“Living with electronic data interchange: Implementation and practical applications for EDI from the perspective of the ILS vendor,the librarian,and the book vendor,” a report from the ALCTS,automated acquisitions/in-process control systems discussion group session at the ALA midwinter conference,January 1996

Abstract

The libraries in the Western North Carolina Library Network (WNCLN) seek effective ways to provide patrons with a complete list of electronic journals provided through their various aggregator services, so patrons can determine e-journal access to article citations. The WNCLN libraries (Appalachian State University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and Western Carolina University) accomplished this through their shared catalog (Innovative Interfaces, Inc. [INNOPAC]), data provided by Serials Solutions, and local computer programming. Brief MARC records, with locally created key titles, provide an interim solution to the complexities of aggregator services. Serials Review 2002; 28:108–112.     

Using EZproxy and Google Analytics to Evaluate Electronic Serials Usage

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study is to evaluate electronic usage statistics for Belk Library at Elon University. The Electronic Resources Office (ERO) collects usage data for all serials—both print and electronic—, ebooks, and electronic databases. This study used ezPAARSE and Google Analytics to analyze the data from our website, and we will use these data to compare our vendor statistics to get a more complete picture of how the library's electronic resources are being used.     

Failure Rates and Publication Status: Periodicals Reviewed in Library Journal (1980–2005) and Database Accuracy

Abstract

Life spans of periodicals are described for all titles reviewed in Library Journal's (LJ) “Magazines” column from 1980 through 2005 using data from WorldCat, EBSCO's Serials Directory and Ulrichsweb. Fifty-four percent of the periodicals reviewed in LJ have failed. The highest rate of failure is in the first few years of publication, but there remains a substantial failure rate thereafter. The many challenges of keeping accurate records on end dates for periodicals are discussed in the context of cooperative cataloging under CONSER's leadership. The relative strengths and weaknesses of data in WorldCat, Serials Directory and Ulrichsweb are discussed and quantified.     

Rethinking Print Periodicals Holdings Retention Policy in Small Academic Libraries

Abstract

Collection development policies in small academic libraries may lack a formal policy statement about print periodical holdings retention. However, there is a need for a distinct policy about print periodicals holdings and their retention. Periodicals collections at academic libraries have been greatly affected by publishers’ decisions to discontinue print journal formats and move to online-only electronic versions. The move from one format to another produces challenges to the retention of an effective print periodicals collection. Given these continuous changes in publication format, it is necessary for academic libraries to rethink their print periodicals holdings retention. This article will present a literature review on and case study of periodicals collection management and explore strategies for developing holdings policies and guidelines for retention. It will argue that collection development policies ought to include a separate policy for the print periodicals collection and that unlike their reputation for being time-consuming and inflexible, periodical retention policies can improve flexibility and guide in decision making, helping to preserve core titles and acquire new titles that support academic programs and the work of the college community.     

Data-Informed Ebook Discovery: An Analytical Approach to the User Experience

ABSTRACT

This article reports on an effort to better understand the discoverability of ebook collections at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). Library staff analyzed titles in nine ebook packages across disciplines and conducted a two-pronged analysis of how discoverable titles in these collections were, both in Summon Discovery Service and the online catalog, and the quality of what could be discovered about the ebooks with these tools. This study revealed that discoverability of ebooks is not equal across collections, and some collections require more work to make them discoverable in Summon and the catalog. Finally, the majority of titles were discovered in Summon, but the catalog still seems to be a better discovery engine for these ebooks.     

The Exchange of Publications; An Alternative to Acquisitions

Abstract

In March 2001 the Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP) enabled the University of Saskatchewan Library to add over seven hundred electronic titles to its journal collection. The CNSLP titles introduced a critical mass of electronic journals to library patrons, offering a complex and intriguing range of supplementary content and a transformation of the experience of reading scientific journals. This article reports on the plug-ins and add-ons required to access supplementary content in the CNSLP electronic journals and explores the implications of supplementary content for readers. Serials Review 2003; 29:103–116.     

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.     

