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Objective – To apply the principles of evidence‐based librarianship to the decisionmaking process regarding the cancellation of print serials.Design – Quantitative analysis of local and national data from various sources.Subjects – Data sources included 1249 current unbound print journals, 3465 Medline‐indexed electronic journals, statistics from the Association of Research Libraries and American Association of Health Sciences Libraries, as well as traditional library statistics.Setting – The study was conducted in the Yale University’s Cushing/Whitney Medical Library located in New Haven, Connecticut U.S.A.Methods – Several sources were targeted for data. A three‐month periodical usage study of the current issues of the library’s 1249 actively received print titles was undertaken. Excel‐generated alphabetical listings of titles were used by shelvers to indicate, with a check mark, which issues were shelved during a specified week. The workflow was adjusted to ensure only items under study were counted. Signs asking patrons not to re‐shelve journal issues were posted. Usage data were collected weekly and entered into an Excel spreadsheet where the total use of the journals was tracked. In‐house circulation, photocopy, and gate count statistics were also used. In addition to the survey, SFX statistics for the library’s electronic journals indexed in MEDLINE(3465) were gathered during the same 3 month period covered by the print usage survey. MEDLINE was chosen as the delineating factor to ensure consistent subject coverage with the print journal collection. For perspective and trends, statistics from the Association of Research Libraries and the American Association of Health Sciences Libraries were considered.Main Results – Based on the study’s findings, 53% of the print collection (657 titles) received no use during the study period; 7.1 % (89 titles) were used more than once per month; and 1.28% were used one or more times per week. Further, only 10% (125 titles) of the collection represented 60.7% of the total print collection use. There was also a direct correlation between the drop in patrons coming to the library and the decrease in print periodical use. SFX statistics revealed that of the 3465 MEDLINE indexed titles 14.8% (513 titles) were not accessed at all and 10% of the journals represented 56.8% of all SFX usage. These results were consistent with statistics from the Association of Research Libraries and the American Association of Health Sciences Libraries.Conclusion – Titles that were used the most in print were also used the most electronically. Further, the study revealed that print journals are used only a fraction as often as their electronic counterparts.Indeed, in both the case of print and electronic journals the largest use came from a small number of subscribed titles. Print collection maintenance is more labour intensive and costly than electronic. Consequently, resources spent supporting 53% of the print collection that is not used seriously impacts efficiency. With constraints on acquisitions budgets, funding unused collections does not make sense. Examination of the print serial collection is only part of ensuring effective collections.A s this study has indicated, unused electronic titles are also a drain on resources and further analysis of electronic packages is warranted.

The document provides information on East Asian libraries in North American institutions for the fiscal year 2022-2023. It includes data on physical and electronic collections, fiscal support, staffing, and public services. The document highlights specific collections and acquisitions at certain institutions and mentions challenges faced by some libraries. It also provides contact information for libraries conducting research on East Asian studies. The document offers a comprehensive overview of the East Asian library collections and resources available at these institutions. [Extracted from the article]

This article proposes a methodology for systematically assessing the cost of journal subscriptions. The authors of the paper (hereafter "the researchers") established ratios comparing the list costs of journal articles as advertised by publishers against the cost per article of journal articles available in aggregated collections in library databases (hereafter "aggregating databases"). The researchers propose that the ratios can be used by libraries wishing to apply a standard methodology for assessing journal packages containing full-text articles. The study may be helpful for those librarians who seek to supplement qualitative information and other quantitative data, such as usage statistics, in order to demonstrate the library's rationale for providing journal access either by purchasing articles directly from a publisher as needed or by continuing to subscribe to an aggregating database. The aggregating databases reviewed in this study included representative aggregating databases commonly associated with the following fields of study: Social Sciences, Humanities, and Health Sciences; however, the methodology described in this article could be applied to other disciplines as well. The results of the study indicated that the ratios for Mean Cost/Package Subscription Price (MC/PSP), Median Cost/Package Subscription Price (MED/PSP) could be used in evaluating journal collections. The researchers suggest that future studies should be conducted to assess resource sharing and the availability of open access resource versions of articles as possible contributing factors to the purchase decisions associated with scholarly journal articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collection development is a most important process of a library. This process increases the reading materials of the library for the satisfaction of the reader approach. Collection development policy acts as a guide for selecting library materials. It helps to maintain library cooperation and communication between library staff. This process increases the reading materials of the library for the satisfaction of the reader approach. Collection development policies are written statements of goals and evaluative parameters to guide decision-making when adding material to a library collection. A large number of e-resources collection has become a challenge to libraries as a lot of information is now available to the public without having to visit and use the traditional library. American Library Association states that the collection development policies document which defines the scope of a library's existing collections, plan for the continuing development of resources, identify collection strength and outline the relationship between selection philosophy and institutions goals, general selection criteria, and intellectual freedom. In electronic environment collection development policy select tools and processes, set the principles for the management of electronic resources, allocating the budget for buying of e-resources. Due to information technology, most of the libraries are involved in the sharing of the e-resources in many ways. The Collection development policy must indeed be clear whether the collection is in print or electronic form and also it should full fill the user's demand. This article tried to explore the different collection development policies for e-resources. The information provided in this article is based on secondary data. The information available in this article is a general kind of information and it is applicable in all kinds of libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the information seeking behaviour of postgraduate students who are studying in different agricultural science disciplines