Citation Rates for Ohio State Graduate Theses & Dissertations: Trends, Surprises, and Inaccuracies

The Ohio State University’s holdings of graduate theses and dissertations were examined to determine if highly-downloaded titles tended to be highly-cited. The study found that citation rates were highly variable and did not necessarily correspond to download rates. This included very highly downloaded titles with low citation rates, and lesser-downloaded titles with high citation rates. The study found that Google Scholar, which was used to identify citation rates, too often counts theses and dissertations as a version of a different work with the same title, even if it is another format and sometimes with additional authors. This article will share these findings

Overhauling of a Science Library Web Area

This article covers the revamp of a science library’s web area. The library’s web area contained outdated web pages, unused files, and an architecture that made it hard to maintain. All of these issues with the web area resulted in an examination and revamping of several aspects of all the files on the web area. Server statistics were used to determine the usage of the files in the library’s web area. Files containing textual information were categorized according to their topic and the usage of each topic area was examined to determine the distribution of usage amongst the topic areas. Files were also categorized according to file type in order to determine the distribution of various file types. The architecture of the web area was improved in order to make the files categorized into proper topic folders and thus easier to maintain. Files were moved as needed in order to fit into the new architecture. Unused web pages were integrated into other web pages or deleted entirely. Redirects were created for users that have used bookmarks or links to the old location. Web pages were all examined and appropriately revised in order to provide concise, up to date, and accurate information and links to information. The article ends with the future plans for the web area, including a regular schedule of maintenance

Google Scholar Versions: Errors and Implications

Google Scholar combines versions of what should be the same item into a single record with multiple versions listed and a common citation rate for all versions. However, these versions are not always the same document. A study on the citations of theses and dissertations found unusually high citation rates for some titles. On closer examination, these titles had versions that were other formats, sometimes with additional authors. A close examination of highly cited theses and dissertations revealed that nearly half of the titles were considered versions of other different formats, often much shorter and sometimes multi-authored journal articles

Mapping for the Masses: GIS Lite and Online Mapping Tools in Academic Libraries

Customized maps depicting complex social data are much more prevalent today than in the past. Not only in formal published outlets, interactive mapping tools make it easy to create and publish custom maps in both formal and more casual outlets such as social media. This article defines GIS Lite, describes three commercial products currently licensed by institutions, and discusses issues that arise from their varied functionality and license restrictions.Publisher allows immediate open acces

Discipline-Specific Library Instruction for Millennial Students

The Ohio State University Libraries offers an introduction to library research to students in survey courses that introduce them to the university. Through an online assignment called Make the Leap, students expand their skills in finding web sites, books, and journal articles via the use of a web search engine, the library catalog, and a research database. In 2006, the assignment was retooled to target engineering students using topics and tools relevant to engineering and computer science students. This article details the pedagogies and strategies of both versions of the assignment and shows evidence for student and instructor preference toward the subject-specific version. Possible future directions for the Make the Leap program, including scaffolding and other subject-specific versions, are given

Public Libraries and Higher Education Combining Efforts to Create Quality STEM Children's Programs

Accepted Manuscript: version updated to include the author's revisions after peer review, prior to any typesetting for the journal.Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are a major component of our society and student success in STEM can lead to important opportunities and future careers. STEM education programs are important components to get children and youths interested in STEM fields and to instill in them STEM concepts. This paper describes two successful Ohio urban STEM programs, produced as collaborations between public libraries and higher education institutions. Cleveland's Mean Green Science Machine focused on middle and high school-aged children while The Ohio State University (OSU) Science Café in Columbus focused on preschool and elementary school-aged children for its summer sessions. Recommendations for best practices for creating children's programming using STEM is provided.Publisher allows immediate open acces

Fostering a Tech Culture through Campus Collaborations: A Case Study of a Hackathon and Library Partnership

Hackathons are time-bound, competitive coding contests that are often judged for prizes. Their name originates from joining hacking, playful exploration of hardware and software issues, with marathons, endurance competitions. The intent is to challenge participants to build working prototypes of hardware or software in a short time period, anywhere from one day to several weeks, though typically between 24-28 hours. While they are a mainstay in computer science fields, they are becoming increasingly popular in other domains, including libraries. Libraries have long championed life-long learning, a democratization of data, and access to information. These are similar mentalities of the maker movement, echoed in hackathons. Rapid iteration, problem solving, and cooperative learning are regularly present at events and within library systems. This paper details a case study of one institution’s growth from a hackathon event host to deeper library engagement and partnership with an informal learning program. The authors will highlight benefits that both partners observed and will end with a pitch for why other libraries should consider hosting similar events. Finally, several recommended resources for libraries who are contemplating hosting hackathon events will be presented.Publisher allows immediate open acces