Articles vs. proceedings papers: Do they differ in research relevance and impact? A case study in the Library and Information Science field

In 2008, the type of document “proceedings paper” (PP) was assigned in the WoS database to journal articles which were initially presented at a conference and later adapted for publication in a journal. Since the use of two different labels (“article” and “proceedings paper”) might lead to infer differences in their relevance and/or quality, this paper presents a comparative study of standard journal articles and PP in journals to explore potential differences between them. The study focuses on the Library and Information Science field in the Web of Science database and covers the 1990–2008 period. PP approximately account for 9% of the total number of articles in this field, two-thirds of which are published in monographic issues devoted to conferences, which tend to be concentrated in specific journals. Proceedings papers emerge as an heterogeneous set comprising PP in ordinary issues, similar to standard articles in structure and impact of research; and PP in monographic issues, which seem to be less comprehensive and tend to receive less citations. Faster publication of PP in monographic than in ordinary issues may conceal differences in the review process undergone by either type of paper. The main implications of these results for authors, bibliometricians, journal editors and research evaluators are pointed out.     

Access Services

Abstract

Recent library innovations, such as integrated library systems, access to electronic resources, emphasis on patrons' information needs in all formats, renewed interest in quality library services, and the expanded responsibilities of circulation departments have resulted in the merging of certain library functions into a new unit called access services. For this paper, access services is defined as those library functions that facilitate patron access to library information. The focus of this general review is on authoritative monographic and selected journal literature on access services and the various components of access services that was published between the years 1990 and 1999. Pertinent literature published prior to 1990 is reviewed as deemed appropriate. Literature addressing emerging trends in access services is also reviewed.     

Evaluating Usage of Monographs

Abstract

Usage is an increasingly important factor in decisions about the funding of library resources. Data for electronic resources and print serials is more likely to be gathered and analyzed than monographic use data. This situation poses a threat to the appropriate funding for monographic acquisitions. A pilot project was designed at the Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries to develop and test a method of producing use reports for monographs purchased in recent years. Despite some unusual challenges, the pilot project proved that retrieval and analysis of data could be performed with readily available software. While the results from the analysis cannot be the sole or main foundation for changes in the collection development of monographs, the use reports provided new insights into the utilization of recent acquisitions and pinpointed weaknesses or strengths of acquisition patterns.     

Rediscovering the Russian National Bibliography

ABSTRACT

East View Information Services is now providing online access to nine serial publications from the Russian National Bibliography, beginning with 1998 issues. Though East View has been successful with large full-text databases for newspaper and journal articles, images, and statistical tables for several years, this was our first project dealing specifically with bibliographic data. Building a platform for bibliographic records has been more difficult than previous projects. The article discusses why the project was so challenging, how various problems were solved, advantages of the online format, and plans for future improvements.     

HIV/AIDS Information in Public Libraries

Abstract

Despite well-publicized advances in the development of antiretroviral therapies, HIV infection remains an incurable condition. Worldwide, the disease threatens to gravely impact a wide range of developing nations, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia and South America. In the United States, the poor and particularly women of color are at great, and increasing, risk for infection. Public libraries, as trusted public institutions for the dissemination of information, can continue to play an important role in promoting public health information surrounding HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Public libraries are not immune, however, to the political and value-driven public discourse surrounding HIV infection. Through carefully identifying the issues, taking a nonjudgmental service approach, and building collaborations with community based organizations, public libraries can become common ground for providing proactive prevention-focused information services. This article examines the current state of epidemic HIV/AIDS infection, reviews the literature on public library responses, and identifies highly select consumer health and biomedical monographic, serial, audio-visual and Web-based HIV/AIDS information tools.     

Cataloging the Congressional Serial Set

ABSTRACT

Many librarians question the usefulness of the traditional cataloging of difficult historic sets in a time when more and more information moves either to the Internet or is digitized outright. One of the most challenging sets to catalog is the United States Congressional Serial Set, a 14,000+ (and growing) mega serial comprised of five monographic sub-series. The Congressional Serial Set is an anomaly since it is both monographic and serial in nature. This article examines the intricacies in cataloging government publications in an electronic atmosphere using one House document in the Serial Set as a guide and examines the two commercial digitization projects currently underway.¹     

Cartobibliography for Catalogers

Abstract

This paper serves as a basic reference tool especially for catalogers of early cartographic resources, providing an extensive, annotated list of bibliographic references that are useful for cataloging-related cartobibliographical detective work. The entries are categorized as biographical sources, library bibliographies and catalogs, regional cartobibliographies by place of publication or geographic area of map coverage, thematic cartobibliographies, indexes to monographic and serial publications, comparative studies and introductory texts accompanying facsimile publications, basic bibliographies on the history of cartography, and cartographic periodicals. It provides examples of these various types of sources and comments on their helpful features. While the selections focus on English language resources and maps of North America, it suggests leads to find additional sources pertaining to particular unmet needs that may arise.     

《国际图联杂志》述评

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The Criterion Miscellany

The Criterion Miscellany was a monographic series published by Faber and Faber from 1929-1936 as an offshoot of its journal the Criterion (1922-1939), which was edited in its entirety by T. S. Eliot. Bibliographic control of this series is virtually non-existent, as it is not analyzed in any of the standard printed or electronic bibliographic sources. The internal policies of the Criterion Miscellany are discussed, as are known and possible involvements of Eliot, various contributors to the series, and the physical characteristics of the numbers themselves. A checklist of the titles published is also furnished.     

