In order to better grasp the needs of library users and provide them with more accurate knowledge services, combining the characteristics of university libraries, this article applies library small data to personalized recommendation and proposes a small data fusion algorithm model for library personalized recommendation. This model combines the…

The Main Library Service Desk is a one-stop academic help center located between a newly renovated student-focused space called the Learning Commons and the library collections. Services began with the first day of classes, August 26, 2013, and assessment has been ongoing, in part due to the availability of data. Staffing levels, staffing hours,…

The prime function of a special library is the correlation of all aspects of patron needs, coupled with extensive knowledge of the parent organization. Business librarians should be alert to their role as facilitators, and routing sheets are an example of internally generated information distribution. Feedback from employees can also provide the…

This article describes the process and role frontline access and public service staff play in needs assessment and evaluation of user services, specifically in understanding the voice of the customer. Information includes how the University of Arizona Libraries have incorporated daily data collection into the strategic planning process, resources…

With both budget dollars and buying power shrinking for academic library collections, the selection of materials is a series of crucial choices. With increases in numbers of online programs, how can we determine if what we are buying is in fact what our users need? E-reserves are an increasingly popular way to provide digital copies of course…

Once a librarian has made the decision to conduct a study of the economic community, several interrelated questions must be addressed: What is meant by the term "economic community" and what is known about it? What will be the objectives of the survey? Which businesses, industries, and services should be included? Who will conduct the…

One of a series on library services to disadvantaged adults, this guide gives a three step plan for assessing community information needs. Seven methods of information gathering are described, and the important factors to be considered in interpreting the information are outlined. A pre-planning information form, a sample questionnaire for agency…

This report involved a survey of 199 postsecondary institutions in Canada to determine how many universities and colleges provide some type of library support for their off-campus and distance-education students; and to tabulate and compare the types of library support provided by those institutions. The report contains narrative, a series of 21…

Discusses the ARL (Association of Research Libraries) E-Metrics project that is investigating problems related to collecting and using data for electronic materials and services. Describes a survey of libraries that focused on data collection activities and showed a lack of preparation as well as a lack of consistent statistics from database…

Tufts University Hirsh Health Sciences Library created a Facebook page and a corresponding managing committee in March 2010. Facebook Page Insights data collected from the library's Facebook page were statistically analyzed to investigate patterns of user engagement. The committee hoped to improve posting practices and increase user engagement…

Describes the use of focus groups to determine young adult needs in public libraries, based on experiences at the Johnson County Library system in Kansas City. Highlights include the benefits of focus groups over surveys, time involvement, how to design questions to ask, and compiling data. (LRW)

Disucusses local collection development tools available to librarians on their college or university campus, including syllabi; class discussion lists; departmental Web pages and pamphlets; departmental selfreports; centers for teaching excellence; university bookstore; library circulation figures; library consortia; and the Internet. (AEF)

Users' expectations of libraries are changing as they find and obtain more information directly from the Web. To better understand how usage patterns are changing, the Digital Library Federation (DLF) and Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)commissioned Outsell, Inc., to conduct a large-scale study of undergraduates, graduate…

Describes steps in a process-improvement project for reserve book services at the University of Arizona Library: (1) plan--identify process boundaries and customer requirements, gather/analyze data, prioritize problems; (2) do--encourage divergent thinking, reach convergent thinking, find solutions; (3) check--pilot solutions, compare costs; and…

Reviews current trends in the networked community information literature, including public library involvement, and discusses a present study for which multiple methods are being used to collect data from users, librarians, and service providers in three states. Particular attention is given to explaining use of theory specification to apply…