A Look at Circulation Statistics

ABSTRACT

Nearly all academic libraries keep circulation statistics which are often shared with their parent university, library consortia, and national organizations. This study attempted to discover what goes into circulation statistics by surveying Southeastern research libraries. Libraries were asked what they count in their circulation statistics and what their circulation policies are to identify differences across libraries. The results of the survey indicate that there is no set formula for counting circulation statistics.     

Combining Circulation and Reference Functions at One Desk

ABSTRACT

In order to learn from experiences of academic libraries that combined their Circulation and Reference functions into one service point, an informal survey was conducted through relevant listservs. Some academic libraries have combined Circulation and Reference Departments at one desk and others are in the process of doing so. The results summarize the responses with a discussion of the various models and outcomes.     

A Case for Integration of Interlibrary Loan and Reference

The ongoing debate of whether the Interlibrary Loan Department (ILL) should be autonomous or a function of other departments is revisited in this article. Though much of the literature on this topic advocates ILL merging with the Reference Department, early surveys show mixed findings. The authors reveal results of a recent survey from 324 participants that includes library personnel from public, academic, and special libraries throughout the United States. The outcome of the survey supports the literature that ILL personnel strongly believe that their work is more closely related to reference than that pertaining to circulation or technical services.     

借阅方式的变革方向--与林妩同志商榷

通过对图书馆开架借阅方式优缺点及现代信息环境对图书馆的影响的分析,提出图书馆的借阅方式应走向更加开放的开架方式。     

从图书馆的核心价值探讨图书馆流通业务外包之利弊

从图书馆的核心价值出发,分析了流通业务外包的利弊,提出读者服务工作是图书馆核心价值的重要组成部分,流通服务工作是读者服务工作的主要形式,是体现图书馆核心价值的重要工作。流通业务外包虽然能够解决人员不足的困难,提高工作效率,但存在的种种弊端阻碍了图书馆核心价值在流通服务工作中的完全实现。流通业务外包弊大于利,不是图书馆的发展方向。     

Assessment of an iPad Loan Program in an Academic Medical Library: A Case Study

An academic medical library expanded its iPad loan service to multiple campus libraries and conducted an assessment of the service. iPads loaded with medical and educational apps were loaned for two-week checkouts from five library campus locations. Device circulation statistics were tracked and users were invited to complete an online survey about their experience. Data were gathered and analyzed for 11 months. The assessment informed the library on how best to adapt the service, including what resources to add to the iPads, and the decision to move devices to campuses with more frequent usage.     

Louisiana Academic Libraries

Abstract

The state of Louisiana has a long history of consortial activities among academic libraries. Having this infrastructure in place contributed to the ease of creation of a distance library services network that includes both public and private universities. This paper traces the history of academic library consortia in Louisiana, and provides methodologies and results of several surveys of distance education students. The results of a survey currently being conducted are forthcoming.     

Inside the front door: Tailoring a leisure reading collection to attract an academic population

While some academics still maintain that an academic library is no place for leisure reading, many are in favor of maintaining at least a small distinct collection of such books. Strategically located and attractively displayed, current popular titles have the potential to generate traffic to the library and improve circulation statistics. Having taken the leap at Florida Gulf Coast University Library, a close statistical analysis of this new collection’s circulation over time has revealed not only that we all use it, but also that there are diverse but consistent patterns and preferences at play. Could the collection’s circulation rate be increased by tailoring it to an academic population? This study was designed to find out.     

论网络环境下高校图书馆的流通服务

随着网络技术的发展,目前大多数高校图书馆已完成网络化进程,建成一定规模的数据库并有成熟的管理软件,极大地方便了教学科研人员.文章从多角度、多方位论述了在网络环境下如何更好地开展流通服务工作.     

Interactive Kiosk at the Texas Tech University Libraries

The academic library, given its often privileged position on campus, is the information source that can include directional as well as general campus facts among the myriad of print and e-resources for reference. Also, an academic library's audiences can be quite varied and include prospective students or parents seeking more general knowledge of the building and the campus. Many times this need for information drives patrons to the library service desks. Sometimes, especially during the high-demand seasons of new student orientation and beginning of the fall semesters, the desk is so busy that many patrons will leave because they don't have the time to wait. To address this immediate need for information, Texas Tech University Libraries developed an interactive kiosk to provide general information for frequently asked questions in a more efficient, creative, and interactive way. The kiosk provides a fun method of satisfying a patron's information needs without the requirement of a staff member or the need to wait in line for help. The kiosk is available as long as the Library is open and provides a variety of useful answers to general questions, as well as facts about the Library.     

Engaging a Wider Community: The Academic Library as a Center for Creativity,Discovery, and Collaboration

Academic libraries have reported long-term declines in circulation, reference transactions, reserves, and in-house library materials usage. Increasingly, libraries are perceived as being less critical to the academic enterprise. Are these trends irreversible? Perhaps public libraries and some innovative academic libraries can provide us with some answers. A 2014 IMLS survey of public libraries reported increased visitation and circulation over the past decade. Community outreach, in the form of programming, and investments in collection development contributed to these outcomes. Purchasing additional public workstations also bore results. This article discusses these and other findings along with ways to re-conceptualize our mission and marketing goals. In addition, it also outlines different strategies for using programming and technology initiatives to help academic libraries reconnect with a broader community paying particular attention to experiences at Montclair State University.     

