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A very short review this week, as this topic has been covered late last year in previous reviews (see links below). However included here are some of the newer abstracts.
The multimedia librarian in the twenty-first century: the viewpoint of a university librarian Academic libraries are at a crossroads, whether deciding on the pros and cons of converged services or juggling with slashed budgets in a frantic attempt to provide increasing numbers of services to more users. New technology, despite offering wonderful opportunities, changes quicker than the seasons and frequently fails to perform as well as its hype. The author suggests that we should regard this situation as an exciting challenge, rather than a threat. Integrated solutions are discussed and suggestions made as to how best we can balance the old with the new and a question is posed as to whether we can ever overcome the infrastructural problems posed by the Web. Keywords: Academic libraries, Careers, Internet, Librarians Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- **
An integrated Web-based ILL system for Singapore libraries The paper proposes an integrated Web-based inter-library loan (ILL) system to replace and enhance the existing manual-based ILL system used by Singapore libraries. It describes the system requirements that must be supported in order to make it a viable and acceptable solution to all participating libraries. Subsequently, it presents the client-server Web-based system architecture, database design and Java development platform that are used to implement the system. The new system exhibits a host of advantages over the manual system including the minimising of human resource by eliminating form-filling and other forms of paperwork completely, improving the access and speed of the ILL process by allowing participating libraries to update each other's databases directly, ensuring data integrity, simplifying status tracking and supporting instantaneous status and statistical reporting. Keywords: Libraries, Singapore, World Wide Web Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- **
A user-based design process for Web sites This paper reports on Phase II of a two-part project to identify and implement user-based design criteria in World Wide Web sites. The test site is a Web page for the academic business community. As an alternative to existing, largely ad hoc design processes, the authors developed a user-based design process, gathering user input at three different times in the process. Delineating this four-stage process (information-gathering; development; test and evaluation; and implementation) is a major focus of the paper. In addition to explaining the process in detail, the paper reports on the second stage of this process, which involves operationalizing definitions of the criteria and translating the criteria into Web page features and, to some extent, on the evaluation activities undertaken during Stage 3. Already reported are the results of Stage 1, which gathered user criteria for evaluating Web sites through a focus group session. Keywords: Business schools, Design, Focus groups, Information, Internet Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- **, Readability- **
OML macros: Web presentation guidelines and source list More than 100 macros have been written and made available on the Web since the debut of PFW in 1996. Evidently, OML has benefited many OCLC system users in automating their jobs. Nevertheless, finding the desired macros takes considerable time and effort because Web sites that provide macros present them in widely varied formats. This article presents the Web sites that currently provide macros for sharing, initiates the discussion on Web macro presentation guidelines, evaluates the presented Web sites based on these guidelines, and provides a source list of useful macros specifically for OCLC subsystem applications. Keywords: Automated operations, Computer languages, Computer programming, Libraries, Online computing Article Type: Theoretical with worked example, Case study Content Indicators: Research Implication- **, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- **
Sharing metadata: enabling online information provision New teaching and new educational methods, in particular online learning, are now reality. In this context, libraries will increasingly be the mediators to digital as well as physical objects. Explores the question of metadata and collaborative cataloguing activities and how these might impact on the libraries of the future. Keywords: Bibliographic standards, Internet, Cataloguing, Co-operation Article Type: Case study Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- **, Readability- **
Facing future users - the challenge of transforming a traditional online database into a Web service Library users in the twenty-first century will be a generation grown up with mobile phones, Internet connections and a hectic lifestyle. This generation calls for immediate actions and solutions; they have no time to wait or waste. Discusses the changing process of a large traditional bibliographic database (containing more than thre million references) moving into a Web service. As a part of the conversion process in progress the database format is under evaluation. In this connection major metadata formats such as Dublin Core, STAS, GILS and TEI have been compared and reviewed in order to achieve the objective of simplifying the record and transforming the database into a Web-based scientific culture for search and retrieval of information. Keywords: Databases, Bibliographic standards, Internet, Information retrieval Article Type: Case study Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- **
Weighing up the options for document supply: a description and discussion of the FIDDO Project Outlines the dynamic and complex information delivery environment facing managers, and describes the eLib-funded FIDDO (Focused Investigations of Document Delivery Option) Project's aims, organisation and activities to date. The project seeks to establish reliable information on document delivery to assist managers in decision making. The project has formal structure and management to enable consultation and liaison with relevant expertise and interests. Work to date is described, including literature reviewing, document delivery vendor study, World Wide Web-based information dissemination point, national survey of interlibrary loan practices, exchange of experience workshop, and "live" field trials. Keywords: Academic libraries, Document supply, EDI, Interlending Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice Content Indicators: Research Implication- **, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- **
Document delivery to developing countries This paper presents the findings of a study of fill rate, time, and delivery costs for international document delivery from the Iowa State University Library to libraries and scholars in several developing countries. The overall results included a 73 per cent fill rate and a total turnaround time of 16.3 days. Per page fax charges were almost 12 times as expensive as air mail costs. International document delivery programmes will need to have the ability to handle a variety of communication methods. In addition, these libraries will need to examine several philosophical issues arising from interlibrary co-operation with partners in developing countries as they determine their place in the complex economic, political and organisational structures related to international document supply. Keywords: Developing countries, Document management, Interlending Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice, Survey Content Indicators: Research Implication- **, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- ***
