Many librarians are struggling to maintain high‐quality collections given limited funding and budget constraints. It has become necessary for librarians to set priorities on the…
Abstract
Many librarians are struggling to maintain high‐quality collections given limited funding and budget constraints. It has become necessary for librarians to set priorities on the development of book, journal, and electronic journal collections since libraries cannot afford to “have it all”. What would students decide under similar conditions? During March 2002, a survey was distributed to a number of education students at Oakland University to determine the types of materials they would purchase given limited funding. In addition, they were asked about their satisfaction level regarding the present book, journal, and electronic journal collections within the library. Information on class standing and previous library instruction was also obtained. Results from 243 participants indicated that students are fairly satisfied with the collections. Overall, they were more likely to prefer purchase of electronic formats. In addition, students who had previous library instruction are more likely to use electronic journals than those without library instruction.
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Shawn V. Lombardo and Kristine S. Condic
Full‐text periodical databases have changed how students access research materials. Many librarians fear that students favor the convenience of full‐text databases over more…
Abstract
Full‐text periodical databases have changed how students access research materials. Many librarians fear that students favor the convenience of full‐text databases over more valuable information found in print periodical literature. To what extent is this true? A study was undertaken at Oakland University to determine how well students mastered the retrieval process for print and full‐text articles, and to gather their opinions on the value of both formats. A pre‐/post‐test instrument was administered to students before and after instruction to measure their knowledge of the library and its databases. A final test, including questions designed to measure student attitudes about the article retrieval process, was administered upon completion of a term paper. Results indicate that many students valued the convenience of full‐text articles over the article’s relevance, but they also found the overall research process to be difficult. The research students conducted also impacted on their test results. Other findings are discussed.
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Shawn V. Lombardo and Kristine S. Condic
In June 1998 Oakland University’s library migrated to a new online catalog. In order to determine user acceptance of the new OPAC, students receiving library instruction were…
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In June 1998 Oakland University’s library migrated to a new online catalog. In order to determine user acceptance of the new OPAC, students receiving library instruction were asked to complete an open‐ended questionnaire eliciting comments on their likes, dislikes and online catalog preference. From the data collected, a second questionnaire was designed and distributed that focused on specific features of the new catalog identified in the first survey. Results indicated that users overwhelmingly preferred the new OPAC and found it easy to use; however, they experienced some difficulty using special features like truncation. The most popular feature of the new catalog was its remote access capability. Second‐generation OPACs possess features – such as electronic reserves capabilities and hypertext links – that are beginning to simplify the search process; but they have not yet developed into the intuitive, comprehensive systems that can empower users to seek information in new ways.
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The following is an annotated list of materials dealing with information literacy including instruction in the use of information resources, research, and computer skills related…
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The following is an annotated list of materials dealing with information literacy including instruction in the use of information resources, research, and computer skills related to retrieving, using, and evaluating information. This review, the nineteenth to be published in Reference Services Review, includes items in English published in 1992. A few are not annotated because the compiler could not obtain copies of them for this review.