College & Research Libraries current issue

Usage Patterns of Open Genomic Data

Xia, J., Liu, Y. — 2012-01-09T08:10:51-08:00

This paper uses Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO), a data repository in biomedical sciences, to examine the usage patterns of open data repositories. It attempts to identify the degree of recognition of data reuse value and understand how e-science has impacted a large-scale scholarship. By analyzing a list of 1,211 publications that cite GEO data to support their independent studies, it discovers that free data can support a wealth of high quality investigations, that the rate of open data use keeps growing over the years, and that scholars in different countries show different rates of complying with data sharing policies.

Information-Seeking Habits of Education Faculty

Rupp-Serrano, K., Robbins, S. — 2012-01-09T08:10:51-08:00

This study explores the information-seeking behavior of academic education faculty from twenty large, public research universities. The investigation includes an examination of how frequently education faculty seek or access information, how they stay up-to-date on current developments in the field and identify less recent journal literature, how valuable library resources and services are to their information needs, and the importance of library research to the field of education. The responses from the survey participants emphasize the importance of electronic access to scholarly journals and library databases and the continuing value of books, both print and electronic, for meeting the information and research needs of education faculty.

How Users Search the Library from a Single Search Box

Lown, C., Sierra, T., Boyer, J. — 2012-01-09T08:10:50-08:00

Academic libraries are turning increasingly to unified search solutions to simplify search and discovery of library resources. Unfortunately, very little research has been published on library user search behavior in single search box environments. This study examines how users search a large public university library using a prominent, single search box on the library website. The article examines two semesters of real-world data, totaling nearly 1.4 million transactions. Findings include that unified library search is about more than the catalog and articles, though these predominate. Additionally, a small number of the most popular search queries accounts for a disproportionate amount of the overall queries. Also discussed are the merits of ongoing evaluation of library user search behaviour.

Journals Supporting Terrorism Research: Identification and Investigation into their Impact on the Social Sciences

Bullis, D. R., Irving, R. D. — 2012-01-09T08:10:50-08:00

A citation analysis of two preeminent terrorism journals (Terrorism and Political Violence and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism) was used to identify 37 additional social science journals of significant importance to terrorism research. Citation data extracted from the Web of Science database was used to investigate the impact of the two journals on the social science journal literature. The impact of the two journals was also analyzed in terms of SSCI subject categories. This study could provide useful information for collection development librarians interested in the social sciences.

From Stacks to the Web: the Transformation of Academic Library Collecting

Lewis, D. W. — 2012-01-09T08:10:50-08:00

The existence of a ubiquitous and cheap worldwide communication’s network that increasingly makes documents easily and freely available will require a transformation of academic library collecting practice. It will be driven by a number of specific developments including: the digitization of content; the development of print repositories; the development of e-readers and print-on-demand publishing; the growth of open access; challenges to establish academic publishing organizations; and the growth of new forms of scholarship based on openness and social productivity. If academic libraries are to be successful, they will need to: deconstruct legacy print collections; move from item-by-item book selection to purchase-on-demand and subscriptions; manage the transition to open access journals; focus on curating unique items; and develop new mechanisms for funding national infrastructure.

Different parts of the Ocean contained different sorts of stories, and as all the stories that had ever been told and many that were still in the process of being invented could be found here, the Ocean of the Streams of Story was in fact the biggest library in the universe. And because the stories were held here in fluid form, they retained the ability to change, to become new versions of themselves, to join up with other stories and so become yet other stories; so that unlike a library of books the Ocean of the Streams of Story was much more than a storeroom of yarns. It was not dead but alive.

Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Storiesⁱ

The Value of Research in Academic Libraries

Perkins, G. H., Slowik, A. J. W. — 2012-01-09T08:10:51-08:00

In the summer of 2010, two researchers interviewed twenty-three library administrators of comparable academic libraries at American universities for their views of the value of research in academic libraries. The interview questions focused on the administrators’ perceived value of academic librarians’ research, incentives given to academic librarians to research, factors that influence the administrators’ thinking about academic library research, opinions about the changes in Americans libraries in the past decades, and directions that they see the academic library heading. This paper reflects the answers of these (anonymous) administrators and attempts to analyze patterns in their responses that will be of value to the academic library and its community in America.

