Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Publications
  3. Publishing partners
  4. Facet Publishing
  5. Content Listing

Refine listing

Refine listing

Access:
Content type:
Publication date:
Apply   From and To filters
Subject: Show more
Journals Show more
Publishers: Show more
Societies Show more
Series: Show more
Collections: Show more

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

5856 results in Facet Publishing

Page 279 of 293

  • 20 - The role of digital libraries in helping students attend to source information

    • By Steve Cohen, Project Evaluator, Serious Assessments, Lexington, Massachusetts, USA, Susan Eales, Director of Libraries and Knowledge Resources, Nottingham Trent University, UK, Michael Fegan, Chief Technical Officer, Matrix, Michigan State University, USA, Dean Rehberger, Associate Director, Matrix, Michigan State University, USA
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 188-198

  • Summary

    Introduction

    This paper introduces the Digital Libraries in the Classroom programme and then details the particular approach to evaluation undertaken by Michigan State University as part of the Spoken Word project, which is exploring the role of digital libraries in helping students attend to source information.

    Digital Libraries in the Classroom

    Digital Libraries in the Classroom is jointly funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) (www.jisc.ac.uk) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) (www.nsf.gov/) and is running from 2003 to 2006, with embedding activities within the host institutions in the UK continuing to 2008. The programme has been developed to bring about significant improvements in the learning and teaching process by bringing emerging technologies and readily available digital content into mainstream educational use. Projects are examining some or all of the following issues:

  • • The innovative use of distributed, multimedia multisource digital content and advanced network technologies and capabilities in education.

  • • Radically improving and extending the way teachers and students approach knowledge in a given subject area; this might involve re-examination of the foundations of a topical area and the methods by which topical knowledge is accumulated, understood and legitimized.

  • • Examining how the classroom experience can be enriched for both teachers and students through the use of innovative applications and access to digital resources.

  • • A better understanding of students’ requirements for effective use of information and communication technology (ICT), virtual learning environments (VLE) and electronic information resources.

  • • How teachers can be assisted to incorporate ICT, VLE and electronic information resources appropriately, to provide balanced courses for students.

  • • The institutional information infrastructure required to deliver courses in these innovative ways, including the provision of suitable networks, resources, applications, and the development of strategies to manage all of these effectively.

  • • The organizational changes that will be required to deliver courses in this way and support the staff and students involved, and how these can best be managed by the institutions.

  • • The development needs of the teaching staff, the information service support teams and administrators, and consideration of the reward mechanisms for staff engaged in innovative activities.

  • • Economic models for the development, delivery and long-term support and development of ICT-based learning.

  • 23 - Tearing down the walls: demand for e-books in an academic library

    • By Ellen Derey Safley, Senior Associate Director for Public Services and Strategy at the University of Texas at Dallas, USA
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 224-232

  • Summary

    Introduction

    Libraries are challenged to remain vital and dynamic in an age where users are addicted to the internet and demand that information be delivered electronically. Although the literature suggests that the substitution of electronic journals is fully established in most disciplines, the use of electronic books is often reported as flawed, limited, or largely unacceptable to library customers. Understanding how electronic books are used is fundamentally important for the future of libraries and the ultimate creation of a true library without walls.

    This paper analyses the delivery models of electronic books and their integration into library collections. Usage statistics are presented, along with the results of two surveys in 2004 and 2005 which analysed customer knowledge and preferences for book formats.

    Background

    What do our learners want with respect to electronic books? There are a few surveys and use studies that indicate the growing importance of electronic books in academic libraries.

    Croft and Bedi (2005) found that once students are introduced to the advantages of electronic books, they are more likely to use them again. Secondly, the librarians tested students’ preferences between two models because of perceived difficulty with the NetLibrary delivery model, and showed that the users did not prefer one model to another. To test the assumption of preference for print or electronic books, the librarians referred students to both versions of certain texts. Students opted for the electronic version over print at a rate of 3:1. Students used e-books for research and reference, but not primarily for reading (Croft and Bedi, 2005, 95).

