Library Links on Medical School Home Pages

The purpose of this study was to assess the websites of American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)-member medical schools for the presence of library links. Sixty-one percent (n = 92) of home pages of the 150 member schools of the AAMC contain library links. For the 58 home pages not offering such links, 50 provided a pathway of two or three clicks to a library link. The absence of library links on 39% of AAMC medical school home pages indicates that the designers of those pages did not consider the library to be a primary destination for their visitors.     

Medical School Home Page Library Links: What Has Changed Since 2010

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the visibility and placement of links to the library on home pages of 165 American Association of Medical Colleges member medical schools with the results from a study performed in 2010. Visibility on the home page declined from 50.7% to 41.2%, and one-click pathways declined from 61% to 44.8%. On 14 medical school websites, no discoverable navigation to the library could be found, including use of the search function. During the same time period, librarian partnerships with health care professionals and biomedical researchers have increased and expanded.     

Academic health sciences library Website navigation: an analysis of forty-one Websites and their navigation tools.

BACKGROUND: The analysis included forty-one academic health sciences library (HSL) Websites as captured in the first two weeks of January 2001. Home pages and persistent navigational tools (PNTs) were analyzed for layout, technology, and links, and other general site metrics were taken. METHODS: Websites were selected based on rank in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, with regional and resource libraries given preference on the basis that these libraries are recognized as leaders in their regions and would be the most reasonable source of standards for best practice. A three-page evaluation tool was developed based on previous similar studies. All forty-one sites were evaluated in four specific areas: library general information, Website aids and tools, library services, and electronic resources. Metrics taken for electronic resources included orientation of bibliographic databases alphabetically by title or by subject area and with links to specifically named databases. RESULTS: Based on the results, a formula for determining obligatory links was developed, listing items that should appear on all academic HSL Web home pages and PNTs. CONCLUSIONS: These obligatory links demonstrate a series of best practices that may be followed in the design and construction of academic HSL Websites.     

中美医学院网络信息计量指标的比较分析

选择41所美国医学院和14所中国医学院作为研究样本,对医学院网站的总入链数、外链数、网页总数、链接效率、网络影响因子等网络信息计量指标进行考察,探索各个指标在大学评价中的有效性,并对中美医学院的网络影响力进行比较分析。研究结果表明,中美医学院网站具有不同的计量特征,美国医学院的网络影响力要强于中国医学院。     

A primer on developing and using course-related library Web pages

Course-related library Web pages can be designed to introduce students to an academic library Web site and provide access to information relevant to specific courses. These pages are most often developed to support a library instruction session. The author's course-related pages are designed on a template that includes the main features of the library Web site (e.g., links to the online catalog, reference information, and interlibrary loan request forms), a list of pertinent online indexes and databases, links to electronic journals, and recommended Web sites. Technical and organizational issues related to creating and maintaining such pages are discussed, as are outreach efforts and faculty/student response to incorporating this type of Web page into library instruction. A sample evaluation form and a list of selected course-related library Web sites are included as appendices.     

Content and Design Features of Academic Health Sciences Libraries’ Home Pages

The goal of this content analysis was to identify commonly used content and design features of academic health sciences library home pages. After developing a checklist, data were collected from 135 academic health sciences library home pages. The core components of these library home pages included a contact phone number, a contact email address, an Ask-a-Librarian feature, the physical address listed, a feedback/suggestions link, subject guides, a discovery tool or database-specific search box, multimedia, social media, a site search option, a responsive web design, and a copyright year or update date.     

对国内170所大学图书馆主页特色服务的调查分析

每所大学图书馆的主页都是该大学图书馆展示自己的窗口，主页的特色服务栏目是各馆最应该下工夫的地方，也是图书馆自动化建设和发展的重要标志。文章对国内170所大学图书馆主页的特色服务进行了调查和分析。     

Wired But Not Connected

Summary

The main library Web pages representing Yahoo!'s list of the “100 Most Wired Colleges” were analyzed for accessibility to people with disabilities. Forty of the pages were judged accessible using Bobby, the online automated service developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology. Frequencies of accessibility errors, recommendations, questions, tips, and browser compatibility errors are provided. The study found no relationship between accessibility of the library home pages and indicators of institutional resources, as represented by Yahoo! ranking (computer resources), Association of Research Libraries composite ranking (extent of library resources), and Carnegie Classification (range and extent of academic and research resources). Guidelines for accessible Web pages and an Adaptive PC Computer Workstation are included.     

A Use of Space: The Unintended Messages of Academic Library Web Sites

Academic library home pages are not only access points to the resources and services of a library, they are virtual representations of the library itself. The content placed on the page, where it is placed, and the amount of space allotted are all choices that send a message about the character of the library, the resources a user should start with, and the library's attitude toward its users. This study explores the messages being sent by the content selection and design of the home pages of 49 of the 50 largest academic libraries in the United States. By looking at the area allocated to different content types and the number and location of different content types, the researchers discovered that design elements and promotion/public relations receive a large amount of page space. The researchers also identified the prominently positioned multi-search box as the apparent de facto standard access point to library resources. Many sites are clearly designed to direct users to specific, presumably important resources. Other sites are more obscure in their site structure and design, increasing the options and visual clutter for users without providing much guidance.     

