Research databases: a new direction in collection development

A need for centralized access to biomedical databanks was identified at the Medical University of South Carolina. The library has taken a leadership role in administering selection, acquisition, storage, and dissemination of access to these databases. A discussion of established policies and procedures is included. The appendix describes the biomedical databanks and search software selected.     

基于学科馆员制度的学科知识服务研究

高校图书馆建立学科馆员制度是信息社会的必然趋势。文章通过目前国内高校图书馆实行学科馆员制度的现状分析,认为学科知识服务是学科馆员制度的核心,并提出了学科知识服务的具体内容,以及提升学科知识服务的对策措施。     

Title of the databases of legal information for use in social and humanitarian sciences

This article considers the legal information resources accessible over the Internet, as well as databases stored on optical media providing searchable legal information with various intended purposes. Features of the informational environment are described, as are the functions and thematic structure of the RAS ISISS databases, which are oriented towards providing informational support for scientific research in the fields of law and government. The general principles underlying the search and processing of legal information using the system’s linguistic methods are presented.     

The use of information systems in the Greek public financial services: The case of TAXIS

One of the most important transactions between government and citizens is taxation. The modernization efforts of the public sector using information and communication technology (ΙCT) have led to the application of large information systems. TAXIS (TAX Information System) is a major information system in the Greek public financial sector. It supports the Inland Revenue Services' employees to serve the citizens and the state. This study investigated the TAXIS usage and its evaluation by the tax office employees. An appropriate questionnaire was developed and distributed to tax office employees in three branches. The analysis of one hundred responses revealed useful results for governmental policy makers, tax officials as well as public information system developers. Most responders were pleased with TAXIS' characteristics except of the handbooks' effectiveness and the system's speed. Gender differences were located in their daily usage, problems' awareness, feelings and considerations about the security of TAXIS.     

The implementation of a large-scale self-instructional course in medical information resources.

The implementation of library orientation and bibliographic instruction in health sciences centers presents some interesting as well as perplexing problems. The Rowland Medical Library at The University of Mississippi Medical Center had to confront and reexamine these problems when faced with the requirement to teach 298 freshman and sophomore medical students in one ten-week quarter. This paper outlines the development and implementation of a large-scale self-instructional approach to library instruction. The package consisted of an audiotape, a videotape, a written program, self-teaching quizzes, a performance test, and a student evaluation. Performance test results and student evaluation data are presented which indicate that this format can successfully be employed to meet course objectives and to be accepted by students.     

A long-tail inspired measure to assess resource use in information services

A measure for the assessment of resource use in information services provides an application within the information services area of the long tail concept. The analysis quantifies the long tail concept and is applicable to all libraries and information services, independent of their size and circulation properties. The paradigm of the Lorenz curve and the Gini coefficient from macroeconomics is adapted in the context of information services. The Gini coefficient examines the skewness of the Lorenz curve against an ideal cumulative distribution that is represented by a 45-degree line. In this context, the Lorenz curve depicts the cumulative percentage of collection items versus the number of loans and identifies the different levels of library resource use on the part of users by measuring how close the Gini coefficient is to the unity (i.e., the Gini of the 45-degree line is identified).     

面向学科建设的馆藏图书质量分析

学科建设是高校一项长期而系统的基础工作,需各个部门、各个环节协调共振.图书馆作为高校的三大支柱之一,为更好地服务于学科建设,应做好文献和学科建设的匹配分析,建立合理的馆藏基础,提供必要的文献保障支持.     

