Issues 266 through 282 of "Fast Facts" from the Library Research Service present data collected from libraries in Colorado and throughout the nation. Topics addressed in these "Fast Facts" from 2009 include interlibrary loan in academic libraries, public librarian salaries, book, newspaper, and periodical prices from 2004 to…

Modern academic libraries have a great number of information resources available online in the form of electronic catalogs, books, journals, and subject subscription databases. To determine whether users can easily retrieve the information they are seeking, academic librarians conduct usability testing of their libraries' Web sites. There has been…

The Federal Government is introducing a new funding model for research in Australian higher education institutions, the Research Quality Framework (RQF). This paper provides an overview of the RQF and looks at possible impacts of the RQF on academic libraries in Australia. These impacts are drawn from experience at one Australian university,…

Libraries are investing heavily in an increasing number of electronic journals and providing access to them through their websites. We set out to determine if ARL academic libraries offer the same options on their websites to access electronic journals and databases. Using a checklist, we evaluated the websites for the presence of A-Z lists, links…

In 1988 Mann Library at Cornell University proposed to develop a computer system that would support interactive access to significant electronic files in agriculture and the life sciences. This system was titled the Interactive Numeric Files Retrieval System (INFeRS). This report describes how project goals were met and it presents the project's…

This document is a self-paced training packet developed for a pilot project at the University of Houston-University Park to teach pharmacy faculty members to do their own online searching. The training begins with general topics such as the kinds of searches that can be done effectively online, the selection of appropriate databases to search, and…

Purpose: To share the experiences in data migration of the KFUPM Library with libraries planning to move from legacy systems such as DOBIS/LIBIS to third-generation systems. Design/methodology/approach: A detailed analysis of DOBIS/LIBIS data structure, data extraction, including data mining, and data conversion of bibliographic, non-bibliographic…

In the past decade, academic libraries have struggled with the design of an effective library home page. Since librarians' mental models of information architecture differ from those of their patrons, usability assessments are necessary in designing a user-centered home page. This study details a usability sequence of card sort and paper and…

This document is a self-paced training packet developed for a pilot project at the University of Houston-University Park to teach architecture faculty members to do their own online searching. The training begins with general topics such as the kinds of searches that can be done most effectively online; the selection of appropriate databases to…

Describes the creation of an interactive retrieval system for electronic numeric files that was developed at Cornell University's (New York) Mann Library. Topics discussed include user characteristics; special data characteristics; quality control; software; hardware; data preparation; database design and construction; interface; subject indexing…

The ability to search and receive results in more than one database through a single interface--or metasearch--is something many users want. Google Scholar--the search engine of specifically scholarly content--and library metasearch products like Ex Libris's MetaLib, Serials Solution's Central Search, WebFeat, and products based on MuseGlobal used…

A description of techniques for introducing online services to new user groups includes discussion of terms and their definitions, evolution of online searching, advantages and disadvantages of online searching, production of the data bases, search strategies, Boolean logic, costs and charges, "do's and don'ts," and a user search questionnaire. (J…

Views increasing costs in the form of royalties as an obstacle to the development of online services in academic libraries. Increased volume, creative pricing, and alternate charging algorithms are suggested for containing costs. Comments of vendors and database producers are included. (RAA)

Illustrates that proper use of location information in the NUC and OCLC databases can reduce costs and improve interlibrary loan efficiency. (Author/RAA)

Describes an experimental project at Carnegie Mellon University to enhance catalog records in order to improve the quality of the records and access to resources. Criteria for selecting books for enhanced cataloging and implementation of enhancement procedures are discussed. Several sample screen displays are included. (Three references) (MES)