College and Research Libraries
January 2006, Vol. 67, No. 1
The Fully Electronic Academic Library®
Norman D. Stevens
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This description of the planning for the first academic library to contain only electronic resources, and no books and no paper of any kind, is derived from the limitless possibilities of our imagination. The concept of such a library and the dramatic changes it will bring in collections, budgets, staffing, services, and buildings are outlined in detail. Finally a few questions are raised as to whether such a library will best serve the information needs of academic institutions in the twenty-first century.
Science Fiction Collections in ARL Academic Libraries
Kevin P. Mulcahy
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This study assesses the extent to which ARL academic libraries collect science fiction novels. A core list of 200 novels, published between 1950 and 2000, that have either won science fiction awards or been cited on "best" lists were checked against the holdings of 112 ARL libraries. Findings suggest that science fiction is not extensively collected at most libraries studied. The study also assesses differences in how novels are collected by date and by nationality and gender of author. To support in-depth and serious research in a field of increasing scholarly interest, libraries may need to reconsider their collecting practices.
Use of Circulation Statistics and Interlibrary Loan Data in Collection Management
Jennifer E. Knievel, Heather Wicht, and Lynn Silipigni Connaway
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The authors analyzed the holdings, circulations, and interlibrary loan (ILL) borrowing requests of the English-language monograph collection at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Data for each area were mapped to conspectus subject areas, using Library of Congress Classifications, and then compared. The resulting data and subject distributions were analyzed by overall holdings, transactions per item, percentage of collection circulated, and a ratio of ILL holdings to requests. The method of analysis used in this study could be fruitfully applied to other research collections to assist with remote storage, preservation, and collection development decisions.
Database Coverage for Research in Management Information Systems
Karen Chapman and Paul Brothers
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This study examines the database coverage of management information systems (MIS) journals and journal articles referenced by MIS researchers. Lists of titles and references were checked for coverage in twelve databases representing a variety of vendors: five multidisciplinary databases, four business databases, and three computer science or applied science databases. The best coverage of MIS journals is found in ABI/INFORM Global and Business Source Premier. The best coverage of articles referenced by MIS scholars is offered by the same two databases, although Business Source Premier offers significantly more full text. Business Source Premier and Web of Science provide the best coverage for any pair of the databases.
Challenges Facing High-volume Interlibrary Loan Operations: Baseline Data and Trends in the CIC Consortium
Anne K. Beaubien, Jennifer Kuehn, Barbara Smolow, and Suzanne M. Ward
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Interlibrary loan managers of a consortial group of large academic libraries presented a comprehensive report of their collective activities to their library directors to provide a better picture of their libraries’ resource- sharing activities, issues, and trends. The report covered three years of data and addressed trends in overall volume, turnaround time, serials-holding data in OCLC, lending audiovisual materials, reasons for unfilled lending requests, and resource-sharing aspects of electronic licensing. The study documents the importance of technical service’s role in maintaining accurate OCLC holdings and in facilitating union listing, two activities that have a tremendous impact on ILL effectiveness and efficiency. It also demonstrates that presenting common issues collectively to top administrators resulted in changes that might not have been achieved so easily at single institutions. This paper summarizes the report on consortial resource sharing, lists the report’s four recommendations, and reviews the positive changes in the participating libraries’ resource-sharing practices six months later.