The Impact of Electronic Resources on Reference Services

     There is no question that librarians have had to adapt to technological developments.  Patrons desire access to the most current technologies, and often rely on libraries not only to provide them, but to provide instruction on how to utilize them properly.  This means that as technology increasingly dictates how libraries are used, librarians are having to re-envision their services.  I am currently polishing a research proposal, in which I move to examine the impact of electronic resources (personal computers, electronic library materials, peripheral hardware, etc.) on reference services.  In this post, I will be sharing an abridged excerpt of my literature review, highlighting some of the ways that reference questions are changing in relation to the proliferation of electronic resources, and the way that reference services are adapting to accomodate these changes.



(excerpted and abdriged from The Changing Nature of Reference Questions in the Electronic Age, by George Williams, Valdosta State University)

Changing reference questions

            It was not so long ago that personal computers were a relative rarity, even in libraries.  Before the mid-1990s, the focus of academic reference work primarily centered on readers and researchers needing help interpreting or locating physical, printed resources.  With the increased availability of PCs, widespread internet connectivity, and electronic library materials, the number and type of reference questions have been altered over time. By the 2000s, researchers recognized that academic reference librarians were serving a student cohort who had grown up alongside computing technology, and viewed electronic communication and instant access as essential (Cardina & Wicks, 2004).  De Groote, Hitchcock, and McGowan (2007) explain that while the number of reference questions in one academic library increased markedly between 1990 and 1997, the number had fallen sharply by 2005.  A qualitative analysis of their findings further revealed that the most common reference questions were related to journal and book holdings, or directional questions.  Indeed, ARL libraries reported a 34% decline in reference transactions from 1991 to 2004 (Sonntag & Palsson, 2007).

Martin (2009) found that reference librarians were less frequently approached with simple reference questions because computer users can find answers more quickly and comfortably by consulting online sources.  Patrons typically have enough confidence in their searching skills that they do not need to approach a reference librarian for assistance with ready reference.  Sonntag and Palsson (2007) support the notion that reference questions are becoming more complex and time consuming for reference librarians to answer, even as the number questions and their intellectual quality decline.  Answering these questions often requires an instructional component, highlighting the information literacy needs of student patrons.

Changing practice

            As reference queries increasingly turn from short ready reference questions to more complex and involved requests, academic libraries have adapted their reference services to better serve patrons.  One approach, detailed by Sonntag & Palsson (2007), is to eliminate the reference desk.  At California State University, San Marcos, the researchers found that by employing information assistants and removing the reference desk, reference librarians could remain “on call” to give individualized help.  This results in more personalized and enjoyable help for student patrons, and also gives reference librarians time to plan or deliver instructional lessons.

Technological advances do not always mean finding a way to cope, however.  Sometimes, they are an opportunity to expand services.  Many academic libraries now utilize virtual reference services, which allow distance and online learners (as well as students working remotely) access to reference librarians.  Developing new spaces for reference is also important to providing good service.  For instance, Drexel University established the Library Learning Terrace.  Though it is not a traditional library, it features a consultation area for students to meet with reference librarians.  Bringing reference to students is a novel approach when their work is increasingly done on portable mediums. (Kilzer, 2011)  Having a virtual medium is a definite benefit for many, but the results of Bishop and Bartlett (2013) showed that students still engage in mostly face-to-face reference interactions. Their study found that at the University of Kentucky, the vast majority of locational and subject-specific reference queries were still asked face-to-face.

E-Journals

     One of the hot topics in library technology is e-journals.  Electronic journals (e-journals, for short) are exactly like printed scholarly journals, except they are formatted to be accessed electronically.  These editions are usually purchased by institutions and indexed in their manifold databases for use by patrons.  As these electronic editions are displacing traditional print subscriptions, numerous advantages and disadvantages have become apparent.

     Libraries can derive several advantages from e-journals. First, e-journals increase accessibility for patrons.  While there are only a finite number of printed issues available, in theory e-journals should allow an infinite number of patrons to access them at their convenience.  Additionally, e-journals are made available more quickly than their printed counterparts, as they do not have to be printed, mailed, processed, and shelved before reaching the patron.  Rather, they can be uploaded and accessed by patrons immediately.  Another great advantage of e-journals over printed journals is that they are what patrons are demanding.  Use of printed resources is declining across the board, and providing electronic resources and indexing them in their catalogs is necessary to meet expectations.  One final advantage is that electronic journals can be browsed easily, and full-text articles can be indexed.  Pulling up relevant items or narrowing them by keyword is possible, as is searching for terms within the document.

     There are also a number of disadvantages tied to e-journals.  One disadvantage of e-journals is price.  Because individual titles are tied to particular vendors, libraries have had to reevaluate their subscription costs.  Often vendors will offer numerous titles packaged together, known as a "Big Deal".  This saves on the cost of some individual titles, but may include journals that are seldom used.  Additionally, weeding back issues of journals takes time and money, and purchasing journals that have been requested via patron demand may require different packages from a number of vendors.  Added to the cost of licensing titles for unlimited patron views, endeavoring to supplant a print journal collection with e-journals can become expensive quickly.  Additionally, e-journals require users to have a viewing device handy, such as a PC or tablet.  Printing the articles out is possible, but results in a less-attractive end product than would be seen in a printed journal.  

