Joel Cummings

The use of handheld mobile devices: their impact and implications for library services

Cummings, Joel, Alex Merrill and Steve Borrelli. The Use of Handheld Mobile Devices: Their Impact on Library Services. Library Hi-Tech. 28 (1), 2010, p. 22-40.

The Use and Usability of SFX: Context-Sensitive Reference Linking

SFX is an XML‐based product designed to inter‐link electronic resources with other resources in context‐sensitive manner. SFX was first developed at the University of Ghent by Herbert Van de Sompel and has been released as a commercial product by Ex Libris. Use statistics garnered from SFX’s statistics module since the implementation in July of 2001 are discussed in the context of an academic research library environment. The results from usability testing conducted at Washington State University are reported. These usage statistics demonstrated a pattern of increasing use and exceptional use from FirstSearch databases.

Ebooks and Interlibrary Loan: Licensed to Fill?

Increasingly, libraries of all types and sizes are adding electronic book (ebook) titles to their collections. A survey was used to explore the implications of ebook licensing and interlibrary loan use. Among academic libraries in the United States, a widespread preference for handling print books was found along with a need for more information about ebook interlibrary loan rights at ones own institution and a means to identify format type available from potential lending libraries.