Many scientists encounter foreign‐language publications whose subjects are of particular relevance to them. Their problem then lies in finding whether a translation is available…
Abstract
Many scientists encounter foreign‐language publications whose subjects are of particular relevance to them. Their problem then lies in finding whether a translation is available and if not, where linguistic help may be found. The most useful sources of information about translations have been surveyed with particular emphasis on their strengths and weaknesses, and with examples pertinent to the metals industry. It has been demonstrated that very little effort is required to be 95 per cent certain of the availability, or otherwise, of a translation of a particular paper.
When I was first approached to give this talk I was faced with an immediate dilemma. How does one define reports and worse still how can one define a microfiche report? It can be…
Abstract
When I was first approached to give this talk I was faced with an immediate dilemma. How does one define reports and worse still how can one define a microfiche report? It can be said that as a general rule reports have an alpha‐numeric identification code, but this will convey different ideas to different people. Many experts tend to agree that you cannot define a report, but if you see one you can generally recognize it as such. This is probably true as far as full size reports are concerned, but is far more complicated if one has only the micro‐images of a microfiche to go by. It is true that generally there is an eye‐readable title line, incorporating an alpha‐numeric code, but this as a rule will not be sufficient to distinguish a report from a conference paper, from a translation, a patent, or in some cases, even from journal articles. For this reason alone, the parameters of report literature will vary according to individual interpretations.
The traditional scenario concerning scholarly communication envisages the authors of papers in learned journals communicating with each other by letter, and exchanging offprints…
Abstract
The traditional scenario concerning scholarly communication envisages the authors of papers in learned journals communicating with each other by letter, and exchanging offprints of their work. Such communication permits the transfer of more highly detailed and specific information than can be published in the necessarily confined space of the journals themselves, provides scholars with news about on‐going or future investigations, and above all cements partnerships in research, furthering the formation and functioning of invisible colleges.
This paper outlines the principal stages in the development of grey literature (GL), from its first appearance in the post‐war period to its evolution into electronic GL. To this…
Abstract
This paper outlines the principal stages in the development of grey literature (GL), from its first appearance in the post‐war period to its evolution into electronic GL. To this end, the study analyses some of the most important studies and conferences organised up to the 1990s. It also examines the first bibliographies and databases, which transformed the way in which GL was collected and distributed. The second part of the paper briefly outlines the main subjects addressed at international GL conferences, identifying both elements of continuity with earlier work and new developments.
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Conference proceedings are difficult to acquire due to the lack of adequate bibliographic control. The procedures used by the Lending Division to overcome the problems are…
Abstract
Conference proceedings are difficult to acquire due to the lack of adequate bibliographic control. The procedures used by the Lending Division to overcome the problems are described and the major bibliographical tools are evaluated. The most useful are the ‘Directory of Published Proceedings’ and ‘World Meetings’ but these are far from comprehensive. Conference proceedings are expensive to acquire, but expenditure on them by the Lending Division is justified by the demand, 170,000 requests in 1978. A useful spin‐off from the Lending Division's collection is the ‘Index of Conference Proceedings’ which, although it does not give publication details, is the most comprehensive list of published proceedings available.
This paper describes the systems and procedures at present employed by the BLLD to carry out its function of providing a rapid and comprehensive loan/photocopy request service…
Abstract
This paper describes the systems and procedures at present employed by the BLLD to carry out its function of providing a rapid and comprehensive loan/photocopy request service. Acquisition, storing, the loan/photocopy service and recording are all covered in detail. An appendix gives details of the various records at the BLLD.
Sumeer Gul, Tariq Ahmad Shah, Suhail Ahmad, Farzana Gulzar and Taseen Shabir
The study aims to showcase the developmental perspective of “grey literature” and its importance to different sectors of the society. Furthermore, issues, challenges and…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to showcase the developmental perspective of “grey literature” and its importance to different sectors of the society. Furthermore, issues, challenges and possibilities concerned with the existence of “grey literature” have also been discoursed.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on the existing literature published in the field of “grey literature” which was identified with the aid of three leading indexing and abstracting services, Web of Science, SciVerse Scopus, and Google Scholar. Keywords like grey literature, black literature, The Grey Journal, The International Journal on Grey Literature, International Conference on Grey Literature, non-conventional literature, semi-published literature, System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE), European Association for the Exploitation of Grey Literature (EAGLE), white literature, white papers, theses and dissertations, GreyNet, grey literature-electronic media, Grey market, open access, OpenNet, open access repositories, institutional repositories, open archives, electronic theses and dissertations, institutional libraries, scholarly communication, access to knowledge, metadata standards for grey literature, metadata heterogeneity, disciplinary grey literature, etc. were searched in the select databases. Simple as well as advanced search feature of the databases were made use of. Moreover, for more recent and updated information on the topic, the “citing articles” feature of the databases was also used. The “citing articles” were consulted on the basis of their relevance with the subject content.
Findings
The study helps to understand the definitive framework and developmental perspective of “grey literature”. “Grey Literature” has emerged as a promising content for enhancing the visibility of the ideas that were earlier unexplored and least made use of “Grey literature” has also overcome the problems and issues with its existence and adoption. Technology has played a catalytic role in eradicating the issues and problems pertinent to the “grey literature” to a greater extent.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on the published literature that is indexed by only three databases, i.e. Web of Science, SciVerse Scopus and Google Scholar. Furthermore, some limited aspects of “grey literature” have been covered.
