Abstract and Indexing
Assignment 1
LIBR 247 Voc. Design
Judith Homan
3/12/2014
[Type text]
My subject areas with ERIC Thesaurus
Descriptor - Electronic Journal
BT – Periodical
RT - Electronic Publishing
Online Systems
Descriptor - Academic Libraries
BT – libraries
NT – College Libraries
Descriptor - Librarians
BT - Information Scientists
Library Personnel
Evaluation
NT – Computer Software Evaluation
Equipment Evaluation
Institutional Evaluation
Instructional Material Evaluation
Needs Assessment
Program Evaluation
Descriptor - Higher Education
BT - Postsecondary Education
NT - Graduate Study
Postdoctoral Education
Undergraduate Study
Descriptor - Databases
BT - Data
Information Sources
NT - Bibliographic Databases
Online Catalogs
Consortiums – Eric uses Consortia
BT – Organizations (groups)
Use this term instead of
Consortiums
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
Identifier –
Serial Librarian
Library Promotion
Library marketing
Library Management
Library suppliers/publishers
Location – UK
Location - North America
My Abstract -
Research on the use of electronic journals in an academic library reveals some areas that still
need more attention focused on the results. Academic Librarians looking at the statistics from
the usage of electronic journals see that there is a weakness in the areas of promotion and
evaluation of the services provided. Along with a need for more educational training of both
library staff and library users to help promote existing services. The academic libraries included
in this research were located in North America and in the U.K. Academic librarians need to work
on the relationship with library supplies and publishers to seek current training and information
about databases for their users.
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
ERIC Citation
Electronic Journals: Managing and Educating for a Changing Culture in Academic Libraries.
Author(s): Ashcroft, Linda; McIvor, Stephanie
Source: Online Information Review, v25 n6 p378-87 2001.
Peer Reviewed: Yes
ISSN: 1468-4527
Descriptors: Academic Libraries, Consortia, Costs, Electronic Journals, Evaluation Methods,
Foreign Countries, Higher Education, Library Materials, Publishing Industry, Scholarly
Journals, Serials, Higher Education
Identifiers: Change Analysis, Interoperability, North America, United Kingdom
Abstract: Describes a research project that focused on the evaluation and promotion of
electronic journals in academic libraries in the United Kingdom and in North America. Topics
include changing role of the serials librarian; costs; consortia purchasing; relationship between
libraries and publishers; and collaboration to ensure interoperability. (Author/LRW)
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Availability:
Journal Code: CIJAUG2002
Entry Date: 2002
Accession Number: EJ643417
Citation from the article with abstract
Electronic journals: managing and educating for a changing culture in academic
libraries
Author(s): Linda Ashcroft, (Linda Ashcroft is Senior Lecturer and MA Programme Leader at
the Centre for Information and Library Management at Liverpool Business School,
Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.), Stephanie McIvor, (Stephanie
McIvor is Researcher at Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores
University, Liverpool, UK.)
Citation: Linda Ashcroft, Stephanie McIvor, (2001) "Electronic journals: managing and
educating for a changing culture in academic libraries", Online Information
Review, Vol. 25 Iss: 6, pp.378 - 388
Keywords: Evaluation, Information technology, Journal publishing, Librarians, Promotion
Title:
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
Article
type:
DOI:
Publisher:
Abstract:
Case study
10.1108/EUM0000000006537 (Permanent URL)
MCB UP Ltd
With the requisite IT infrastructure now becoming commonplace in academic
institutions, electronic journals are becoming an established component of
academic life, but the management of electronic journals can not yet be considered
trouble-free. This latest research project at Liverpool John Moores University
focuses on the evaluation and promotion of electronic journals in academic libraries
in the UK and in North America. The aim is to highlight any significant differences
in the way that electronic journals are managed and to identify successes in order to
establish “best practice”. Several issues emerge from the research. For electronic
journals to become a significant alternative to the print version, there needs to be a
recognition that the introduction of electronic journals will impact on working
practices and staffing requirements, requiring more technical skills and
competencies and changes in management priorities. Furthermore, electronic
journals are still a “moving target”, making realignment even more difficult and
posing awkward questions for decision makers as to the best way forward. The
whole process of electronic journal development requires effective management of
change. Interoperability would seem to provide the key to many of the issues
involved. All of these factors influence the changing arena of LIS education.