The current state of ILL: some realities behind the hype Challenges the idea that the "future is digital". Argues that instead the future will be a complex mix of paper-based and electronic texts; with paper predominating for some years to come. If this view is correct, it has important consequences for the allocation of scarce resources, particularly in university libraries. Keywords: Academic libraries, Electronic publishing, Interlending, Paper Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- ***
Organizing to meet and face the Web transition Libraries are struggling with the issues imposed on them by the Web. This has been greatly complicated by the fact that libraries are, for the most part, each acting independently in addressing the issues imposed on them daily by this new technology. This article examines the possibility that if libraries organized and effectively met the larger issues of true networks, better ease-of-use, coordinated digitization projects, authenticated Web resources, international copyright laws, updated teaching programs for librarians and better standards definition they would better position themselves to handle and take advantage of the opportunity created by the Web. Keywords: Computer networks, Copyright, Distance learning, Electronic publishing, Libraries, Online retrieval Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- ***
Chinese organized crime: a pathfinder Provides some guidance on building a collection on Chinese organized crime - first a definition of it and then details of some of the resources which could be included in a collection in the areas of: primary texts, general works, encyclopaedias and dictionaries, films, newspapers, periodicals and Web sites. Keywords: Asia, China, Crime, Minorities, National cultures, Violence Article Type: Literature review Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- **, Readability- **
Large scale collection assessment An important responsibility of collection development libraries is to ensure that what is being collected is appropriate for the university's curriculum and research needs. Unfortunately the large number of techniques that have been developed to measure collections work better with small college collections. As libraries grow and the range of library materials increase, many of these methods have proved to be inadequate. This study explores the use of statistics from the National Shelflist Count Project to gather enough valid statistical information to adequately assess large research collections. Keywords: Assessments, Collection management, Libraries, Statistics Article Type: Case study Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- ***, Originality- **, Readability- **
Building a retrospective multicultural collection: a practical approach Examines the contribution of the library to Old Dominion University's five-year strategic plan, which targeted cultural diversity as one of its eight objectives and included specific statements about library support of this goal. To meet its part, the library created a three-pronged action plan for the selection of videos, development of guides to the collection, and an evaluation of the multicultural collection, the most extensive portion of the project. Explains the choice of university minority and international student populations to assist in prioritizing collection efforts. The actual assessment project was collection-centered; project coordinators identified a series of appropriate bibliographies to compare against the collection as the most practical way to meet defined objectives.The resulting retrospective desiderata list identified resources (once funding became available) to improve both the depth and scope of the library multicultural collections with very little impact on staffing. Keywords: Academic libraries, Collection management, Minorities Article Type: Case study Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- ***
Identifying objects: five categories Acknowledges that research on objects belonging to the categories of furniture, glass and stained glass, metalware, pottery and porcelain, or rugs and carpets involves the consultation of specific handbooks and guides. Lists, with a brief description, various decorative-art reference books as sources for research in these categories, and offers relevant subject headings so that the New York Public Library's catalogs can be checked for similar holdings. Keywords: Art, Books, Furniture, Glass, Pottery, Research Article Type: Journalistic Content Indicators: Research Implication- **, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- ***
Digital libraries: new initiatives with worldwide implications We are witnessing an explosion of digital information, some of it in unstructured repositories, some in still primitive digital libraries. This trend is certain to accelerate as the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and Global Information Infrastructure (GII) become a reality. Several digital library projects in the USA and abroad are in progress, with the goal of developing the enabling technologies for creating a single, integrated and "universal" library, composed of the large numbers of individual heterogeneous repositories. These include materials in personal information collections, collections in conventional libraries, and large data collections shared by scientists, engineers and other researchers. Six US institutions received funding for Digital Library Initiatives in the fall of 1994. In addition, the Library of Congress (LC) has a National Digital Library Project under way that is funded, in part, by private corporations and foundations to make some of its large text and image collections accessible via computer networks. Focuses on projects at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Illinois and the Library of Congress, including how these initiatives will affect the way image and text archives are organized as we enter the next century, and their implications for the international community. Addresses the following issues: how can we encourage global intellectual access and p articipation by our citizenry? How does one locate ("navigate") information of interest in a very large, distributed and possibly disconnected collection of libraries and archives around the world? And how can we protect the intellectual property of authors and publishers and detect violations in this new information environment? Keywords: Computer networks, Information technology strategy, Internet, Telecommunications Article Type: Theoretical with application in practice, Case study Content Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- **, Originality- *, Readability- **
As always we have only skimmed the surface of relevant articles this week and only those that are particularly relevant for Asia-Pacific managers. Many other articles are available as well including those focusing on other countries and international perspectives.
See also our previous reviews on OCLC and Library Management (November 1999) and Library Research (December 1999) |
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