JSIS: An Iranian specialized information center

As one of the leading governmental information services, JSIS (Jahad Sazandegi Scientific Information Services) started its activities in August 1993 in order to provide information support for approximately 60 research and education centers of the Ministry of Jahad Sazandegi. The present article describes JSIS's various activities such as technical services, document delivery services, electronic referral services, current awareness, and networking services.     

数字开放环境下用户信息资源利用模式研究

数字开放环境下,用户对于信息资源的利用产生了一系列发展变化,用户在信息资源的内容、信息资源工具以及信息资源服务都呈现出了一些新特征：更倾向于电子期刊、二次资源的使用、搜索引擎成为主要的资源获取工具、社交网络相关服务日趋流行等。通过分析发现,未来电子资源的使用将会不断上升但不能取代印本资源,深加工资源和开放资源越来越受到用户的青睐,用户对相关工具的可融合性要求越来越高,诸如移动服务、社交媒体等新型服务的使用量将会越来越大。     

How Are Teacher-Librarians Finding Resources for Coursework?

Abstract

Providing distance learners access to library services does not automatically translate into usage of those resources. The literature on information-seeking behaviour of distance learners has indicated that they prefer to use local resources, as well as Web-based resources. This study investigates perspectives on library services and available resources for distance learners in the Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning program at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. The findings suggest that distance learners in this program tend to rely on local and familiar resources, have a lack of awareness or understanding of certain library services provided to them, rely heavily on electronic full-text availability, and may feel isolated from fellow students, resulting in low collaboration in the process of accessing information. The researchers suggest developing effective marketing strategies and collaborating with faculty to promote usage of library services provided to distance learners.     

Inferring User Behaviour from Journal Access Figures

Abstract

Using the BUBL Journals service as a rich source of data, this article outlines different methods of measuring usage of electronic journals, suggests that different types of access may be mapped to the user activities of browsing, reading and searching, and draws some inferences about why different titles have differing patterns of usage. It also proposes that by measuring the ‘search-to-browse’ ratio of a journal it is possible to assess whether journals are being used primarily for research and reference purposes or mainly for current awareness and casual browsing.     

Beyond Satisfaction: Understanding and Promoting the Instructor-Librarian Relationship

This article reports upon the assessment and research activities undertaken by a research group of faculty librarians at Hunter College regarding the perceptions, awareness, and usage of library services by non-librarian faculty members. Given the initial directive to measure faculty satisfaction with library services, the research group developed an ongoing action-research protocol to pursue more meaningful assessments of faculty awareness and use of library services and resources. The researchers employed both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, gathering data through informal information groups with faculty members and through an online survey measuring faculty awareness of library resources and services (Faculty Awareness of Library Services (FALS)). The findings show that while Hunter faculty value relational engagement with the library, they are more frequently aware of non-relational, self-service library resources. Further, the data suggest that tenured faculty members are aware of library services at a higher rate than tenure-track faculty. This data forms the foundation of an on-going action-research protocol to assess long-term trends, the products of which will continue to inform faculty services, outreach, and programming.     

Shaping Expectations: Defining and Refining the Role of Technical Services in New Resource Rollouts

ABSTRACT

From trial to implementation, technical services staff play an important role in shaping awareness and expectations of new or updated electronic resources. With appropriate message control during the rollout process, technical services staff can positively influence understanding and awareness of resources while keeping co-workers’ and patrons’ expectations in check. At the same time, by embracing this public service role, technical services acts as a full partner with public services in mediating resources to patrons. This article explores technical services’ public-facing role by describing a protocol for managing rollouts that emphasizes timing internal and external communications, providing training and support materials, and maintaining accuracy and objectivity in all rollout communications.     

Public health practitioners' information access and use patterns in the Maryland (USA) public health departments of Anne Arundel and Wicomico Counties

PURPOSE: To increase understanding of the information needs and use of public health practitioners. SETTING: From June 2005 to May 2006, the library offered a course in public health information resources to eighteen practitioners in two counties, access to the library's licensed electronic resources through a tailored web portal, and consulting services. EVALUATION METHOD: We combined usage statistics from the web portal, self-report and observational data collected during training and shadowing of participants. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this project indicate that usage of licensed information resources and services is infrequent but broad ranging. A few users register at the high end of the usage range, but one use of one high quality article can have a significant impact on policy decisions. Time and competing responsibilities often constrain the retrieval and use of resources for evidence-based decision making and an informationist or power-user model may be more appropriate than training all practitioners to integrate searching into their workflow. This study indicates (i) that evidence-based public health practice requires seamless and broadly based information access; and (ii) that the currently existing patchwork does not support the level of use or take into account the time constraints of information needs for public health practice.     

