Building a Sustainable Collection Review Process: Managing Qualitative and Quantitative E-Resource Data over Time

Abstract

Comprehensive e-resource reviews often happen in response to financial crises. Data are collected, and faculty are consulted about reductions. After the review, the data are forgotten or lost until the next crisis. Librarians at one public institution were initially motivated by a financial crisis to review their e-resources. But, they also wanted to use this crisis as a means to develop persistent review criteria and a longitudinal review process. This article will summarize how they identified the principal stakeholders, review criteria, essential data, workflows, and management application to support a process that would transcend a single crisis.     

Newspapers in Review

Abstract

Even the most casual comics collector knows the story behind Image Comics' remarkable success. In 1992, six of Marvel Comic's hottest free lance artists became frustrated with the company's restrictive practices and decided to jump ship. Although most of the six wielded significant influence at Marvel, they felt the firm's editorial policies interfered with their creative freedom. Moreover, the artists wanted to retain the licensing rights to characters which they created. Marvel, of course, was completely unwilling to give up such potentially lucrative rights. Although several of the artists were earning six-figure incomes (including page-rates and bonuses), they believed that each could increase his revenues to nine figures if they formed their own company.     

Newspapers in Review

ABSTRACT

For the second installment of the new column Problem Solved!, Kelly Smith explores how libraries have tackled the problem of electronic resource (e-resource) workflow management by implementing ticketing systems in addition to their existing integrated library system (ILS) and electronic resource management (ERM) tools. Most libraries employing ticket tracking to manage e-resources have chosen one of a variety of commercial and open source software designed for customer relations management (CRM). Alternatively, some libraries are developing homegrown systems, or kludging together freely available collaboration software to track issues.     

From Alphabetized to Classified: Reorganizing a Large Periodicals Collection

The bound periodicals at Founders Memorial Library at Northern Illinois University have always been shelved by main entry. This arrangement, however, has confused patrons and has created problems with coordinating the records in the Cataloging and Acquisitions Departments. Staff in those two departments had long lobbied to shelve the bound periodicals by call numbers. In September 2008, library staff were granted permission to begin the process of rearranging them. Over the course of eight months, library staff labeled approximately 159,000 volumes of bound periodicals. This article describes how it was done with a digital camera and a Photobucket account (www.photobucket.com).     

The Future of Ethnic Newspapers in the United States and Canada

Abstract

In interviews with the editor, James Danky reflects on the role and future of the ethnic press in the United States, and Thomas Saras comments on the importance and future of the ethnic press in contemporary Canadian society.     

The Impact of Web-scale Discovery on the Use of a Library Collection

Abstract

Grand Valley State University Libraries implemented Serials Solutions' web-scale discovery tool, Summon, during the fall of 2009. This case study explores whether Summon had an impact on the use of the library's resources during its first semester of implementation. An examination of usage statistics showed a dramatic decrease in the use of traditional abstracting and indexing databases and an equally dramatic increase in the use of full-text resources from full-text database and online journal collections. The author concludes that the increase in full-text use is linked to the implementation of a web-scale discovery tool.     

Measuring Usage: A Comprehensive Analysis of a Social Work Journal Collection

Abstract

This study examines what can be learned about a library’s electronic social work journal collection from usage statistics, survey data, faculty publications, and an examination of open access (OA) availability. A collections analysis was completed using data from two sources: a custom report by 1Science and results of a faculty survey on top journals for teaching. After creating a list of journals important to social work, top journals were identified by article downloads, faculty-authored publications, and references to faculty-authored papers. A publications analysis using faculty websites and author searches in Web of Science was also completed, to provide local, contextual data. SHERPA/RoMEO was used to determine the journals’ OA level and archiving policy. Library coverage for the journals was also included in the analysis. Results show that the McGill University Library has access to almost all of the journals identified as important to social work. Nearly one-third of publications authored by the McGill University School of Social Work since 2006 are OA, and more than half of the faculty in the school have at least one article published in an OA journal. While this is a good start for librarians who want to help faculty and students understand OA publishing and access, there is room for outreach in this area. While these results will aid librarians supporting faculty, students, and practitioners in the field of social work, a secondary aim of the study is to demonstrate a method that can be used by librarians undertaking similar analyses in other fields.