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.     

Serials Spoken Here - Reports of Conferences,Institutes, and Seminars

Abstract

This column includes reports on sessions from the American Library Association Midwinter Conference 2019, with a report on how libraries can be part of a shared community with developers and users through the use of future of libraries, is open (FOLIO) library services platform and a report reflecting on future technological developments. Additionally, conference reports from the 14th Annual Electronic Resources & Libraries Conference, which includes reports on implementing troubleshooting training programs for public services staff and using budget cuts as an opportunity to generate goodwill. The remaining reports are from American Library Association Annual Conference 2019, which includes a report about the parallels between managing campaigns and managing an integrated library system (ILS) migration, how to improve a collection development plan with resources about Cheyenne and Arapaho people, and an exploration of the challenges of hosting student and faculty journals.     

Journal Finder, a Second Look: Implications for Serials Access in Today''s Library

Since The University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Jackson Library introduced Journal Finder in August 2001, the service has grown and evolved. Its features and capabilities have been expanded, enhanced, and refined, and a partnership program has been developed. Journal Finder enjoys significant initial success and appears to meet a real need in the research life of faculty and students. Additionally, Journal Finder has revealed several user trends with implications for the library, including the use of print serials, photocopying, interlibrary loan, and document delivery/pay-per-view, and it continues to provide insights and data for serials collection management decisions. Serials Review 2003; 29:287–294.     

Batten Down the Hatches! Collection Management in Rough Seas

Abstract

Rising rates in publishing combined with flat funding can make it challenging to maintain the library’s collection within an academic library. Add in university-wide funding reductions, and libraries must further reduce expenditures to balance the budget. This article will present a case study on the steps and initiatives deployed at the William E. Laupus Health Sciences Library to address impacts to the library’s collection budget for fiscal year 2020. Issues covered will focus on the decision-making process, working with vendors, and communicating with library stakeholders.     

An Annotated Bibliography

This annotated bibliography on undergraduate research presents seventeen publications from serials in the library literature covering 1980 to June 2006. These publications are significant contributions from prominent authors that converge at a growing body of library literature on undergraduate research. With a focus on research behaviors, the annotated bibliography has four dimensions: a theoretical framework, main findings of undergraduate research behaviors, relations between faculty and undergraduate research, and a flip side of undergraduate behaviors. Hopefully, this annotated bibliography will familiarize readers with attitudes towards and practices in undergraduate research and a continuation of the research in untouched aspects.     

An Annotated Bibliography

This annotated bibliography on undergraduate research presents seventeen publications from serials in the library literature covering 1980 to June 2006. These publications are significant contributions from prominent authors that converge at a growing body of library literature on undergraduate research. With a focus on research behaviors, the annotated bibliography has four dimensions: a theoretical framework, main findings of undergraduate research behaviors, relations between faculty and undergraduate research, and a flip side of undergraduate behaviors. Hopefully, this annotated bibliography will familiarize readers with attitudes towards and practices in undergraduate research and a continuation of the research in untouched aspects.     

John F. Kennedy Space Center Library

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John F. Kennedy Space Center Library serves most of the employees who work at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The archives are part of the library and contain over four million items pertaining to institutional activities within the KSC. The library collects a wide array of materials that support the work at the center. This is one of ten NASA center libraries in the country, and the focus of the collection is engineering, science, and technology. The purpose of the archives is to document the history of this center. The collection includes planning documents, photographs, and 16 mm film. The library provides its users with monographs, technical reports, databases, and both print and online journals.     

Reducing the Costs of Course Materials

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of Toronto (U of T) describe their respective library-driven programs to reduce the cost of course materials for students—the Affordable Course Materials Initiative (ACMI) at UCLA and the Zero-to-Low-Cost-Course Program (ZTLCC) at U of T. With the same goal of reducing costs by leveraging existing library resources, each library approaches that cost reduction differently. UCLA uses financial incentives to help drive faculty participation in reducing costs, whereas U of T works to reduce overlap in licensing costs while encouraging use of these already-paid-for resources. The following provides an overview of each program along with guidelines for implementing a similar program.     

