In the academic libraries' efforts to support digital humanities and social science, GIS service plays an important role. However, there is no general service model existing about how libraries can develop GIS services to best engage with digital humanities and social science. In this study, we adopted the action research method to develop and…

Signage represents more than directions or policies; it is informational, promotional, and sets the tone of the environment. To be effective, signage must be consistent, concise, and free of jargon and punitive language. An efficient assessment of signage should include a complete inventory of existing signage, including an analysis of the types…

The University of Michigan Library wanted to learn more about the kinds of searches its users were conducting through the "one search" search box on the Library Web site. Library staff conducted two investigations. A preliminary investigation in 2011 involved the manual review of the 100 most frequently occurring queries conducted…

Explores how academic researchers disaggregate and reaggregate scientific journal articles in both print and digital environments. Analyzes data gathered in the NSF/DARPA/NASA Digital Libraries Initiative (DLI) project at the University of Illinois to describe how components are mobilized in the work of researchers as they identify, retrieve, read…

The University of Florida Libraries took the opportunity of remodeling its Humanities and Social Sciences library to conceptualize the design of an info commons area for the new building. An Info Commons Concept Team was formed and charged with this task. The team used site visits, surveys, focus groups, and interviews to determine the needs of…

Discometrics, a field of study technically related to bibliometrics, employs statistical analysis of discographies to ascertain public demand for classical music. In addition to providing a tool for collection development, discometric surveys may have a variety of uses for educators, record company executives, music dealers, and scholars. (4…

Describes a study that examined whether school library media specialists engage in self-censorship as part of the collection development process with regard to young adult literature having content that significantly increases the probability that the materials will be challenged. Explains the research method of searching Texas high school OPACs…

Describes the use of core journal network analysis and cocited journal mapping for studying the intellectual structure of scholarly fields and for evaluating journal collections to identify the most important titles in a discipline. Journals in the field of genetics are examined, and the use of spreadsheet software is explained. (31 references)…

Describes a study that examined the feasibility of automating the process of library collection analysis, using collections in botany and mathematical analysis as the study population and bibliographic utility databases as sources of holdings information. The discussion covers the effectiveness of the methodology and potential uses of the results.…

This symposium report includes seven papers that address issues concerning the North American Collections Inventory Project (NCIP) Conspectus sponsored by the Research Libraries Group (RLG). Topics discussed include cooperative collection development; rigor and research in library and information science; decision making and uncertainty; and data…

Noting that librarians have long debated whether specific library functions may, or should, be scientifically examined, or whether they constitute an art not susceptible to scientific study, this paper reviews and critiques attempts to develop models of library material selection using the theories and methods of scientific investigation. First,…

Examination of citations indexed in Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) reveals salient patterns which can be helpful in determining interdisciplinarity and/or disciplinarity. Collection development efforts can be enhanced by examination of citation patterns of published research related to a classical social science author such as Jean-Jacques…

An auxiliary study of the direct observation method for counting periodical usage in Evans Library at Texas A&M University found that student observations contain substantial error and that aggregation problems and cost issues are fundamental constraints to this method. Concludes direct observation may be useful in calibrating the results of…

Reviews meaning and theory of library collections and structure and enumerates ways that data on collections can be organized to reveal underlying global structure (links and connections between collections, parts of collections, and users of collections). Definitions of terms applying to eight models described in text are appended. (53…

Discussion of monographic acquisitions in academic research libraries focuses on a study that employed descriptive methodology to analyze changes in collecting patterns between 1985 and 1989 in the aggregated resources base of 72 Association of Research Libraries members. Recommendations for further research are suggested. (Author/LRW)