- See more at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/journals.htm?issn=14684527&volume=25&issue=6&articleid=862171&show=abstract&PHPSESSID=o2quesloer4jt9b8
ut3nld6fk7#sthash.9uOlyw76.dpuf
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
Critique –
Looking back at the article “Electronic journals: managing and educating for a changing
culture in academic libraries,” the choices I made in selecting terms seemed to be logical. As I
read through the article I underlined subjects that kept repeating throughout the article. The
terms were ones that I have read about before such as “library management” and “serial
librarians.” When I compared these terms to the thesaurus in ERIC they were not found. The
terms management and librarians were in the thesaurus, but as a novice at this neither term
directed me towards the library side of the terms. So this left me with the question, how do you
get specific information towards certain topics? The ERIC thesaurus directed me toward “using
this term instead of that term” for subjects like consortiums, the term consortia is to be used
instead. I was able to understand that since consortia is the plural form of the word. I found
reference librarian but not serial librarian, is this due to the frequency in which terms are used?
So many questions when looking at my subject selections.
When I looked at the terms used in both ERIC and by the authors of the article I was
surprised by the differences rather than the similarities. The articles authors listed the keywords
as: Librarians, Promotions, Evaluation, Information technology, and journal publishing. Of these
five terms I only duplicated three, librarians, promotions and evaluation. In ERIC’s descriptors
the terms used were: Academic Libraries, Consortia, Costs, Electronic Journals, Evaluation
Methods, Foreign Countries, Higher Education, Library Materials, Publishing Industry,
Scholarly Journals, and Serials. This list of eleven descriptors I duplicated four complete terms,
but I had partial terms like evaluation methods, I had evaluations and serials I had serial
librarians. The serials confused me because I entered serials into the ERIC thesaurus when I was
looking for serial librarian, but even serials did not show up in ERIC. What am I missing on the
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
terms? The terms were search for broader terms and related terms. No suggestions were made
for serials.
The ERIC thesaurus made it easy to select terms, especially if you selected a term that
was no longer used, it gave you a “use this instead of that” which allowed you to selected other
terms. The related terms that were listed gives you other terms to consider. I found this to be
very useful when trying to select the correct term. The browse feature allows the searcher to
select the area or field to search.
I liked the ERIC descriptors better than my subject terms. I did not look at some of the
terms for my selection, such as cost. While cost was mentioned in the article I did not see it
playing a major role. Another term used was evaluation methods. I used evaluation but did not
narrow it down to methods. The same is true for publishing industry, I used library
suppliers/publishers instead of industry. I am not sure how the only two countries mentioned in
the article, the UK and North America would lead to the term foreign countries. Would this not
be a place that UK and North America are used instead of foreign countries? The term I liked but
it never crossed my mind to use was library materials. This term covers several of the items
mentioned in the article with one term. The ERIC terms gave a good listing but it seems two
items were overlooked, the promotion of library services and library management. These two
items were mentioned repeatedly in the article. These terms were not found in the thesaurus but
not sure if they are part of another term.
The article’s keywords does use promotion and evaluation, but not electronic journals.
The two listing of terms together hit all the key points of the article. I will admit at first I thought
the two abstracts were redundant, but after reading both it gave a complete picture of what the
article is really about. My abstract was not as detailed as the articles, but seemed to have more
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
information than ERICs abstract. I am not sure my abstract is correct, but it does appear to cover
more information. ERIC’s abstract gave simple information, but instead gave the listing of the
descriptors as part of the abstract. The article’s abstract give a great overview of the article, but
again it leaves out promotion and evaluation. These two items were a major part of the overall
concept of the article. I may have over rated these two terms, but to me they seemed to be an
important point in the article.
Overall I think the guidelines were understandable. I am not completely comfortable
with indexing items, but I think it is a process that will continue to improve as I do it more often.
The information is there between the lecture notes, and the textbooks, but I find myself hunting
for items, and do not always know exactly what I am looking for at times. Working through the
subjects or descriptors I do not know if I covered those correctly. I read the article several times,
and went through and underline terms that stood out or were repeated several times throughout
the article. I then went back to look at the words I underlined, and found some terms could be
covered by a broader term. I noticed some terms I selected did not fit the descriptor term but
instead they fit the facet analysis of space or where. The location of UK or North America fell
into this section. This is the section of the assignment I am unsure if I did it correct. As I go back
and review the assignment, I worry that I am still missing the descriptors and identifiers. Since
the terms I used differ from the article and ERIC.
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1
References
Ashcroft, L., & McIvor, S. (2001). Electronic Journals: Managing and Educating for a Changing
Culture in Academic Libraries. Online Information Review, 25(6), 378-87.
Cleveland, D., & Cleveland A. (2013) Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting. Santa Barbara,
CA: Libraries Unlimited.
ERIC Thesaurus. http://eric.ed.gov/?
Judith Homan – LIBR 247 – Assignment 1