Bojan Macan and Sofija Konjević
The purpose of this survey is to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of interlibrary loan (ILL) at the RBI Library in Croatia.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this survey is to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of interlibrary loan (ILL) at the RBI Library in Croatia.
Design/methodology/approach
Various indices were measured including: the percentage of fulfilled ILL requests, the difference between copy and loan requests, the difference between requests fulfilled free of charge and fee‐based and also to calculate the document delivery time. The analyzed data on received ILL requests were gathered via an in‐house‐developed application for ILL called SEND, via which RBI researchers submit their ILL requests to the RBI Library.
Findings
This survey showed a high percentage of fulfilled ILL requests (94.6 percent), but there was also a surprisingly high percentage of cancelled ILL requests, because RBI Library owned the requested documents (21.8 percent). Most ILL requests were copy requests and the analysis of the gathered data showed a trend of acquiring more documents free of charge. Delivery time has decreased in the period of the survey, and in 2008 it was less than six working days for copy requests and approximately ten days for loan requests. The delivery time was shorter for fee‐based requests.
Originality/value
This paper presents a systematic analysis of the ILL service at the RBI Library for a six‐year period (2003‐2008).
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Keywords
Bojan Macan, Gladys Vanesa Fernández and Jadranka Stojanovski
The purpose of this study is to present an overview of the two open source (OS) integrated library systems (ILS) – Koha and ABCD (ISIS family), to compare their “next‐generation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present an overview of the two open source (OS) integrated library systems (ILS) – Koha and ABCD (ISIS family), to compare their “next‐generation library catalog” functionalities, and to give comparison of other important features available through ILS modules.
Design/methodology/approach
Two open source ILSs, Koha and ABCD, were compared in‐depth according to their functionalities and characteristics. A checklist was created for each module: acquisition, cataloging, serials, patron management and circulation, reports and statistics, and administration. For an online catalog module, a separate checklist with “new generation catalog” characteristics was created. The authors also defined an additional set of criteria which could influence the decision process and selection of appropriate ILS like funding, metadata schema, preferred ILS functionalities, provided support, and the role of the IT department, and computer and network infrastructure in the library.
Findings
Evaluation of ILSs reveals that Koha has more functionalities than ABCD, especially those connected with the “next generation library catalog”. If a library is using UNIMARC or MARC21 format for bibliographic description and has a good IT support, Koha is an open source ILS with a wide community which has to be considered for implementation. ABCD has great metasearch possibilities and is worth considering by libraries using other or no metadata schemas or without IT support.
Research limitations/implications
The research was limited to two research libraries and their praxis and experiences. Further analysis can include other open source ILSs.
Practical implications
This study can help libraries preparing to migrate to open source ILS to choose an appropriate one.
Originality/value
This is the first comprehensive study conducted on Koha and ABCD comparing all modules in detail.
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Keywords
Linda Sīle, Raf Guns, Alesia A. Zuccala and Tim C.E. Engels
This study investigates an approach to book metrics for research evaluation that takes into account the complexity of scholarly monographs. This approach is based on work sets �…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates an approach to book metrics for research evaluation that takes into account the complexity of scholarly monographs. This approach is based on work sets – unique scholarly works and their within-work related bibliographic entities – for scholarly monographs in national databases for research output.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examines bibliographic records on scholarly monographs acquired from four European databases (VABB in Flanders, Belgium; CROSBI in Croatia; CRISTIN in Norway; COBISS in Slovenia). Following a data enrichment process using metadata from OCLC WorldCat and Amazon Goodreads, the authors identify work sets and the corresponding ISBNs. Next, on the basis of the number of ISBNs per work set and the presence in WorldCat, they design a typology of scholarly monographs: Globally visible single-expression works, Globally visible multi-expression works, Miscellaneous and Globally invisible works.
Findings
The findings show that the concept “work set” and the proposed typology can aid the identification of influential scholarly monographs in the social sciences and humanities (i.e. the Globally visible multi-expression works).
Practical implications
In light of the findings, the authors outline requirements for the bibliographic control of scholarly monographs in national databases for research output that facilitate the use of the approach proposed here.
Originality/value
The authors use insights from library and information science (LIS) to construct complexity-sensitive book metrics. In doing so, the authors, on the one hand, propose a solution to a problem in research evaluation and, on the other hand, bring to attention the need for a dialogue between LIS and neighbouring communities that work with bibliographic data.
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Examines the thirteenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects…
Abstract
Examines the thirteenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.
Details
Keywords
Examines the fourteenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects…
Abstract
Examines the fourteenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.