Practical implications
The study will be of great help to various stakeholders and policymakers to showcase the value and importance of “grey literature” for better access and exploitation. It will also be of importance to those interested to know how the literature tagged as grey changed with the passing time and how it through its unseen characteristics has evolved as an important source of information at par with the “white literature”.
Originality/value
The study tries to provide a demarcated and segregated outlook of the “grey literature”. It also focuses on various issues, problems and possibilities pertinent to the adoption and existence of “grey literature”.
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Clive Bingley, Sarah Lawson, Edwin Fleming and Kate Hills
AS FAIRLY WARNED to you earlier this year would transpire, what you are now reading is the 100th issue of NEW LIBRARY WORLD, a span of issues which has encompassed some 8½ years…
Abstract
AS FAIRLY WARNED to you earlier this year would transpire, what you are now reading is the 100th issue of NEW LIBRARY WORLD, a span of issues which has encompassed some 8½ years, several million words, a sizeable copse of trees to produce the paper on which those issues have been printed.
Rishabh Shrivastava and Preeti Mahajan
The purpose of this study is twofold. First, the study shall evaluate the extent of usage of grey literature and its different types of addiction research. The second purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is twofold. First, the study shall evaluate the extent of usage of grey literature and its different types of addiction research. The second purpose of the research is to analyze the extent of usage of reports such as research reports, survey reports, data reports, etc. As the reports are produced in general by various organizations and can be accessed by not only academicians but also the general public, they play an important role in the dissemination of research to the people. Therefore, the study endeavored to identify the major organizations that are involved in the publishing of research reports in the field of addiction.
Design/methodology/approach
Scopus database was used for the purpose of collecting the data. References in the reference lists of the articles published in 2018 in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors of the American Psychological Association were collected. Scopus indexes the references of the papers in two different categories, namely, indexed in scopus/scopus references and reference lists. They were then categorized as grey literature and non-grey literature. Further, reports were searched manually so that their producers/authors can be found and categorized according to the organizations.
Findings
The study found that grey literature comprises a very small proportion of citations in addiction research (just approximately 5 per cent). This suggests that the improper indexing and bibliographic control of grey literature may be one of the reasons behind the low numbers. Reports comprised the largest proportion of the grey literature cited in addiction research, followed by software documentation, unpublished manuscripts, guidebooks, handbooks, manuals, websites, government publications, etc. The reports of the US Department of Health and Human Services comprised the maximum citations in the reports category because of the reports produced by organizations like Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which comprised 17.59 per cent of the total reports. National Institute of Health (USA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others. Other than the reports of the organizations of the USA, the reports published by the organizations of Canada, Australia, UK, New Zealand and one European Body were also cited by the articles of the journal.
Practical implications
The research focuses on the use of grey literature in addiction research. The findings of the study indicate very low citations to grey literature in addiction research. This reinforces the need for a separate worldwide information retrieval system for grey literature for researchers to conduct systematic reviews.
Originality/value
Very few studies have been conducted on the use of grey literature and hardly any research focuses on the use of grey literature in addiction research. The study goes one step further and identifies major organizations that are involved in the production of research reports in the field so that their reports can be properly indexed.
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The British Library Lending Division came into being in 1973 when the National Central Library was integrated with the stock and services of the National Lending Library for…
Abstract
The British Library Lending Division came into being in 1973 when the National Central Library was integrated with the stock and services of the National Lending Library for Science and Technology at Boston Spa. The original buildings have been added to by specially designed accommodation. The loan/photocopy service, based on the use of a pre‐paid three‐part request form, has been supplemented by computer requesting, links through database operators such as DIALOG, and the telephone for urgent requests. Road/rail transport links with many parts of the country have been introduced and now account for over half of all items dispatched. A rapid growth in demand in the first seven years was followed by a decline and then a levelling off in 1982/83. The proportion of demand accounted for by International Services increased from 9% in 1973/74 to 21% in 1982/83. The Division has developed close connections with IFLA and the European Communities. As a result of a British Library Ad hoc Working Party on Union Catalogues, which reported in 1982, the Division's stock records and union catalogues are being automated. The British Union Catalogue of Periodicals ceased to be issued and its bibliographic function was replaced by Serials in the British Library, issued by the Bibliographic Services Division from 1981. Certain libraries with large or important stocks were designated to serve as backup collections; from 1979 more requests went to backups than were provided with locations. The British Library Reference Division has not only supplied photocopies as a backup but begun to lend items held in the Department of Oriental Manuscripts and Printed Books and the Science Reference Library. Close relations have been maintained with users and with relevant organizations. The acquisitions policy established in 1973 has changed little, though music scores were added in 1974, and rationalization of resources with Reference Division has resulted in a small drop in the number of serials acquired. The British National Book Centre activities of the NCL were merged with the donations activities of the NLLST to form the Gift and Exchange Section. Until 1982 the service was free but economies on staff and resources led to a restricted and priced service. Courses in the use of the scientific literature were extended to other subjects but had to be terminated as an economy measure in 1980. For similar reasons the ad hoc translating service was discontinued at the end of 1981. The cover‐to‐cover translations of (mainly Russian) scientific and technical journals sponsored by the NLLST have continued as part of the Division's extensive publication programme, which now recovers all its costs. Cost recovery increased from a quarter to a half of all expenditure over the period. The Division has kept up with relevant developments in automation and electronic publishing.