Reports of Conferences,Institutes, and Seminars

Abstract

This column covers sessions from the 2018 Charleston Library Conference, an informal annual gathering of librarians, publishers, electronic resource managers, consultants, and vendors of library materials in Charleston, South Carolina, in November. Topics include the impact of open access and open research, assisting faculty with locating and integrating these resources into their courses through partnerships and open applications, and managing gifts and donations with restricted resources.     

A Look into the Rocky Mountain Herbarium Library Collection and Digital Projects

“From Picas to Pixels” editor Chad Hutchens takes a look into a herbarium library collection that is quickly being digitized and will be available in the new JSTOR Plants database. Dr. Ronald Hartman, curator of the Rocky Mountain Herbarium, discusses the physical collection of thousands of plants, as well as the scope of the collection. Larry Schmidt, science and engineering reference librarian at the University of Wyoming Libraries, talks about digitization efforts and the development of the Rocky Mountain Herbarium online databases.     

Journal evaluation in a health sciences library

This evaluation method for journals meets the library's objective for a responsible, responsive collection management practice. It provides structure, but not without regard for the unique potential addition to the collection that each journal represents. Although subject to occasional fine-tuning, this method has worked satisfactorily for two hundred journal evaluations completed over the course of several years. It is a well-tested procedure and is adaptable to most library settings, in whole or in part, regardless of size or type of collection.     

Wisconsin Little Magazines

Abstract

This evaluation method for journals meets the library's objective for a responsible, responsive collection management practice. It provides structure, but not without regard for the unique potential addition to the collection that each journal represents. Although subject to occasional fine-tuning, this method has worked satisfactorily for two hundred journal evaluations completed over the course of several years. It is a well-tested procedure and is adaptable to most library settings, in whole or in part, regardless of size or type of collection.     

SR visits: bringing electronic access to the census bureau library

The United States Census Bureau Library, acting on a study commissioned in 2002, has undertaken to improve electronic access for their patrons. The library provides e-journal and database access. The staff relies on usage statistics from these resources to sharpen the focus of the collection. Through an aggressive outreach program Census Bureau employees learn about these new products and services. Future plans include adding more e-journals, an open OPAC, and a new library building.     

A cramer type large deviation theorem for trimmed linear combinations of order statistics

Sufficient conditions are established under which a (properly normalized) trimmed linear combination of order statistics admits a Cramer type large deviation theorem in the range I-A★ o(n )]. A ? (?)0, 0 λo λ     

Tables for the Lilliefors and Modified Cramer–von Mises Tests of Normality

We present new tabulations of the Lilliefors distribution and the modified Cramer–von Mises distribution, which are used to test for normality when the population mean and variance are unknown. Some practical remarks and an example are given.     

Project Feedback Loops: Visualizing Collection Evaluation Decisions

ABSTRACT

In 2016, a collection assessment project evaluated print serials and book collections at Johns Hopkins University in preparation for an upcoming renovation of the Eisenhower Library. Project metrics provided librarians with both goals and measures of success that varied by humanities, social sciences, and science and engineering—such as estimated number of volumes, decision type, and the percentage of serials staying or moving out of the building. A feedback loop with data visualizations helped reduce anxiety and improve communication across library departments by illustrating volume estimates, linear feet, and shelf height by decision type. Key takeaways include lessons learned about necessary data proficiency for academic librarians and the need for better data from our library software and applications to facilitate future collection evaluation projects for weeding off-site serials.     

SR visits: bringing electronic access to the census bureau library

Abstract

The United States Census Bureau Library, acting on a study commissioned in 2002, has undertaken to improve electronic access for their patrons. The library provides e-journal and database access. The staff relies on usage statistics from these resources to sharpen the focus of the collection. Through an aggressive outreach program Census Bureau employees learn about these new products and services. Future plans include adding more e-journals, an open OPAC, and a new library building.     

The Distribution of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov,Cramer–von Mises,and Anderson–Darling Test Statistics for Exponential Populations with Estimated Parameters

This article presents a derivation of the distribution of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Cramer–von Mises, and Anderson–Darling test statistics in the case of exponential sampling when the parameters are unknown and estimated from sample data for small sample sizes via maximum likelihood.