Handheld Serials

ABSTRACT

As computing becomes more portable, an ever-increasing number of people are dependent upon smartphones, personal digital assistants, webpads, and other wireless devices. This paper addresses the effect, if any, of these current and future wireless technologies on electronic journal publishing. Have these technologies impacted e-journal publishing to this point? What are the expectations and strategies of journal publishers in dealing with the changing technology? What special issues do these devices present regardimng licensing?     

A longitudinal investigation into the changing citing behavior of geomatics postgraduate students at Wuhan University,China, 1988–2004: Implications for collection development

Aim:The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the citing behavior of geomatics postgraduate students at the Wuhan University in China. These students constitute one of the main user groups of Wuhan University Library and the analysis of their use of literature (through the means of citation analysis) can yield valuable insights against which to benchmark and inform collection development policy and other services at the Information Technology Library (ITL) at Wuhan University.Design/methodology/approach:In this project, 9317 citations in 21 PhD and 180 MSc theses submitted at the Wuhan University in the years of 1988, 1996, and 2004 were analyzed. All cited materials were divided by output format (monographs, proceedings, journal articles) and the more in-depth analysis was conducted for all cited journals. The following characteristics of the cited journal literature were analyzed: subject, age, language, and dispersion of journal titles.Findings:An increased use of journal literature in bibliographies of geomatics theses was observed over time. A trend to increase citations to international conference proceedings was also noted as well as a trend to cite more journals in disciplines other than surveying and mapping. It was also noted that, over time, citations to documents in languages other than Chinese and English have significantly decreased (in some cases, disappeared). Large dispersion among the most frequently cited journals in different time periods (only 25% of titles were repeated in 1988, 1996, and 2004 top ranking journal lists) was also noted. It was also noted that the core of geomatics literature is expanding (it now takes 42% of journal titles to cover 80% of all citations).Practical implications:By analyzing citation patterns of the graduate students of geomatics in China, we can track the developments and changes within that discipline in China and can compare these trends internationally (e.g. increased role of a journal, the importance of conference proceedings, domination of the English-language sources, dispersion of journal literature, and increasing multidisciplinarity of the discipline). The techniques and methods used in this study can be replicated to study other disciplines. Also, it is hoped that the findings of this research will inform collection development planning, development of reference services, and information literacy training.     

Selected Issues in Holocaust Denial Literature and Reference Work

Summary

The author presents some of the personal issues related to providing access to Holocaust denial materials, and explores the subjective reasons which make this topic a unique problem. It is suggested that librarians afford themselves of various opportunities to educate the public about this material, while providing access to it in accordance with Constitutional rights and professional practice.     

Across the Table: Competing Perspectives for Managing Technology in a Library Setting

ABSTRACT

In a lively point/counterpoint format, the authors discuss issues of library technology from two perspectives: that of a library administrator and that of an Emerging Technologies Librarian. Rather than providing an artificial sense of closure, this article is designed to highlight differing positions on these issues, inviting libraries to use these conflicting viewpoints as tools to aid them in finding the solutions that best fit their unique situation.     

Characteristics of American Revolution Literature

Earlier citation studies have shown that the humanist relies heavily on recent publications, and that monographic and journal publications are of equal importance. Such findings suggest that better current awareness service may benefit humanists. This paper presents a bibliometric study of journal articles on the subject of the American Revolution using items contained in a standard indexing journal. Results confirm that a larger group of journals is devoted to this subject than is generally suspected. Moreover, a substantial number of journals of high quality are found to be productive in this area.     

Cataloging & Classification Quarterly

Abstract

The World Wide Web site tor Cataloging & Classification Quarterly(CCQ) was created to address a serious need-timeli-ness-in communicating the results of research among librarians, while at the same time providing a number of new benefits to enhance the journal's relationship to its readers. Brought online in early 1995, it was the first such Web site for a professional journal in librarianship, and its characteristic method of making abstracts available well in advance of the print version anticipated a practice later employed by journals in a variety of other fields. Historical background to electronic texts is discussed in context with the beginnings of the CCQ Web page, along with providing an orientation to the relevant aspects of the still-evolving World Wide Web. By using the CCQ Web page as an example, an attempt to characterize the current state of electronic journal publishing will be outlined. With the decision early this year by CCQ's publisher, The Haworth Press, Inc., to begin a pilot program of publishing a select number of its some 160 journals via the World Wide Web, the CCQ Web site can be regarded as an influential forerunner for the publisher's development of electronic journals.     

Assessing the Accessibility of Library Tools & Services When You Aren’t an Accessibility Expert: Part 2

Abstract

There are a few studies in library literature that explore accessibility issues from the perspective of students who use assistive technologies for accessibility. As we shared in part one of this two-part series in our column, librarians have extensively explored through usability studies with WAVE and other audit tools how accessible library websites and databases are when using assistive technologies like JAWS. In this column, we asked our blind student worker to journal his experiences navigating our library’s databases. We found this student navigated the databases better than we anticipated. While his experiences regarding the accessibility of the libraries’ electronic services varied, common issues he experienced included navigational issues from menus with expanding capabilities, documents that were not scanned with OCR, and images without alternative text.     

Publishing in Bosnia and Hercegovina

Abstract

The article contains several sections, the first of which covers publishing in Bosnia and Hercegovina (including the Muslim-Croat Federation and Republika Srpska) throughout history, focusing on the period 1945-1998. The second section is devoted to a review of recent publications, which are broken down into (1) newspapers and periodicals that appear more frequently than monthly, (2) serials analyzed by subject, (3) significant monographic publications, and (4) a brief survey of publishers and collections.