基于信息资源共享理念的图书馆主页内容设计

图书馆是信息资源共享的重要中介,图书馆主页是图书馆发挥中介作用的重要平台,其内容设计直接作用于用户,影响到信息资源共享的程度。通过调查美国、英国、加拿大以及我国共计10所著名大学的图书馆主页,对各校主页的栏目设置、各栏目主要内容等方面进行比较,分析各校主页对信息资源共享所做的努力,希望对相关图书馆主页的建设提供参考。     

Focus Groups and Usability Testing in Redesigning an Academic Library's Web Site

ABSTRACT

As the World Wide Web has advanced since its inception, librarians have endeavored to keep pace with this progress in the design of their library Web pages. User recommendations collected from focus groups and usability testing have indicated that the University of Scranton's Weinberg Memorial Library's Web site was not working as intended, and the library's home page, in particular, was cluttered. Focus groups indicated that the process of accessing the library's databases from off-campus took too many steps, key resources were not located in key areas of the page, links were too close together, and the font was too small. Library staff determined it was necessary to rethink and redesign its pages. Self-reports from focus groups were insufficient to get at the mechanics of Web page use. Through usability testing, librarians were able to observe students and faculty completing simple research and directional tasks. Before “going live” with the new page in January 2007, users who had participated in the focus groups and in the usability testing were surveyed about the redesigned library Web page. The users indicated that the new Web page was less confusing, easier to use, and somewhat more intuitive than the previous library Web page. Web sites are always works in progress, and academic librarians should be proactive about making changes to their library Web sites to take advantage of emerging technology and to meet user expectations.     

Technology at Washington University School of Medicine Library: BACS, PHILSOM, and OCTANET

A brief overview of the Bibliographic Access and Control System developed by the Washington University School of Medicine Library is presented. Because the system has been described in two previous reports, this paper focuses on its relationship to other automated programs (i.e., PHILSOM and OCTANET), education of users, evaluation of the system, and outreach to the medical center. In operation for more than two years, BACS represents the computerization of much of the managerial and operational functions of the library, and marks the completion of stage 1 of the three stages of library evolution described in the AAMC report Academic Information in the Academic Health Sciences Center: Roles for the Library in Information Management.     

Library school education for medical librarianship.

This paper reviews the current situation in library school education for medical librarianship in the United States and Canada based on information from a questionnaire sent to teachers of courses in medical librarianship in accredited library schools. Since 1939, when the first course devoted entirely to medical librarianship was offered at Columbia University, courses have been introduced into the curricula of at least forty-seven of the ALA-accredited library schools. In 1978 there were seventy courses available through forty-seven library schools. Possibilities for specialization in medical librarianship are examined. Course content is reviewed. Implications of the MLA certification examination for library school courses are explored.     

What words and where? Applying usability testing techniques to name a new live reference service

OBJECTIVE: A user-focused design approach was taken to develop a new "live reference" service at the Health Sciences Library, University of Saskatchewan. The name of the service, the placement of the links, and the design of a graphical button were seen as key elements in creating service awareness and its subsequent use. METHODS: To ensure library users recognized and understood the label for the new service, selected library users were given an opportunity to choose a phrase that would best describe the service. The top two preferred phrases were then placed on the library Web pages as text and graphic images for further testing. Some pages had links in multiple locations to determine which placement worked best. Task-based usability testing was carried out with participants who were unaware of the new service. Participants were observed as they completed seven Website tasks arranged in increasing levels of difficulty to see whether they would notice the live reference service and seek assistance. RESULTS: The high level of recognition and use of the service indicate that the label name and link placement were effective with library Website users. CONCLUSIONS: Using user-centered design methodology helped ensure that the new live reference service was visible and used and demonstrated the effectiveness of the user-centered design approach for adding new services to an existing Website.     

基于WCAG 2.0的国家图书馆可访问性评价研究

在回顾与评价图书馆网站可访问性评价研究的基础上,选取6个国家图书馆网站,利用Achecker工具,根据WCAG 2.0 Level A标准对网站首页和二级页面进行可访问性评价。结果发现：6个国家图书馆的708个测评网页的总体通过率为43.6%,其中：法国国家图书馆网页通过率最好;我国与俄罗斯国家图书馆在可访问性达标方面与其他国家存在一定差距;6个国家图书馆在网页可访问性达标方面存在共性错误。在此基础上,从制度完善、图书馆网站开发与管理、网页设计规范等方面就我国图书馆网站可访问性水平提升问题提出对策和建议。     

Centralization vs. decentralization in medical school libraries

Does the medical school library in the United States operate more commonly under the university library or the medical school administration? University-connected medical school libraries were asked to indicate (a) the source of their budgets, whether from the central library or the medical school, and (b) the responsibility for their acquisitions and cataloging. Returns received from sixtyeight of the seventy eligible institutions showed decentralization to be much the most common: 71 percent of the libraries are funded by their medical schools; 79 percent are responsible for their own acquisitions and processing. The factor most often associated with centralization of both budget and operation is public ownership. Decentralization is associated with service to one or two rather than three or more professional schools. Location of the medical school in a different city from the university is highly favorable to autonomy. Other factors associated with these trends are discussed.     