No Mind Reading Necessary: Conducting Evidence-Based Electronic Resource Marketing and Outreach Using Marketing Research Assessment

Abstract

In her presentation entitled “No Mind Reading Necessary: Conducting Evidence-Based Electronic Resource Marketing and Outreach” at the North Carolina Serials Conference April 2019, Kate Hill discussed marketing research strategies and outreach tools used to increase online users’ access to electronic resources and primary resources. In an effort to connect users to seldom-used resources, Jackson Library collaborated with university partners to develop surveys to identify the information-seeking behavior of its users and apply the gathered marketing research to strategically plan outreach activities.     

Life spans of Library Journal's “Best Magazines of the Year”

Abstract

An annual column published in Library Journal reviews the best new magazines of the previous year. Despite being chosen for their quality, a portion of them fail at a rate described in this study. Reasons for failure and characteristics of ceased titles are described, as are difficulties in determining end dates from records in OCLC, Ulrich's, and the Serials Directory. This study reveals that OCLC records had not been closed for 30 percent of the ceased periodicals. A list of successful and widely held “best of” magazines is appended.     

The 5K Run Toolkit: A Quick,Painless, and Thoughtful Approach to Managing Print Journal Backruns

Abstract

Increasingly, academic libraries are choosing to discard or place in storage print journals that are now available online. The identification of these titles and related collection analysis activities are often time-intensive. The approach at the University of Saskatchewan Library was to develop an online toolkit that combined available data from disparate sources including the integrated library system, SFX link resolver, and OCLC's WorldCat and then present them in a collaborative open source environment. This paper demonstrates how the careful combination of existing data presented in a simple online format allowed subject specialists to make accurate print journal deselection decisions quickly and painlessly.     

Managing a Comprehensive Cost-per-Use Project in a Large Academic Library

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study to evaluate title-level cost per use (CPU) for most recurring resources at The University of Alabama Libraries. The study relied on cost and usage data from FY2016. The purpose of the project was to identify titles for cancellation and to establish CPU for most titles ordered individually and those within packages for use in future contract negotiations. The analysis began with a list of all recurring titles having a cost of $1,000 or more. The review involved 1,035 titles with an initial objective to highlight all titles with a CPU of $200 or more. Titles exceeding this CPU threshold received additional review, with several identified for cancellation. This article presents the findings and provides an overview of the process used to collect CPU on a large scale. The article outlines some of the challenges faced by libraries when trying to align data that are stored in various silos and the limitations for various platforms and software used when collecting CPU data. The findings from this study formed the basis for a LibGuide developed and used to raise awareness of the need for cancellations. The data also assisted with future contract negotiations.     

Leveraging Vendor Assessments of Usage Data

ABSTRACT

This article summarizes a presentation given at the 2017 North Carolina Serials Conference by Judith Nagata. The speaker discussed how her library used vendor-supplied usage data and graphic representations of that data to make decisions about journals and journal packages.     

Harper's Magazine

An analysis of the performance of five major review periodicals showed that School Library Journal and Booklist were most likely to have reviewed both a large percentage of total juvenile publication and those books singled out by the 1972–1974 and 1978–1980 Notable Children's Books Committees; the New York Times Book Review was least likely to have done so. There was a decline in coverage of the selected titles by the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Even so, Bulletin and Horn Book, as well as Booklist and SLJ, continued to do a good job of calling attention to better books.

Recent reviews appeared closer to the publication date of the book in question, with the time lag reduced in all but the New York Times, where it increased. Booklist's record of little more than a month was relatively impressive, with all other periodicals taking over two months or more, on the average. Each periodical showed tremendous internal inconsistency in promptness, however.

The longest reviews, on the average, were published in NYTBR, the shortest in Bulletin. Recent reviews in SLJ and Booklist were longer than those found for the earlier sample.

All but Horn Book reviews reflected increased critical attention in general. The practice of referring to other books and authors continued on a limited but definite scale for 1978–1980 titles. Attempts to predict readership were somewhat more likely to appear in the more recent issues of Booklist and Bulletin than earlier.

The use of volunteer reviewers by School Library Journal resulted in a multiplicity of reviewers (25 people). Horn Book and NYTBR utilized eight people each. Booklist and Bulletin relied on reviews prepared by fulltime staffers.

Opinions on general quality of the books examined continued to be basically consistent.     

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.     

