This article begins with an analysis of Questia’s online collection of digitized books and articles. Although the collection is not found to be a strong one, Questia’s strength lies in its ability to utilize the digital format to overcome many of the barriers and inconsistencies that undergraduate students encounter in a traditional brick-and-mortar academic library. Librarians can learn a lot ...

This study investigated the relationship between an institution’s academic library performance measures and undergraduates’ library use and educational outcomes. The sample consisted of 7,958 undergraduates attending 36 colleges and universities representing four institutional types. Regression analyses determined the relationship between academic library performance measures and library use an...

artisan activities of cataloging, classifying, and creating authorized headings” in light of the need for experts who can effectively navigate the quickly changing information environment that interdisciplinary work generates and requires. Continuing the conversation of the role of technical services, Gretchen E. Reynolds, Cynthia Holt, and John C. Walsh (Chapter 5) report the findings of their...

This paper considers how studies of collaborative activities in the real world can be used to aid in the design of digital libraries. We describe two studies of collaboration in physical environments. The first study examines behaviour at the enquiry desk in an academic library. The second study examines collaboration in an office environment concentrating on 'over the shoulder learning'. The n...

This paper is intended to compare information retrieval (IR) educational goals in different academic and professional areas such as Library and Information Science (LIS) and Health Sciences (HS), analysing and identifying a shift on user seeking goals in the digital era and, eventually, on educational goals as well. It starts with a section on information literacy where several aspects are spec...

Nathan Hall is Assistant Director, Digital Imaging & Preservation Services, in the Newman Library at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; e-mail: [email protected]. Sara Arnold-Garza is Research & Instruction Librarian in the Albert S. Cook Library at Towson University; e-mail: sarnoldgarza@towson. edu. Regina Gong is Manager of Library Technical Services & Systems at Lansing Commun...

In the climate of increasing calls for academic assessment, the authors undertook a study to ascertain book availability in an academic library. The study described here uses the methodology pioneered by Tefko Saracevic, W. M. Shaw, Jr., and Paul Kantor and is a follow-up of earlier research reported in College & Research Libraries in 1987. The authors designed the study to identify any improve...

Purpose – This review aims to provide a snapshot of digital library research of the past 11 years (1997-2007) that focuses on organisational and people issues, including those concerning the social/cultural, legal, ethical, and use dimensions. Design/methodology/approach – The review covers articles published in mainstream peer-reviewed library and information science/studies journals. The anal...

IN 1973, ARTHUR MCANALLY AND ROBERTDOWNSauthored a seminal article on the changing role of the university library director. This article takes a look at McAnally and Downs’s findings twenty years later to determine whether the changes outlined in 1973 are still valid today. Additional sources of strife for university library directors are outlined and requirements for today’s library directors ...