数字图书馆电子资源与服务统计标准之探讨

随着电子信息资源的迅速发展,电子服务的使用在图书馆迅速增长,为了规范测量电子服务的使用状况,国际图书馆统计标准ISO2789、美国图书馆统计标准(NISO)Z39.7-2004等均增加了电子服务使用统计。笔者在此主要探讨这些统计标准中关于电子资源和服务方面的统计指标,具体包括数字图书馆资源与服务之统计、数字图书馆电子资源使用之统计项目以及各项数字图书馆服务的使用统计等内容,以期为国内图书馆制定电子服务使用统计标准提供参考。     

Trends in information technology and private sector activities

As the largest single producer, consumer, and disseminator of information in the United States, the Federal government has enormous power to influence the development and diffusion of new information technologies. Through the use of electronic information systems, it also has the opportunity to make more government information readily available to more public users. Defining the appropriate uses of, and controls on, this power are of critical importance in determining whether the government will be a positive or a negative force, particularly with respect to the private sector. Although there has always been, and probably always will be, some competition between government and private sector information products and services, there is agreement that the laws and policies regulating government information practices do not, and should not, require or permit a Federal agency to provide information products and services in the same manner as a private company. Federal agencies must be careful not to exploit the power inherent in electronic data systems by providing nonessential services to the public simply because the capability to provide such services exists. Instead the government should assume an affirmative obligation to review each electronic information activity carefully in order to avoid unnecessary government interference in the marketplace for information products and services. Further, as the government becomes increasingly involved in the use of electronic collection and dissemination, it must also learn to differentiate among levels of service and requirements of various user communities. Positions of the Association of Research Libraries, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and the Information Industry Association are presented and are shown to be in surprising harmony with the policies of OMB Circular A-130 and the views of the House Committee on Government Operations. The Securities and Exchange Commission's EDGAR system and recent development in distribution og government information on CD-ROM are reviewed as examples of the implementation of these policies.     

Integrating and Advertising Government Publications Internally and Externally: A Guide for Documents Librarians

ABSTRACT

Government publications contain a wealth of information. In an effort to increase the usage of these important publications, the staff at Bierce Library, University of Akron, use the following strategies to integrate and advertise government publications into the library activities and the community: (1) cataloging the publications so they appear on the local online catalog as well as the statewide catalog, (2) integrating them into the bibliographic instruction program, (3) listing them in pathfinders as sources on various topics, (4) making them a focus of “hot topics” such as health care reform, (5) presenting and promoting special workshops on specialized government databases such as the National Trade Data Bank and GPO Access (using the flyer approach), (6) visiting your Congressional Representative's Office to increase awareness of the information available in Depository Libraries to his/her constituents, (7) discussing these avenues at state groups, (8) including these methods in conferences, and (9) joining forces with other Documents Librarians in the area to create a depository brochure announcing hours, services, and highlights of each depository collection, and making this information available on a web page. The above strategies are generic enough that libraries can easily implement them into their programs.

The effect of these strategies is measured by an increased use of government publications. This can be monitored with circulation statistics and use of electronic products. The results are inconclusive if only circulation statistics are used.     

Interactive Multi-Media and Electronic Media in Academic Libraries:

Electronic information formats such as optical media or multi-media used in colleges and universities present challenges for academic library policy makers. Some policy areas that should be considered for electronic and interactive formats are familiar and some are new. This paper describes areas of policy and decision points for services involving new and emerging formats such as hypermedia, interactive multi-media and full-text electronic files. Topics include: planning, staffing, collection development, security, access and services. The areas discussed were encountered by librarians in the author's library during the process of installing a 20-work-station Interactive Media Center.     

Collections on the Web: some access and navigation issues

Many libraries are currently experiencing a transition from printed to electronic collections. This transition has led to changes in collection development practices as well as in the roles of information professionals who facilitate access to information. Roles of librarians in both public and technical/access services are converging. There is a demand for a new breed of librarians who understand the entire electronic information scenario: procurement, organization, access and public services. All these come into play when making decisions and choices for meeting users’ information needs. Libraries are addressing such issues as ownership versus access, consortial access to electronic resources, licensing and authentication, surrogate versus full-text electronic resources, and integration of free Web content into collections. Librarians are challenged to embrace new ways of optimizing access to electronic resources and to explore ways to fit new technologies and innovations into traditional library structures and practices.     

Scholarly Use of Web-based Information Resources and Services in University Libraries in Kerala (India)

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the use of web-based information services in university libraries in Kerala, India.

Design/methodology/approach: A survey method was used for the collection of data. The questionnaire method was used to collect data for the study. The study was conducted among the research scholars of four selected universities in Kerala, India.

Findings: This study has analyzed the services and resources in the libraries which are provided through the medium of the internet and also the usage patterns of web information services by the scholars of the selected universities. The analysis reveals that most of the university libraries have implemented web-based information services. However, the extent of usage is not to the expected level and this is due to the lack of sufficient awareness about the usage methods of web resources and services. With the help of proper user education and training programs, the present situation can be ameliorated. The findings of this study can be helpful to the authorities to improve the services in the libraries.