at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU), Hisar, India. In the study, it was also try to determine what the information requirements of the targeted respondents are, and to determine their awareness of library services available to them currently. For data collection, survey method was adopted with the aid of structured questionnaire. The data were collected over a period of 20 days between January and February 2021. Total 200 postgraduate students, who were studying in different agricultural sciences departments were approached randomly and shared questionnaires to them in the library premises. Out of total 200, 177 valid questionnaires were collected and considered for final analysis, which representing the response rate @88.5 percent. The study found that library & its resources (44.64 percent), and Internet & social media are the two main sources of information seeking for the respondents. More than 70 percent respondents were preferred to search their required information from electronic information resources due to easy to search and use, whereas, around 39 percent of the respondents seeking information for preparing examination and 23.72 percent respondents seeking information for preparing class assignments. About 70 percent of the respondents were quite satisfied with the staff of the library, whereas, 14.12 percent respondents were rated staff behaviour and support as excellent. 50.84 percent respondents were opined that the services and facilities provided by the university library has very effective and plays a very important role in their academic and research work. The outcome of this research would help the similar type of other institutions of the country as well as of other countries to understand the changing needs and behaviour of students and researchers and to develop information resources and services in their premises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of journals with embargo periods in aggregated databases designed for academic libraries has increased for the simple reason that the number of available full text journals in these collections has also increased. Misconceptions surrounding embargo periods deduce that embargoes diminish access to information by withholding the current full text from journals, when in fact, embargoes increase access to information for journals that otherwise would not be available in aggregated databases. Embargoes exist for the purpose of preserving a publisher's traditional print and electronic journal subscriptions. Full text databases and e-journals are distinctly different resources. The use of embargoes may be valid in one electronic resource, but not the other. Linking capabilities provide seamless access from embargoed journals with current indexing in databases to the corresponding current full text found in a library's e-journal collection. Embargoed information from a given journal is far superior to no full text information at all from that source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents periodicals in the field of library and information science published between 2017 and 2021. The journals dealing with the field as their main or major topic were reviewed, as well as those that have established sections dedicated to librarianship, but are focused on other areas. The analysis is based on the research of sources via COBIB.SR database, and the titles with the hit of at least one issue published during the period 2017-2021 were included. The titles of serial publication available in the collection of the National Library of Serbia were reviewed, as well as those available online. The paper examines the current situation of the professional publishing and its importance for the development of the scientific discipline and practice. At the same time, journals addressing library practice along with other areas were analyzed – literature, arts, history and local topics. The text is an effort to examine the current trends related to publishing periodicals dealing with the theory and practice of librarianship. The results show that the number of scientific journals in 2021 increased compared to the previous period. However, significant number of serial publications issued during the analyzed period belongs to the group of professional magazines dealing with librarianship as their main or major topic. Overall, the analysis of Serbian periodicals on subjects related to library and information activities in the past period shows that they acted as means for active participation in scientific communication, exchange of professional experiences, and promotion of libraries. Also, it shows that their publishers paid great attention to recognizing and fulfilling the needs of the communities in which they operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries are seeking the best possible solution for integrating online journals into their collections. While exploring the different methods and technology available, many libraries still strive to fulfill the original "library mission" proposed by Charles Cutter in his Rules for a Dictionary Catalog. Providing comprehensive access to scholarly journals and individual journal articles becomes increasingly difficult with the advent of journal subscription vendors, general and subject-specific databases, and even journal management software and services aimed at helping libraries manage journal changes and the representation of their holdings to patrons in their public catalogs. Although libraries have found it necessary and desirable to acquire a wide range of journal databases and services, many anticipate that advancements in technology and cooperative efforts among the many institutions and interests involved will eventually allow easier and widespread cross-data- base searching for resource discovery and the type of patron access to journal literature that is desired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the phenomenon of the big deal, a subscription model for scientific journals that emerged at the turn of the millennium aimed especially at library consortia, which were offered the opportunity to exponentially increase their access to scientific information, thus breaking the previous trend of continuous cuts to the collections of the periodicals available in libraries. Its strengths such as the expansion of the availability of content, and its impact on the diversification of use and the productivity of researchers are presented herein. Likewise, its weaknesses are highlighted, such as the constant increase in prices and the finding of the concentration of use in a limited set of content. These disadvantages have led to questioning and resulted in the evaluation of big deals, a search for alternatives, and cancellations in times of crisis. In recent years, the latter have been linked to the perception that the cost--benefit balance of big deals has been altered by the proliferation of open-access content. Finally, we address the revision of the traditional big deal through transformative agreements where subscription costs are offset by publication costs, which are intended to be a mechanism to accelerate the transition to open access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to explore the current research landscape of changing information needs and the need for digital access to library materials. Print reference sources—bibliographies in particular—are discussed and possible solutions for increasing their relevance and appeal as a stable reference point are presented. Several digital curated collections created with bibliographic reference materials are highlighted as a way of reintroducing these materials as a reliable and accessible source of information. The article concludes with future directions for the study of the