Assessment of KU Libraries’ Slavic & Eurasian Collection: Purpose,Process, and Potential

This paper discusses collection-related assessment projects that were conducted in 2013–2014 by the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries’ International Collections librarians in cooperation with librarians for assessment and resource sharing. While these assessment projects were undertaken in an effort to strengthen the library reports for KU’s Title VI National Resource Center (NRC) grant applications, which were submitted by KU’s area studies centers, the results also have implications for collection development work. The article begins with background about the NRC grants and explains why and how these assessment projects developed. Highlights of results from each assessment project are presented in the following order: assessment of the research needs of area studies faculty and graduate students at KU; citation patterns (2005–2013) of area studies, and more specifically, Slavic and Eurasian studies faculty at KU; and resource sharing data for the Slavic and Eurasian collection 2011–2013. The article concludes with a discussion about how the assessment data inform collection development practices and decisions.     

Reference Collection Development Using the RLG Conspectus

Reference collection development should be seen as an integral part of the overall management of academic research library collections. The reference librarian benefits from participation in the development of collection development policy statements based on a collection evaluation using the Research Libraries Group (RLG) Conspectus. The writing of cormprehensive collection development policy statements using the RLG Conspectus to evaluate subject collections requires that collection management librarians and reference librarians work closely together and integrate the development of the reference collection into overall collection development plans for the library. This article discusses some of the functions of collection management divisions and the potential components of a Conspectus-based comprehensive collection development policy statement. The sharing of the process between the collection management librarian and the reference librarian/selector is described. Benefits the reference librarian gains from the process are discussed.     

Resource Management in a Time of Fiscal Scarcity: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment for Journal Package Cancellations

As a result of continual resource inflation and a decreasing budget, Kansas State University Libraries were required to conduct a large-scale electronic journal cancellation project. The current organizational model does not require librarian subject specialists to perform comprehensive collection development duties; therefore, content development librarians developed a methodology of collecting quantitative and qualitative statistics to collaboratively evaluate journals. This article will demonstrate the methodology of assessment, and serve as a working model for libraries operating under circumstances of labor shortages, budget cuts, and leadership restructuring.     

From budget allocation to collection development: A system for the small college library

Research has shown that faculty involvement in library collection development is directly proportional to the size of the library collection itself; specifically, as library collection size increases, faculty involvement in library collection development decreases. Conversely, the opportunity for faculty involvement in library collection development is enhanced in the small-college setting where collection development is a collaborative effort between the faculty, who serve as the counterparts of subject bibliographers in larger university settings, and librarians, who both oversee the collection development process and serve as bibliographers in general and interdisciplinary subject areas. The case study documents the collection development philosophy, selection and acquisitions policies, and accounting procedures used at the Iris Holt McEwen Library and LaRose Resources Center at Elon College in North Carolina. The interrelatedness of selection, acquisition, and accounting processes as well as the collaboration between librarians and faculty in collection development are emphasized. A time line for the collection development process is included.     

Developing Collections of Web-Published Materials

Abstract

Librarians and archivists face challenges when adapting traditional collection development practices to meet the unique characteristics of Web-published materials. Likewise, preservation activities for Web-published materials must be undertaken at the outset of collection development lest they be lost forever. Standards and best practices for Web-collection development are still emerging, and librarians are struggling with the often daunting financial, staffing, and infrastructure challenges posed by collecting and preserving these materials. The results of a needs assessment with librarians, information providers, and academic researchers informed the identification of key collection development activities for Web-published materials. This research was conducted as part of the Web-at-Risk project, a collaborative effort of the California Digital Library, the University of North Texas, and New York University.     

Experiments and Experiences in Liaison Activities: Lessons from New Librarians in Integrating Technology,Face-to-Face,and Follow-Up

As is the case in many university libraries, Albertsons Library at Boise State University, has hired many new librarians to replace retiring librarians. These newer librarians, typically with less than 3 years’ academic library experience, are actively engaged in meeting the opportunities and challenges of subject liaison responsibilities using innovative Web-based tools. This article addresses liaison experiences with faculty-directed blogs, personalized faculty research pages, a wiki-based liaison manual, and the use of LibraryThing as a collection development tool. An overview of these efforts confirms that new technologies are only as good as the face-to-face communication and the follow-up that accompany their implementation. Much of the content in this article was presented at the 2007 and 2008 Acquisitions Institute conferences at Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood, Oregon.     