学科情报服务中的快报编制

分析了学科快报的特点及其在学科情报服务中的作用,并介绍了《全球药物创新快讯》的内容和栏目设置、选题标准和原则,总结了学科快报服务的经验和体会。     

Improving digital skills for the use of online public information and services

There are recent indications regarding the use of online public services that force the government to focus on the more refined conceptualizations digital divide research has produced. This paper addresses one of the factors that appears to be important in several conceptualizations of how to approach the digital divide; the differential possession of so-called digital skills. The problem of being short of skills becomes urgent when governments suppose that citizens are able to complete about every task on the Internet. Operational definitions for operational, formal, information and strategic skills are used to measure the Internet skills of the Dutch population at large, by giving 109 subjects nine government related assignments to be accomplished on the Internet. Subjects were recruited following a two step approach; randomly select a sample from the book/list of fixed telephony subscribers, followed by drawing a selective quota sample for the strata of gender, age and educational level. The results indicate that on average 80% of the operational skill Internet tasks, 72% of formal Internet skills tasks, 62% of the information Internet skills tasks and 22% of strategic Internet skills tasks assigned have been successfully completed. The Dutch government's expectation that every citizen with an Internet connection is able to complete the assignments following tasks the government thinks every Internet user can perform, clearly is not justified. The article provides two types of policy recommendations to change this state of affairs. Recommendations for improving government websites and for improving the skill levels of Dutch citizens are suggested.     

基于学科化服务的信息共享空间及其构建

学科建设的质量和水平是衡量高校质量和水平的主要标志,数字化信息环境必然要求高校图书馆改变传统的文献信息服务模式。以用户为中心构建学科化信息共享空间已经成为高校图书馆支持个人与团体学习研究,整合技术与服务的全新服务模式。     

基于学科服务的文献资源建设探讨

文章介绍了高校图书馆文献资源建设在学科服务中的重要性及学科资源建设的内容,指出目前文献资源建设存在的问题,探讨了学科馆员参与文献资源建设的意义,以及进一步完善文献资源建设的相关措施.     

论参考咨询服务在独立院校中的变通

近几年，中国独立学院蓬勃发展，招收了大量的学生，形成了自己独特的办学模式。为了让这些学院的学生得到良好的教育，图书馆可以发挥一定的作用。而作为图书馆工作中重要的参考咨询更应承担这样的功能。本文以电子科技大学中山学院图书馆为例探讨独立学院的参考咨询服务的一些规律，希望能为高校图书馆工作做一点贡献。     

The use of paradigms in information research

Studies of human behaviour usually require the adoption of a research paradigm with the objective of improving the credibility and generalisability of the study. Applying research paradigms in information research is noted to vary from one researcher to another based on the investigator's choice as well as the character of the issue under investigation. The differences in the application of research paradigms in information research do not rely on philosophical assumptions alone, but also on the practical consequences of the inquiry and the interpretation of the findings. The four most broadly applied paradigms in research - pragmatism, interpretivism, positivism, and post-positivism and how the adoption of these paradigms fit into information research was examined. Findings indicate that application of research paradigms in information research is beneficial. However, information researchers are advised to be cautious of the weaknesses of the paradigm they would adopt for a study.     

Assessing internet access and use in a medically underserved population: implications for providing enhanced health information services

Background: The relationship between health information seeking, patient engagement and health literacy is not well understood. This is especially true in medically underserved populations, which are often viewed as having limited access to health information. Objective: To improve communication between an urban health centre and the community it serves, a team of library and information science researchers undertook an assessment of patients’ level and methods of access to and use of the Internet. Methods: Data were collected in 53 face‐to‐face anonymous interviews with patients at the centre. Interviews were tape‐recorded for referential accuracy, and data were analysed to identify patterns of access and use. Results: Seventy‐two percentage of study participants reported having access to the Internet through either computers or cell phones. Barriers to Internet access were predominantly lack of equipment or training rather than lack of interest. Only 21% of those with Internet access reported using the Internet to look for health information. Conclusion: The findings suggest that lack of access to the Internet in itself is not the primary barrier to seeking health information in this population and that the digital divide exists not at the level of information access but rather at the level of information use.     

定题情报服务的原则和方法

在选择项目时谨记超前性、抓西瓜和量力而行，采取太公钓鱼、全面撒网、有的放矢和筑巢引凤四种形式。在优质服务上，注意情报服务与科研工作相结合，阶段提供与随时提供相结合，显性需求满足与隐性需求满足相结合；贯彻团队服务原则，持业精业、持之以恒原则，熟悉项目和促进科研原则。     

学科信息门户的个性化服务调查研究

文章就学科信息门户的个性化服务状况进行调查和研究。作者选取国内外14个学科信息门户,对其新资源介绍和资源推荐、用户参与建设、个性化定制与推送、信息交流平台、检索结果个性化处理和个性化信息空间等6个个性化服务项目进行网络调查与分析。结合学科信息门户建设实际,提出了提升学科信息门户个性化服务能力的策略。