Home July 2002 Vol 63 No 4 abstracts

College and Research Libraries
July 2002, Vol. 63, No. 4

Abstracts

Challenges That Academic Library Directors Are Experiencing as Perceived by Them and Their Supervisors
Eileen McElrath
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The study examines perceptions of challenges reported by academic library directors and the chief academic officers to whom they report. Findings indicate that perceptions about user satisfaction were similar, that the challenge of serials was perceived to be the greatest challenge, that perceptions are related about the challenges of diversity and hardware, and that challenges of organizational change and crime in libraries appear to be influenced by age and length of tenure. Findings further indicate that training and the budget are related.

Virginia Tech’s Innovative College Librarian Program
Nancy H. Seamans and Paul Metz
PDF version
In 1994, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) Libraries founded a College Librarian Program. Begun with four librarians serving four colleges, it has since grown to include eleven librarians providing comprehensive library services to the six of Virginia Tech’s eight colleges not served by branch libraries. Other authors have described the early history of the program or outlined some of its specific elements.1 By reviewing how the program came to be, by analyzing the choice points it presents, especially from an administrative perspective, and by discussing its benefits and costs from a university point of view, the authors hope to illuminate an exciting and potentially beneficial approach that other large institutions might seek to adapt to their own missions.

Use of Electronic Resources in Scholarly Electronic Journals: A Citation Analysis
Susan Davis Herring
PDF version
Although information gathering and use patterns in the traditional print environment have been studied for many years, the electronic environment presents a new and relatively unexplored area for such study. This article describes a citation analysis of research articles from scholarly electronic journals published in 1999–2000. The analysis focused on the extent to which scholars are using electronic resources and the types and subject areas of online resources that are being referenced. Results indicate a growing reliance on electronic resources by scholars, a high occurrence of nontraditional types of resources, and a relatively high use of interdisciplinary references.

From Scraps to Reams: A Survey of Printing Services in Academic Libraries
Beth Ashmore and Sara E. Morris
PDF version
The growing number of electronic resources available in libraries has led to the adoption of printing as an integral part of library services. However, the high costs associated with providing printing have led many libraries to charge a printing fee. This article explores how academic libraries in the Southeastern United States are grappling with providing printing services both economically and equitably. The research finds that nearly half of the libraries surveyed are currently charging for printing, with another quarter considering charging in the future. Although no institutional characteristics appear to accompany a printing fee, the research finds that extensive planning and campuswide collaboration are essential components for the successful implementation of a fee-based printing system.

Discovering How Students Search a Library Web Site: A Usability Case Study
Susan Augustine and Courtney Greene
PDF version
Have Internet search engines influenced the way students search library Web pages? The results of this usability study reveal that students consistently and frequently use the library Web site’s internal search engine to find information rather than navigating through pages. If students are searching rather than navigating, library Web page designers must make metadata and powerful search engines priorities. The study also shows that students have difficulty interpreting library terminology, experience confusion discerning difference amongst library resources, and prefer to seek human assistance when encountering problems online. These findings imply that library Web sites have not alleviated some of the basic and long-range problems that have challenged librarians in the past.

The Books in Bill Clinton’s Donation
Hongyang Zhang and T. D. Webb
PDF version
In 1998, President Clinton donated five hundred English-language books about the United States to the Peking University Library in a high-profile tribute to the role of academic institutions in China’s sociopolitical development during the twentieth century. However, few people know that this canny donation was quietly preceded in 1995 by a gift from the Peking University Library of five hundred Chinese-language books about China to a small U.S. academic library. Although they had different motives and outcomes, these donations indicate a promising role for academic library exchanges in China–U.S. relations and demonstrate the potential benefits of international librarianship in general.