    Dillon (2001a, b) wrote two papers on e-book purchases between libraries in the University of Texas system. Since 1999, the system librarians have selected the items although the materials were not acquired as they were published. Dillon (2001a) wrote that it was too soon to place much validity in usage statistics, but he outlined many of the problems intrinsic in comparing print and electronic usage.

    The printed book circulation data is particularly vexing in that, even though we know the patron checked the book out, we don't know how intensively they used each title, or whether they even opened the book at all. With the e-book data we don't know if the usage represents one user intensively reading a title in many different sessions, or if it represents brief examinations by many different people.

    (Dillon, 2001a, 116–17)

  • 11 - We know we are making a difference but can we prove it? Impact measurement in a higher education library

    • By Dianne Nelson, Faculty Librarian, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK, Jacqueline Chelin, Deputy Librarian, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK, Jane Redman, Assistant Librarian, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK, Pauline Shaw, Assistant Librarian, Health and Social Care, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 90-99

  • Summary

    Introduction

    UK academic libraries are expected to demonstrate that their services provide value for money. One way to do this is to measure the impact our services have on users. Impact is quite hard to define. Generally, if something has impact it results in a change of some kind, e.g. in attitude or behaviour, or as Payne and Conyers (2004) expressed it, ‘Are we making a difference?’ Impact is also difficult to measure (Everest and Payne, 2001). A number of studies have looked at ways of doing this, such as The Centre for Research in Library and Information Management – CERLIM's Longitude project, which aimed to develop a toolkit of impact assessment techniques for measuring changes over time (Craven and Brophy, 2004). One of the latest impact measurement projects, aimed specifically at the UK higher education (HE) sector, is the Library and Information Research Group (LIRG) and the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) Impact Implementation Initiative. This paper describes the University of the West of England (UWE) Library Services’ participation in the Initiative, and reflects on our methodologies and outcomes.

    The LIRG/SCONUL Impact Implementation Initiative was set up in 2003 (Payne and Conyers, 2005). Its aim was to develop a toolkit of impact research methodologies for HE libraries. The Initiative is based on action research principles that encourage reflection on the processes of investigation, and uses an established impact measurement methodology as the common model for all the participants (Markless and Streatfield, 2005). Working to this model the participants set objectives for their chosen impact theme, identify success criteria, specify the evidence required to assess whether those criteria have been met, and select appropriate data collection methods.

    UWE Impact Study

    UWE is the largest HE institution in southwest England, with approximately 26,000 students, 1000 academic staff and 10 faculties spread across seven campuses. Three years ago a virtual learning environment (VLE), Blackboard, was introduced. This has provided new ways of teaching and new learning opportunities for students, and has the potential to create new partnerships between the library and the teaching staff. It was within this context of change that the Impact study was carried out.

  • 6 - The Hellenic Academic Libraries Consortium (HEAL-Link) and its effect on library services in Greece: the case of Aristotle University library system

    • By Claudine Xenidou-Dervou, Site Librarian, Physics and Informatics Department, and Co-ordinator, Steering Committee, HEAL-Link, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 45-52

  • Summary

    About HEAL-Link

    The Hellenic Academic Libraries Link (HEAL-Link) was established in 1998. It began as a project funded by the Ministry of Education (with part EU funding) as a horizontal action aiming to promote co-operation within the academic library community in Greece. One of the action lines was to study possible co-operation between the academic institutions to face the problem of the ever-increasing cost of subscriptions to print journals. Until then, the academic libraries dealt with this problem by cancelling more and more subscriptions every year.