     The following video, provided by George Mason University, demonstrates how easy it is to search for journals and journal articles when they are available in an electronic format.

Assignment 2 - Software, Peripheral Devices, and Network

     Below you will find a link to download the .doc of an assignment I completed for my MLIS 7500 class, Computer Applications for Information Professionals.  For Assignment 2, I visited a public computer terminal at a local medical library, in order to investigate their computer hardware, software, and network.  The first two parts of the project involved making an inventory of the applications installed on the computer and the peripheral devices attached to it, along with some analysis of the findings.  The final component of the assignment involved researching three local internet service providers in order to compare their services and rates. I hope that it demonstrated the knowledge I gained up to that time in MLIS 7500.

Download Assignment 2

RSS feeds

     Rich Site Summary, or RSS, is a way to display frequently-changing web content in an abbreviated fashion. For instance, websites that feature updated content such as blog entries, news stories, or podcasts, for example, may opt to make an alternate RSS feed available, featuring the content in a more linear format.  As an example, today's World News section of the CNN website looks like this:

     The RSS feed of the same section, however, appears as the following:

     We can see from CNN's World News RSS feed that the information from the World News section appears there in a condensed format.  There are no graphical enhancements to the basic content, and information is presented in a linear arrangement with summaries.  Many different stories can be accessed with a minimal amount of browsing.

     RSS feeds are useful for users who want to save time and energy looking for information. Subscribing to a feed means that it can be accessed in an easily navigable form, without any unnecessary embellishments. One of the most useful features of RSS feeds is that they are updated automatically.  As soon as a new entry appears on the site, it is syndicated via the RSS feed as well.  This makes it easy for frequent users to keep up with the most current items of interest, without having to sift through a larger webpage.  Additionally, for those who have feed reader widgets or gadgets installed to their blog or webpage, readers can access author-recommended material in its most current form as it is syndicated.

     One question that persists for me is why some RSS feeds are non-compatible with Blogger's 'Feed' gadget.  While some Atom and RSS feed URLs can be directly copied or modified to work, others would not be accepted to my page, even when they conformed to RSS.  Have you run into any similar problems?  Any comments or suggestions are welcome!

Koha ILS

     Integrated library systems (ILS) are software programs that allow libraries to manage their operations, foremost the cataloging, storing, and tracking of library materials.  Libraries in the past relied on manually-sorted card catalogs and circulation records to keep track of their holdings.  Moreover, cataloging information, acquisitions, and serials information were all separated into separate spheres.  Modern libraries, however, use ILS programs which have combined these features into one interface.  Librarians can now access OPACs, and find information about circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, and serials all within one largely-automated system. (Kiess, 2011)

  

     One of the most popular open-source ILS packages available to librarians at present is Koha.   Koha was originally developed by the Horowhenua Library Trust in New Zealand.  As an open-source application, the program is distributed for free under the Free Software General Public License.  Libraries using Koha are not locked in to a certain service vendor, and are allowed to seek support from third party companies.  Additionally, Koha is compliant with bibliographic standards (e.g. MARC 21) and programming languages. 

     Koha is a highly adaptable program that can be used in many types of libraries’ operations.   Its capabilities include tracking and managing acquisitions, circulation, cataloging, serials, authority records, label printing, and more.  Libraries on every continent are utilizing Koha as their designated ILS, no doubt due to its large number of available languages.  Additionally, it is being used in a variety of libraries.  K-12 school libraries have reported using Koha, all the way up to university research libraries.  It can be integrated across library systems, or used in stand-alone institutions as well. (Koha Library Software, 2014)

     Confusingly (and unfortunately), there are several versions of Koha now available online.  Because there is no vendor lock-in for Koha users, an industry of developers has grown around the program.  Companies such Progressive Technology Federal Systems have trademarked proprietary versions of Koha that are not free to libraries, and are developed around the needs of their clients or consortia.  At present, there is the open-source Koha, LibLime Koha™, and LibLime Academic Koha™.  This situation calls attention to the delicate nature of open-source projects, and the need to articulate ownership, brand protection, and funding concerns.  As the complexity and proliferation of open-source ILS systems increases, so too will the number and complexity of related legal considerations. (Johnson, 2013)

References:

Johnson, M. (2013, April 16). Lessons from Koha in open source project ownership [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://opensource.com/education/13/4/open-source-project-lessons-koha

Kiess, C. (2011, January 16). Introduction to the integrated library system. SlideShare. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/ckiess/introduction-to-the-integrated-library-system-ils-6590943

Koha Library Software. (2014). About. Retrieved from http://koha-community.org/about/