Consortium Site License Article, in LIBRI, March 2003

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2003 09:29:02 +0100
From: "Ian Johnson (absimj)" <i.m.johnson@rgu.ac.uk>

Please excuse the cross-posting:

Contents of LIBRI: international journal of libraries and information
services, 53 (1) March 2003
 
The Consortium Site License: A Sustainable Model? 

MARK ROWSE 

The spread of consortial licensing and the 'Big Deal' has been rapid and
far-reaching. While there would appear to be many advantages associated
with this purchasing model, there are also reservations about its impact
on librarian choice and concerns that it may serve to further consolidate
the dominant position of some of the biggest STM publishers. However,
until recently little qualitative or quantitative research had been
undertaken into the impact this purchasing model is having upon the
scholarly communication system. This article summarises the findings of a
research programme run by the Ingenta Institute in 2002 which consisted of
three separate independent studies into the perceived advantages and
disadvantages of the consortial site license for libraries, institutions,
publishers and end-users Preliminary conclusions suggest that while this
model has brought many benefits to all stakeholders, it is unlikely to
continue in its current form, with significant adaptation and development
anticipated at the next round of consortial license renewal. While the
number of consortial deals may indeed increase in the future, these deals
will not necessarily be Big Deals.
 

Bits, Bytes, and User Comfort - The Digital Library (DigiBib)
ERWIN HARDECK, TATJANA MROWKA, ANETTE SEILER AND HEIKO JANSEN 

The Digital Library (DigiBib) was founded in 1998 as a joint project of
the University Library of Bielefeld and the Service Centre for University
Libraries of North Rhine-Westphalia (HBZ), Cologne. The initial aim was to
create an Internet portal furthering science, teaching and research for
the libraries of universities and universities of applied sciences in
North Rhine-Westfalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate. A uniform work
interface to access the relevant digital sources (catalogues and
scientific abstract, index and full-text databases) is offered while
allowing the participating libraries to develop their own specific profile
on the basis of the common platform. With the initial setup established
successfully, it is now planned to expand further and to integrate other
user groups and libraries, such as public or school libraries. This
article discusses different aspects pertaining to, and sections of, the
DigiBib and shows the interaction of the modules with each other in order
to achieve an integrated whole. In "Technical Administration and
Development of the DigiBib," Anette Seiler gives an overview over the
development and maintenance of the different modules of the DigiBib
software. The section on content and acquisition ("Acquisitions for the
Digital Library," by Erwin Hardeck) deals with the legal, financial,
managerial and technical background of acquiring electronic media such as
databases and e-journals in, and for, consortia. In " Public libraries and
the DigiBib," Heiko Jansen describes a groundbreaking project to include
public libraries as users of the DigiBib. The section on Interlibrary Loan
and Document Delivery by Tatjana Mrowka ("The online-ILL module as an
integral part of the Digital Library") presents one of the latest building
blocks of the DigiBib offering users immediate and comfortable ordering
facilities subsequent to successful searching.
 

The Information Audit: Principles and Guidelines
HANNER� BOTHA AND J.A. BOON 

Auditing is a recognised management technique providing managers with an
overview of the present situation regarding specific resource(s) and
services within an organisation. Many different types of audits currently
exist in the commercial world, including audits of information resources.
Currently, as far as the researchers could determine, there exists no
single accepted methodology for performing an information audit. In view
of this, the researchers investigate whether it is possible (and
desirable) to develop a standardised information a> uditing methodology.
Investigating the nature and characteristics of the information audit as
well as how a number of other audit types do this, e.g. the financial
audit, the communication audit. The researchers conclude that none of
these are the same as the information audit, although similarities exist.
Various information audit methodologies are discussed, evaluated and
classified. The researchers conclude that even though the principles of
the financial audit cannot be used to develop a standardised methodology
for information auditing, information professionals can look towards the
accounting profession for support in developing a standardised,
universally accepted method for accurately determining the value of
information entities. Guidelines for a standardised information audit
methodology are identified.
 

The Instructional and Motivational Effectiveness of a Computer Program in
the Training of Cataloguing Students

LINDA M CLOETE, RETHA (MMM) SNYMAN AND JC CRONJ�

The low level of interaction between lecturer and student has led to a
number of problems in the education and training of cataloguers through
distance education and training. Students often need an immediate answer
to a question or problem in a practical exercise for them to continue to
the next step. The case study is a response to the need to conduct
research on the provision of additional practice opportunities to
students. The program development included a needs analysis phase, design
phase, development phase, implementation phase and formative evaluation
phase. Students' response to such a program is evaluated. The fact that an
overwhelming majority of the students would use the program again and
recommend it to others is an indication of the success of the program as
well as the need to expand the program to include all the aspects
pertaining to the cataloguing course.
 
Card-Image Public Access Catalogues (CIPACs): Issues Concerned with their
Planning and Implementation

O. C. OBERHAUSER

This article identifies and discusses the issues and problems that need to
be considered in the process of planning and implementing card-image
public access catalogues (CIPACs). CIPACs are online library catalogues
based on databases of digitised catalogue cards with more or less
sophisticated mechanisms for browsing or searching. Solutions of this kind
have been implemented by a number of libraries in various countries since
the mid-1990s, mainly as inexpensive alternatives to full retrospective
conversion of their old catalogues. Based upon a questionnaire and
relevant literature, the article looks at the following aspects: cost,
conversion speed, universal access, saving of space, preservational
aspects, software selection, preparing the card catalogue for conversion,
scanning and quality control, image standards, optical character
recognition, manual and intellectual input, technological aspects,
administrative tools, organisational aspects, peculiarities of old
catalogues, presentation of CIPACs to the users, and life expectancy of
card-image catalogues.

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