Using data for 2,717 journals and more than 9,000 acquisition opportunities, this study shows how journal prices vary by level of aggregation (single-journal subscription or full-text database), resource provider type (scholarly society, university press, other nonprofit organization, commercial publisher, or library vendor), and broad subject…

Academic libraries continue to face funding pressures compounded by the need to provide students with access to electronic resources, both in journal and book formats. With space constraints and the need to repurpose library space to other uses, libraries must carefully examine the move to e-only formats for books to determine if the format makes…

Introduction: Our aim is to compare the advantages and problems of e-book acquisition identified in research literature to those experienced by two Swedish university libraries. Method: A literature review was used to identify the main issues related to acquisition of e-books by academic libraries. The data for comparison were collected through…

An adaptation of Heilprin's model of the path of propagation of human messages is used to explore the truism that more experienced academic researchers tend to go directly to the published literature, while less experienced researchers may rely more on such secondary sources as indexes and other library reference and bibliographic services. The…

Discusses the results of a survey of 255 librarians and college professors that was conducted to determine their preferences regarding three back-of-the-book index features: word-by-word versus letter-by-letter alphabetizing; line-by-line versus run-on subheading arrangement; and see references versus duplicate entries. (Contains 25 references.)…

Explains procedures and statistical results of a study comparing the effectiveness of programed instruction and the lecture method in teaching bibliographic search skills to undergraduates. Results indicate the programed approach is a viable method, which can be used as a satisfactory alternative to routine introductory lectures. (CWM)

The relative effectiveness of the CD-ROM information retrieval system, InfoTrac II, and the manual "Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature," was studied. Seventeen community college students were divided into two groups which researched the same questions either on CD-ROM or in the printed index. Results showed the "Readers'…

Describes a study at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that compared searches in two different keyword indexes with similar content where search results were dependent on search strategy quality, search engine execution, and content. Results showed search engine execution had an impact on the number of matches and that users ignored search help…

The purpose of this study was to improve upon previous research investigations by analyzing the elements of cost effectiveness, precision, recall, citation overlap, and hours searching in a comparison between computerized database searching and manual searching, using the setting of an academic library environment with a diverse group of students…

Describes a study that asked college students to compare CD-ROM and print versions of ERIC, PsycLit, and the Business Periodicals Index. The findings indicate that students found the CD-ROM versions to be faster and easier to use. Search strategies employed by students and the extent to which they required assistance are also discussed. (four…

Describes two CD-ROM reference systems and the reactions of undergraduate students, faculty, and librarians to these systems. The discussion covers criteria that influenced users' reactions (e.g. ease of use, expertise in Boolean logic, database currency, and multidisciplinary characteristics of databases) and conclusions about appropriate systems…

A survey of 123 users at the National Agricultural Library and Purdue University showed that, for most measures of acceptability, users preferred online or digital videodisc versions of the Pork Industry Handbook to the printed version. User characteristics were examined as factors that might influence responses. (Author/MES)

Describes a model enumerating cost factors for comparing costs for paper, online, and CD-ROM indexes and abstracts. The model is applied to start-up and annual costs, and to the cost of storing and providing access to ERIC, Applied Science and Fisheries Abstracts, and Excerpta Medica, based on anticipated academic library usage. (MBR)

Analyzes the impact of the rising cost of materials on academic libraries as reflected in members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Highlights include total library expenditures; materials expenditures; comparisons with price indexes; and the impact of journal…

The rapid expansion of online publications has raised some concerns about the use of online databases in comparison with using traditional print publications. To determine the opinions of end users about using Dialog online databases versus their corresponding print versions, three libraries in Atlanta, Georgia--Atlanta-Fulton Public Library,…