation. Notably, the library's stack area frequently experiences congestion, poor internet connectivity, and insufficient infrastructure for routine operations. Some setbacks, such as inadequate lighting in the stack area, were identified as factors affecting the app's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the reports "Creating Sustainable Assessment Through Collaboration: A National Program Reveals Effective Practices," by Kara J. Malenfant and Karen Brown and "The Evolving Institutional Repository Landscape," by Judy Luther on library practices.

This paper focuses on the role of Alexander J. Rolich (1923–2014), the first Slavic Bibliographer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) Libraries. He was appointed as UW-Madison's first Slavic Bibliographer in October 1964 and remained for 37 years until his retirement in 2001. He was instrumental in guiding the development of the libraries' Slavic, East European and Central Asian collections in a period of rapid growth. It was estimated that the University's Slavic and East European collection had increased by ten-fold during his time as Slavic Bibliographer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose – The purpose of this article is to encourage public librarians to reconsider the future value of their paper book collections. Design/methodology/approach – The author interacts with developing trends to make an argument for supporting paper book collections in the digital age. Findings – The liquidation of Borders Group Inc. provides the public library with an opportunity to market its paper collections to publishers and paper book buyers. Originality/value – The article offers a contrarian perspective on the enduring value physical book collections will play in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimates of the price or value of the individual journals within a full-text database may be useful to librarians engaged in serials reviews or other collection development projects, to scholars investigating the determinants of journal prices, and to publishers seeking to rationalize their pricing strategies. This paper evaluates six methods of apportioning the cost of a full-text database among the individual journals in the database--methods based on variables such as journal size, total citations, Journal Impact Factor (JIF) percentile, and single-journal list price. Each method is evaluated based on how well the resulting prices can be predicted by the determinants of journal prices identified in previous research. Although the six methods yield similar results, the single best option is to use price estimates that account for JIF percentile. If citation data are not available and cannot be estimated, the best alternative is to rely on the equal-value assumption--to split the total price equally among the wanted journals in the database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the finance of church libraries' conservation of pre-1850 books. Guidelines for the collection and preservation of old books are offered including recommendations for acid-free paper boxes, climate control, and the design of shelves for church archives of old books. Rules for the accession, lending, and circulation of old books are offered.

This paper Academic Library: A Managerial Review explores management of academic libraries. The paper looks at academic library as an information center established in tertiary institution to support the mission of their parent institutions, which has to do with teaching, learning and research with the available information resources. The paper further defines academic library management as an efficient utilization of library resources to achieve the organizations objective and also as a process of getting things done through an individual, a group or people, to accomplish set targets. The paper looks at an academic library management and states that the extent, to which the academic library is able to perform effectively, depends so much on its managerial competence. This paper discusses also the origin of academic library, library management in terms of its functions such as staffing, organizational structure, funding, collection development and challenges among others. The paper concludes with recommendations that funding library, training of library staff, and equipping the organization with modern facilities with the managerial competence of librarian will help for smooth functioning of library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based acquisition (EBA) programmes have been gaining momentum in academic libraries over the past 5–10 years. This paper examines our experience implementing one of these programmes at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. In 2019, The Alma Jordan Library of the St. Augustine Campus partnered with Wiley Publishers to administer the Usage Based Collection Management (UBCM) programme. The results at the end of this first year were very encouraging and therefore, the decision was taken to extend the programme for a second year, and it has been continued for a third year. This paper describes the process of selecting a provider of a user-driven eBook acquisition model, implementing the programme, and gathering usage statistics. An analysis of the data was conducted at the end of the programme, and then criteria developed and used for identifying titles for purchase. In the analysis, the authors explore the following: usage based on titles not owned, usage based on subject areas; return on investment to the library; continued use of UBCM- purchased titles. Also included are the benefits of implementing such a programme, challenges experienced, and recommendations for libraries wishing to embark on such a project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library and information science has been at an infant stage in Pakistan, primarily in resource management, description, discovery, and access. The reasons are many, including the lack of interest and use of modern tools, techniques, and best practices by librarians in Pakistan. Finding a solution to these challenges requires a comprehensive study that identifies the current