Collaboration and Organization for Successful Serials Cancellation

Serials cancellations are dreaded equally by librarians and faculty. Previously, faculty reviewed title lists, and librarians canceled what they recommended. Today's cancellation process is more complex; there has to be a context and a timetable. Reports must include at least data about historical pricing and titles associated with e-packages that are not cancellable. Although libraries' workflows differ, there are basic steps necessary to carry out a successful cancellation process. This joint presentation demonstrated how integrated planning and the use of serials management tools are used to organize complex information into useable data. It takes early and collaborative planning between Collection Development, teaching faculty, and Serials Technical Services to make a dreaded process less painful and more effective. This tactics session was delivered in parts by Susanne Clement and Gaele Gillespie, Head of Collection Development and Serials Librarian, respectively, at Watson Library, University of Kansas, and by Sarah Tusa, Coordinator of Collection Development and Acquisitions at the Mary and John Gray Library, Lamar University.     

We Went Mobile! (Or Did We?) Reviewing and Promoting Third-Party Device Neutral Library Resources

ABSTRACT

Academic libraries have been working diligently to provide device neutral mobile access to key elements of their library websites, like hours, contact information, and catalogs. But once a mobile user makes it through these access points on his mobile device, what happens beyond that point? Can he or she use the library’s links to third-party content, like interlibrary loan forms, the institutional repository, and databases, on a mobile device? Laura Turner, Head of Technical Services at the University of San Diego’s Copley Library, recently performed basic mobile testing of third-party content links on her library’s website. She relied on resource reports generated by Alejandra Nann, Copley’s Electronic Resources and Serials Librarian, as well as Nann’s troubleshooting of access issues during the testing. Their presentation reviewed the efforts and outcomes of testing links to the resources on mobile devices as well as workflow suggestions and promotional ideas for incorporating mobile access as a library service.     

Adopting and Implementing an Open Access Policy: The Library’s Role

With the support of the library, the faculty, and the administration, Allegheny College recently adopted the strongest type of Open Access policy, a mandate for all faculty scholarship to be placed in the college’s institutional repository. The library’s Head of Technical Services tells how the policy came to be approved and how it is being implemented by the library.     

Utilizing the Internship Experience as a Bridge Between Technical Services and Public Services

ABSTRACT

This is the case history of a library school student who utilized training and experience gained as a support staff member in the Technical Services Department of an academic library during an internship program in order to make the transition to Public Services. The article describes how Technical Services training can offer the perfect bridge for entrance into work in Public Services.     

Software and Scanner: A Comparison of Procedures in University of California,San Diego's Interlibrary Loan and Course Reserves Units

The Document Delivery Services/Interlibrary Loan Unit and the Course Reserves Unit at the University of California, San Diego's Access Services Department both utilize the Konica Minolta PS7000 book scanner to deliver requested documents and post electronic reserve items. Though the hardware is the same in both units, unique service goals and software—Ariel Interlibrary Loan Document Transmission Software for DDS/ILL and Adobe Photoshop for Course Reserves—result in different issues and challenges. This article discusses the shared practices of the Document Delivery Services/Interlibrary Loan and Course Reserves Units and how each unit utilizes the Konica Minolta PS7000 book scanner to offer better service for their patrons.     

Putting the “I” back in team

In the summer of 2013, staff in the Access Services unit of an academic library began a cross-training and collaboration project in an effort to provide continued library service to the campus community. The cross-training was established in an attempt to address a shortage of staff as a result of budget cuts. The cross-training resulted in the transitioning of the Access Services units and the creation of a collaborative team. The development of cross-training and its benefits are addressed in addition to lessons learned.     

Managing eResource Processes and Projects

Janetta Waterhouse presented “Managing eResource Processes and Projects” at the eResources & Emerging Technologies Summit held at Mississippi State University Libraries on August 2, 2013. At the time of the presentation, she was the Director of Library Systems and Technical Services at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). Waterhouse discussed updates to eResource processes at UIS, during the time that eResource management was fully integrated into the Technical Services unit, and the projects needed to get those processes and their data and related systems to the desired state.     

Textbook access and affordability through academic library services: A department develops strategies to meet the needs of students

In the spring of 2015, the University of Minnesota Libraries formed the Content Services department, which is comprised of Interlibrary Loan, Publishing Services, and the Copyright Permissions Service. These three service points, as well as additional Library units, work together with campus partners to save students money on their course materials through a variety of programs and pilot projects. By employing multiple avenues to help faculty and students put affordable content into their existing workflows for providing and accessing required readings, the University of Minnesota Libraries are ensuring that there are many options available that support coursework and ultimately student success.     

Welcome to the Neighborhood: The Merger of Interlibrary Loan with Access Services

In March 2006, the Interlibrary Loan unit was physically merged with the Access Services Department (circulation) at the University of Denver, Penrose Library. Consolidating the units into one service desk resulted in a more distributed and efficient workflow. This article describes the process and the impact of the consolidation.     

Master of “Complex and Ambiguous Phenomena”: The ERL’s Role in a Library Service Platform Migration

ABSTRACT

Library Services Platforms (LSPs) offer academic libraries the ability to integrate the management of print and electronic resources in one centralized platform. This article will examine the role of electronic resources librarians (ERLs) in a large-scale, consortial LSP implementation relative to NASIG’s Core Competencies for Electronic Resources Librarians. The speakers, Conor Cote and Kirsten Ostergaard, hail from Montana, where the Treasure State Academic Information and Library Services Consortium, comprised of seventeen academic libraries, is implementing Ex Libris’s Alma LSP in conjunction with the Primo discovery layer. The aim of this presentation and article is to examine how the skills and competencies of an ERL can be leveraged for an effective and minimally disruptive LSP implementation.     

