Ana Ugaz

E-resources : transforming access services for the digital age

Purpose – Libraries spend increasingly large amounts on electronic resources (ERs), but may not have adjusted staffing to support these resources. Assisting users with ER access problems is complex due to the many reasons a resource may be unavailable at a particular time. The objective of this paper is to describe the evolution of a library ER problem‐reporting help desk.Design/methodology/approach – A pilot project was undertaken by librarians at the Texas A&M University Libraries to redesign workflows and staffing to provide an efficient, effective help desk service for solving ER access problems.Findings – Including librarians with experience in licensing and managing ERs in providing help desk services improved response time, problem resolution, systematic information capture, and service expectations and policies, and also led to the development of an ER HelpDesk database with enhanced functionality.Practical implications – Delegating ER problems solely to information technology (IT) staff may seem ...

E‐resource helpdesk into virtual reference: identifying core competencies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine core competencies, for use as a foundation for staffing and training, and necessary to provide effective electronic resource (ER) access support.Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyzed 580 ER access problem reports in a large academic library system to measure the specific skill(s) required for effective problem resolution. Problem reports were drawn equally from two different reporting systems: one using web forms and e‐mail and the other featuring real‐time user interaction.Findings – Abilities fostered in reference work related to communication with users, staff, and vendors were by far the most crucial and highly used in successful problem solving, followed by the knowledge to make appropriate referrals within the organization.Research limitations/implications – Results reported are from one institution, albeit one which serves a very large user population with diverse information needs which provided a broad range of users and problem typ...

Charting a Course through CORAL: Texas A&M University Libraries' Experience Implementing an Open-Source Electronic Resources Management System

In 2010, after two previous unsuccessful attempts at electronic resources management system (ERMS) implementation, Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries set out once again to find an ERMS that would fit its needs. After surveying the field, TAMU Libraries selected the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries–developed, open-source ERMS, CORAL (Centralized Online Resources Acquisitions and Licensing). This article documents the selection, planning, and implementation of CORAL at the Texas A&M University Libraries as well as future plans for the system.

Bundled Database Subscriptions: Challenges, Opportunities, and Assessment

ABSTRACT This case study describes the second part of an experiment using a bundled database subscription model. Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries pursued a multiyear agreement with ProQuest to address “administrative churn.” This agreement was known as “ProQuest Comprehensive.” During 2014, the final year of the agreement, the TAMU Libraries considered renewal and assessed support for ProQuest Comprehensive. The company is a well-recognized information provider, but to date there are no studies assessing bundled ProQuest content. This article will outline the evaluative criteria developed to assess ProQuest Comprehensive and the steps TAMU Libraries undertook to determine what ProQuest databases to renew, what databases to cancel, and the challenges encountered in the decision-making process.