For academic libraries, this highly readable book provides the practical information needed to get started managing electronic resources throughout their life cycle. This book covers the five points of the e-resources lifecycle in a readable and accessible manner, providing valuable information that is applicable to real-world situations. Each of the working chapters covers one of the five lifecycle points (Acquisitions, Access, Administration, Support, and Evaluation), and supplies suggested readings and thought-provoking questions. Additionally, there are two chapters that guide readers from learning about the work to actually doing it. Electronic Resources Management in the Academic Library: A Professional Guide is full of practical assignments that teachers of e-resources management will appreciate. This guide will also be immensely beneficial to library and information science school students and independent learners who need immediate, practical knowledge from the field to get them started in a position which requires them to manage electronic resources.

Brought to you by a team of experienced practitioners in the field, this book examines the vast topic of library support for distributed learning, providing both historical and contemporary viewpoints. What is the best way to deliver research resources to students who live "off campus"-as in, "way off campus," in a rural area without a high-speed Internet connection? And where does one find a complete (and accurate) synopsis of copyright guidelines that will prevent well-intentioned librarians from being labeled as the "copyright police"? The answers to these two questions regarding distributed learning-and many more-are contained in Distributed Learning and Virtual Librarianship. Written by practitioners in their field of expertise, this book documents the history of distributed learning and discusses current issues in distributed learning librarianship, with a special focus on the role of technology. Topics covered include virtual libraries, reference assistance, E-reserves and document delivery, administrative and marketing issues, and copyright concerns. This text is valuable to librarians working in public, school, and academic libraries. Ten librarians with current, in-the-field experience bring their knowledge to each chapter Provides a complete chronological time line of distributed learning Illustrations clarify key topics such as copyright

This fascinating tale of the rise and fall of mini-computer-based integrated library systems (ILS) offers both an explanation of the technical workings-still being used daily-and a historical investigation. Parents of Invention: The Development of Library Automation Systems in the Late 20th Century traces the rise and fall of mini-computer-based ILS. In doing so, it offers an insider's view of the process of creation, the technical challenges, and the lasting contributions of librarians and programmers at a time when librarians and their automation needs forced computer companies to innovate. Organized around a series of interviews with computer programmers, librarians, and salespeople, the book discusses developments from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, focusing on the 1980s when both ILS and the mini-computer were dominant. It documents the time when a small group of computing vendors joined with large libraries around the world to perfect systems that automated functions such as circulation, acquisitions, cataloging, and online public access catalogs. A concluding chapter, contributed by Louise O'Neill, brings the story up to date with a discussion of current developments in library automation, including the adoption of open-source systems, open-access principles, and the Semantic Web. Interviews with CEOs of libraries and computer companies, programmers, librarians, and library directors from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States References to published material and memoranda and recourse to actual programming code and output from systems of the period Photographs of computer machine rooms depicting mini-computer equipment described in the text A glossary of acronyms, abbreviations, and special terms used in library automation A bibliography of articles and monographs on historical and current aspects of library automation

International authority Ross Harvey's new How-To-Do It-Manual is the first one-stop resource in digital curation, and guides readers to understand and make the best use of the wide-ranging combinations of strategies, technological approaches, and activities that apply to this rapidly-emerging field. Any information professional who appraises, selects, organizes, or maintains digital resources acts as a digital curator. Whether you are a librarian, archivist, or records manager, you will find useful concepts here for professional setting. Harvey offers an in-depth, start-to-finish explanation of the digital curation process, and clarifies each step in the Digital Curation Centre's (DCC) lifecycle model, including: Create or Receive; Appraise & Select; Ingest; Preservation Action; Store; Access, Use, and Reuse; and Transform. You will learn best practices for improving data access, quality, and protection, and find time-saving tools such as an extensive directory of online resources, tutorials and further references in the area. Book buyers receive exclusive access to a password-protected companion website that offers electronic, customizable versions of planning forms, checklists, and more. This book's essential techniques and expert advice are crucial to ensuring that today's digital resources will be available to and useable by future generations.

This book is a timely and detailed exploration of the impact and issues of the Internet in public libraries and their implications for society, policy, and professional practice. Public Libraries and the Internet: Roles, Perspectives, and Implications explores the impact of the Internet and the expansion of the networked environment on U.S. public libraries through more than a dozen essays written by leading scholars and administrators. Notwithstanding the far-reaching changes wrought by the Internet, this is the first attempt to provide a comprehensive exploration of the subject over time and across areas of practice. This wide-ranging volume, edited by the authors of several national studies tracking the use and involvement of public libraries with the Internet since 1994, offers both description and assessment. It discusses the ways in which the roles and services of public libraries have changed as a result of the Internet and offers a perspective on the meaning and impact of these changes. Perhaps most critically, it also suggests possible futures and opportunities as public libraries continue to evolve in this networked environment.