Originality/value: Proper use of library resources is essential for scholars to bring forth productive research outputs. This study provides recommendations for enhancing web-based services in university libraries in Kerala to provide better services to the users.     

Proposed information outreach programme in primary and secondary health care of Punjab,Pakistan

The study reported is part of Dr. Naeem's doctoral research, supervised by Professor Bhatti, with the objective to propose an information outreach programme for health care professionals working in rural areas of the Punjab province, Pakistan. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted involving 517 practitioners from across different health care facilities in the area. The goals of the outreach programme are identified on the basis of the findings regarding practitioners’ current usage and awareness of, as well as attitude and self‐efficacy towards using health information resources. The identification of these goals and their related activities, including logistical, promotional and educational, results in a model of the required inputs and investments to achieve both the short term, intermediate and long term results of the programme. F.J.     

Conceptualizing citizen-to-citizen (C2C) interactions within the E-government domain

Advances in technology increasingly empowered citizens to become active seekers and even co-producers of e-government information and services rather than being only passive recipients. Citizens' interactions with each other reached such a point that they could contribute to the quality and quantity of e-government services. Examples of this citizen-to-citizen (C2C) interactions adding value to current e-government services or triggering new and innovative ones are increasingly observed worldwide. Although C2C interactions is not a new phenomenon, it is a relatively overlooked topic in e-government studies. Current e-government literature is insufficient in exploring and explaining the evolving nature, increasing occurrence, and various outcomes of these interactions. This article aims to fill the gap in the e-government literature by analyzing C2C interactions in detail and discusses how to regulate the C2C interaction processes and their useful and harmful outcomes.When C2C interactions get integrated into government activities and form e-government value chains (as in C2C2G or G4C2C), they contribute to the electronic provision of government information or services. C2C interactions also create beneficial (advantages of C2C) and harmful (disadvantages of C2C) outcomes. The main advantages of C2C interactions are their support for governments in making decisions, solving problems, and improving public services. Their main disadvantages are distributing misinterpreted or manipulative information, causing uncertainty, and even digital vigilantism. The article ends with suggestions for future research, such as different scenarios of government regulation for C2C interactions.     

A Virtual Library for Librarians:

The Joint Academic Network (JANET) in Ihe United Kingdom supports electronic communication, access to online library catalogs, and access to fee-based information services, maintaining services and resources targeted specifically at librarians. This paper focuses on one such service, the Bulletin Board for Libraries (BUBL), and the professional development resources it provides for librarians involved with electronic networking. These include current awareness services, full texts of publications related to networking, training materials, and other resources relevant to libraries and the networked world.     

青少年信息需求与利用的调查与分析——基于广东省茂名地区7所中学的调查

[目的/意义] 调查青少年的信息需求与利用行为特点,旨在了解他们的信息素质现状,从而唤起学校及公共信息服务机构对青少年信息素质培养的重视,为提高青少年信息素质水平发挥应有的作用。[方法/过程] 选取广东省茂名地区7所中学1000名学生作为调查对象,采用问卷调查法对中学生的信息需求与信息利用行为特点进行调查与分析,并对影响青少年信息需求与利用的障碍因素进行剖析。[结果/结论] 根据青少年信息需求与利用的特点,建议从信息化基础设施建设、信息素质基础教育、图书馆利用教育以及教师与馆员的专业化培养等方面着手,培养青少年的信息意识,提升信息利用水平,从而提高他们的信息素养。     

The rapid evolution of scholarly communication

Traditional journals, even those available electronically, are changing slowly. However, there is rapid evolution in scholarly communication. Usage is moving to electronic formats. In some areas, it appears that electronic versions of papers are being read about as often as the printed journal versions. Although there are serious difficulties in comparing figures from different media, the growth rates in usage of electronic scholarly information are sufficiently high that if they continue for a few years, there will be no doubt that print versions will be eclipsed. Further, much of the electronic information that is accessed is outside the formal scholarly publication process. There is also vigorous growth in forms of electronic communication that take advantage of the unique capabilities of the web, and which simply do not fit into the traditional journal publishing format. This paper presents some statistics on usage of print and electronic information. It also discusses some preliminary evidence about the changing patterns of usage. It appears that much of the online usage comes from new readers (esoteric research papers assigned in undergraduate classes, for example) and often from places that do not have access to print journals. Also, the reactions to even slight barriers to usage suggest that even high-quality scholarly papers are not irreplaceable. Readers are faced with a ‘river of knowledge’ that allows them to select among a multitude of sources, and to find near substitutes when necessary. To stay relevant, scholars, publishers and librarians will have to make even greater efforts to make their material easily accessible.     

Electronic publishing: implications for health sciences libraries and librarians

Increasingly we hear of "electronic publishing" in the form of books and journals made available as databases, either through traditional online services or through electronic message services. This paper explores its potential impact on the medical library community and on the relationship between end user and librarian. The librarian's new roles as intermediary, facilitator, and advocate for end users are examined. The question of developing expertise for evaluating information as well as facilitating access is addressed.