    A study undertaken in 1999 in three disciplines (physics, chemistry and computer science) in five universities proved that the journal collections of the corresponding departments were so limited that they could not support most of the research areas or the graduate study programmes of those departments. With a very limited national journals collection, academic libraries depended heavily on interlibrary loans from abroad, mainly from the British Library, with a high cost which they passed directly to the users. Thus, most researchers who could not themselves finance their need for journal articles were dependent mainly on requesting them from colleagues abroad. It goes without saying that most Greek academic libraries, in their effort to sustain their journals budgets, had hardly any subscriptions to bibliographic databases.

    As a result the aim to co-operate in print journals collections was abandoned and replaced by the effort to co-operate in common access to electronic journals. In 1999 HEAL-Link signed a three-year licence agreement with five major publishers for access to all their journals, as well as a small number of bibliographic databases. For the first three years the academic libraries were obliged to keep their print subscriptions with the above-mentioned publishers, while HEALLink covered the access fees. Thus all members of HEAL-Link had access to 3500 full-text journals and to 12 bibliographic databases, which was a vast improvement over the previous situation.

    In 2002, at the end of the three-year period, the eight institutions having the vast majority of the print subscriptions could no longer sustain the cost of the subscriptions to the five publishers, and HEAL-Link had no more funds from the horizontal action to support the access fees.

  • 17 - Monitoring PULMAN's Oeiras Manifesto Action Plan

  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 149-167

  • Summary

    Introduction

    The European Union's Lisbon Agenda and subsequent versions of its eEurope Action Plan set out the ambition for Europe to have ‘the most competitive economy in the world’ by the year 2010, by moving rapidly toward an economy based on knowledge and a digitally inclusive society. In accordance with this, the Lund Principles for e-Europe digitization of cultural heritage (European Commission, 2004), agreed in April 2001, set out an approach ranging from bottom-up involvement of the cultural institutions themselves, for example in determining cases of best practice, to top-down initiatives on policies. During 2005, in response to a high-level initiative from European heads of government, plans were announced for the creation of a European Digital Library (European Commission, 2005).

    Throughout this period and before it, the European Union's Information Society Technologies (IST) research and development programme acted as an important focus for policy co-ordination and monitoring activities in the cultural heritage area. For example, the MINERVA Network of ministerial agencies, funded under this programme, developed a benchmarking framework (Minerva, 2003) as a tool for co-ordinating and harmonizing national activities, as well as for developing measures to show progress, improvement and good practice.

    A key aspect of this question is the contribution of local cultural institutions (libraries, museums and archives), and a sequence of actions has been funded to co-ordinate their activity, each building on the last, over several years and covering three IST research framework programmes (FP):

  • • FP4 – PubliCA: accompanying measure (1998–2000)

  • • FP5 – PULMAN: concerted action (2001–3) (www.pulmanweb.org)

  • • FP6 – CALIMERA: co-ordination action (2004–5) (www.calimera.org).

    • Perhaps the key policy outcome of PULMAN was its Manifesto and linked Oeiras Action Plan, issued as a result of its policy conference held in Portugal in March 2003 (see Appendix, page 166). The monitoring of progress against this action plan is the subject of this paper.

    The CALIMERA (Cultural Applications: Local Institutions Mediating Electronic Resource Access) Action, which concluded its work in May 2005, brought together a consortium representing more than 40 countries. Partners included local cultural institutions, national authorities, research centres and Eblida, the European sectoral association.

  • 1 - Introduction

    • By Peter Brophy, Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 1-3

  • Summary

    The sixth conference on Libraries Without Walls marked the 10th anniversary of a series that began when the delivery of library services to distant users was in its infancy. Over the intervening period, not only has such a concept entered the mainstream of library practice but it has become the dominant service paradigm. What is more, a library operating in complex networked environments is simply one player among many. This is not to say that libraries are losing their role: the evidence seems to suggest that their networked services are in great demand, alongside a continued requirement for services based on the traditional media.