use of print consultative sources and the main takeaways for adjusting reference and research assistance in an academic library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International Islamic University Islamabad has four major libraries distributed at H-10 and Faisal Masjid Campuses including Central Library, Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah Library Islamic Research Institute, Da'wah Research Library, and Shari'ah Academy Library. Central Library serves the faculty, research scholars and students from all disciplines, where as Dr. Hamidullah Library, Da'wah Research Library, and Shari'ah Academy Library deal in specialized areas of religious studies including Islamic Studies, Seerah, Da'wah, Shari'ah, comparative religions etc. All the libraries have about 0.5 million books and bound volumes of journals. Thousands of electronic journals and e-books are accessible through HEC Digital Library at both the campuses. The two large libraries i.e. Central Library and Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah Library are providing information about library resources and services through their websites. Web-OPAC (Online Catalog) of both the large libraries is available to search the collections. Central Library and Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah Library have state of the art technological infrastructure, where as Da'wah Research Library and Shari'ah Academy Library are at developing phase. The sole objective of this paper is to analyze the IIUI library services in the context of global developments in the field of library and information science and present some suggestions to provide modern library and information services to IIUI faculty, scholars and students. The proposed action plan may bring paradigm shift in library and information services at IIUI to fulfill information needs of the community keeping in view 21st century's information environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on library and information services (LIS) and how library professionals overcome the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic in the current reality. Design/methodology/approach: This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Bangladesh's LIS professionals. A structured online questionnaire was designed for the purpose of a quantitative survey. The respondents of this study were LIS professionals in all categories of libraries (e.g. academic libraries, public libraries, special libraries and national library) in Bangladesh. A total of 106 responses from LIS professionals in Bangladesh were received. This study analyzed qualitative data using Braun and Clark's technique for thematic coding. Researchers interviewed librarians in two phases (during the COVID-19 pandemic and after COVID-19) about how libraries cope up with the COVID crisis. The descriptive findings were examined using diverse descriptive statistics (i.e. frequency numbers and percentages), and for examining the significant differences among demographics' information regarding challenges faced by LIS professionals, Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted. The qualitative responses were carefully analyzed for familiarizing, coding and theme generation. Findings: The result showed that most LIS professionals (i.e. 46.2% and 43.4%) had faced difficulties in accessing e-resources from home and had failed to maintain balance between work and personal life and to offer remote library services. The LIS professionals mostly used Facebook Messenger and Zoom to communicate with their colleagues and users. Furthermore, many LIS professionals (50.0%) secured their health and safety, adopted hygienic procedures at their workstations and provided virtual reference services. The qualitative findings show that though some libraries have faced challenges in providing online sources and services due to the absence of authority interest, budget scarcity and inadequate information and communication technology infrastructure, some libraries took the initiative to establish library institutional repository and make it available for users from home. Research limitations/implications: The present study only concentrated on the staff and their actions during and after the pandemic, which was mentioned as a limitation. It would be more effective if the study also considered the user's viewpoint. The researchers hope that this study will help LIS professionals to support and provide digital and innovative service initiatives in their organization. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first of its kind study in Bangladesh where the staff of all types of libraries expressed their views on the problems they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the steps they took recently to overcome them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Pointe Hospital is a community hospital that originally had few electronic resources available. This article describes how the library gradually acquired an electronic journals collection that started with just 2 titles and grew to a list of over 6000 titles including open access publications. The journals' online usage statistics were used to justify and increase the library budget, which enabled the library to purchase more titles as journal infrastructure software. Even though the collection had been created, it must be maintained and promoted; this article briefly discusses the need for education and promotion of the resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical practice today requires evaluating large amounts of information which should be available at all times. This information is found most easily in a digital form. Some information has already been evaluated for validity (evidence based medicine sources) and some is in unevaluated form (paper and online journals). In order to improve access to digital information, the School of Clinical Medicine and Research at the University of the West Indies and Queen Elizabeth Hospital decided to enhance the library by offering online full text medical articles and evidence based medicine sources. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the relative value of online journal commercial products available for a small hospital and medical school library. Methods: Three reference standards were chosen to represent the ideal list of core periodicals for a broad range of medical care: 2 Brandon/Hill selected lists of journals for the small medical library (BH and BH core) and the academic medical library core journal collection chosen for the Florida State University College of Medicine Medical Library. Six commercially available collections were compared to the reference standards and to the current paper journal subscription list as regards to number of journals matched and cost per journal matched. Ease of use and presence of secondary sources were also considered. Results: The cost per journal matched ranged from US $ 3194 to $ 81. Because of their low subscription prices, the Biomedical Reference Collection and Proquest products were the most cost beneficial. However, they provided low coverage of the ideal lists (12 - 17% and 21-32% respectively) and contained significant embargoes on current editions, were not user friendly and contained no secondary sources. The Ovid Brandon/Hill Plus Collection overcame these difficulties but had a much higher cost-benefit range while providing higher coverage of the ideal lists (14-47%). Conclusion: After considering costs, benefits, ease of use, embargoes, presence of secondary sources (ACP Journal Club, DARE), the Ovid Brandon/Hill Plus Collection was the best choice for our hospital considering our budget. However, the option to individually select our own journal list from Ovid