E-books have been around for more than 10 years but are still a relatively new phenomenon to many librarians and publishers. With the introduction of e-book readers, the e-book has become mainstream, with recent triple-digit annual increases in sales. But what place do they have in the library? In this volume, Sue Polanka brings together a variety of professionals to share their expertise about e-books with librarians and publishers. Providing forward-thinking ideas while remaining grounded in practical information that can be implemented in all kinds of libraries, the topics explored include .An introduction to e-books, the different types, and an overview of their history and development.E-book technology: general features of interfaces and e-book readers, best practices for acquisition, data standards, and how to track usage.Why e-books are good for learning, and how librarians can market them to a wide range of users, as illustrated by case studies and examples.This crucial collection is a must-read for librarians who wish to understand how e-books fit into today's library.

Expanding on the popular, practical how-to guide for public, academic, school, and special libraries, technology expert Susan Sharpless Smith offers library instructors the confidence to take Web-based instruction into their own hands. Smith has thoroughly updated Web-Based Instruction: A Guide for Libraries to include new tools and trends, including current browsers, access methods, hardware, and software. She also supplies tips to secure project funding and provides strategic guidance for all types of libraries. This completely revised edition also: Builds Web instruction advice on a foundation of the latest research in how learning takes place, Translates technical Web-speck into plain English, so even nonexperts can make effective use of the Web in their teaching, Includes an accompanying Web gallery, providing examples of screen shots and links to exemplary programs, Shows instructors best practices for incorporating the Web into teaching. A proven winner, this newly revised hands-on manual remains indispensible. Librarians facing the challenge of creating a Web-based instruction program will find easy-to-understand guidance to deliver a productive and memorable experience.

The world of the school librarian has changed significantly over the past ten years with the proliferation of technology into all phases of education; this book attempts to address these issues. What does a school librarian need to know about technology? Technology for the School Librarian: Theory and Practice is an introduction to all aspects of technology in the school library and provides a starting point for further study of this wide-ranging-and critically important-field. The only book that addresses both the theoretical and the practical aspects of the subject, Technology for the School Librarian is organized into 13 chapters describing the most vital topics in technology for school librarians. Within these chapters, school librarians (whether practicing or prospective) will be introduced to the practical aspects of technology in the school library and presented with a theoretical framework that will allow them to continue their research and learning. Case studies facilitate understanding, as do the study questions included with each chapter. Lists features that should be included in a school library web page Provides a chronology tracing the development of technology in school libraries Offers an illustration of network topologies Includes questions for research/further study in each chapter

The Internet is not a one-way street in terms of library service as it challenges any traditional notion of its use for collecting or managing information. The information is constantly changing. It is not a static and reliable source like a book, nor is the content necessarily correct all of the time. In this resource, authors Charles McClure and Paul T. Jaeger speak to the ways in which the Internet has had more impact on public libraries than any other technology since the creation of the book. The issues presented are vital to library service, planning, evaluation, research and education - and most significantly how effectively libraries service the general public.This title helps you: learn the importance of measuring and maximizing library service through internet services; analyze new and unique Internet-enabled service roles of public libraries - expanding on the Web 2.0 environment; and, gain insight in selecting and creating Internet-enabled service roles. ""Public Libraries and Internet Service Roles"" will help ensure that public libraries remain a vibrant marketplace of ideas freely accessible to all members of the library community.

A critical examination of Web 2.0 tools used in special collections, archives, and museums, with an emphasis on using interactive technology to create and preserve content. Based on surveys and firsthand research across the archivist's profession, Special Collections 2.0: New Technologies for Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archival Collections offers essential advice and practical ideas for creating, collecting, and preserving born-digital materials for optimal long-term access—using the best of what the new Web has to offer. Special Collections 2.0 surveys the web's new options for interconnectivity and interactivity tool by tool, exploring the benefits and shortcomings of applying each to the special collection and archives profession. It combines expert analysis of the pros and cons of Web 2.0 with numerous reports of how wikis, blogs, photosharing, social networks, and more are already being put to work in this essential field. Creators, researchers, and caretakers of the historic record—even those anxious about using the Internet—will understand the best ways to put Web 2.0 to work in the service of our cultural heritage.

In the last 15 years, the ground - both in terms of technological advance and in the sophistication of analyses of technology - has shifted. At the same time, librarianship as a field has adopted a more skeptical perspective; libraries are feeling market pressure to adopt and use new innovations; and their librarians boast a greater awareness of the socio-cultural, economic, and ethical considerations of information and communications technologies. Within such a context, a fresh and critical analysis of the foundations and applications of technology in librarianship is long overdue.

