235,608 research outputs found

    Education for Database Intermediaries: How Library Schools Have Changed (And How They Haven’t).

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    In 1988, surveys were sent to all 60 of the American Library Association-accredited schools of library and information science in the US and Canada that offer master degrees. The overall response rate was 88%. In more than 80% of the schools, 3/4 or more of the students receive hands-on experience with online searching, and about the same percentage were exposed to CD-ROM databases. In 23 schools, 1/4 or more of the students were exposed to in-house simulation systems. Of the participating schools, 82% had at least one course 100% dedicated to online searching and 25% had more than one. Several schools were trying to incorporate some database experience into all reference classes in the curriculum. DIALOG is used by every school that responded regarding online use. The majority of schools use more than one kind of hardware and have more than one piece of software for online searching. Bibliographic databases were the most popular CD-ROM products, especially ERIC and the WILSONDISC demonstration disk that contains small portions of all H. W. Wilson CD-ROM databases

    Teaching online information systems: perspectives on the British experience.

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    The original aim of this paper was to review the development of education and training for online searching in Britain during the last ten years. The literature is fairly comprehensive in its coverage of the evolution of online searching, and of new developments such as OPACs (Online Public Access Catalogues), CD-ROM systems, expert systems, and image storage systems. It would have been possible to write a book on these topics but that task has already been completed by the authors of no less than three books which have appeared in Britain.1,2,3 The different approaches which have been taken to aspects of education and training, including the development of simulations and the place of online searching in the curriculum have also been thoroughly considered. After completing an initial review of this extensive literature, it became apparent that it would probably be most useful to draw attention to a number of issues which do not appear to have been widely discussed. Certain aspects of the British experience could be of particular significance for future development in those countries where online searching is not yet as widely practiced. These relate particularly to the impact of assistance and encouragement for experimental research; the impact of end-users' appreciation of the potential of online information services; and the implications of teaching online systems (and other forms of library automation) for curriculum development, student recruitment, funding, and the position of the Schools of Librarianship within their parent institution. These issues are not fully discussed in the existing literature, but have a long-term significance far greater than the solution of the technical problems associated with online searching. The paper therefore attempts to highlight some of those issues, drawing upon the literature and the author's observations of developments in Britain in the last ten years

    Why I Still Teach Dialog

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    A GROUP OF SPECIAL librarians who run information services for multinational corporations recently told me what they looked for in new MLS graduates. They want people who feel comfortable learning and searching multiple online systems, teaching end users, and choosing the best resources. Several in the group complained that, although their new hires were excellent web searchers and web page designers, they did not have enough experience with fee-based online services. One manager said she looks to MLS graduates for less common attributes; she wants people who understand how information systems are structured, can search fee-based systems with confidence, and can formulate good search strategies. More than one librarian was disappointed that new hires, as opposed to those five years ago, didn\u27t even know how to search Dialog. I was told, If someone has good Dialog searching skills, I can teach them any other system. These librarians wanted to know why some library schools no longer require or even include Dialog searching in their curricula

    Instruction on the Web: Getting All Librarians Involved

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    The Collection Development Council at Old Dominion University (Virginia) decided to involve all subject specialist librarians in creating guides to web resources in the disciplines for which they serve as bibliographers. The project was intended to help librarians become familiar with Internet resources in their fields of expertise and give them experience with World Wide Web searching. A worksheet for bibliographers and a sample guide were provided. Librarians were asked to complete a worksheet for one of their assigned areas of collection development in the next year. A separate Web Team would enter the guides, using HTML and mounting them on the library web site. The worksheet consisted of space for entering a title, URL and comments of resources in 15 different categories: Internet resource guides, monograph-type materials, periodical materials, electronic mailing lists, USENET groups, directories, software archives, graphics archives, sound archives, commercial information services, online business sites, online organization sites, data files, career resources, and other miscellaneous sites. One year after the project\u27s inception, 28 of the 48 guides were completed. Those librarians who completed a guide gained experience and competence in searching the web, and the faculty and students have benefited. A sample guide on women\u27s studies is included. (Author/SWC

    Comparison Usability Testing: Classic Online Catalog vs. EBSCO Discovery Layer

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    For years we have offered our EBSCO discovery layer service (EDS) as a secondary search tool in addition to our traditional online catalog (GAVEL) linking to both from the library website. However, the traditional catalog search, also known as “Classic GAVEL”, is always listed first while EDS, also known as “GAVEL & Beyond”, is listed second. Although maintenance has continued for populating EDS with library records on a daily basis, customization for this interface and sharing it with our users has not been prioritized. Before making any decisions related to changing the primary location our users experience when searching the catalog, or dedicating time to improving the look, feel and functionality of either interface, we knew we needed more information about our users and their preferences. In this article we present the findings of a library usability test conducted at UGA Law Library, sharing the test design and results from our comparison study between Innovative’s Sierra WEBPac and EBSCO’s discovery layer

    Old Hopes, New Possibilities: Next Generation Catalogues and the Centralization of Acess