and pay per journal has a certain appeal as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study assessed the use of electronic resources by the faculty members who are currently employed in two government colleges in capital of Sikkim. The purpose of this paper is to explain readers about many kinds of electronic resources, as well as the benefits, frequency, barriers, and of using them. Methodology: Out the 167 questionnaires that were developed for this study, only 157 were completed and returned by a faculty member of two government institutions with a response. The data was analysed using a table and chart. Findings: Since many faculty members are engaged in research programme there has been a noticeable rise in the usage of e-journals. In addition to instructional activities, research activities have also been enhanced. These include conducting literature reviews, writing reports, locating research, and turning in reports on time. Faculty members use these tools mostly from home because it is always available and accessible. Furthermore, it was discovered that two government colleges' faculties are well-versed in e-resources. Originality / Value: The study's conclusions will be instructive and useful in determining the best course for making greater use of electronic resources. The study concludes that faculty members of government colleges, Sikkim are currently depending heavily on electronic resources for their information needs. The findings and technique can be used to make comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of digital preservation is explored in this article, delving into the challenges and best practices involved in safeguarding and conserving digital materials within library settings. It explores the importance of preserving digital collections in order to ensure their availability for future generations and the various technologies and tools used to preserve and conserve digital materials. It also highlights the role of libraries in preserving digital cultural heritage and the importance of collaboration and partnerships in digital preservation and conservation. The article concludes by emphasizing the constant evolution of the field and the need for libraries to stay adaptable to new technologies and challenges. Overall, the article is useful for librarians, library professionals, and researchers to understand the challenges and best practices of digital preservation and conservation in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pay-per-view (PPV) models for article acquisition continue to mature, but there are still questions as to whether they offer good value to libraries. This study presents the results of a close analysis of a PPV article token report with an emphasis on determining whether purchased articles were available elsewhere in the collection or free via links from Google Scholar. An additional analysis compares article purchase data to COUNTER JR1 and JR5 reports to determine how closely COUNTER reports of downloads align with paid use. Implications for the valuation of article usage and viability of PPV programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While public libraries are commonly perceived in their role of providing access to books, many urban public libraries are finding new ways to contribute to local economic growth through services to entrepreneurs and small business owners. This paper explores the unique audiences that public libraries can reach, the assets they provide, explorations into the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and two case studies of library systems. Public libraries provide economic benefits through their physical buildings, economic mobility programmes and services, particularly their workforce development offerings. Building on this, targeted business outreach to entrepreneurs creates a new opportunity for economic impact. As inventoried by public library staff, libraries provide physical space, technology and equipment, training and education and research service assets to local entrepreneurs. The two case studies of urban public libraries in the US, Mid-Continent Public Library, Missouri and Spokane Public Library (SPL), Washington, show different service models to entrepreneurs and business owners and aligned partners. As public libraries continue to evolve their service models in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are additional opportunities for the library to contribute to their local economic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article an endeavor has been made to highlight about 'the Information needs and seeking behavior' and related components at different institutions globally. This article carries out widely the literature survey as the purpose of the study. Different institutions are trying to find out the problems of the study through researchers, to get good quality information from the society's development and quality knowledge. Various books, articles, journals, magazines, news papers, e-resources are giving the data to get a new information. Besides, research guides, teachers, information centers and many other sources are helping the researcher to perform a quality research. From one country to another the researcher are influenced to get an 'information need and seeking behavior.' Awareness programmes have given many new thoughts for the knowledge seekers in our society. Many institutes need information literacy program and library users program have conducted literacy of information awareness program which could be of help to library users as well as researchers for seeking information. Information literacy program will help to develop the users' mentality to discover the fact of the knowledge and information. Researchers and professionals have to go in-depth in 'information needs and seeking behavior and literacy information.' Hence, this only will help to suggest the new researcher to find out the 'information needs and seeking behavior' globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is to examine the role academic libraries can play to organize and make indigenous knowledge accessible for national development. The target audience for the paper are academic librarians in Ghana, researchers of African studies in Ghana and other stakeholders. This is a qualitative study with data from interviews with the librarians and a desk-top literature review. Academic librarians in Ghana recognize the importance of indigenous knowledge organization, but little has been done by way of research. Most academic libraries in Ghana have the basic resources to manage indigenous knowledge. Academic librarians need to be proactive in their collaborative efforts to manage indigenous knowledge. Academic librarians in Ghana should be proactive towards effective management of indigenous knowledge, for easy accessibility. Again, academic libraries need to be well resourced to manage indigenous knowledge. Finally, academic libraries need to create awareness about the importance of indigenous knowledge using different media platforms to all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present our relocatable distributed collection library. Building on top of the AGPAS for Java library, we provide a number of useful intranode parallel patterns as well as the features necessary to support the distributed nature of the computation through clearly identified methods. In particular, the transfer of distributed collections' entries between processes is supported via an integrated relocation system. This enables dynamic load-balancing capabilities, making it possible for programs to adapt to uneven or evolving cluster performance. The system we developed makes it possible to dynamically control the distribution and the