Building the electronic health sciences library for the twenty-first century: the Galter Library experience

Constructing home pages for World-Wide Web access has become a major activity in academic health sciences libraries. At the Northwestern University, Galter Health Sciences Library staff are creating the library's new health information system using Web resources and integrating them with existing library systems-NUmed (OVID MEDLINE) and LUIS/NUcat (NOTIS). Development of Web pages, including selection and organization of electronic information, has become the building process for the electronic library. Selection, organization, design, and construction are important factors in the creation of an efficient and useful information system. Using resources like the World-Wide Web and tools like Netscape, library staff are designing an interface, defining policies and guidelines, and creating the tools that will give users easy access to local and international electronic, scholarly information resources. In this paper, the process used at Northwestern is shown as a model of an electronic health sciences library for the twenty-first century.     

Serving Community Faculty Through a Dedicated Liaison

Community-based medical schools rely heavily on volunteer faculty to provide medical education. Volunteer faculty consist of health care professionals, primarily physicians, who commit to educating medical students and residents. While these volunteer faculty are typically unpaid, many medical schools provide some benefits to them for volunteering their time. One such benefit, although rarely noted in library or medical education literature, is access to academic medical library resources and services. This article highlights a library services liaison model dedicated to the support of volunteer faculty at a community-based medical school.     

An analysis of bibliometric indicators,National Institutes of Health funding,and faculty size at Association of American Medical Colleges medical schools, 1997–2007

Objective:

The objective of this study was to analyze bibliometric data from ISI, National Institutes of Health (NIH)–funding data, and faculty size information for Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) member schools during 1997 to 2007 to assess research productivity and impact.

Methods:

This study gathered and synthesized 10 metrics for almost all AAMC medical schools (n = 123): (1) total number of published articles per medical school, (2) total number of citations to published articles per medical school, (3) average number of citations per article, (4) institutional impact indices, (5) institutional percentages of articles with zero citations, (6) annual average number of faculty per medical school, (7) total amount of NIH funding per medical school, (8) average amount of NIH grant money awarded per faculty member, (9) average number of articles per faculty member, and (10) average number of citations per faculty member. Using principal components analysis, the author calculated the relationships between measures, if they existed.

Results:

Principal components analysis revealed 3 major clusters of variables that accounted for 91% of the total variance: (1) institutional research productivity, (2) research influence or impact, and (3) individual faculty research productivity. Depending on the variables in each cluster, medical school research may be appropriately evaluated in a more nuanced way. Significant correlations exist between extracted factors, indicating an interrelatedness of all variables. Total NIH funding may relate more strongly to the quality of the research than the quantity of the research. The elimination of medical schools with outliers in 1 or more indicators (n = 20) altered the analysis considerably.

Conclusions:

Though popular, ordinal rankings cannot adequately describe the multidimensional nature of a medical school''s research productivity and impact. This study provides statistics that can be used in conjunction with other sound methodologies to provide a more authentic view of a medical school''s research. The large variance of the collected data suggests that refining bibliometric data by discipline, peer groups, or journal information may provide a more precise assessment.

Highlights

• Principal components analysis discovered three clusters of variables: (1) institutional research productivity, (2) research influence or impact, and (3) individual faculty research productivity.
• The associations between size-independent measures (e.g., average number of citations/article) were more significant than associations between size-independent bibliometric measures and size-dependent (e.g., number of faculty) bibliometric measures and vice versa, except in the case of total National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.
• The factor coefficients, or loadings, for total NIH funding may associate more with the quality of research rather than the quantity of research.
• The removal of twenty outliers, fourteen highly productive or influential medical schools and six medical schools with relatively low research profiles, changed the results of the analysis significantly.
• This study''s broad institutional bibliometric data sets cannot be extrapolated to specific departments at the studied medical schools.

Implications

• Librarians, administrators, and faculty should use several methodologies in tandem with bibliometric data when evaluating institutions'' research impact and productivity.
• Health sciences librarians should not make use of university rankings materials lacking strong methodological foundations.
• This study''s bibliometric data may provide a starting point or point of comparison for future assessments.

     

数字图书馆Web 学术资源信息的分块采集研究

在数字图书馆Web 学术信息资源的优化采集中,有效结合网页空间特征、内容特征和标签信息对网页进 行分块,研究对分块结果进行识别和合并,然后输出网页的主题文本和相关链接块集合,最后通过实验分析该方法能 够进一步去除页面中噪音、准确地分析页面的主题相关性和提高Web 主题信息采集的质量。