Collection Development Assessment for New Collection Development Librarians

A number of articles have been written in the past several years that provide practical advice for librarians new to collection development, particularly in terms of understanding terminology, learning collection development processes, and gaining familiarity with one's library and institution. This article furthers this discussion, but with attention to working in collection development within the OhioLINK consortial environment. In order to thrive in this environment, new bibliographers are benefited by becoming familiar with and using data such as usage statistics, consortium reports, and peer institution statistics to develop and expand collections in one's assigned disciplines. Attention is also given to creating subject collection statements, faculty networking, and colleague assistance. The writer, himself relatively new to collection development, provides insights and perspectives on these matters, chiefly applicable to others new to collection development.     

Insourcing library outreach: Engaging technical services in outreach to student organizations

Abstract

In recent years, library outreach has become an increasingly important aspect of public services work. In order to expand capacity and engage patrons, libraries should consider expanding their library outreach programs to include the efforts and expertise of technical services personnel. In this article, librarians from Texas A&M University will share how public services librarians, cataloging experts, and preservation librarians collaborated to provide support for a student-led textbook lending library for student veterans. Through this collaboration, the library was able to develop new outreach opportunities that highlighted technical services expertise as well as lend support to an important campus effort to improve the affordability of college textbooks for veterans.     

Testing Lesniaski's Revised Brief Test

In 2004, Lesniaski revised White's Brief Test methodology for smaller academic libraries that lack sufficient subject specialist librarians to perform the brief tests as originally proposed by White. As a part of regular collection development, Cowles Library implemented Lesniaski's Brief Tests on the print monograph collection. While primarily a review of Lesniaski's methodology, this article also discusses how the Brief Tests were used for improved collection evaluation and maintenance.     

Collection development for new librarians: Advice from the trenches

There are many challenges facing new librarians in the academic environment, including collection development. This article analyzes the topic of collection development and how it relates to new professionals in the field of librarianship. The article contains a literature review of papers discussing the collection development curriculum in library and information science programs, expected skills required of collection development offices, and library training programs for new librarians. The article also provides practical advise by recent graduates and their collection development experiences. Topics of discussion include acclimation to a new environment, collection development policies and procedures, liaison work, resource selection, and time management.     

Writing the Collection Development Manual

This article puts the need for writing a collection development manual in its historical context. It discusses the reasons for producing a collection development manual: to smooth out the functioning of the processing operation; to consider all collection development assumptions; to stimulate both the authors and the users of the manual to discuss important issues in collection development; to reduce bibliographer stress by specifying procedures for collection development: and to provide evaluation criteria for bibliographers. The article distinguishes two types of manuals: the training manual and the reference manual. The training manual provides the novice bibliographer with a comprehensive understanding of the materials selection environment: the structure of the subject field, the library holdings, collection usage patterns, the budget situation, the library's collection development policies, and the library materials market. The reference manual provides a compilation of internal policies and procedures to be consulted by bibliographers when such knowledge is required. It is suggested that a reference manual be organized around the following topics: materials selection, budgeting, purchase, review, and use.     

Collaboration Between the University of Michigan Taubman Health Sciences Library and the University of Michigan Medical School Office of Research

Librarians have traditionally facilitated research development resulting in grants through performing biomedical literature searches for researchers. The librarians at the Taubman Health Sciences Library of the University of Michigan have taken additional steps forward by instituting a proactive approach to assisting investigators. To accomplish this, the librarians have taken part in a collaborative effort with the University of Michigan Medical School Office of Research. Through this partnership, both units have created and adopted various techniques intended to facilitate the submission of grants, thus allowing researchers more time to conduct their primary activities.     