Managing E-book Acquisition: The Coordination of “P” and “E” Publication Dates

For many research libraries, the book acquisition process has grown increasingly complicated and unwieldy as libraries seek both print and electronic formats, practice both patron-driven and library-selected purchasing, and must accommodate a wide range of patron and disciplinary preferences in setting these priorities. In this presentation, Gabrielle Wiersma of the University of Colorado Boulder and Sarah Forzetting of Coutts Information Services describe an integrated approval plan system that manages all book acquisition processes to reduce inefficiency and streamline librarian workflows.     

Reorganizing collection development and acquisitions in a medium-sized academic library

The University of Dayton Roesch Library reorganized the collection development and acquisitions departments during 1995 and 1996 in order to improve the collection and make the process of acquiring materials more responsive to the needs of students and faculty. The old organization was department-based, with teaching faculty controlling most of the materials budget. The Associate Director for Technical Services coordinated the funds and supervised acquisitions staff. Perceived imbalances in the collection, student and faculty dissatisfaction with the process, and the desire for public services librarians to have greater influence in collection decisions led to a major reorganization. The new model distributes budget authority among all librarians based on subjects rather than academic departments. It empowers librarians to make purchasing and weeding decisions within their subject areas. Book and periodical acquisitions are combined into a single support unit that reports to the Coordinator and Head of Collection Management. The new organization has streamlined acquisitions processes to make ordering simpler, and the time between ordering and receipt has been shortened. The new model shifts the emphasis from process to service.     

Charting a Course toward Embracing Evolving Technical Services Horizons

ABSTRACT

Technical Services departments have been navigating rough and uncertain waters while charting courses toward hazy horizons for years. Battling swelling expenses, blustering winds of reduced resources, and tumultuous tempests of electronic resources clashing with print resources, we steer toward an increasingly digital skyline with steadily leaner crews, needing support and new skills to sail these seas of continuous change and challenge. Now more than ever it is necessary to build a team empowered to maneuver efficiently and effectively. Leading and managing are central to positioning for and embracing these emerging horizons. The presenters have been studying and implementing various aspects of “servant leadership” with an eye toward growing people within our departments and communicating in multiple directions. During this session, we will focus particularly on the following processes: discernment, discovering purpose, and building capacity (relationships and communication). This presentation will explore the what, how, where, who, and when for leading and managing toward our Technical Services horizons.     

Academic Library Collaboration in Supporting Students Pre-Induction: The Head Start Project

For higher education institutions in the United Kingdom there is a growing focus on improving student retention, encouraging academic engagement, and easing transition into university life. This article reports on the creation and outcomes of Head Start, a pre-induction online course created to provide students with a level of understanding of academic literacies including information literacy to aid preparation for university study. Information literacy librarians have reported that there has been a marked improvement in the confidence and information literacies of new starters taking the module. The article is of value for others wishing to support students at pre-entry.     

The Impact of Reorganization of Staff Using the Core Competencies as a Framework for Staff Training and Development

In 2012, the Colorado State University Libraries’ Technical Services Department reorganized, which provided the catalyst to reconfigure paraprofessional staff positions. Staff are either part of the state classified system or are considered administrative professionals; both categories dictate the extent to which positions can be expanded to encompass assisting with managing electronic resources. This presentation is an account of how NASIG’s Core Competencies for Electronic Resource Librarians are scalable to be used in restructuring staff positions that assist with managing resources. Special attention will be paid to various modes of training that enable paraprofessionals to learn processes associated with electronic resources work.     

Staff development in the electronic library: lessons for the health sector from the IMPEL2 eLib project

This paper proposes that the health sector has much to learn from higher education as regards information provision in the electronic age. Information Technology for Library and Information Services is less developed in the NHS than in higher education. Staff training and development is identified as a key issue in supporting the transition to electronic delivery of Library and Information Services. The Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib), developing electronic services in higher education, is outlined, with emphasis on the IMPEL2 Project and its methodology. Findings from the Staff Training and Development strand of IMPEL2 are presented. This study identified that attention should be most keenly focused on two areas, IT skills and skills to support changing roles. A number of success factors in training and development are highlighted. The paper concludes that release of resources from eLib to support staff development must be paralleled in the health sector if effective electronic services are to be developed.     

Using Metadata to Design a Database-Driven Website

ABSTRACT

After a review of the Kent State Libraries and Media Services Web site, a committee of librarians and staff gathered user feedback and developed a library-specific content management system (CMS) to make the move from a static HTML environment to database-driven design. This article focuses on the significant role of metadata in the CMS from the perspective of one of the site's architects and one of its content developers. This article includes figures and a biography for further reading. The work of the redesign was earlier described in a poster presentation for the 12th Annual ACRL conference.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Abstract

Materials for review should be sent to Jerilyn Marshall, Head, Reference&Instructional Services, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa, 1227 West 27th Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613-3675 (E-mail: jerilyn.marshall@uni.edu. Reviewed by Jerilyn Marshall.

DISTANCE LEARNING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. Fusco, Marjorie, and Susan E. Ketcham. Greenwood Village, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 2002, 132 pp., $35.00, ISBN 1-56308-847-9. Reviewed by Jerilyn Marshall.

THE BROWSABLE CLASSROOM: AN INTRODUCTION TO E-LEARNING FOR LIBRARIANS. Noah, Carolyn B., and Linda W. Braun. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2002, 165 pp., $49.95, ISBN 1-55570-425-5. Reviewed by lyn Marshall.