Search results

Industrial and academic users of online bibliographic searching over a year's time did not generally diminish their amount of use of other traditional manual means of information gathering activities. However, in comparison to less frequent users and nonusers, frequent users increased their reliance on librarians. Online users increased their appraisal of the adequacy of information services available to them, particularly as regards those aspects generally considered the primary benefits of online searching. Users positively increased their assessment of the utility of online searches to their work, and online bibliographic searching capability was subsequently adopted as a permanent feature in both the industrial and academic work settings.

Mediated free online bibliographic search services were offered to 70 academic chemists and 262 industrial scientists and technologists. Consistent with earlier studies of users and nonusers of computer‐readable bibliographic databases, generally negligible differences were found. Nor were the correlates of use in an industrial setting generally replicated in an academic setting. However, prior information ‘style’, satisfaction with more traditional information resources, and attitudinal predisposition to the possible utility of online search services have some small effect on subsequent usage of online services.

We have conducted a study of academic faculty use of databases for research, their need for evaluative guides to databases, and the appropriateness of currently‐available guides. Although the response rate was low (19%), the follow‐up survey suggested only a minimal non‐response bias. Our findings suggest that academic faculty are typically unaware of the range of databases available and few recognize the need for databases in research. Of those faculty who do use databases, most delegate the searching to a librarian or an assistant, rather than performing the searches themselves. We identified thirty‐nine database guides; these tend to be descriptive rather than evaluative.

The search for an easily installed, practicable and inexpensive information retrieval system continues unabated. This is reflected in the Aslib Library almost daily by requests for advice on the feasibility of installing this or that system, or for information on what systems are available in Great Britain. Study of the following bibliography, which covers only a narrow selection of information retrieval systems, will reveal that much original thought has been producing concrete results in this country. In fact, one of the earliest references is to a paper given at the twenty‐second Aslib Conference in 1947 by W. E. Batten, in which he describes his development of an ‘aspect’ card system—more often referred to today as ‘Peek‐a‐boo’ or ‘feature’ cards. Mr C. W. Cleverdon's Cranfield project is also adding considerable knowledge on the use of various indexing methods, including Uniterm.

In the literature of librarianship, the education of a reference librarian has, on the whole, meant two things. First, it has referred to the theoretical and/or practical training in reference services that a student receives in library school. Second, it has meant the training, or lack of it, the new librarian receives in making the transition from library school to the reference desk. What reference education has not meant, to judge by the literature, is the ongoing training or professional development a working reference librarian might receive on the job.

This report on methods recently adopted at Glasgow University Library to give formal training in reader service describes a seminar included in a training programme for members of non‐professional staff appointed some months previously. The programme encompassed an introductory talk by the Head of Reader Services and visits to other Library departments, including Cataloguing, Acquisitions and Special Collections and the Bindery.

All items listed may be borrowed from the Aslib Library, except those marked, which may be consulted in the Library.