Catherine Sassen

Fostering Research and Publication in Academic Libraries

Article discussing a study concerning administrative support provided to encourage the research and publishing activities of academic librarians.

Enhancing Access to E-books

Abstract Objective – The objective of the study was to determine if summary notes or table of contents notes in catalogue records are associated with the usage of e-books in a large university library. Methods – A retrospective cohort study, analyzing titles from three major collections of e-books was employed. Titles were categorized based on the inclusion of the MARC 505 note (table of contents) or MARC 520 note (summary) in the catalogue record. The usage was based on standardized reports from 2012-2013. The measures of usage were the number of titles used and the number of sections downloaded. Statistical methods used in the analysis included correlations and odd ratios (ORs). The usage measures were stratified by publication year and subject to adjust for the effects of these factors on usage. Results – The analysis indicates that these enhancements to the catalogue record increase usage significantly and notably. The probability of an e-book with one of the catalogue record enhancements being used (as indicated by the OR) was over 80% greater than for titles lacking the enhancements, and nearly twice as high for titles with both features. The differences were greatest among the oldest and the most recently published e-books, and those in science and technology. The differences were least among the e-books published between 1998 and 2007 and those in the humanities and social sciences. Conclusion – Libraries can make their collections more accessible to users by enhancing bibliographic records with summary and table of contents notes, and by advocating for their inclusion in vendor-supplied records.

Assessment of Cataloging Services in an Academic Library

Personnel in Public Services and in Cataloging and Metadata Services were surveyed to determine how they rated the importance of various cataloging services, and to gauge their satisfaction with these services. The two groups differed in the importance and satisfaction scores that they assigned to certain cataloging services. The issues raised by respondents suggested that Cataloging and Metadata Services should take a more proactive approach to communication with Public Services and indicated the need for further research.

Enhancing Bibliographic Access to Dissertations

A study of dissertation cataloging practices of Association of Research Libraries academic libraries was conducted to discern how the libraries provide access to subjects as well as to names of academic departments and advisors. An analysis of catalog records revealed this information is recorded in notes and uncontrolled access points more often than in established access points. Although these local practices reflect a move toward cataloging efficiencies, they must be considered in the context of information retrieval.