Deal or No Deal? : Evaluating Big Deals and Their Journals

2012-01-09T08:10:50-08:00

This paper presents methods to develop metrics that compare Big Deal journal packages and the journals within those packages. Deal-level metrics guide selection of a Big Deal for termination. Journal-level metrics guide selection of individual subscriptions from journals previously provided by a terminated deal. The paper argues that while the proposed metrics provide helpful quantitative data for comparative analysis, selection of individual subscriptions must also involve informed judgment about a library’s subject coverage needs and alternative sources of access. The paper also discusses how replacing a Big Deal with a reduced number of individual subscriptions may affect the collections budget, use of other resources, and interlibrary loan.

Usage-Based Collection Evaluation with a Curricular Focus

Kohn, K. C. — 2012-01-09T08:10:50-08:00

Systematic evaluation of a library’s collection can be a useful tool for collection development. After reviewing three evaluation methods and their usefulness for our small academic library, I undertook a usage-based evaluation, focusing on narrow segments of our collection that served specific undergraduate courses. For each section, I collected data on the number of books owned, number of checkouts in the past four years, and number of unique books used. Using examples from the data, I discuss possible ways to interpret and act on the data. I also note how the knowledge gained from this evaluation fits into the larger toolkit of librarian competencies for collection development.

Copyright Policy and Practice in Electronic Reserves among ARL Libraries

Hansen, D. R., Cross, W. M., Edwards, P. M. — 2011-11-29T13:44:12-08:00

This paper presents the results of a survey of 110 ARL institutions regarding their copyright policies for providing electronic reserves. It compiles descriptive statistics on library practice as well as coding responses to reveal trends and shared practices. Finally, it presents conclusions about policy-making, decision-making and risk aversion in ARL institutions.

American Indian Studies, Multiculturalism, and the Academic Library

Alexander, D. L. — 2011-11-29T13:44:12-08:00

The current status of multicultural and diversity efforts suggests the need for incorporating into the discussion of librarianship an understanding of previously underrepresented populations such as the American Indian. American Indian Studies speaks from the American Indian perspective and addresses the contemporary condition of American Indians. This article discusses the nature of American Indian Studies and provides suggestions for what librarians can do to support American Indian Studies programs and American Indian students. This example illustrates the importance of acknowledging the validity of diverse worldviews.

Factors Influencing the Usage of an Electronic Book Collection: Size of the E-book Collection, Student Population, and Faculty Population

Lamothe, A. R. — 2011-11-29T13:44:11-08:00

This paper presents the results of a quantitative and systematic investigation exploring online e-book usage at the J.N. Desmarais Library of Laurentian University, over a 9-year period. The size of an e-book collection was determined to show evidence of an extremely strong relationship with the level of usage e-books experienced. Of all factors examined during the course of this study, it was the size of the collection that exhibited the strongest association to usage levels and would suggest just how important the size and content of a collection can be to patron acceptance and utilization. Of all student academic levels, doctoral students exhibited the strongest relationship with e-book usage while undergraduate students showed signs of the weakest. Faculty demonstrated the overall weakest relationship with e-book usage.

The Citation Landscape of Scholarly Literature in LGBT Studies: A Snapshot for Subject Librarians

Antell, K. — 2011-11-29T13:44:12-08:00

This paper reports the results of a citation analysis of the scholarly literature of LGBT Studies. EBSCO’s LGBT Life database was used to gather a sample of 4321 citations from core scholarly journals in the field of LGBT Studies, covering the time period 1974 to 2010. The analysis reveals that, although LGBT Studies as an area of scholarship emerged from the gay rights activist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, the field’s literature appears to be firmly rooted in the mainstream academic literature rather than in popular publications or community and activist periodicals. However, the field has a very high rate of cross-disciplinary citation and cites particularly heavily from medical journals and books. In addition to illuminating the citation characteristics of LGBT Studies, this paper presents lists of highly cited books and journals that should prove useful for subject librarians supporting LGBT Studies programs.

