Finding Citations to Social Work Literature: The Relative Benefits of Using Web of Science, Scopus, or Google Scholar

Past studies of citation coverage of Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar do not demonstrate a consistent pattern that can be applied to the interdisciplinary mix of resources used in social work research. To determine the utility of these tools to social work researchers, an analysis of citing references to well-known social work journals was conducted. Web of Science had the fewest citing references and almost no variety in source format. Scopus provided higher citation counts, but the pattern of coverage was similar toWeb of Science. Google Scholar provided substantially more citing references, but only a relatively small percentage of them were unique scholarly journal articles. The patterns of database coverage were replicated when the citations were broken out for each journal separately. The results of this analysis demonstrate the need to determine what resources constitute scholarly research and reflect the need for future researchers to consider the merits of each database before undertaking their research. This study will be of interest to scholars in library and information science as well as social work, as it facilitates a greater understanding of the strengths and limitations of each database and brings to light important considerations for conducting future researc

User Satisfaction with Electronic Reference: A Systematic REview

Purpose – The paper aims to systematically review research that analyzes satisfaction with electronic reference services, paying particular attention to how user satisfaction is measured. The application and value of evidence‐based methodologies for library and information science (LIS) research are explored. Design/methodology/approach – Database searches identified research concerned with electronic reference. Articles with a variable of user satisfaction were extracted and subjected to a critical appraisal. The remaining research was analyzed for similarities, differences, and consistency. Findings – A wide variety of methods are used to measure user satisfaction. There was almost no overlap in specific questions considered although there were some similarities in methodologies used. The results of this analysis show a lack of standardization in LIS research on this topic. Research limitations/implications – There may be some bias in the selection of research in that the reviewers were only able to obtain published findings. The lack of consistency in reporting results further limited the articles eligible for review and precluded a meta‐analysis. Practical implications – By synthesizing the research conducted on this topic, practicing librarians should be able to see patterns in user satisfaction with electronic reference, and become aware of common pitfalls in undertaking user satisfaction assessment. Those conducting or planning LIS research will be able to identify the characteristics of sound research and thorough reporting of results. Originality/value – Systematic review is an underutilized methodology in LIS research. As evidence‐based librarianship gains traction, it will become a more important tool for LIS researchers. The synthesis and analysis of previous research bring together disparate findings and show patterns and/or differences in providing these services, and brings into focus the lack of consistency in LIS research on this topic

If You Build It, Will They Come? Collateral Benefits of Changing Strategies to Facilitate Faculty Participation in a Campus IR

In October, 2014, the University at Albany Libraries launched Scholars Archive (SA), the University’s Institutional Repository (IR). Our first year of trial and error generated mixed results and low participation by non-library faculty. In year two, we redeveloped our strategy to yield benefits beyond simply increasing repository content. The new approach has three prongs: targeting outreach to deans, department heads and campus wide meetings instead of targeting to individual faculty members; second, we now provide a “full service” model for submitting content instead of merely mediating a “self-service” workflow model; third, we strategically highlight the IR platform’s available metrics to tell stories which vividly demonstrate the dissemination and impact of scholars’ work when it is open access. As campus constituencies learn about Scholars Archive, interest “snowballs,” and we succeed in progressively reaching ever more faculty members. Interest from graduate students is also growing. An emerging strategy is to garner buy-in from campus administration as our Interim Dean works to educate the Provost about the benefits of Scholars Archive for both faculty and the University at Albany as a whole. A collateral benefit of these efforts is a broadened faculty perception of the libraries’ institutional roles. Outreach for Scholars Archive serves to demonstrate the value of the University Libraries as a whole on campus. We are now viewed as partners in scholarly communications initiatives: library’s role as publisher, library as an open access solution, and library as a source of impact assessment

Social Gerontology- Integrative and Territorial Aspects: A Citation Analysis of Subject Scatter and Database Coverage

To determine the mix of resources used in social gerontology research, a citation analysis was conducted. A representative sample of citations was selected from three prominent gerontology journals and information was added to determine subject scatter and database coverage for the cited materials. Results indicate that a significant portion of gerontology research, even from a social science perspective, relies roughly equally on medical resources as it does social science resources. Furthermore, there is a small but defined core of literature constituting scholarly “territory” unique to gerontology. Analysis of database indexing indicated that broad, interdisciplinary databases provide more comprehensive coverage of the cited materials than do subject-specific databases