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College and Research Libraries
March 2005, Vol. 66, No. 2
Abstracts
Communication in the Sciences as Seen through Physics and Chemistry: A Look at the Complex Relationship between Author, Publisher, and Distributor as They Relate to the Reader
William W. Armstrong
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Writing has long been the primary means of communicating in the sciences, yet the nature of the written word is rapidly changing as we enter a new era of electronic communications and virtual realities. This article examines some of these changes, particularly as they pertain to the disciplines of chemistry and physics and, most important, within the scope of the complex relationship between authors, publishers, and distributors (distributors in this case being academic libraries). This examination involves looking at changes within this triumvirate, the relationship each of the three has with the other, and ramifications of the changes as we peer into the near future. The three members of the triumvirate are intricately and inextricably bound together, and problems that occur within any one component will inevitably affect the others, imperiling the relationship between writer and reader. Such potential problems are brought to light in this article.
The 2004 User Survey at the University of Hong Kong Libraries
Helen Woo
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An online user survey, with the option to complete in the print format, was conducted between February 9 and February 22, 2004. The aim of the survey was for users to evaluate the performance of the main library and the six branch libraries, to identify any performance gaps, and to find out user preferences for print and electronic materials. A total of 2,564 returns were received. The results showed that 68.8 percent of the respondents prefer to use journals online compared to 31.2 percent who prefer to use print journals; and 71.8 percent of the respondents prefer to use printed books compared to 28.2 percent who prefer to use electronic books. Eighty-eight pages of written comments were received covering a wide array of issues.
Setting the Record Straight: How Online Database Providers Are Handling Plagiarism and Fabrication Issues
John Cosgrove, Barbara Norelli, and Elizabeth Putnam
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As a result of several well-publicized media scandals involving plagiarism and outright fabrication, the authors question whether online database providers are appending or linking corrections to original stories. Unfortunately, in most cases, the answer is no. In this study of how some major database providers (EBSCO, LexisNexis, ProQuest, and Thomson/Gale) handle highly publicized cases of plagiarism and fabrication, only LexisNexis was found to append corrections, and even then inconsistently. Databases are not alone in this oversight; even the Web sites of the publications involved were unreliable in their treatment of corrections of their own articles.
The Importance of the Stakeholder in Performance Measurement: Critical Processes and Performance Measures for Assessing and Improving Academic Library Services and Programs
John B. Harer and Bryan R. Cole
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This Delphi study identified the critical processes and performance measures of quality that can serve as a framework for new measures for assessing quality in academic library services and programs. These critical processes and performance measures were developed utilizing the structure and criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award’s 1999 Education Criteria for Performance Excellence. A panel of experts from the library profession was selected to participate in a Delphi panel to determine the importance of a list of critical processes and performance measures relevant to measuring quality in academic libraries. The processes and performance measures were identified through a review of the literature and in consultation with a review panel of professional librarians. The results of the study showed that a student, faculty, and stakeholder focus was the most important aspect of academic library programs and services for ensuring quality.
Selected Reference Works, 2004
Sarah Witte and Mary Cargill
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This article follows the pattern set by the semiannual series initiated by the late Constance M. Winchell more than fifty years ago and continued first by Eugene Sheehy and then by Eileen McIlvaine. Because the purpose of the list is to present a selection of recent scholarly and general works, it does not pretend to be either well balanced or comprehensive. A brief roundup of new editions of standard works is provided at the end of the articles. Code numbers (such as AC527) have been used to refer to titles in the Guide to Reference Books, 11th ed. (Chicago: ALA, 1996).
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