Search

Copyright of Journal of Academic Library & Information Science is the property of Anhui University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ten years ago, while working with a Latin class, I was busily demonstrating mythology reference books, happily claiming, 'These are just as easy to use as Wikipedia,' although of course [...]

IN THE LOBBY of the Encyclopaedia Britannica building in Chicago, inscribed in marble, is the first sentence of the preface of the 1771 first edition of this iconic work: Utility [...]

Because the rate at which documents are being generated outstrips librarians' ability to catalog them, an accurate, automated scheme of subject classification is desirable. However, simplistic word-counting schemes miss many [...]

Traditionally, library professionals have used a variety of ready reference technologies to assist in providing reference and user services. Technologies such as card files, vertical files, and reference notebooks are [...]

Welcome to the twelfth annual 'Best Free Reference Websites' list. In 1998, the Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) of RUSA appointed an ad hoc task force to develop a method of [...]

I CONSULT THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY almost every day. The binding on my first edition, the last installment of which was published in 1928, is disintegrating. Shreds of vellum flutter [...]

Librarians at the Arnold Bernhard Library of Quinnipiac University were concerned with the usage levels of their electronic reference titles. They added the titles to the library's Web page, made individual records in the online catalog, and even established links between an OPAC keyword search and a search through electronic reference titles. It was still felt that the collection was underutilized. In 2007, the Automation Librarian began a project to add one more level of access to these titles--a graphic interface that simulated the process of walking into a reference room and picking out a title. A preliminary version was loaded in the Fall of 2007, and early results indicate that it has found an audience. KEYWORDS. Electronic reference books, e-books, online catalog, graphic interface

The article presents influence of electronics texts during research project by academics in literary and historical studies. Electronic texts helped scholars to see various aspects of a topic, see different meanings and provided interactions with different forms of media and formats.

Highlights: [•] Critical analysis of the various available reference methods in nuclear magnetic resonance. [•] To help users in choosing the appropriate method. [•] The analytical performance and the main recent applications of each method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trends of researchers at the Sambalpur University in seeking online information are analyzed. Findings reveal that while users of other libraries prefer electronic resources, researchers at the Sambalpur University still think that printed materials are more effective. The implications of the results on universities in other third world countries are also discussed.

For the uninitiated, searching for Ross Eckler may be simply a matter of using Wikipedia, the free internet encyclopedia. Go to Wikipedia, type in Ross Eckler, and you will be [...]

It is less than twenty years since David Crystal 'prophesied' that 'one day we shall not look up a word in a dictionary on a shelf but ask our home [...]

The usability effectiveness of electronic Encyclopedia Britannica electronic and compact disc versions are studied.

The Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) appointed an ad hoc task force at the American Library Association's 1998 Annual Conference to develop a [...]

Most librarians would agree that Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is a standard reference tool. In fact, it has appeared as numbers 4 and 56 (different editions) in a list of the [...]