Academic, public, and school librarians who are considering an IC or are looking for ways to improve their IC will find a wealth of information here.The Information Commons (IC) strives to unite all the facts and figures of the world into a resource available to everyone. Many academic libraries are considering implementing an information commons model that reflects the contemporary way patrons use resources. Others plan on revitalizing their libraries through configurations that easily integrate research, teaching, and learning with a digital focus.This invaluable guide provides the ""how-to"" information necessary for institutions considering the development of an information commons. Offering plain-speaking advice on what works, expert authors Bailey and Tierney provide comprehensive case studies from small and large academic libraries to help librarians implement, provide training for, market, and assess an information commons.Each of the 20 case studies details: lessons learned through the successes and mistakes of building an IC; summary data charts for each library including annual budget and number of patrons; common properties and characteristics of ICs across the nation, including staff needs; physical descriptions, photos, and sample brand and graphics from other ICs; readers will learn the historical context for Information Commons and understand what practicalities need to be part of the planning process; and academic, public, and school librarians who are considering an IC or are looking for ways to improve their IC will find a wealth of information here.

An international cadre of leading thinkers and experimenters provide their considered opinions concerning the influence of digital technology on teaching and learning in general, and the role of the library in the educational enterprise in particular. Topic treatments include envisioning the future, facing major challenges, creating projects and programs, and developing digital libraries. A must-read for anyone involved in higher education. The Kanazawa Institute of Technology is Japan's largest institution of higher education specializing in engineering and technology. It is a world leader and collaborator in electronic initiatives, often on the forefront of systems design and telecommunications advancement. It is also the site of an annual symposium series on digital library development. Marcum and George have pulled together an international cadre of leading thinkers and experimenters, all of whom have participated in these symposia, to provide their considered opinions concerning the influence of digital technology on teaching and learning in general, and the role of the library in the educational enterprise in particular. Their contributions have, in turn, been arranged into four thematic groupings, which range from envisioning the future, and facing major challenges, to creating projects and programs, and developing digital libraries. An informative read for anyone involved in higher education.

"Exploring the Digital Library", a volume in The Jossey Bass Online Teaching and Learning series, addresses the key issue of library services for faculty and their students in the online learning environment. Written by librarians at Athabasca University, a leading institution in distance education, this book shows how faculty can effectively use digital libraries in their day to day work and in the design of electronic courses. "Exploring the Digital Library" is filled with information, ideas, and it: discusses how information and communication technologies are transforming scholarship communication; provides suggestions for integrating digital libraries into teaching and course development; describes approaches to promoting information literacy skills and integrating these skills across the curriculum; outlines the skills and knowledge required in digital library use; and suggests opportunities for faculty and librarians to collaborate in the online educational environment.

It's no secret that well-executed exhibits in libraries and museums can make attendance numbers skyrocket. Dynamic exhibits not only provide information and entertainment for your existing customers, but they are also opportunities to reach out to new customers and to widen your market. A great exhibit can be the hook that brings people in the door for the first time.

Creating a Winning Online Exhibition will help you to do just that -- conceive, design, and execute a compelling online exhibition. Different than a digital collection, an online exhibition is a selective presentation of objects organized around a thematic and narrative structure. Digital librarian Martin Kalfatovic takes you through the process of developing an exhibit that will attract users, increase your visibility, and showcase your collection and services. With case studies of successful online exhibitions, sample artwork and screen shots, up-to-date information on mark-up languages such as HTML and XML, and discussion of online databases and software programs, you will be equipped with all you need to pull off a winning exhibition. Also included are helpful samples of:

-- Project proposals

-- Exhibition scripts

-- Time lines

-- Database structures and guidelines

-- Tips on working with outside contractors

Online exhibitions are ideal for collections of manuscripts, handwritten documents, and other materials that might be limited if displayed in traditional ways. This comprehensive guide provides the "how-to's" for selecting materials, developing an overarching theme, and creating a narrative presentation that goes beyond the traditional to deliver a winning exhibition.

Preface l. Database Management 2. Network Management 3. Online Databases 4. CD-ROM Networks 5. Management of Automated Libraries 6. Strategic Management of Modern Libraries 7. Information Policies Index

Search engines, subject gateways, descriptive metadata, Web cataloging--everyone is looking for ways to support information discovery and retrieval on the Internet. To become full partners in new digital access ventures, library and information professionals need to be familar with effective tools and stategies, and need to make decisions about what is appropriate for different resources, settings and communities. This book takes a look at what has been done in providing subject access to networked resources, and what is around the corner.

Accompanies by ample illustrations and complementary online material, topics include: Metadata, as a potentiator of subject description; classification schemes and directories; alphabetical subject engines in all their variety; and trends in subject decription and access. A book directed to information professional, educators, and students involved in Web design, cataloging, indexing, reference, and information retrieval.