学科馆员服务绩效评价指标体系的探讨

对学科馆员服务作了介绍和分析,并在此基础上提出了对学科馆员制度要建立相应的评估机制,制定相应的评价指标、评估范围等。主要就服务水平、内容,学科馆员队伍建设,用户满意度,用户反馈,学科馆员综合素质能力水平,平台建设和网络模块等评价指标进行了探讨,并提出了评价时应采取的措施、主导思想及现实意义。     

Scholarly Book Reviews in Literature Journals as Collections Development Sources for Librarians

Librarians must make selection decisions for their libraries based on the actual and perceived needs of their clientele. Scholars in any discipline will most likely become aware of new books in their field through the extensive reviews published in scholarly journals. Reviews in ten journals indexed by the MLA Bibliography were examined for content, timeliness, and evaluation of the reviewer, in order to determine if scholarly reviews in literature journals are useful collection development sources. The findings of the study suggest that collection development librarians at large academic libraries should use scholarly journals on a regular basis for collection development purposes, while librarians at smaller academic libraries should use them to supplement traditional trade reviewing sources, such as Choice.     

How Public Librarians View Latchkey Children

This study investigated the attitudes of children's librarians in public libraries in northeast Ohio toward latchkey children and the quantity and types of programs designed for them. Survey results indiciation that, in most cases, unattended children are using libraries as a safe place to stay while the parent(s) are working. While librarians see them as a problem, they also think that their libraries should do more to accommodate them. The majority feel that programming should be a community effort, but only a small minority report such involvement. Findings also indicate a definite need for policy development regarding latchkey children in public libraries.     

Data Collection System for Tracking Hospital Librarians’ Productivity

Abstract

Librarians gather data on multiple aspects of their work. Much of the data collection revolves around the library’s resources, but what may be passed over during this data collection is information on how librarians are expending their time and effort. A group of librarians from a community hospital system designed a Microsoft Access database to collect such data and has been recording librarians’ efforts for more than three years. The librarians use the data in annual reports and can track trends to evaluate service priorities and maximize effective use of the librarians’ time.     

A Method for Evaluating Library Liaison Activities in Small Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

This article presents a practical method for formative, self-reflective assessment of the liaison activities of individual librarians and to evaluate liaison activities in general. Many libraries evaluate their liaison programs, but few evaluate the effectiveness of individual librarians’ efforts within the program. Librarians of Rollins College redefined and re-branded their liaison program as “Your Librarian.” As part of this effort, the author surveyed the faculty and assessed the program and the effectiveness of individual librarians. The author outlines the liaison responsibilities, the survey instrument, and how the results are analyzed and used in a process of continuous reflective improvement for the program and librarians.     

Bibliographic Instruction:

In April, 1994 Mercy College completed an extended self-study in preparation for a team visit from The Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. This article examines the impact of institutional evaluation on the library's bibliographic instruction program, and its evolution into an information literacy program responsive to changes in student demographics, curriculum content, assessment methods, and communication technologies. Three initiatives are described: (1) an effort to increase course-integrated information literacy instruction in the general education requirement; (2) development of an information literacy assessment plan; and (3) recruitment and training of information literacy peer tutors to assist public services librarians. Although still in a formative stage, eight future directions are recommended for successful implementation.     

An introduction to outsourcing

Outsourcing as a business strategy is discussed in relation to library practices. While contracting out services is being touted as a solution to many management problems, some government operations are moving to reduce use of contractors. As with other business arrangements, preliminary steps before considering outsourcing, such as defining quality and the expectations of both parties, must be taken. Acquisitions and collection development librarians have extensive experience with managing contracts with vendors but also have to think in new terms and develop new relationships, with vendor services expanding. Acquisitions librarians have many skills to offer in managing outsourcing arrangements, and general management and leadership abilities will still be necessary both for the staff working within the library and the contract services.     

谈图书馆盲人阅览区的发展

文章从残疾人事业的保障和发展，谈图书馆对盲人阅览区的发展，以及在信息社会和数字化时代怎样发展和满足盲人的需求，图书馆员在盲人读者服务上应采取多元化的形式。