ChaCha, a new, free text-message question and answer service, maintains a database of answers to frequently asked questions, but human beings investigate the ones without answers on file. In 2008, ChaCha was the 'official text answers service' for the Sundance Film Festival. In 2007, the company partnered with Indiana University to enhance its research facilities. This article presents an assessment of how well the service works, trying a variety of test questions, and evaluating the results. Preliminary results suggest that while it is useful for general queries, it is not very helpful as a tool for serious research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing access to electronic reference collections is an important issue for many libraries. The librarians at Kansas State University are committed to making these valuable resources available to their users. The process of creating e-collection lists is described. How they implemented the lists and thoughts about the future are discussed. Kansas State is reaching out and bringing users into the library in a variety of ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the trends affecting reference services in court and government law libraries, such as globalization, shrinking budgets, the increasing availability of information, declining in-person patron visits, increasing numbers of pro se patrons, and the emergence of new technologies and the millennial generation. The paper then considers innovations arising in response to these trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From pilot project to mainstream reference service, this article chronicles the HELIN consortium's history with commercial virtual reference (VR) software and details its decision to switch from a centralized service to individually supported instant messaging (IM) reference services across its institutions. The authors discuss the development and implementation of their virtual reference service with emphasis on assessing its success using both commercial VR software and freeware IM applications at its different member institutions. Lessons learned, the pros and cons of offering collaborative virtual reference, and the challenges of integrating emerging technologies into library services are addressed as librarians seek to develop best practices for offering reference service in an increasingly virtual world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a survey of digital reference trends in the United States with an emphasis on services for Slavic and East European studies. It is based on the author's experience as a Slavic reference librarian at the University of Illinois (Slavic Reference Service) and the Library of Congress (European Division). Topics include the conflict between print and digital resources, coping with electronic serials, full-text databases and websites, digital communication tools such as e-mail, chat, and web forms, the proliferation of websites from Eastern Europe and the NIS, and opportunities for bibliographic instruction via the web. The article concludes with suggestions for keeping current and ideas for possible reference collaboration among Slavic and East European studies librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, contemporaneously with the expansion of the Internet, the number of pro se litigants has increased at an extraordinary rate. It is also occurring at the same time that the number of traditional in-person reference transactions is on the decline and online reference services are being increasingly accessed. The author argues that one way for an academic law library to deal with this patron base is through the library's Web site. Offering access to legal information online is distinctive from traditional in-person reference because it involves less exposure to liability for librarians and less risk of being accused of practicing law. The author discusses Web site features that would be of value to the pro se patron, surveys the numbers of academic law libraries offering those features, gives examples of Web sites specifically designed with the pro se patron in mind, and offers suggestions on how to structure the Web site to provide services for these patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the factors that influenced the design of a chat reference service that meets the needs of distance learners as well as traditional students. Emphasis is placed in the importance of collaborative projects, evaluation of software, and planning the organizational structure. An innovative "peer and tier" staffing initiative may extend hours and free reference librarians to concentrate on research and in-depth questions. Finally, a planning effort by information services may lead to a one-stop shopping service that will include student services that often are problematic for the distant learner (counseling, enrollment, financial aid, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic reference facilitates analyses not possible in face-to-face and telephone transactions. Texts of e-mail and chat reference sessions disambiguate issues of accuracy, interview discourse, and, to a lesser extent, patron satisfaction. Authentic transcripts are here advanced as superior instruments for study of AskA services, with significant applications also in better understanding other modes of reference. Clandestine questioning by colleagues, MLIS students, and researchers afflicts online reference services; it is argued here that unobtrusive study techniques useful in traditional settings are inappropriate for online reference, generating dubious data while undermining service quality. This paper examines how research affects the work of virtual reference librarians, and suggests appropriate means of assessing virtual reference services for scholarly as well as library management purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archive repository web pages have become more sophisticated in the past several years, and information about repository holdings is often readily available online. However, so long as full archival records are not available electronically, archivists will have to contend with the increase in reference requests from remote users. The author surveyed one hundred university archives web pages to examine the current availability of archival records on the Web and to explore the possible effects of this presence on archivists' efforts to provide remote users with access to repository holdings through "ask an archivist" forms, electronic mail, and other modes of communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will look at the historical development of cooperative service and resource sharing in libraries. Interlibrary Loan, union catalogs, library consortia, and electronic reference, have all impacted library work in the past century. The dissolving of walls is one of the main themes of library history in the 20th century. The developments of these years has clearly put the ability to use both human and institutional resources at the heart of contemporary library service. In looking at how this came to be, this article will examine developments in societal infrastructure and technology that made cooperative schemes both possible and economical. This article will also discuss how these developments have forced libraries to consider cooperative ways to respond to their primary service function. Lastly, conclusions will he drawn about how the emerging cooperative environment is changing the educational role of the librarian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-mail reference service provides complex challenges, but the service can be planned effectively and improved through cooperative work among reference staff and various library departments. Staff members from the Michigan State University Libraries have engaged in extensive cooperative work to evaluate, improve, and maintain effective e-mail reference services. Two library committees and an e-mail reference team have developed new service procedures, and have worked with other library departments to improve e-mail reference service. This article explores the collaborative work of the MSU committees, and discusses how e-mail reference has improved through cooperative work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The librarians at four hospital libraries describe the electronic reference service, “Ask A Librarian,” offered at their institutions. The hospitals are vastly different in size and in number of library staff, and offer the “Ask A Librarian” service to different clientele. The article illustrates that both large hospitals with a large library staff and small hospitals with a solo librarian and some volunteers can offer this type of service. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Increased student use of the Internet and declining reference desk statistics are factors encouraging academic reference librarians to look for new ways to reach patrons. Web-based customer contact center software gives librarians the tools to provide interactive, 24/7 reference service to Internet users. This article describes how the library at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona developed its live/web reference service. We discuss the factors that encouraged us to launch the service, the challenges that we encountered along the way, and examples of our experiences to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utah State University has successfully implemented a service that incorporates e-mail reference and an appointment-based model. The advantages of the Term Paper&Research Assistance service are reviewed. The program incorporates a great deal of flexibility for the participating librarians and the clients they serve and eliminates the need for a “coordinator.” Use statistics and positive student feedback have underscored the service's potential for future growth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

College and university libraries have been providing electronic reference service since the early 1980s. This article discusses practical applications and procedures needed to establish a cyberreference program in an academic setting, covering both the challenges and obstacles inherent in establishing a new technological service. Also discussed is the promotion and marketing of electronic reference once the program has been established. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]