加拿大公共图书馆一瞥

用印度图书馆学家阮岗纳赞的“图书馆五原则”,检视加拿大公共图书馆标准化的服务体系,并以多伦多公共图书馆流通领域为例,介绍图书经费的来源、热门书籍的确定、逾期图书的罚款处理、馆际互借的操作流程和图书馆员工如何想方设法向成年人、老人和儿童提供精湛和优质服务。     

The impact of COVID-19 on reference services: a national survey of academic health sciences librarians

Objectives:The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the scope and adaptive nature of reference services provided by academic health sciences librarians over a one-year period (between March 2020 and March 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:In March 2021, academic health sciences librarians in the United States were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey about their experiences providing reference services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online survey was developed, pretested, and distributed to various listservs.Results:A total of 205 academic health sciences librarians and other information professionals with health sciences liaison responsibilities in the US (N=205) responded to the online survey. The scope of reference services provided during the COVID-19 pandemic included email-based reference services (97%), virtual reference (89%), telephone (80%), text-based (33%), and in-person (31%). The most common types of COVID-related reference questions included COVID-19 treatments (53%), safety precautions (46%), vaccines (41%), and prevalence (38%). Additionally, the identification of challenging reference questions and examples of misinformation were provided by respondents.Conclusions:The results of the survey characterize the evolving nature and scope of academic health sciences reference work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Librarians reported an increase in reference questions during the pandemic and are answering them in creative ways despite barriers (e.g., limited time and reduction in resources). There is an opportunity for librarians to continue to address COVID-related misinformation. Overall, these findings provide useful insight for library practitioners and administrators planning reference services during public health crises.     

So many students,so little time: Practical student worker training in an academic library

Abstract

Student employees are an invaluable asset to academic libraries. They supplement limited professional staffing, allow for students to engage with their academic community, and give work opportunities to those currently enrolled in school. This article reviews several practical ways to train library student workers that both minimizes hands-on staff time and allows for high customer service and student employee success. Best practices include (a) a student worker training assessment, (b) explicit student worker policies, (c) an annual mandatory training session, (d) online training, (e) a focus on student worker retention, and (f) unique student worker roles.     

高校图书馆组织文化初探

本文从管理学角度介绍了图书馆组织文化内容、特征以及关于图书馆组织文化的建设和传播。     

Providing Off-Campus Library Services by “Team”

Abstract

In contrast to many large academic libraries, Kansas State University (K-State) does not have a distance librarian. As a result, the Library Services Project Team (Team) was formed to take a fresh look at current library services for distance learners. Although the Team has been in place for over two years, and has implemented many changes, there was no mechanism for receiving formal feedback from students and faculty about these services. Because it is important to know whether services are being used, two librarians on the Team developed a Web-based survey targeted at distance faculty and students. This paper discusses the assessment project including development of the survey, the university approval process, use of an electronic in-house survey system, administration of the survey, and compilation and analysis of results.     

The Relationship of Metadata to Item Circulation

This study analyzes the relationship between online public access catalog (OPAC) searches entered in a small academic library's catalog and the circulation of items during the same time period. Rather than identifying all searches resulting in a reasonable number of retrievals as successful, searches in this study were determined most useful if items on the results list were subsequently borrowed from the library. This comparison of search results with subsequent material checkouts indicates which metadata elements seem most useful to searchers, and suggests ways libraries might use this knowledge to enhance their users’ search experiences.     

高校图书馆流通部不和谐因素及对策之探讨

分析了高校图书馆流通部馆员之间、馆员与读者之间存在的不和谐现象及其成因。并探讨了在馆员之间、馆员与读者之间建立和谐气氛的对策,以有利于高校图书馆流通部创造一个宽松和谐的学习和工作环境。     

图书催还——小服务中有大文章

指出了目前图书馆存在两种形式的催还服务,总结了图书馆发布催还信息的各种方式,并对其优缺点进行了论述。最后分析了催还服务与图书馆人性化服务、共享服务和高效流通服务之间的关系,说明了做好催还服务的重要性。     

基于Kano模型的学科服务平台优化探究——以FULink学科服务平台为例

[目的/意义] 当前各大高校图书馆对于学科服务平台的建设已经进入瓶颈期,而互联网虚拟学术社区正不断发展,将虚拟学术社区的服务引进学科服务平台,将改善平台用户的交流方式,提高用户与学科馆员之间交流的效率,也为用户之间的科研合作提供平台。[方法/过程] 通过网络调研总结归纳学科服务平台与虚拟学术社区所提供的服务,利用问卷调查法及Kano模型对网络学术服务进行需求分类,并进行功能优先度分析。[结果/结论] 将学科服务平台与虚拟学术社区所提供的服务进行融合,共得出26项服务,分为期望、魅力、必备、无差异四种类型,并针对各类型提出FULink学科服务平台改进策略。