state of libraries in Pakistan. This paper fills this gap in the literature by reviewing the relevant literature published between 2015 and 2021 and selected through a rigorous search and selection methodology. It also analyzes the websites of 82 libraries in Pakistan through a theoretical framework based on various aspects. The findings of this study include: Libraries in Pakistan need a transition from traditional and limited solutions to more advanced information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled, user-friendly, and state-of-the-art systems to produce dynamic, consumable, and sharable knowledge space. They must adopt social semantic cataloging to bring all the stakeholders on a single platform. A libraries consortium should be developed to link users to local, multilingual, and multicultural collections for improved knowledge production, recording, sharing, acquisition, and dissemination. These findings benefit Pakistani libraries, librarians, information science professionals, and researchers in other developing countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind providing insights into the current state of libraries in Pakistan through the study of their websites using a rigorous theoretical framework and in the light of the latest relevant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies have shown high‐level differences in people's perception and use of various information formats. However, the lack of a coherent and theoretically informed framework of elements of format has inhibited a nuanced understanding of the role that formats play in information behavior. This paper draws on theories from the field of rhetoric and composition to ground the study of information format in a social constructivist perspective that foregrounds action in context. Specifically, rhetorical genre theory is discussed in detail and the limitations of previous information behavior studies using rhetorical genre theory are explored. One of the main problems of earlier studies is confusing genres and their containers. This paper introduces and defines the concept of containers as typified ways of collecting and presenting texts of certain genres for publication. Building on rhetorical genre theory, the paper offers a theoretical exploration of the role that containers play in the formal and/or public sharing of information within discourse communities. An illustrative example of the concepts applied to data from an Institute of Museum and Library Services funded study is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using bibliometric data and a faceted taxonomy first published by Leeder, Markey, and Yakel, this pilot study examines student constructions of authority generated from a sample of 60 research papers by students in a freshman-level English composition course. The taxonomy classifies each source using subfacet attributes of author identity, editorial process, and publication purpose facets that, in combination, provide insight into how students navigate today's information ecosystem. The findings suggest that students use a similar array of sources regardless of their demographic background or their academic ability and that the characteristics of these sources have important implications for information literacy instruction and collection development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes usage data from Hunter Library's digital collections using Google Analytics for a period of twenty-seven months from October 2013 through December 2015. The authors consider this data analysis to be important for identifying collections that receive the largest number of visits. We argue this data evaluation is important in terms of better informing decisions for building digital collections that will serve user needs. The authors also study the benefits of harvesting to sites such as the Digital Public Library of America, and they believe this paper will contribute to the literature on Google Analytics and its use by libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how quality information materials are maintained in Kenyan museum libraries by examining collection development policy, skills and processes used by librarians in acquisition. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 137 respondents, which included 130 registered library users and seven members of staff, completed the questionnaires. This included the principal librarian, for whom an interview schedule was used to collect the required data. A pilot study to ensure data validity and reliability was carried out at the Kenya Medical Research Institute Library. Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyze the research data. Findings: The findings, which were presented both textually and graphically, show that the National Museum of Kenya library lacks a collection development policy to guide the acquisition process, as well as a diverse set of information resources that are both comprehensive and current to meet the current user information needs. Furthermore, the key impediment to the acquisition of information materials was revealed to be financial constraints, and there was a positive effort to involve library users in the acquisition process. Research limitations/implications: The study focus on library users and library staff at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) library in Nairobi, it may not be, therefore, representative of the acquisition processes at all Kenyan museum libraries. Although NMK has other branches across the country, they were not included in this study. Practical implications: This paper purposes to provide the Kenyan museum library with important information about maintaining quality information materials from the perspectives of librarians and library users. Despite efforts to improve information materials, the management faces financial challenges. Social implications: The study unveils underlying picture in selection and acquisition practices which will inform on meeting library users information needs. Originality/value: The paper is of value as a case study of Kenya Museums Library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of