data flow of distributed programs through high-level abstractions. Programmers using our library can, therefore, write complex distributed programs combining computation and communication phases through a consistent API. We evaluate the performance of our library against two programs taken from well-known Java benchmark suites, demonstrating superior programmability and obtaining better performance on one benchmark and reasonable overhead on the second. Finally, we demonstrate the ease and benefits of load balancing and a more complex application, which uses the various features of our library extensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the project of establishing the library and learning resources center at Malawi Institute of Procurement and Supply (MIPS) were to draft recommendations on the kind of infrastructure in terms of hardware, software, and networking required to establish the library systems; Koha and DSpace, to develop user training manual for e-library systems, to develop a user manual for a recommendation for additional training resources for the library, to install e-library systems, link the elibrary systems to Members Management Information System (MMIS), to create catalog records for information resources and to conduct training on the functionality of the e-library system. The study was a descriptive account of the processes of establishing a library and learning resources center in an organization. Monitoring and reporting of the project activities were done which led to the development of reports, library manuals, and deliverables for the project. The scope of the work involved the establishment of the library currently operational. The period for the entire project was 6 months. Some of the major achievements for the project were the installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system for the resource center, installation of e-library systems, purchase of new textbooks and subscription to electronic journals, training of MIPS management and users on the functionalities of e-library systems, and recruitment of a qualified Librarian to manage the resource center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When University of Wisconsin–La Crosse was faced with a pandemic-related 20% reduction to the library's collections budget two months into the 2021 fiscal year, it meant painful decisions needed to be made about the library's journal subscriptions. To accomplish this task, librarians surveyed faculty and instructional staff to generate a list of journals essential to teaching and research. Librarians analyzed the subscription status, access information, and usage statistics of the titles listed on the survey. Their findings reinforced the importance of gathering qualitative data from users to inform collection decisions, and the danger in relying too heavily on usage statistics as a marker of a journal's value. [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]

When trying to manage their e-resources, librarians spend a significant amount of time adjusting their holdings in vendor knowledgebases to make sure that the content their library can access is selected properly. This is often a tedious process, which, extrapolated out to each content provider, can be a drain on library resources. A National Information Standards Organization (NISO) recommended practice provides a solution to this problem by facilitating the automatic transfer and retrieval of library-specific Knowledge Bases and Related Tools (KBART) holdings data between content providers and knowledgebases. In this presentation, Matthew Ragucci of Wiley presents a publisher's perspective on the work required to implement KBART Automation: Automated Retrieval of Customer Electronic Holdings, Andrée Rathemacher of the University of Rhode Island shares a librarian's opinion on the benefits and potential pitfalls of KBART Automation, and Stephanie Doellinger of OCLC addresses the topic from a knowledgebase supplier's point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: University libraries playing pivotal role in developing and delivering education among university community by providing authentic information resources in terms of books, magazines, academic research journals etc. Collection development policies adopted to select and purchase the library print and electronic resources which worked as a guide for decision making. The purpose of this study is to propose the collection development policy which will help the acquisition librarians in selecting, evaluating and purchasing the materials for academic/universities libraries. Methodology: The trends of collection development practices were identified through the intensive literature review. Then, the university libraries of Lahore were personally visited to understand their collection development policies and practices. Moreover, the acquisition librarians from outside of Lahore were contacted via phone call to understand and discuss the collection development process in their libraries. Findings: The study findings revealed that there is no systematic written policy for assessment, selection, evaluation and deselection of library material at the universities libraries of Pakistan. Even, the acquisition process of books in universities libraries vary from university to university and even province to province. However, the proposed collection development policy revealed that the automatic receiving of books and other library materials via gifts, donations, exchanging library materials, resource sharing, and subscribing memberships of other organizations will be helpful to enhance the library collection and also reduce the cost to purchase the library materials. The proposed steps for collection development will act as a segment of complete collection development policy and may work as a guide line of collection development procedure to the universities libraries. Originality/Value: The study is first attempt to draw holistic approach of collection development at national level and it will also provide guideline to select user centered resources and also beneficial in terms of saving finances by practicing the proposed steps for developing academic libraries collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for easy, seamless and always-available access to useful, relevant and up-to-date sources of information in recent time cannot be overstretched. It is in recognition of this and in line with the goal of ensuring the penetration of information technology (IT) and the empowerment of citizens with the latest developments in technology that National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in 2013, rolled out the initiative of establishing Virtual Libraries as Information Resource Tools in schools, universities and communities in Nigeria to enable quick, remote and easy access to useful, relevant information. The Virtual Library provides access to tools such as databases, electronic journals, alerting services, online reference tools, and quality-selected web resources that improve the quality of teaching and research. Unfortunately various virtual library initiatives in Nigeria within the past few years have remained a mirage. On this note therefore, this article examines the implementation of virtual library in Nigeria with specific emphasis on national virtual library project - the blueprint and the current state of its implementation, the challenges inherent, and the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reflection born from a reconnaissance (named RIDI, Riviste digitali e digitalizzate italiane) launched in December 2019, on online open access journals and digitalization of previously printed publications, which are not always considered as unitary bibliographic