Beyond the Job Ad: Employers and Library Instruction

Hall, R. A. — 2011-11-29T13:44:11-08:00

Many content analyses of job ads have revealed the skills and experience needed in academic library jobs and show that library instruction is an important job duty. This study moves beyond the content of the job ads and surveys the employers themselves (in the person of the supervisor). The survey revealed that supervisors highly value library instruction. Other findings relate to the types of instruction duties the new employee will engage in and the ways that these employees learn how to do library instruction, as well as how much time the employee spends on instruction-related duties.

Unusual Suspects: the Case of Insider Theft in Research Libraries and Special Collections

Samuelson, T., Sare, L., Coker, C. — 2011-10-28T13:32:45-07:00

The widespread theft of collection materials, including rare and unique items, continues to be an issue of great concern to libraries of all types. The potential loss of such items threatens not only an institution’s operations but, in many cases, global cultural heritage. Despite an increasingly open attitude among institutions regarding sharing information about lost items and suspected perpetrators, little scholarship has examined such thefts quantitatively in an effort to draw conclusions about how such incidents occur and how best to prevent them. This paper describes a project which examines data from over twenty years of reported library theft cases in libraries and special collections in order to determine how frequently such losses are perpetrated by library insiders.

Forget the Desk Job: Current Roles and Responsibilities in Entry-Level Reference Job Advertisements

Detmering, R., Sproles, C. — 2011-10-28T13:32:45-07:00

This study examines the evolving roles and responsibilities of entry-level academic reference positions, as stated in recent job advertisements posted on the American Library Association’s JobLIST website and other sources. Findings from a content analysis of these advertisements indicate that current entry-level reference positions in academic libraries incorporate a strikingly diverse and complex range of responsibilities. The study provides valuable insight into the expectations and priorities of hiring institutions in regard to entry-level reference work, offering a broad perspective on the reference job environment to library science students, first-time job seekers, and libraries seeking to recruit entry-level candidates.

A Framework for Studying Organizational Innovation in Research Libraries

Jantz, R. C. — 2011-10-28T13:32:45-07:00

The objective of this paper is two-fold: to propose a theoretical framework and model for studying organizational innovation in research libraries and to set forth propositions that can provide directions for future empirical studies of innovation in research libraries. Research libraries can be considered members of a class of organizations referred to here as institutional nonprofits. As such, these organizations inherit many of the innovative properties that are associated with the broader sector of service organizations. However, institutional nonprofits have unique characteristics which distinguish them from other service organizations such as government agencies and for-profit service firms. In this paper, institutional theory is used to explain the forces that are acting on the research library. Research from organizational learning, structural contingency theory, and typologies of service organizations are used to establish a more encompassing innovation framework. Based on the literature review, the theoretical framework, and empirical studies, this paper presents a process model and propositions that characterize how the research library might innovate. These propositions can be tested in empirical studies in order to develop a fuller understanding of innovation in research libraries.

Overlap Between Humanities Faculty Citations and Library Monograph Collections 2004-2009

Kellsey, C., Knievel, J. — 2011-10-28T13:32:44-07:00

Libraries across Land and Sea: Academic library services on international branch campuses

Green, H. — 2011-10-28T13:32:44-07:00

This preliminary study explores how library services are offered at the international branch campuses of U.S. institutions of higher education, including librarians’ experiences, challenges faced, and collaborations with the home U.S. institutions. The data from a web survey distributed to international branch campus librarians, a conducted interview, and statistical data are presented. The small sample survey data is analyzed qualitatively and suggests insights on how librarians are embedded in student instruction and staff training, and how libraries play an important role in the establishment of international branch campuses. A larger study is strongly suggested to gain more concrete inferences, and the article discusses the role of U.S. academic libraries in the globalization initiatives of their home institutions.

The Inevitability of Open Access

Lewis, D. W. — 2011-09-22T08:36:27-07:00

Open access (OA) is an alternative business model for the publication of scholarly journals. It makes articles freely available to readers on the Internet and covers the costs associated with publication through means other than subscriptions. This article argues that Gold OA, where all of the articles of a journal are available at the time of publication, is a disruptive innovation as defined by business theorist Clayton Christensen. Using methods described by Christensen we can predict the growth of Gold OA. This analysis suggests that Gold OA could account for 50% of the scholarly journal articles sometime between 2017 and 2021, and 90% of articles as soon as 2020 and more conservatively by 2025.