a layered model for describing student activity that librarians can use to inform collection management decisions. It proposes using student activity in the classroom and the library, physically and virtually, to increase understanding of student curricular and research needs. The model can be used as a tool to facilitate conversations and can be adapted for use in large and small projects.Design/methodology/approach The paper used a theoretical approach using Mathematics Department as an example, with supporting evidence from existing studies and research. As a theoretical paper, data are discussed in the framework of what information you might use.Findings Experimentation suggests that the framework of student activity provides a meaningful assessment of collection contents that can be used to inform collection development activities. Implementation of the model in response to a specific research question may build evidence towards the assertion that patterns of academic activity and library use should be used to improve collection offerings.Research limitations/implications Further research is required to determine which criteria are most appropriate for inclusion in specific collection development activities and which questions are best suited for modeling.Practical implications The paper includes implications for developing student “personas” that can be used in collection building and beyond.Social implications The framework introduced can be used by libraries of any size or type to develop a layered model of student, or more generally user, activity.Originality/value This paper adds a flexible, responsive process to the body of collection assessment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DUE TO THE IRREPLACEABILITY OF MATERIALS as well as the innumerable variations in physical condition and storage needs, special collections present many challenges to preservation and conservation professionals. In reaction to these challenges, there have been many advances and changes within the fields of preservation and conservation. The goal of this short paper is to highlight some of the skills and technological advances that have changed the way special collections are preserved in reference to two approaches: item-level conservation and collections conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year of COVID-19, 2020, brought unique experiences to everyone in their daily as well as their professional life. Facing many challenges of division in all aspects (social distancing, political and social divisions, remote work environments), University of South Florida Libraries took the lead in exploring how to overcome these various separations by providing access to its high-quality information sources to its local community and beyond. This paper shares the insights of using Linked Data technology to provide easy access to digital cultural heritage collections not only for the scholarly communities but also for those underrepresented user groups. The authors present the challenges at this special time of the history, discuss the possible solutions, and propose future work to further the effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is trauma in how Indigenous knowledge collections in libraries are managed. This paper seeks to understand the tikanga Māori context of Indigenous knowledges management in library collection policies. A review of selected library policies from five major AotearoaNew Zealand libraries regarding collection development, tikanga Māori integration and specifically Māori collection content will be explored using a modified Mead's Tikanga Test (of 2003). From this analysis will be inferred the ways in which the various library policies negate or affirm tikanga Māori. This will be followed by a brief introduction to the model Ngā Matatiki Mātauranga for culturally safe management of Indigenous collections to be integrated into collection policies. This paper will draw from a Māori perspective, in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The testing of library policies from five major libraries will drive the findings to represent the state of Indigenous collection policy in Aotearoa and how best for Māori to distinguish our futures in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a literature review of academic library collection activities related to the provision of streaming video content in support of higher education curricula. It reviews the budgetary, collection management, licensing, technology, and acquisition processes and associated challenges that the provision of streaming video content poses for academic libraries in offering this much needed content to their patron base. The authors present a recent history of developing academic video collections, the transition to and increased demand for the streaming video format, and the evaluations required of funding models and vendor supply models to make the availability of streaming video content sustainable in the academic environment. The article also reviews current and future research and planned collaboration which hold great promise in addressing the current challenges academic libraries face in offering streaming video content to their patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates citation and research collaboration habits of faculty in four engineering departments. The analysis focuses on similarities and differences among the engineering disciplines. Main differences exist in the use of conference papers and technical reports. The age of cited materials varies by discipline and by format. Regarding faculty connection with other subjects, the study finds that aerospace and mechanical engineering faculty collaborate more often with researchers outside their fields, while civil and environmental faculty, as well as electrical and computer engineering faculty, are more likely to cooperate with peers in their fields. Lists of highly cited journals are generated. The paper also provides suggestions for collection management, research assistance, and outreach efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper presents research that sought to understand how the National Library of Australia engages with soft power in its Annual Report 2019–20. Driving the analysis was the research question: How is soft power discourse reproduced and enacted in the National Library of Australia's Annual Report 2019–20? The research recognises the significance of Australia's soft power, cultural diplomacy, and regional relationships to national interest in the context of a library's contributions to these areas. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs a qualitative discourse analysis, with constructivist and interpretivist perspectives. A critical discourse analysis was undertaken that applied a discourse-historical approach. Findings: The findings suggest that the National Library of Australia primarily engages with soft power discourse through the construction and preservation of an Australian national identity. National identity is framed as key to the Library's collection development, with Australian knowledge prioritised. Originality/value: This study extends on research addressing the roles of galleries, archives, and museums in cultural diplomacy, but rarely examines soft power and libraries explicitly or in a contemporary context. It contributes to broader understandings of libraries in international relations and the role they can play in soft power attraction and cultural diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since library consortia were established in India, academic and research libraries started gaining online access to more number of journals than what they were individually subscribing before. To find out how well Indian researchers make use of the additional resources, the use made of journals either for publishing or for citing by researchers in three Indian institutions - a unitary university, a CSIR laboratory and a DAE theoretical research institution was examined. It was found that in all three institutions, not more than 20% of journals for which they have access through consortium or through their own funds as part of their subscription have been used. Thus the large number of journals that publishers offer through their big deals seem to benefit the publishers rather than the researchers. It is suggest that academic and research librarians in India and library consortia use citation analysis as an "aid in pruning subscriptions to unused journals, eventually alleviating misapportioned moneys spending in the serials selection process". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This institutional case study analyses 1723 sources referenced in five PhD theses awarded at Alphacrucis University College between 2017 and 2021. The purpose was to demonstrate that the library’s collection development policy is successfully guiding purchasing decisions in order to provide students with the resources they need to complete their research at high levels. Sources were extracted from each thesis and grouped according to type. Library holdings were then checked, revealing that, overall, 70.2% of all cited sources were available from the AC library collection. This research-in-practice paper shows that AC library’s shift in focus for its collection development policy is adequately providing required resources to research students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe paper aims to discuss ChatGPT and its role in academic libraries. It identifies the key areas where ChatGPT can be implemented in libraries to improve various services and the overall work experience of academics, along with the risk factors associated with ChatGPT. Research finds that ChatGPT can be aided with many library services such as collection development management, virtual reference services, digital information service and library discovery, research writing and publishing, research performance analysis and bibliometric services. It can be helpful for libraries to meet patron requirements, streamline the research process, and increase the efficiency of the library and staff. It reduces the workload of library staff to a certain extent rather than replacing the human librarians as various threats are associated with the ChatGPT, such as incorrect query responses, data protection, misuse, privacy, security, inaccessibility, limited technology comprehension and other ethical issues. It also discusses the limitations and challenges libraries may face while implementing the technology to impart various services. The importance of this study lies in the fact that it acknowledges the reality of ChatGPT and its limitations and how the library will be ready to cope with and deal with the technology in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust was formed in February 2017 following an acquisition. The Library and Knowledge Services (LKS) merged while operating across two hospital sites. A priority for the merged Library and Knowledge Service was to integrate e‐collections. A literature review identified six papers reporting health libraries that had merged and integrated e‐collections. Objectives: A priority for the merged Library and Knowledge Service was to integrate e‐collections. Methods: To ensure equitable and cost‐effective access to an extended collection, an audit of pre‐existing e‐collections was conducted. Electronic licence agreements enabling cross‐site access were negotiated. A new OpenAthens ID was created. Results: The integration of e‐collections enabled Trust staff access to a greater number of e‐journals and additional e‐content, and an overall cost‐saving was achieved. Discussion: This case study supports existing literature stating that integrating collections increases the number of e‐journals. It further identifies cost‐difference in acquiring cross‐site access to e‐journals compared to databases providing full‐text e‐journals and additional e‐content. Conclusion: Integrating e‐collections enables equity of access and value. A national co‐ordinated approach to procurement of e‐collections will further support equity and best value throughout NHS LKS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management practices for paper map collections have evolved with changes in the modern library climate. In the past, management