    However, this observation itself raises the question as to just how robust the evidence base is for the continued relevance of the ‘library without walls’. Previous conferences in the series (Irving and Butters, 1996; Brophy et al., 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004) had documented the achievements of many researchers and practitioners worldwide, but we felt it appropriate to step back and examine the evidence base. For the first time, therefore, this became the dominant theme of the conference.

    Our keynote speaker, Sue McKnight, set the scene by providing a user (or customer) focus and challenging us to allow users to have direct input into library decision making. The user focus continued with a paper from Bo Öhrström showing how customer satisfaction needs to be considered alongside customer loyalty, and presenting a novel model for achieving this. A third paper focused on users from the perspective of accessibility, as Jenny Craven demonstrated critical issues for people with disabilities once services become distributed.

    We then moved on to look at how libraries are evaluating the new generation of online services. Emmanouel Garoufallou and Rania Siatri examined this issue from the perspective of a Greek university, and Claudine Xenidou-Dervou showed the effects of a national initiative on another university in Greece. Richard J. Hartley reported on research into user behaviour when using large-scale union catalogues for resource discovery, while Ken Eason, Ross MacIntyre and Ann Apps examined user attitudes and behaviour in the context of electronic journal services. Dawn McLoughlin and Ruth Wilson then returned to a classic Libraries Without Walls theme with a paper on supporting distance learners.

  • 10 - The impact of library and information services on health professionals’ ability to locate information for patient care

    • By Alison Brettle, Research Fellow, Institute of Health and Social Care Research, University of Salford, UK
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 81-89

  • Summary

    Background and introduction

    Throughout the UK North West Health region the library services provided to health professionals who need information for patient care are varied. Some libraries promote their mediated search services, whereas some focus on training health professionals to locate information for themselves; others have implemented specialist posts such as dedicated library trainers and clinical librarians. As services are rarely evaluated, little is known about which are effective or costeffective, or the impact they have on the health professionals’ ability to locate information for patient care. Furthermore, there are a number of problems and a lack of validated tools with which to evaluate health library services routinely (Brettle, 2003). This paper outlines some of the issues involved in evaluating the impact of health library services (particularly the provision of information skills training). It then goes on to describe a research project that evaluated the impact of library and information services on health professionals’ ability to locate information for patient care.

    Evaluating health library and information services

    Evaluation is essential in determining whether services are useful and effective. There is little point in providing services if they are of no use to the intended users, nor if they are not delivering what they are meant to. Although health librarians are being urged to evaluate the services they provide, there are a number of issues that should be considered before embarking on any evaluation, including an awareness of the limitations of the available tools. One of the main areas of service provision for health libraries is information skills training to enable health professionals locate evidence for practice. Before describing a research project that involves evaluating the effectiveness of information skills training compared with mediated searches, this paper will consider some of the issues involved in evaluating information skills training.

    There are four main problems or issues involved in evaluating health library and information services (and these may not be restricted to health libraries): these should be considered before beginning any evaluation.

  • 5 - Online services versus online chaos: evaluating online services in a Greek academic library

    • By Emmanouel Garoufallou, Principal Lecturer, Technological Education Institution of Thessaloniki, and Director of Deltos Research Group, Greece, Rania Siatri, Lecturer, Technological Education Institution of Thessaloniki, and Deputy Director of Deltos Research Group, Greece
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 35-44

  • Summary

    Introduction

    In recent years Greek academic libraries have moved from providing only traditional services to the provision of hybrid services, keeping a balance between traditional and electronic services. The financial support that Greek libraries received from the European Commission (EC) assisted them in employing electronic services to meet the demands of our information society. Currently some academic libraries are undergoing the process of assessing their new electronic services in order to evaluate their use and improve their efficiency. One such is the Central Library of the Higher Technological Educational Institution of Thessaloniki (ATEI-T). This paper presents the outcome of an ongoing independent study carried out during 2005 by the Deltos Research Group, which aims to investigate user satisfaction with online library services and accessibility issues relating to library websites.