elements. It highlights the increasingly urgent need to offer its users not only the physical heritage of the library but also the entire world of open-access digital publications available on the web. Starting from an overview of the state of the art of Italian open access periodicals, both digital natives and continuations or parallel editions of previously printed publications, it offers some examples of bibliographic records already present in the national OPAC of SBN (Italian union catalog), related to publications available with both printed and digital editions. It illustrates the main Italian and international digital libraries, highlighting the problems of coordinating the various initiatives to improve the quantitative and qualitative offer of products. The directory, from which a database integrated with the portal of the Digital Newspaper Library of the National Central Library of Rome will originate, will allow direct access to resources through multiple search fields. The prototype of a super-record of the Work will provide all the elements for the standardization of images, data, metadata, bibliographical histories of publications, to build the national digital newspaper library of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The developing "information age" is continually unraveling new ways of discovering, presenting and sharing information. Most new academic material is digitally formatted upon its creation and is thus easy to find and query. However, there remains a good deal of material from times prior to the "information age" that has yet to be converted to digital form. Much of this material can be found in library collections—whether academic, public or private—and thus remains available only to a limited number of locals or willing-and-able sojourners. Using OCR technology, most typeset documents can be digitized and made available online; and there are several projects underway to do exactly this. However, there remains little to be done for handwritten materials. Those who own collections of handwritten documents are increasingly wanting to make the content thereof available to the general public. Unfortunately, traditional transcription models typically prove to be expensive or inefficient and pdf snapshots are not searchable. We have developed a model for digital transcription using Google Docs and Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Using this model, one can use an online workforce to efficiently transcribe handwritten texts and perform quality control at a cost much lower than professional transcription services. To illustrate the model we used Amazon's Mechanical Turk to transcribe and then proofread the Frederick Douglass Diary which we have made available on a public searchable wiki. The total cost of transcription and proofreading for the 72 page diary was less than $25.00 with some pages being transcribed and proofread for as little as $0.04. Our results show that using Amazon's Mechanical Turk holds great promise for providing an affordable transcription method for hand-written historical documents making them easily sharable and fully searchable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of the impact of Latin American electronic journals included in international databases is offered, with the aim of evaluating the performance of these journals in the international literature. The Latin American journals selected are analyzed and preserved in the Latin American Journal Collection (Hemeroteca Latinoamericana) of the General Libraries Directorate of the National University of Mexico (UNAM); are available on line and included in two databases, namely PERIODICA and CLASE, were used for this work. The journal titles were searched in the most important international databases of each discipline with the aim of detect their presence in this databases their coverage and actual status. The obtained data were analyzed and interpreted. A diagnosis on the performance of these journals at an international level was realized. Finally, these journals were searched in the Journal Citation Report, just to know their impact factor. Results showed that the Latin American journals are not included in the most important international databases, and also that the most developed countries have a higher presence in these databases, and that the most outstanding discipline is biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early 1990s, numerous academic libraries adopted the web as a communication tool with users. The literature on academic library websites includes research on both design and navigation. Early studies typically focused on design characteristics, since websites initially merely provided information on the services and collections available in the university's physical library. Beginning in the late 1990s, technological developments coupled with new digitization efforts offered new opportunities for websites with commercial and local databases, electronic journals, e-books, and virtual reference. The availability of new content and services on library websites facilitated research efforts comparing these features among academic library websites. During this period, articles also emerged that considered navigation and usability issues for these pages. The literature on academic library web pages documents efforts by libraries to use web technologies and resources to serve user groups. However, the research also suggests these efforts were hindered by design and navigation issues with academic library web pages. It remains especially important that libraries consider design in the development of their web pages to maximize usage of content. doi:10.1300/J502v01n01_04 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As the life cycle of information products has become increasingly digital from “cradle to grave,” the nature of electronic information management has dramatically changed. These changes have brought new strategies and methods as well as new issues and challenges. At the bottom line the services are increasingly delivered to a desktop from distributed publishers or information providers. Information organizations act either as primary information providers or as brokers between the user and the primary service provider. Hence, the study examines the collection management and utilization of e-resources by postgraduate students in University of Ibadan. Descriptive survey design was employed for this study and the study population consisted of 312 postgraduate students in University of Ibadan. Also, the study adopted both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the sample of the study from 3 faculties (Arts, Education and Science) using a sampling fraction of 10%. Questionnaire was the instruments used for data collection from respondents. The questionnaire was analysed using simple frequency for research questions while content analysis was used for analyzing the In-depth interview conducted. The result of the findings revealed that 100% of the respondent indicated that on monthly basis acquisition of e-resources was done through subscription, 85.3% stated that quarterly the University of Ibadan purchase e-resources while 56.1% of the respondents believe that on yearly basis the acquisition could be done through consortia while some of the respondents believe that on monthly basis, acquisition of e-resources is done through open internet sources. On the accessibility of e-resources, 56.1% stated that they accessed e-resources through the library dedicated computers while 70.5% strong agreed that they accessed e-resources in their library through their personal computers, on the same note, 64.1% stated that the university ICT centre has been their source of accessibility to e-resources in the