In Fall 2014 the University of Maryland Libraries launched a textbook reserves program to help relieve the burden of high textbook costs on students. Although its initial performance was lackluster, workflow refinements and expanded promotion greatly improved usage, resulting in a tenfold increase in circulation and expansion of the program. This…

An evaluation of the reference referral program at the University of California Library at Santa Barbara was conducted by a committee of the Librarians Association of the University (LAVC). This committee designed a referral form, a plan for its use, and a methodology for evaluating the program. Conclusions are complex and raise more questions…

Two measures of effectiveness for university libraries are constructed. The Primary Measure of Effectiveness, defined over the total population of users, considers the number of material and information items desired by the users, the number of satisfactorily answered inquiries, and the number of users. For the Secondary Measure of Effectiveness…

College faculty who learned to do online bibliographic searching were surveyed immediately following and one year after training workshops. Information was gathered about user characteristics, their motivation for learning to search, and type of training needed, and conclusions were drawn about need for academic libraries to provide end user…

This paper reports past performance data for document delivery services provided by two libraries at University of Minnesota (Walter Library, Institute of Technology Libraries) and results of survey of faculty served by these services. Differences between users and nonusers, reasons for nonuse, and correlates of extent of use are discussed. (EJS)

A selective dissemination service (SRIM) of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) features semimonthly dissemination of microfiche copies of documents newly added to the NTIS collection, on the basis of interest profiles. The service was used to test a university subsystem wherein a number of individual profiles were combined and…

Describes program of end user training designed to teach students rudiments of searching using Bibliographic Retrieval Service/After Dark. Results of participant responses to post-search questionnaire are reported, including suggestions of what to cover in basic training, problems of end users, and developing role of online searcher as consultant.…

This study focused on how CD-ROM systems were being used in a college library and training users had received or assistance they required. Patrons completed surveys and librarians logged assistance requests to determine the level of assistance needed for CD-ROM workstations. Results showed most patrons need assistance from librarians even for…

The library instruction program conducted at the University of Colorado consisted of classroom contact with students in the history and economics departments, and production of a slide tape. Evaluation instruments were developed for discovering present student and faculty library use and faculty attitudes toward the library, with the idea of…

Describes a HyperCard program developed at the University of Denver library to provide computer-assisted reference service for business information as well as instructions for using the online catalog and a database of journal articles. Examples of menu screens are included, and usage of the program is examined. (five references) (LRW)

Computer-based reference search services were provided to users on a fee-for-service basis at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the first, and experimental, note in the development of the Northeast Academic Science Information Center (NASIC). Development of a training program for information specialists and training materials is…

In October, 1971, AIMLO (Auto-Instructional Media for Library Orientation) was initiated at Colorado State University Libraries. AIMLO is an innovative approach to undergraduate library instruction, providing on-demand, point-of-use programs about three basic library tools: periodical indexes, the card catalog, and U.S. government documents. To…