    Community support framework programmes for Greek libraries

    The process of modernizing library services began in 1996, when Greek academic libraries participated in the Second Community Support Framework (SCSF) programme and its special Action of the Operational Programme for Education and Initial Training (EPEAEK in Greek: www.epeaek.gr). Before the SCSF programme, libraries’ lack of information technology (IT) and electronic information resources (EIR), qualified staff and financial resources hindered their efforts to provide adequate services. In addition, the existing teaching and learning methods inhibit library development, and university structures and processes often act as barriers to new ideas and influences introduced by a few professional librarians (Krikelas, 1984; Birk and Karageorgiou, 1988; Skepastianou, 1993; Keller, 1993; Zachos, 1995; Garoufallou, 2003; Garoufallou and Siatri, 1999).

    The SCSF programme aimed to modernize and develop library services and establish new IT-based services, to automate library functions, to enrich their collections, to complete retrospective cataloguing, and to increase the number of qualified personnel. New studies show that Greek academic libraries, with support from the SCSF programme, have managed to overcome many difficulties and move towards a more electronic environment (see, for example, Garoufallou et al., 2004).

    Nowadays, Greek academic libraries participate in the Third Community Support Framework (TCSF) (second EPEAEK), which runs from 2000 to 2006. The programme focuses on developing portals, digital libraries, digitizing collections, and improving services based on the EIR.

  • 8 - A ‘joined-up’ electronic journal service: user attitudes and behaviour

    • By Ken Eason, Director of the Bayswater Institute, London, and Professor Emeritus at Loughborough University, UK, Ross MacIntyre, Service Manager, MIMAS, Manchester Computing, University of Manchester, UK, Ann Apps, IT Specialist, MIMAS, Manchester Computing, University of Manchester, UK
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 63-70

  • Summary

    From attitudes to usage

    This paper is an exploration of what happens when a service is provided that users have said they want. We have been able to study users who have the opportunity to go seamlessly from electronic discovery of an article title to its full electronic text, an opportunity many of them had been asking for. We might expect that, where attitudes are positive, there would be a rapid take-up of the service. However, attitude research has consistently found that a positive attitude does not necessarily translate into action. In the information systems domain we could hypothesize, for example, that there are many barriers that might prevent usage developing.

    A model of user behaviour that has stimulated much user attitude research in relation to the use of information systems is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davies, 1993). This relatively simple model depicts attitudes towards using a service as the product of perceived benefits (the ‘pull’) and perceived ease of use (the barriers to use). Many attitude surveys have been inspired by the TAM. For example, studies of user attitudes to internet shopping have demonstrated that perceived benefits are tempered by concerns over the trust users can have in handing over financial information.

    TAM researchers have focused on the factors that affect attitudes, rather than the usage patterns that result. They have not looked at what gets used and how usage develops over time, but we know from many studies that use of a service is often very selective. A study of branch banking staff, for example, found that most clerks used only five of the 36 features of a service that gave them access to information in a customer's account (Eason, 1984). Similarly, a study of the use of telephone #* services showed that users typically used only one or two of the many services available (Eason and Damodaran, 1986). Why do users select some features and ignore others? We have had an opportunity to follow the attitudes and usage patterns of the users of a major bibliographic record system over a fouryear period. As a result, we have been able to follow the way attitudes have translated into behaviour and the factors that have influenced this translation.

  • 18 - Enabling the library in university systems: trial and evaluation in the use of library services away from the library

    • By Chris Awre, Integration Architect, e-Services Integration Group, University of Hull, UK, Ralph Quarles, Assistant Director of Information Technology, Indiana University Libraries, Indiana, USA, Steven Smail, Project Evaluator, Serious Assessments, Lexington, Massachusetts, USA
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 168-177

  • Summary

    Introduction

    Universities today operate numerous computer systems to serve the different activities within them. Among other things, administrative systems help to manage enrolment, student records, exams, staff employment and finance. Teaching and learning are often supported through course management systems or virtual learning environments, enabling interaction between staff and students. Research departments use a range of tools to facilitate collaboration and research itself. Libraries have also built up an array of systems over the years to manage the information and knowledge they hold, and to provide access to such collections for users.