university. On the frequency of acquiring e-resources, showed that majority 56.1% of the respondents of this study revealed that e-journal on weekly interval, while on the daily basis, 85.6% revealed that they use e-portal. In addition, 70.5% revealed that Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is acquired monthly, Maps was acquired quarterly in the university library. In conclusion, the purpose for using e-resources in the university revealed that 56.1% agreed that e-resources were used for assignment, while 70.5% agreed that it was used for classwork, it was all agreed that e-resources is used as supplement for study notes, on the same note 70.8% strongly agreed that e-resources were used for project consultation, On the same vein, 80.8% strongly agreed that e-resources is used during Theses writing. It is however concluded that The University Library should increase bandwidth and online journal subscriptions, seeking more funds to do so. More bandwidth will also improve access time as the systems will work faster. Subscriptions to print journals should be maintained. University of Ibadan should improve on the libraries budget in order to attain to the cost of electronic resources and for the training of staff that will handle the electronic collection development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the changing landscape of libraries, the area of Research Support Service is emerging, with new opportunities, and challenges. The study is based on the role of the libraries in supporting research in the Institutes and Universities. This literature review identifies the current level of publications that deal with the relationship of the libraries and their role in the research process, and an examination of science researcher's information seeking needs, role of university libraries in supporting research, changing electronic environment and changing librarian's role, and challenges faced by the libraries with these changes. It aims to determine whether notable changes in the research support services for the doctoral students and scientists have emerged in recent years. The study shows that the support services of doctoral students and scientists provided by libraries follow a steady trend, with many subtle changes, particularly on the technological basis. The selected literature review spreads from 2000 to 2019. The coverage is balanced in that here on one hand the support service of the researchers, the researchers' information seeking need, the environment for the research is discussed, and on the other hand, the challenges for the libraries in print and electronic environment is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020–2021, the University of Connecticut (UConn) Library ceased more than 90% of its print journal subscriptions for the general collections. This decision was the outcome of a data-based review and cost-benefit analysis. Staff considered factors such as online availability, number of WorldCat holdings, scan-on-demand and interlibrary lending and borrowing activity, and hidden costs of storage and staff time for processing. Recorded usage proved all but nonexistent, with an annual average use of one per title. Additionally, print journals were inaccessible to patrons because of the closure of library stacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. We did not conduct an extensive qualitative review. UConn Library's decisions broke new ground among U.S. research universities, which have winnowed their print subscriptions over the decades but rarely made a decisive break from print. This article will discuss the project, process, decisions, and data and will share UConn's assessment strategies and criteria for reinstituting subscriptions. At stake was the principle that libraries must use their scarce resources effectively—at any scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims at measuring patron awareness, readiness, usage, and preference regarding electronic books among students and lecturers at Tallinn Health Care College. The results will help the college design future library collections, promote e-books more effectively to reach as many patrons as possible, and encourage patrons to use more e-books. An online survey was developed and made available via the institution's Study Information System. The questionnaire was sent to 1,696 college patrons (including 1,606 master's degree and higher education students, and 90 academic staff members). Three hundred and forty-six completed questionnaires were returned, and responses were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The survey indicated that most of the respondents are aware of what an e-book is and have used them at least once. Most of the respondents preferred the college to purchase books in both printed and electronic format. The most popular reasons for preferring e-books were not needing to physically borrow the book, having 24/7 access from home, and the ability to download and read e-books on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The main reasons for disliking e-books were having to read on a screen, the costs involved, the limitations when printing pages, and the concern that the battery may become discharged during reading. Open access is also highlighted as an alternative to guarantee the availability of scientific information for patrons because the University of Applied Science libraries in Estonia do not get financial support from the government. Although the college regularly surveys library users' satisfaction with its services, the patrons' attitudes toward e-books has never been studied. The results are valuable to the college. First, the Library Working Group was established by the Estonian Rectors' Conference of Universities of Applied Sciences to change the state funding scheme for acquiring high-quality scientific, scholarly information. Second, there is more emphasis on making open-access e-books more visible on the website, and the addition of new e-books is announced through the college's social-media channels. Third and most important is that the subject Foundation of Research for first-year students will be taught by the college library staff. This gives them the opportunity to encourage and guide students to use e-books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the results of a study to compare contemporary e-journal licenses from two research universities in the United States and Spain in terms of e-reserves, interlibrary loan, text and data mining, authors' rights and treatment of copyright exceptions, usage statistics, governing law, data privacy, and obligations entailing security. The data include a higher proportion of scholarly society and academic press publishers than earlier license analyses. This analysis compares license terms over time, across publisher types and between the two libraries, and it compares findings with recommendations from model licenses. The results show progress toward model license goals in some areas, but deficiencies in others including self-archiving, usage statistics clauses, and clauses related to e-resource data privacy and library security and disciplinary obligations. Our findings also raise questions about international ILL and governing venue clauses in library licenses outside the North American context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a research project undertaken at a university in Iran to study the impact of academic libraries consortium on research productivity. The overall objective of study was to examine to what extent the subscribed resources meet the needs of users and to determine the quality of cited journals by researchers. It also examined the relationship between the access method to a cited journal, its quality and the