One for Nine: The Shared Cataloging Program of the California Digital Library

Abstract

In 1999, the California Digital Library (CDL) began a new cooperative venture, the Shared Cataloging Program, to improve access to its growing collection of electronic resources. Now known within the University of California (UC) as the SCP, the Shared Cataloging Program, based at UC San Diego, distributes ready-to-use cataloging records for all electronic titles licensed by the CDL to each of the other eight (soon to be nine) physical UC campuses. The SCP is the result of an intensive systemwide planning process fostered by a desire for an innovative approach to providing traditional bibliographic access to large numbers of electronic resources. It was launched out of pragmatic necessity along with an institutional commitment to the cooperative ideals of labor-savings, experimentation, and the search for “best practices.” This article will describe its genesis, current operation, one library's use of the records, and issues for future development. Serials Review 2002; 28:4–12.     

The performance of juvenile book review media

An analysis of the performance of five major review periodicals showed that School Library Journal and Booklist were most likely to have reviewed both a large percentage of total juvenile publication and those books singled out by the 1972–1974 and 1978–1980 Notable Children's Books Committees; the New York Times Book Review was least likely to have done so. There was a decline in coverage of the selected titles by the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Even so, Bulletin and Horn Book, as well as Booklist and SLJ, continued to do a good job of calling attention to better books.Recent reviews appeared closer to the publication date of the book in question, with the time lag reduced in all but the New York Times, where it increased. Booklist's record of little more than a month was relatively impressive, with all other periodicals taking over two months or more, on the average. Each periodical showed tremendous internal inconsistency in promptness, however.The longest reviews, on the average, were published in NYTBR, the shortest in Bulletin. Recent reviews in SLJ and Booklist were longer than those found for the earlier sample.All but Horn Book reviews reflected increased critical attention in general. The practice of referring to other books and authors continued on a limited but definite scale for 1978–1980 titles. Attempts to predict readership were somewhat more likely to appear in the more recent issues of Booklist and Bulletin than earlier.The use of volunteer reviewers by School Library Journal resulted in a multiplicity of reviewers (25 people). Horn Book and NYTBR utilized eight people each. Booklist and Bulletin relied on reviews prepared by fulltime staffers.Opinions on general quality of the books examined continued to be basically consistent.     

The Center for Intellectual Property Handbook,edited by Kimberly Bonner and the staff of the Center for Intellectual Property. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers,Inc., 2006. 257 p. $85.00. ISBN: 1-55570-561-8 (paperback)

Abstract

For the acquisition of periodicals and indexes, the selector role of subject specialists and reference librarians has been transformed by electronic access. In the past these librarians made independent recommendations for new periodicals, indexes, and abstracts by using traditional selection criteria (e.g., relevance, quality, and cost). With electronic resources, considerations such as licensing negotiations, consortial agreements, and technical issues have complicated the decision-making process and have sometimes removed it from individual librarians or even individual libraries. The author discusses the opportunities for individual librarians, particularly in public service roles, to participate in serials collection management decisions and provides a case study of business periodicals collection management in an academic library. Serials Review 2002; 28:283–286.     

E-serial Titles That Disappear

Abstract

CONSER (Cooperative Online Serials Program) members are currently dealing with the problem of how to catalog electronic journals that over time do not retain their titles on earlier issues. The dilemma for catalogers is whether to use the successive entry rules of AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules) for serials or to apply the latest entry approach used for integrating resources. CONSER members are currently working on a discussion paper that will weigh the pros and cons of successive and latest entry to be presented at the CONSER Operations Committee meeting in May 2002. Discussion of the issues will provide the background for a Library of Congress Rule Interpretation. Serials Review 2002; 28:222–224.     

Little Magazine Interview Index 2002

Abstract

This is the seventeenth issue of our annual index of interviews, compiled from currently received journal titles in the Sukov Collection of Little Magazines, Department of Special Collections, Memorial Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison. The list for 2002 includes 645 interviews with a mix of well-known and new writers and artists. The slight increase in number over past installments reaffirms the importance of a format that allows writers to speak freely about their work. As previously, the index follows a list of journal titles currently received by the library, but not included in the thirty-eighth edition of the International Directory of Little Magazines and Small Presses (Dustbooks). The titles are organized alphabetically by country of publication, with addresses for further reference. Many of the titles now have their own Websites. Given their often ephemeral nature, we do not attempt to provide valid URLs for those sites. Serials Review 2003; 29:127–136.