    Most of these systems have been established independently, with overlap only being established where essential, such as feeding student module choices from student records to course management. Library systems have been particularly independent, with limited interaction or integration with other systems within the institution. Yet, information provided by the library is integral to the learning, teaching and research activities of the institution and, arguably, success in these areas. Providing simpler access to library resources within alternative university systems will enable these to be used more effectively and directly. But is this valuable? Is it what users want?

    This paper focuses on two approaches to testing access to the library within non-library university systems and contexts. The Contextual Resource Evaluation Environment (CREE) project sought to gather user requirements to inform technical development. The Twin Peaks project, in contrast, followed a rapid prototyping approach, allowing users to see what functionality might be provided before refining this on the basis of feedback. Jointly, what follows are the comparative stories of how each approach worked out via consideration, in turn, of our respective projects’ origins, background, stakeholders, development processes, evaluative processes and outcomes.

    Genesis

    The CREE project

    As the range and number of search tools available has developed it has become apparent that, despite being beneficial in its own right, each is adding to the number of user interfaces a user needs to know about and understand when searching for information. In parallel, many institutions are creating web environments that seek to provide all the information and application requirements for their staff and students through a local common interface, or are implementing systems through which learning, teaching, research and administrative activity is being channelled; how can external search services feed into these and provide more streamlined access for users?

Libraries Without Walls 6
  • Evaluating the Distributed Delivery of Library Services
  • Volume 6, Libraries Without Walls
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006
  • This edited collection is drawn from the sixth Libraries Without Walls Conference, held in 2005. From their beginnings in 1995, the Libraries Without Walls conferences have mapped a major change in the practice of librarianship. While library services are still concerned to provide users with physical access to their buildings, electronic access, often from remote locations, is becoming ever more dominant. Papers presented at previous LWW conferences have provided examples of how libraries are pushing out the frontiers of their services. In 2005, a different approach was taken. The question was asked, 'How do we know whether these new services are having a positive impact on our users?' In response, papers written by leading professionals worldwide followed these broad themes: theoretical approaches to the evaluation of the new services, with an emphasis on qualitative methods; the user experience: what do we know about the users of these services? assessment of the usability - including the accessibility - of the services; and, measuring the outcomes and impact. These state-of-the-art papers will enable library managers and information professionals in all sectors to keep abreast of the latest developments in this vital area. The book will also assist educational specialists and course developers in increasing their understanding of the role and importance of information in the learning process.

  • 14 - Longitude II: assessing the value and impact of library services over time

    • By Peter Brophy, Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, Jenny Craven, Research Associate, The Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 119-124

  • Summary

    Introduction

    The Longitude II project, funded by the UK Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), was designed to develop and test a methodology for assessing how the impact of IT-based services in public libraries is achieved over time – in other words, to move from the more usual ‘snapshot’ views of impact towards assessing longer-term effects. We were concerned in this project both with situations where there was continuing engagement between the user and the library service, and where a single or short series of interactions led to effects later in life. We tested approaches suited to both these situations, although it is fair to say that the former predominated.

    Fieldwork was carried out in two public library authorities in the UK: Cheshire County and Birmingham City Libraries. This enabled us to check that the methodologies were practical and economic to apply, as well as being sound and rigorous. As a subsidiary benefit of this approach, we gathered data on longitudinal impacts that shed light on the longer-term achievements of IT-based services in public libraries.

    There is at present particular interest in the UK in securing evidence of the impact of investment in IT-based infrastructure and services in public libraries. The investment of more than £170 million (including the cost of a major training programme for library staff and the associated content digitization programme) by the People's Network (www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk) has enabled a stepchange in service delivery. However, it brings with it the need for both accountability for past investment and justification for continued expenditure.