of “non-special” map collections were focused on efficiently processing and storing large influxes of materials. Now that fewer maps are published in paper format and more are available online, collection practices should reflect the increasingly special status of paper maps. The author examined numerous resources which together build an understanding of best practices for the physical care and management of a paper rare map collection in the 21st century. Resources consulted include publications, web resources, interviews with practicing librarians, videos, and observations made at numerous facilities. The purpose of the article is to guide collection managers in evaluating their own practices and facilities and identifying potential changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper (a literature review) is threefold. First, it seeks to understand the current landscape of collection development practices within the contexts of academic Slavic and Eastern Europe (SEE) collections. Second, this paper aims to grasp the challenges that impact how librarians devise collection development policies for academic SEE holdings. Third, by drawing on current field research, it investigates how SEE collections are addressing these challenges and sustaining user services. It asks, for example, what tools/resources SEE collections employ to remain vital, relevant, and accessible. Based on these three foci, this paper provides an assessment of the library and information science field's major challenges, and examines various indications of what the future holds for academic SEE collections and their user populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the issues and criteria involved in developing a creditable documentary film collection about the Romani people for an academic library. Throughout their history, the Roma, or Gypsies, have dealt with biased, romanticized versions of their story, perpetuated by stereotypes found in legend, literature, song, and film. The expectation in the present undertaking is that the evidence coming from documentary films provides an effective antidote for misrepresentations. The paper reviews pertinent literature, suggests a selection process, and furnishes commentaries on individual titles as they relate to a framework based on the Romani historical and geographical narrative. A critical lens, namely, an awareness of the misrepresentations that abound in all media, is recommended as the instrument through which the films should be viewed. It is this dual approach – applying a historical framework and a critical lens – that can offer librarians a foundation upon which to build and grow a well-balanced collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper selected the library of the College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University as a subject and then surveyed four groups of samples: new-book replica rate, book-use rate, book-borrowed number, and number of books in the collection. Results were obtained by inspecting these data via the statistical methods of correlation and regression analyses, and two relationships were found: 1) the quadratic curve between the new-book replica rate and book-use rate; and 2) the power equation between the book-borrowed number and the number of books in the collection. Finally, after the new-book replica rate and the number of books in the collection were compared and predicted, respectively, this paper formulates a reasonable strategy for the library's hard-copy book purchase procedure. It would be helpful for the librarians who are interested in document resource developing or purchase of hard-copy books; however, this paper provides a method specific to engineering colleges. There are certain limitations in this paper, such as, the timespan of the four-group sample data is only one year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians at a large, federally funded, multidisciplinary research organization sought to assess the value provided by the library's collections. One method for capturing this value includes determining how well their library's collections meet researcher needs, as expressed by the materials those researchers choose to cite in the production of new scholarly communications. A cited reference analysis was performed on the publications originating from the institution to provide the necessary data for the assessment, as well as to aid in the creation of a core list of journals which will inform future collection development efforts. This paper fills a gap in the library and information science literature by addressing the citation behaviors of researchers at a large multidisciplinary government research facility, a setting that has not been examined previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of research library conservation has emerged as a distinct discipline and undergone major refinements during the past fifty years. Professional organizations and training programs have been established, new treatment techniques have been developed and promoted, and increasingly, special and general collections practitioners have collaborated on treatment solutions. Despite such dramatic growth and definition within the field, no comprehensive assessment of the book treatment practices employed by research libraries for special and general collections has been conducted. In response to this need, the authors undertook a study to investigate and document the types of treatments employed by research libraries to conserve and maintain their book collections, and to compare the practices used for special collections with those used for general collections. This paper describes the evolution of the field over the past fifty years and identifies book conservation techniques the study found to be routinely, moderately, or rarely employed in research libraries. A comparison of special and general collections treatment practices suggests that while notable differences exist, many treatment practices are common in both contexts. Implications of the study's results and potential applications for this new information are stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]