Are you spending money wisely? If you're a technical services manager at an academic library, an administrator, or a dean, you're tasked with proving it. Incorporate assessment and analysis work into your library's existing workflow with the guidance of this new collection from the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS). Contributors from several academic libraries draw from real-world practices to suggest new approaches for acquisition and collections, cataloging and metadata, digital preservation, and e-resources and serials. You'll find advice on such topics as assessing e-resource budgets, workflows, vendors, and collaborative initiatives; how to use multiple data sets to assess collections across subjects, formats, or other factors; working with data using common applications like Excel, Access, or MySQL; four types of preservation assessment and how to structure them for actionable results; ways to save on serial expenses while avoiding cancellations; seven key considerations for building a data warehouse; and benchmarking techniques for improving metadata processes Exploring your options for assessment will lead you to the right balance of traditional and new metrics, and this book provides a valuable overview.

How good is your library's Website? Unless you're the librarian who set them up, online library services can be hard to navigate. In fact, many users give up in frustration without ever finding what they're looking for. Nowadays, many of the search and retrieval services that previously were database-driven are now Web-based and part of the library's official Website. So as libraries increasingly use the Web to deliver both in-house and remote services online, it is critical that their sites are engaging, easy to navigate, and created with the end user - the library customer - in mind. This soup to nuts guide will help beginners and experts alike to determine, in a systematic way, how well their Websites are performing for their customers. Applying the best practices of usability testing, you will learn how to gauge: How easy it is for new users to learn how to navigate and use the site; How easy it is for trained users to interact with it; How effective the site is in pointing users to the information they're looking for; Whether or not users are motivated to use the technology The expert author team walks you through not only the process of performing usability testing, but also creating allies among decision-makers to support testing, revisions inspired by collected data, and cost management. For all types of libraries, this step-by-step manual is a sure-fire tool for creating a winning Website for savvy library customers.

Rational and methodical, systems analysis has been used successfully by business, industry, and research organizations. This new edition employs basic elements from the business world to show users how to apply systems analysis effectively to any library setting. Updating Osborne and Nakamura's previous work, the book fills a tremendous need in the field. It introduces readers to the steps in the process-from identifying and defining problems and collecting and analyzing data to selecting strategies for implementation and proof of the systems. The limitations of systems analysis, an overview of the rationale for applying it to problem situations, and many real-life examples illustrate the principles. A new chapter on object-oriented techniques, additional idea-generating techniques, and the inclusion of case studies invites readers to put these principles into practice. Practical and easy-to-read, this work will benefit students of information studies as well as professionals in the field, particul

Designed to assist beginning searchers, whether they are students or practitioners, this text offers a comprehensive introduction to online systems that primarily provide information in the form of bibliographic citations. Walker and Janes give basic how-to information on the use of online systems, discuss topics for which there are no accepted paradigms, and present alternative points of view within a framework of previous research. Expanding on their immensely popular and critically acclaimed first edition, the authors have added extensive new material addressing Internet search and retrieval techniques as well as the more traditional Dialog and Lexis-Nexis services. Invaluable as a textbook for students in online retrieval courses, practicing librarians, and online searchers in library settings, this book can be used as a quick reference tool and as a handy guide for in-service training. Information seekers who want to perform their own searches for bibliographic information using an online sea

Teach students valuable information retrieval skills and build information literacy with this excellent guide and activity book. Along with a simplified explanation of Boolean logic and how it is used for online searching, it offers reproducible worksheets that lead students through decision-making and powerful strategic techniques of search process. These skills help online searchers make decisions and gain access to the desired person, place, or thing; off-line, they can be used to narrow a topic and search through library information with focus and direction. They can even be used in everyday situations, such as choosing pizza toppings. A must-buy for school libraries and computer labs, this book can also be used by classroom teachers and for independent instruction with older students and adults. A great tool for working through the cobwebs of online searching.

What is a systems librarian? Both history and practice indicate a wide variation in the field, strong commitments to local arrangements and a lack of functional standards. Library administrators and managers struggle with the broad requirements of the position, weighing the skill sets of degree holding professionals and the non-MLS technologists. Systems librarians are often designers, planners, implementors, consultants, technology representatives or facilitators. This text provides an assessment of what system librarianship is and what it can be, outlining the type of training needed for people to fill these positions, and illustrates challenges for libraries - and systems librarians - in computing and networking.

If you are in the process-beginning, middle, or end-of automating your catalog, you will welcome the wealth of information in this concise, easy-to-use handbook. Created for librarians new to MARC and for those accustomed to using MARC data, it explains all three types of MARC records, and it gives considerations and specifications for MARC database processing, MARC products, and online systems. Byrne addresses MARC format integration in a separate chapter new to this edition and thoroughly explains the new and changed MARC codes that resulted from MARC format integration. In another new chapter she covers the MARC Format for Community Information. All information has been updated- including that on MARC authority records and holdings records.