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Two librarians from the James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University describe the implementation of prepaid article access to ScienceDirect content. An overview of the initiative is provided along with adjustments that were made to the implementation. Also included is a description on how the use of various tools streamlined the user experience. The authors describe the challenges of determining the levels of mediation that worked for the library and its users. Although the program will be discontinued due to costs and limited customization options, useful information was gathered about article use indicating the need for scholarly resources and document delivery services. This article is based on the lightning talk, Streamlining User Experiences with ScienceDirect Prepaid Articles, presented at the 2022 North Carolina Serials Conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1958, the North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NCLBPH) has served patrons throughout the State of North Carolina who have no vision, low vision, or who are unable to physically hold a printed book. The collection includes approximately 128,000 titles in accessible formats; and on average, 2,000 titles are sent out to patrons via USPS Mail each day. As with most public libraries, NCLBPH currently obtains a certain number of copies of each new title. For popular titles, this can produce long waiting lists for patrons who are not able to use NLS's Braille and Audio Recording Download (BARD) service, available on computers and mobile devices. To solve this problem, NCLBPH is embarking on two pilot projects, one for Digital Talking Books (NLS's proprietary audiobook format) and one for Braille books. These two pilot projects will eliminate the waiting lists for popular titles by instituting a Books on Demand (BOD) system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference or citation managers aid in capturing and managing citations and associated full text, tracking references and citing them properly in manuscripts, and creating bibliographies. With more features than ever, selecting the most appropriate reference manager can be overwhelming for users and librarians. One common situation in which librarians are asked for advice involves building shared libraries of references to support collaborative group work. This project developed a structured evaluation for comparison of several common citation managers and prototypical use cases to help match features with user needs, preferences, and workflows. As products evolve and needs change, is there a “perfect fit”? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries have long relied on statistics to prove value, to justify budgetary expenditures, and to be the foundation for outcomes measurements. In September 2007, the North Carolina (NC) AHEC Digital Library's (ADL) monthly stats measured the first ever decline in both logins and link outs when compared to the same months of the previous year. When this trend continued through the end of 2007, the library staff undertook a statistical analysis and an environmental scan to determine why the monthly stats were dropping (as compared to the previous year). This paper discusses the results of that analysis indicating that the drop in usage statistics correlated to the loss of access to Up-to-Date for the portal users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in July 2002, the Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill underwent an 11 million dollar renovation. During three phases of the renovation, parts of the collection were inaccessible to patrons. In order to continue to make the library's collection available, library staff created a paging system. Patrons submitted requests for needed library materials using paper and electronic forms and library staff retrieved the requested items. The paging service was modified three times based on prior experience. Patrons were generally satisfied with the service. The renovation ended in December 2004. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to a journal budget cut of more than 30%, the Duke University Medical Center Library devised a multifaceted approach to meet the challenge of sharply reduced funding. The availability of electronic format added considerable complexity to the process and impacted the budget as well. In some cases, e-content offered cost savings, but in many others, it presented even higher costs. Major discussion points include surveying library users, developing a comprehensive database of criteria for a thorough review, engaging faculty in the review process, weighing the pros and cons of electronic access, and implementing a wide-ranging publicity campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]