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    Next-generation catalogues can be viewed as the latest manifestation of a tendency in library catalogue history to strive for centralization of access to collections—a single portal for the discovery of library resources. Due to an increasing volume of published materials and the explosion of online information resources during the Internet age, the library does not currently provide centralized access to its various information silos, nor does it provide a user-friendly search and retrieval experience for users whose expectations are shaped by Google and other major commercial Web sites. Searching across library resources is a complicated task, bearing high-attention “transaction costs” for the user, which discourage the use of library resources. Libraries need access systems that minimize complexity, easing discovery and delivery of resources for user populations. Here, the authors review past efforts of centralization of access, consider the potential of next-generation catalogues in the context of this historical tendency toward centralization of access, and describe what goals underlie that centralization.published or submitted for publicatio

    UGA’s Alexander Campbell King Law Library: Phasing In Inclusive Usability Testing

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    For years we have offered our EBSCO discovery layer service (EDS) as a secondary search tool in addition to our traditional online catalog (GAVEL) linking to both from the library website. However, the traditional catalog search, also known as “Classic GAVEL”, is always listed first while EDS, also known as “GAVEL & Beyond”, is listed second. Although maintenance has continued for populating EDS with library records on a daily basis, customization for this interface and sharing it with our users has not been prioritized. Before making any decisions related to changing the primary location our users experience when searching the catalog, or dedicating time to improving the look, feel and functionality of either interface, we knew we needed more information about our users and their preferences. In this article we present the findings of a library usability test conducted at UGA Law Library, sharing the test design and results from our comparison study between Innovative’s Sierra WEBPac and EBSCO’s discovery layer

    Amount of invested mental effort (AIME) in online searching

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    This research investigates how people’s perceptions of information retrieval (IR) systems, their perceptions of search tasks, and their perceptions of self-efficacy influence the amount of invested mental effort (AIME) they put into using two different IR systems: a Web search engine and a library system. It also explores the impact of mental effort on an end user’s search experience. To assess AIME in online searching, two experiments were conducted using these methods: Experiment 1 relied on self-reports and Experiment 2 employed the dual-task technique. In both experiments, data were collected through search transaction logs, a pre-search background questionnaire, a post-search questionnaire and an interview. Important findings are these: (1) subjects invested greater mental effort searching a library system than searching the Web; (2) subjects put little effort into Web searching because of their high sense of self-efficacy in their searching ability and their perception of the easiness of the Web; (3) subjects did not recognize that putting mental effort into searching was something needed to improve the search results; and (4) data collected from multiple sources proved to be effective for assessing mental effort in online searching.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102729/1/Rieh_Kim_Markey_IPM2012.pd

    Cummings, Merrill, and Borrelli’s Inquiry into Small Screen Use by Academic Library Users: Timing is Everything

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    Objective – The authors undertook this study to understand the relatively new phenomenon of handheld computing and the use of small-screen devices among academic library users. They sought to determine if users would be inclined to search the online library catalogue on their devices and, by extension, if there would be a growing demand for small-screen compatible library services. Design – Online and paper surveys were used with both closed and open questions. Respondents included students, faculty, and staff at Washington State University (WSU). Setting – Washington State University Library, Pullman, Washington, United States of America. Subjects – The survey was open to any user of the Washington State University (Pullman) Library. The 206 respondents included 126 (61.2%) undergraduates, 26 (12.6%) graduate or professional students, 32 (15.3%) WSU employees, and 15 (7.3%) faculty members. Methods – A survey was distributed both online and on paper. The online version used Surveymonkey.com and participation was solicited through various social media. It was open for three months during the Spring semester, 2007. The paper version was distributed to all library users on two days in June 2007. Eighty-four online and 122 paper responses were received. Main Results – Most of the respondents (58.4%) who owned a personal digital assistant (PDA) or Web-enabled cell phone (WECP) indicated that they would search the library catalogue on a small-screen device. Responses to the open question “How would you use the OPAC [online public access catalogue] if it was available on a PDA or WECP?” were mixed, both positive and negative. The positive responders noted the possible time savings associated with the availability of more information on their devices. The negative responders noted the cost of data, the annoyance of public phone use, and the complex format of the current catalogue that would not transfer to a small screen. Conclusion – The authors cited the growing usage trends in handheld devices, along with the willingness of current owners to use their devices, to predict an increase in usage of small screen searching. They speculated that further research should investigate how small screens would be used and what would that experience look like, rather than if patrons would use them

    Teaching with the Framework: a Cephalonian Approach

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    Purpose This paper aims to provide academic instruction librarians with a model for integrating concepts from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework into “one-shot” library instruction sessions without losing the practical experience of searching the library resources. Design/methodology/approach The authors adapted the Cephalonian method as the structure of first-year library instruction sessions for an English composition class. The sessions were re-designed to emphasize the core concepts of information literacy while incorporating active learning activities and discussion. Findings The authors found the Cephalonian method to be a useful structure for incorporating aspects of the ACRL Framework into the first-year library instruction program. The call-and-response format fosters conversations and leads seamlessly into hands-on activities. When used as part of “flipped” instruction, the Cephalonian method allows instructors to engage students who have completed the online portion and those who have not. Practical implications This paper offers librarians practical ideas for incorporating the information literacy concepts outlined in the ACRL Framework into one-shot instruction sessions. Originality/value With the recent adoption of the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education by ACRL, there is a need for practical examples of how to incorporate the frames into existing library instruction programs
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