Give 'em What They Want: A One-year Study of Unmediated Patron-Driven Acquisition of E-Books

Fischer, K. S., Wright, M., Clatanoff, K., Barton, H., Shreeves, E. — 2011-09-22T08:36:27-07:00

In September 2009 the University of Iowa Libraries embarked on an experiment with patron driven acquisition (PDA) of e-books with ebrary and YBP. An e-book-only PDA plan was initiated, entirely unmediated and with instantaneous access to the content. MARC records were loaded for each title, determined by our YBP approval profile and other limitations, for a total of 12,000 PDA records. Usage, cost, subject, and publisher data were analyzed for 850 purchased PDA e-books and thousands of other ebrary subscription titles. Results indicate that PDA can be a useful and effective tool for meeting user needs and building the local collection, but the role of PDA in the library’s collection management program presents challenges as well as opportunities.

Academic Librarian Research: A Survey of Attitudes, Involvement, and Perceived Capabilities

Kennedy, M. R., Brancolini, K. R. — 2011-09-22T08:36:26-07:00

This article reports on the development and results of a recent survey of academic librarians about their attitudes, involvement, and perceived capabilities utilizing and engaging in primary research. The purpose of the survey was to inform the development of a continuing education program in research design. It updates earlier studies of academic librarian research; with the introduction of a confidence scale it also contributes new insights regarding how prepared librarians believe themselves to be with regard to conducting research. The authors found that confidence in one’s ability to perform the discrete steps in the research process is a statistically-significant predictor of a librarian conducting research and disseminating the results. The analysis of the responses to the confidence scale and other survey questions suggests several paths for future research about academic librarians and their research agendas.

Constrained? - An Analysis of U.S. Academic Library Shifts in Spending, Staffing and Utilization, 1998-2008

Regazzi, J. J. — 2011-09-22T08:36:27-07:00

The study provides an analysis of U.S. academic library spending, staffing and utilization trends from data collected during the period 1998 and 2008. Data used in this study is part of the NCES biennial survey of approximately 3,700 degree-granting postsecondary institutions. Confirming previous studies, there has been an order of magnitude change in the expenditure of e-books and e-serials, but contrary to the view of being fiscally restrained, libraries have received investments and increases of approximately 12% above inflation over the period with significant increases in nearly every area of library operation. Library staffing is being diversified, while utilization of physical library assets are in decline for every metric in the study – gate count, reference service, general and reserve circulation. Academic libraries cannot be treated as a homogenous group of institutions, and the study analyzes shifts by type, size, and Carnegie class of institution, illustrating significant difference among these classes of academic libraries, particularly among large doctoral institutions and other academic libraries, with large public and doctoral private institutions driving growth, while small and medium sized academic libraries have fallen behind in both collections and staff investments.

Book Lovers, Technophiles, Pragmatists, and Printers: The social and demographic structure of user attitudes toward e-books

Revelle, A., Messner, K., Shrimplin, A., Hurst, S. — 2011-08-30T08:51:28-07:00

Q-methodology was used to identify clusters of opinions about e-books at Miami University. The research identified four distinct opinion types among those investigated: Book Lovers, Technophiles, Pragmatists, and Printers. The initial Q-methodology study results were then utilized as a basis for a large-n survey of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty, so that we could have a more complete picture of the demographic and social make-up of the campus population. Results from that survey indicate that academic discipline is strongly associated with the respondents’ opinion types. Gender and educational status are also associated with respondents’ opinion types.

Identifying Core Reference Competencies from an Employers' Perspective: Implications for Instruction

Saunders, L. — 2011-08-30T08:51:27-07:00

Project Portfolio Management for Academic Libraries: A Gentle Introduction

Vinopal, J. — 2011-08-30T08:51:28-07:00

In highly dynamic, service-oriented environments like academic libraries, much staff time is spent on initiatives to implement new products and services to meet users’ evolving needs. Yet even in an environment where a sound project management process is applied, if we’re not properly planning, managing, and controlling the organization’s work in the aggregate, we will have difficulty achieving our strategic goals. Project portfolio management provides a way to ensure that this project work supports the organization’s strategic vision, the active projects represent the highest priorities of the organization, and there are enough resources to accomplish all the project work at hand.