    Related studies

    The project followed on from earlier work, notably the VITAL (Value and Impact of End-User IT Services in Public Libraries) project, which developed methodologies for assessing impacts on individuals and groups at particular points in time. VITAL has been described in detail elsewhere (Eve and Brophy, 2001).

    During the Longitude II project we undertook a study of published research on the topic of longitudinal impact, and this has been published elsewhere (Craven, 2002). As that paper noted, ‘Although much work has been undertaken in the field of library performance measurement, it tends to be of a more quantitative nature such as population and usage statistics, which only provide part of the picture and are not enough to enable assessment of impact on the users’.

  • 2 - Keynote address: Involving the customer in library planning and decision making

    • By Susan McKnight, Director of Libraries and Knowledge Resources, Nottingham Trent University, UK
  • Edited by Peter Brophy, Jenny Craven, Margaret Markland
  • Book:
    Libraries Without Walls 6
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    18 May 2006, pp 4-13

  • Summary

    Introduction

    There are many papers in this collection that provide a wealth of information and accumulated wisdom from the authors on the theme of evaluating the distributed delivery of library services. The reasons for evaluating service delivery are selfevident to this audience, and so do not need detailed explanation here. This keynote paper focuses more on the cultural issues, and the systems and processes that need to be in place to make evaluation worthwhile, rather than considering the evaluation of individual services.

    Public, academic and special libraries provide services because of customers. Therefore, it makes sense to involve them in planning and decision making, so that the services provided meet their true needs.

    Since the start of the Libraries Without Walls series of conferences, the emphasis has moved from the physical delivery of services to remote users to the focus being almost entirely on electronic services. These services are of benefit to all library customers, regardless of their physical location. However, it is important to remember that the services are for customers who may never – or only rarely – come to the physical library. Therefore, it is vital to remember that we should be providing services and solving problems for the disadvantaged and, by clever mainstreaming of those services, providing an improved service for all customers. The challenge is to identify the market segment – i.e. the users of distributed library services – and ask them what they need to be successful in their endeavours because of their interactions with the library.

    The organizational culture

    To involve the customer in library planning and decision making requires an environment where the customer is regarded as being at the centre of the service. A tangible way of doing this is to have clearly stated service statements or standards regarding what the library service will do on behalf of the customer, and to also spell out the responsibilities of the customer towards the service, including their role in improving it. However, although it is relatively easy to write a set of standards, it is very important to involve the customer in defining what ought to be included in the statements in the first place.

  • 5 - Conclusion

  • Fiona Durrant
  • Book:
    Negotiating Licences for Digital Resources
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    28 February 2006, pp 127-130

  • Summary

    Negotiating Licences for Digital Resources has been written as a practical guide on to how to get the best deal for online subscriptions. The processes outlined in this book can be applied to a wide range of electronic subscriptions, ranging from e-journals to multi-modular databases. There are practical tips and guidance on what to focus upon during the process of the negotiation and, most importantly, what preparation is needed to ensure you gather the necessary amount of information to achieve the best outcome. The timing of this advance preparation is one of the skills that enables the negotiator to feel in control. Appendix 2 outlines the key considerations in the timing process and offers a sample timeline to help your planning and preparation. The intention throughout this book has been to move logically from understanding your organization's needs, to making the contract more understandable, through to the actual negotiation process in written or face-to-face scenarios.

    A lot of what has been written may already be part of your professional experience, but you may not have realized how much you already knew. A book cannot have all the answers, of course, but hopefully there are at least some starting points here. As you get involved in more negotiations, make a note of what works (and what does not work!) and add to this book. There are some pages at the very end where it is possible to make personal notes (see Appendix 3).

