College and Research Libraries
January 2005, Vol. 66, No. 1
Abstracts
H-Net Book Reviews: Enhancing Scholarly Communication with Technology
Eileen L. McGrath, Winifred Fordham Metz, and John B. Rutledge
PDF version
This article traces the development of the book reviews on H-Net and focuses on features such as length, content, style, timeliness, and format, as well as the aims and expectations of H-Net book review editors. A study was conducted comparing reviews appearing in a print journal with similar reviews published by an H-Net network. The study also examines the academic status of the authors of electronic reviews and compares this to the authors of print reviews. Drawing on findings from the study, as well as interactions with faculty and scholars using the H-Net resource, it is concluded that there are some significant differences between print reviews and e-reviews.
Collaborative Collection Management in a High-density Storage Facility
Scott Seaman
PDF version
This case study reviews selected collection management issues encountered in a collaboratively managed high-density remote storage facility. In 2000, four Colorado institutions—the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Colorado at Denver, the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and the University of Denver—opened a shared high-density storage facility. This mix of public and private institutions agreed to collaborative collection management, including a nonduplication policy and the granting of direct access to stored materials for nonparticipating institutions through a statewide union catalog. Ownership of stored materials, selection of items for storage, operational management, and online and physical access proved to be challenging policy issues requiring committees, patience, and compromise to resolve.
Web Communications and Collections Outreach to Faculty
Karla L. Hahn and Kari Schmidt
PDF version
A library’s Web site can provide a powerful forum for communicating with users about changes occurring in local collecting practices and their relationship to larger issues of scholarly communication. This survey of SPARC member Web sites examines how information on collection changes and scholarly communication issues is presented. Although a few institutions use their Web sites to inform users and connect the local and the global, most present little or no information on these topics. When collections information is present, it usually appears on either dedicated collections pages or faculty services pages. Typically, collections pages focus on largely static information describing services and policies. Information on changes in collection building is uncommon. Scholarly communication information is even scarcer and is rarely linked to information on local collection development or management.
Redesigning a Library’s Organizational Structure
Mori Lou Higa, Brian Bunnett, Bill Maina, Jeff Perkins, Therona Ramos, Laurie Thompson, and Richard Wayne
PDF version
The evolution from print to electronic resources and services continues to pose significant challenges for academic libraries. This article presents a systematic, evidence-based approach to guide this transition, which resulted in an exhaustive reorganization of library staffing and services. The approach begins with the necessity of accumulating and then evaluating data on staff workloads and responsibilities. At the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library, this evaluation revealed that a preponderant amount of time was still spent on print-related activities that were no longer considered to be library priorities. The corrective actions taken to remedy this misalignment are then discussed.
Academic Librarians’ Attitudes about Advanced-Subject Degrees
Jennifer Mayer and Lori J. Terrill
PDF version
Academic librarians have various opinions on the importance of advanced-subject degrees in addition to a master’s in library science (MLS). The authors conducted an online survey to collect opinions from academic librarians on this topic. Arguments in favor of having advanced-subject degrees include development of research skills, credibility, and overall improved job performance. Arguments against it include the fact that the MLS is—and should continue to be—our terminal degree, inadequate salaries, and the validity of developing subject expertise via other means. The need for advanced-subject degrees may vary by many factors, including individual career goals and local institutional culture.