Why One-shot Information Literacy Sessions Are Not the Future of Instruction: A Case for Online Credit Courses

Mery, Y., Newby, J., Peng, K. — 2011-08-30T08:51:28-07:00

This paper reports on a research project that examined the test scores of students who took part in an online information literacy course. Researchers analyzed the pre- and post-test scores of students who received different types of instruction including a traditional one-shot library session and an online course. Results show that students who participated in the online course demonstrated significant improvement in their test scores compared to the other students. This study shows freshman students’ needs for more comprehensive information literacy instruction. It also shows that information literacy instruction can be effective when delivered online.

A Study of Faculty Data Curation Behaviors and Attitudes at a Teaching-Centered University

Scaramozzino, J. M., Ramirez, M. L., McGaughey, K. J. — 2011-08-30T08:51:27-07:00

Academic libraries need reliable information on researcher data needs, data curation practices and attitudes in order to identify and craft appropriate services that support outreach and teaching. This paper describes information gathered from a survey distributed to the College of Science and Mathematics faculty at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), a Master’s-granting, teaching-centered institution. There was a 60%+ response rate to the survey. The survey results provided insight into the science researchers’ data curation awareness, behaviors and attitudes, and what needs they exhibited for services and education regarding maintenance and management of data. It is important that professional librarians understand what researchers both inside and outside of their own institutions know so that they can collaborate with their university colleagues to examine data curation needs.

Citation Analysis as a Tool to Measure the Impact of Individual Research Consultations

Reinsfelder, T. L. — 2011-07-21T14:17:40-07:00

A Review of Citation Analysis Methodologies for Collection Management

Hoffmann, K., Doucette, L. — 2011-07-21T14:17:41-07:00

While there is a considerable body of literature that presents the results of citation analysis studies, most researchers do not provide enough detail in their methodology to reproduce the study, nor do they provide rationale for methodological decisions. In this paper we review the methodologies used in 34 recent articles that present a "user study" citation analysis with a goal of informing collection management. We describe major themes and outliers in the methodologies and discuss factors that require careful thought and analysis. We also provide a guide to considerations for citation analysis studies, so that researchers can make informed decisions.

The Importance of Search as Intertextual Practice for Undergraduate Research

Bodemer, B. B. — 2011-07-21T14:17:40-07:00

By first reassessing the role of search in the literacy event of the lower division undergraduate paper, this article argues that searching is not a lower order mental activity but a concurrent, integral component of the research-writing process. This conclusion has large implications for information literacy instructional design, and several practical applications to further support undergraduate research-writing are outlined.

Tenure and Promotion Experiences of Academic Librarians of Color

Damasco, I. T., Hodges, D. — 2011-07-21T14:17:41-07:00

New Journals in Education and Psychology: General Trends, Discoverability, and Ubiquitous Journals of the Decade, 2000-2009

Lear, B. A. — 2011-07-21T14:17:40-07:00

This study identified nearly 700 English-language refereed journals in education and psychology which were founded in 2000–2009. Part one discusses the publishers, format, open-access availability, and current status of these publications. Titles were then searched against coverage lists of EBSCO Academic Search Complete, Gale Academic OneFile, ProQuest Central, ERIC, PsycINFO, Web of Science, DOAJ, Google Scholar, WorldCAT, and the library catalogs of the "Big Ten" universities to determine whether databases and libraries include these new publications. Subscription database coverage was poor, ranging from 8.8% (ProQuest Central) to 42.0% (PsycINFO). Psychology materials were heavily favored over education items in several databases. Although some library catalogs provide better title-level coverage, they are unable to search individual articles. Google Scholar only indexed the publishers’ versions of the journals in 143 (58.0%) of 247 cases examined. Significant differences in database coverage and library holdings were found when comparing publications of major corporations (Elsevier, Routledge/Taylor & Francis, Sage, Springer, and Wiley) against periodicals produced by smaller companies, colleges/universities, and scholarly/professional organizations. This article also describes a "ubiquity index" devised by the author to identify approximately 70 "journals of the decade" based on database coverage and library holdings. The study provides much cause for concern about the comprehensiveness and currency of existing discovery tools. It also offers evidence that the relationship between libraries and publishing conglomerates deserves further examination.