    The reasons why someone might buy or read this book are not hugely varied. They are probably interested in improving their negotiation skills and in finding answers to questions about the negotiation process and what can really be achieved. It is hoped that this book has addressed a lot of these questions but, as an additional aid, Appendix 1 contains some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are designed to draw together some of the tips, ideas and suggestions made throughout the book. They are easily digestible and can be used as a quick reference guide where speed is of the essence. They are also written in a different format to complement the structure of the rest of the book. The selection consists of questions from both the publisher and the purchaser, although the majority are purchaser questions as it is often the purchaser who is the least experienced negotiatior.

  • Introduction

  • Fiona Durrant
  • Book:
    Negotiating Licences for Digital Resources
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    28 February 2006, pp xi-xviii

  • Summary

    Who is this book for?

    Negotiating is something people do in everyday life. Authors negotiate with their publishers for extensions to deadlines, buyers of houses negotiate with the vendor or estate agent, employees negotiate with their employers about the terms of their engagement. Information, however, has its own quirks and relationships, which, when understood in depth, can lead to getting the best deal for both purchaser and vendor. This book will help information professionals in all sectors, and all jurisdictions, on how to get the best deal for their organization (see Figure 0.1). It can act as a reference tool for experienced negotiators or as a primer for those who have never before been involved in the process.

    Online subscriptions range from e-journals to multi-modular databases, from proprietary content to collations of third-party materials. What these online resources have in common is that someone has to decide to buy them, actively purchase them, manage them and then use them. Sometimes these roles are not performed by the same person, but each role has a contribution to make in the negotiation process (see Table 0.1).

    The key concepts behind the negotiation of online subscriptions have few sectoral or geographical borders. The tips and methods that will be found in the following chapters will aid any individual or team involved in the purchase of electronic media, ranging from the librarian and knowledge professional to procurement officers and publishers. The sole librarian will benefit as much as the head of a large department. It may be that a sole practitioner in a profession has to purchase online resources and to keep overheads as low as possible. This title will benefit them and those for whom they do work.

    This book can be used by mentors to involve junior members of staff in the negotiation process, and it can be used by the users of the electronic products to ensure that they are providing useful feedback about the resources they are using to the person who is going to be doing the negotiation. The processes explained in this book can apply to individual contracts as well as multi-site international licences.

  • 2 - The contract

  • Fiona Durrant
  • Book:
    Negotiating Licences for Digital Resources
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    28 February 2006, pp 37-60

  • Summary

    This chapter cannot offer legal advice or interpretation as the author is not a lawyer.

    The purpose of this chapter is to make the subscribing negotiator feel more comfortable about the contract, to examine what are the key sections of the contract and to explain some of the jargon. It also aims to emphasize that money is only one aspect of the negotiation process. It may also prove useful to a publisher or representative who is familiar with sales but new to dealing with contracts for electronic resources.

    Depending on the size of the publisher, they may have their own inhouse legal team to draft the contract. Some smaller publishers may have paid an outside firm to compile the contract. Being aware of this can help the subscribing organization understand how easy it would be for the publisher to amend the terms of the contract if that were what was needed. Some organizations prefer to use standard contracts for all their products, ranging from software and outsourced cleaning contracts to plant maintenance and online subscriptions.

    Often the contract does not need any alterations to suit the particular needs of the subscribing organization, but sometimes a few tweaks are desirable, if only to seek clarification. There is no need to make the exploration of contract issues any more complicated than it needs to be. Often the addendum to the contract of an e-mail communication between the organization and the representative is sufficient.

    The aims of the contract

    A contract is put in place to protect the interests of the publisher, the content owner and the purchaser. It is a document that clearly sets out what is allowed and what are the obligations of all parties concerned. To the inexperienced negotiator contracts might appear to be designed to baffle and confuse, although this is rarely their intention. Some contracts have won awards for the clarity of their wording; unfortunately many have not. The contract is a legal document and it usually mentions under which jurisdiction it falls should there be any disputes. Disputes are rare, and by ironing out any queries, misunderstandings or poor drafting, disputes will be highly unlikely.

Page 279 of 293