average citing to it. The results of the present research can help decision makers for selecting and providing suitable resources and databases based on the users' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Print periodicals have been a cornerstone of libraries for over 100 years. Over the past 20 years print periodicals have been eclipsed by online journal databases and individual e-journals, but most libraries still subscribe to some print journals. In 2019 Tennessee Technological University undertook a thorough study of the usage of the current print periodical subscriptions by attaching survey forms to the covers of recent issues. The results showed that most newspapers and scholarly print periodicals were not used at all and the majority could be cancelled. Popular magazines showed slightly higher usage, but many of them could be dropped as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the experiences of librarians in three state universities in Zimbabwe with the consortium model of subscribing to electronic journals. The study employed a qualitative approach. Interviews were held with nine professional librarians from each of the participating institutions. Findings showed that state universities in Zimbabwe have benefitted from consortium subscribed electronic journals; however, librarians were concerned about their coverage and relevancy. Librarians felt disempowered as they have lost the independence to select resources suitable for their own institutions. The lack of archival rights is detrimental to post-termination access to previously subscribed resources. Institutions face challenges with technological infrastructure that allows them to convey consortium resources to their users. The study provides important insight into the practice of consortium from a developing country context. The findings will alert consortia managers and member institutions to the key shortfalls of consortia arrangements. The study's recommendations hopefully triggers corrective actions aimed at improving the practice of consortia to the benefit of end users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate Social Science academics' scholarly use of information sources with particular focus on use patterns of e-journals. In this quantitative study, a questionnaire was distributed to 228 faculty members of various disciplines, that include the faculty of Social Sciences, Economics and Management Sciences, Education, Law and Commerce in University of the Punjab, Lahore Pakistan. Out of 228 participants, 118 respondents returned the questionnaire and the response rate of the survey was 52%. The results of the study showed that most of the faculty from the Social Science disciplines used e-journals, online reference sources, e-reports and print information sources to meet their academic and research needs. The least used sources were e-books, online indexing and abstracting services and e-theses. They accessed articles through General search engines, Google Scholar and Open Access e-journal websites more than subscribed sources of e-journals. They identified e-journal articles through chaining, searching and browsing method. Previous researchers also conducted studies to examine the Social Science faculty scholarly use of information sources and information-seeking habits; however, there were few studies examining Social Scientists use patterns of e-journals. In this backdrop, this study fills the gap by examining Social Science faculty patterns of using e-journals in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rather than create a collection solely to support distance learners, libraries should consider the needs of all customers when developing a digital library. The acceptance of digital libraries is dependant upon the conversion of resources to an electronic format that is easy to use and is fully searchable. While electronic journals are widely accepted by most academic library customers, the delivery of online books has had a very different acceptance rate. Rather than support the sequential reading of books, electronic books are commonly used to find information and can be particularly well-suited for reference purposes. This article will provide insight into the history of e-book models and evaluate the usage statistics of a large electronic book collection in an academic library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in libraries is common across the globe, and many academic libraries, especially in technologically advanced countries, are using it. The use of RFID increases the efficiency of collection management and security in academic libraries. In Ghana, academic libraries, especially those at major tertiary institutions, are the most vibrant in the library system; they provide access to subscription-based online resources, including research databases and ebook collections, in addition to physical books and journals. The fast-increasing enrolment numbers in Ghanaian tertiary institutions translates into an increased number of academic library users, making it difficult for library staff to manage libraries effectively. The amount of work carried out by librarians in these academic libraries has created a need for implementing technology, for example RFID, that can promote efficiency and effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the contextual factors influencing the implementation of RFID technology in academic libraries in Ghana's tertiary institutions. A qualitative approach was used following a single-case study method, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. We conducted interviews with 18 senior academic librarians, covering six academic libraries comprising three traditional university libraries, two technical university libraries and one college of education library in Ghana. We found that no academic library in Ghana had implemented RFID at the time of this study. Several challenges, including a low budget, lack of skilled personnel, weak coordination between user departments and procurement units, were identified. The study suggested that if these challenges were handled effectively and efficiently, implementing RFID in Ghana's academic libraries could be successful and beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is based on the secondary data compiled by the Ministry of Human Resource & Development, Govt., of India for the period 2012-13, 2013-14 & 2014-15 and was released as the ranking list of Institutes of Engineering and Technology in India for the year 2016. The study aims to assess the Returns on Investment (ROI) of the twenty leading libraries of the Institutes of Engineering and Technology in India in the form of institutional research output. An attempted has also been made to rank the each individual library on the basis of seven different parameters chosen for the study and worked out the difference between their ascribed rank as per the MHRD list and the achieved ranks worked out on the basis of chosen. The rankings have been calculated on the basis of scores earned by each individual library against each individual parameter. The results showed that the Institutes of Engineering and Technology in India concentrate more on procurement of electronic resources in their libraries, spending nearly three-fourth of their budget on the procurement of electronic documents mostly in the form of online journals and eBooks. While evaluating the ascribed and achieved ranking, 95% libraries under study faced shuffle, as 55% libraries slipped in their rank, while as 45 % improved and 5% showed no change. The study gives a clear idea about the importance of libraries and the part these sub-institutions' play in the overall ranking of their institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]