Assessment of the Research Learning Needs of University of Saskatchewan Librarians: A Case Study

Schrader, A. M., Shiri, A., Williamson, V. — 2011-06-10T12:10:05-07:00

As academic librarians with faculty status increasingly embrace research engagement as a core value and requirement, one of the little studied questions is the extent to which they possess the requisite knowledge and skills to conduct high quality research and scholarship, and what further learning needs they might have within the organizational setting. This paper summarizes an institutional case study of the research knowledge of academic librarians employed at the University of Saskatchewan, encompassing their current research interests, experiences, competencies, environmental context, and learning needs. The goal was to develop a framework for additional educational activities and institutional supports that would enhance their knowledge and skills.

Dual Archivist/Librarians: Balancing the Benefits and Challenges of Diverse Responsibilities

Manning, M., Silva, J. — 2011-06-10T12:10:05-07:00

A survey of college and university archivists revealed that their roles and responsibilities are broad and diverse. Archival responsibilities have expanded across the board. For the purposes of this study survey respondents were divided into two groups: archivists with and archivists without library responsibilities. Archivists with library responsibilities, or dual archivist/librarians, commented on a range of responsibilities that they find both beneficial and challenging. These dual archivist/librarians’ roles and responsibilities are the focus of this study.

Library Spaces for Urban, Diverse Commuter Students: A Participatory Action Research Project

Brown-Sica, M. S. — 2011-06-10T12:10:05-07:00

Open Access Publishing: What Authors Want

Nariani, R., Fernandez, L. — 2011-06-10T12:10:05-07:00

Campus-based open access author funds are being considered by many academic libraries as a way to support authors publishing in open access journals. Article processing fees for open access have been introduced recently by publishers and have not yet been widely accepted by authors. Few studies have surveyed authors on their reasons for publishing open access and their perceptions of open access journals. The present study was designed to gauge the uptake of library support for author funding and author satisfaction with open access publishing. Results indicate that York University authors are increasingly publishing in open access journals and are appreciative of library funding initiatives. The wider implications of open access are discussed along with specific recommendations for publishers.

Positioning Open Access Journals in a LIS Journal Ranking

Xia, J. — 2011-05-16T09:09:20-07:00

A Faceted Taxonomy for Rating Student Bibliographies in an Online Information Literacy Game

Leeder, C., Markey, K., Yakel, E. — 2011-05-16T09:09:19-07:00

This study measured the quality of student bibliographies through creation of a faceted taxonomy flexible and fine-grained enough to encompass the variety of online sources cited by today’s students. The taxonomy was developed via interviews with faculty, iterative refinement of categories and scoring, and testing on example student bibliographies. It was then applied to evaluate the final bibliographies created in BiblioBouts, an online social game created to teach undergraduates information literacy skills. The scores of players and non-players were compared and showed a positive impact from the game. Findings of the evaluations of these student bibliographies are discussed.

Impact? What Three Years of Research Tell Us about Library Instruction

Hook, S. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

Cheerleader, Opportunity Seeker, and Master Strategist: ARL Directors as Entrepreneurial Leaders

Carpenter, M. T. H. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

This study explores how directors of libraries with membership in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), who are engaged in entrepreneurial leadership, define and view it. Through structured interviews and analysis of supporting documents, it examines how entrepreneurial leadership can be used as a means for creating new organizational structures, generating income, developing information delivery and technology solutions, building new partnerships, and improving services. This study has implications for library directors and administrators, organizational development specialists, and leadership trainers.

Making Online Instruction Count: Statistical Reporting of Web-Based Library Instruction Activities

Bottorff, T., Todd, A. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

Statistical reporting of library instruction (LI) activities has historically focused on measures relevant to face-to-face (F2F) settings. However, newer forms of LI conducted in the online realm may be difficult to count in traditional ways, leading to inaccurate reporting to both internal and external stakeholders. A thorough literature review is combined with the results of an investigative survey to reveal the current status of reporting such activities. The results reveal considerable confusion about the reporting of Web-based LI activities, even though a number of librarians are devoting significant amounts of time to this important and growing area of librarianship.

Relevance of Library Collections for Graduate Student Research: A Citation Analysis Study of Doctoral Dissertations at Notre Dame

Kayongo, J., Helm, C. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

This study focused on determining the extent to which collections of the Hesburgh Libraries of Notre Dame met the needs of graduate students. This study data (2005–2007) consisted of a citation analysis of 248 dissertations and focused on the following questions: What were the graduate students citing in their dissertations? Did the library own the cited items? How did the disciplines compare in their citation patterns? The data showed that over 90 percent of the 39,106 citations were to books and journals. The libraries owned 67 percent of the items graduate students cited in their dissertations. The libraries owned 83 percent of the Arts & Humanities, 90 percent of the Engineering, 92 percent of the Science, and 75 percent of the Social Sciences sources in the top 1,000 most cited titles, indicating a need for funding for further development of Social Sciences collections in the Hesburgh Libraries.

Interlibrary Loan Requests for Locally Available Materials: WorldCat Local's Impact

Gaffney, M. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

Several studies have researched the reasons and patterns for academic library users’ interlibrary loan requests for materials already available at their college or university library. This study examines interlibrary loan statistics at the University of Delaware for four academic years to determine whether WorldCat Local impacts requests for locally available material. Data show that WorldCat Local does reduce this type of request, particularly when users are requesting returnable loans of materials such as books or audiovisual items rather than copies of articles.

Academic Library Administrators' Perceptions of Four Instructional Skills

Shank, J. D., Dewald, N. H. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

This study seeks to fill a gap in the literature by examining the perceptions of current administrators toward four domains and their associated skill sets needed to fulfill the library’s instructional role. Hundreds of Library Directors/Deans/Associate Deans/Heads in academic libraries of all sizes across the United States were surveyed to determine to what extent they value the skill sets associated with the four selected instructional skill domains: two traditional—teaching and presentation—and two more recently adopted by librarians—instructional design and educational technology. The findings of this research indicate that library administrators value the traditional skill sets more than the newer nontraditional skills. The results and possible implications, as well as directions future studies can take, are discussed.

Steven J. Miller. Metadata for Digital Collections. New York: Neal Schuman Publishers, 2011. 343p. alk. paper, $80.00 (ISBN 9781555707460). LC 2011-012594.

DeGeorge, D. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

Embedded Librarians: Moving Beyond One-Shot Instruction. Eds. Cassandra Kvenild and Kaijsa Calkins. Chicago: American Library Association, 2011. 235p. alk. paper, $48.00 (ISBN 9780838985878). LC2011-014802.

Gregor, M. N. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

Wyoma vanDuinkerken and Pixey Anne Mosley. The Challenge of Library Management: Leading with Emotional Engagement. Chicago: American Library Association, 2011. 169p. alk. paper, $52.00 (ISBN 9780838911020). LC2011-011349.

Lemmer, C. A. — 2012-01-09T08:14:56-08:00

John J. Huber. Lean Library Management: Eleven Strategies for Reducing Costs and Improving Customer Services. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2011. 197p. alk. paper, $75.00 (ISBN 9781555707323). LC2010-050755.

Nolan, N. — 2012-01-09T08:14:57-08:00

William S. Peterson and Sylvia Holton Peterson. The Kelmscott Chaucer: A Census. New Castle, Del.: Oak Knoll Press, 2011. 272p. alk. paper, $95.00 (ISBN 9781584562894). LC2011-003557.

Ryan, M. — 2012-01-09T08:14:57-08:00

P.J.M. Marks. Beautiful Bookbindings: A Thousand Years of the Bookbinder's Art. New Castle, Del.: The British Library and Oak Knoll Press, 2011. 192p. alk. paper, $49.95 (ISBN 9781584562931). LC 2011-016079.

Sheehan, J. K. — 2012-01-09T08:14:57-08:00