The authors offer the results of an informal survey of library staffing trends related to the acquisition and maintenance of electronic resources. They test their hypothesis that the problem of staffing for e-resources has reached a critical level.

Yes / Since the introduction of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001), academic libraries have been obliged to provide accessible texts for users who find printed works a barrier. Print-impairment can occur for a range of reasons including visual impairment, specific learning difficulties and motor difficulties, and affects 10-15% of the European population (Hilderley 2013). For many students, reasonable adjustment has involved the provision of texts in alternative formats (alt-texts) on a case-by-case basis for individual students. ... In 2013, the University of Bradford library employed a graduate intern to conduct a pilot audit of the accessibility of online resources ... In the summer of 2014, a revised and expanded audit was undertaken by frontline library staff.

Class of 2009 Abstract / OBJECTIVES: The use and utility of textbooks in health professional training programs is variable. Studies on these topics in medical schools have shown a wide variety of results with most showing surprisingly little textbook use and that students who purchased textbooks tend to have surprisingly low levels of use, with an increasing trend towards preferences for electronic resources. The purpose of the study was to evaluate pharmacy students’ use of course textbooks. METHODS: Second year students at the College of Pharmacy of the University of Arizona completed a survey that included what required or recommended books in the second year curriculum were purchased, how much of the text they actually read, as well as a 6 point response scale to rate each textbooks usefulness. RESULTS: Seventy-four students completed the survey near the end of the academic year. Only 30.45 percent of respondents purchased course textbooks. Purchased percentages for individual textbooks ranged from 62.3% to 0%. Student ratings for usefulness of each textbook ranged from 2.0 to 5.3 with the medicinal chemistry and drug information textbooks rated the lowest and electronic resources rated the highest. The vast majority of students who purchased the book used it them for less than one hour per week. CONCLUSIONS: Less than a third of students purchase required or recommended textbook. Time spent using the textbook was extremely low. Usefulness varied with the textbook and students expressed a strong preference for electronic resources

Yes / Since the UK’s 2001 Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA, 2001), academic libraries have had a legal duty to provide all students with information in a form accessible to them, an obligation strengthened by the 2010 Equality Act (c15). Crucially, the latter duty covered readers with all kinds of impairments, not just visual impairment, and thus covers a huge range of needs for an enormous number of individuals. Libraries have put a huge amount of time and effort into providing documents in accessible format (alt-format) but obviously it is preferable for both libraries and readers if the documents are accessible as supplied from the publisher. Electronic resources have the potential to address many of the accessibility needs of our readers, but concerns have been growing in the HE sector (see, for instance, JISCTechdis, 2013) that the way in which e-resources are delivered actually renders them, in some cases, less accessible. This paper describes a project undertaken by the University of Bradford library to systematically assess the accessibility of our electronic resources, and gives recommendations for others wishing to do the same.

電子資源與傳統印刷館藏不同的特質，使其必須以不同與傳統印刷館藏的新模式進行管理，但是館員、館藏和技術三個因素影響了圖書館的電子資源管理工作，造成了許多電子資源難以管理的結果，當館員試著解決這些問題時，卻發現了傳統的整合性圖書館系統無法提供所需的支援，於是電子資源管理系統應運而生。 本研究透過文獻探討國內外電子資源管理與系統的相關議題，並透過深度訪談，以了解國內八所大學圖書館和三家廠商電子資源管理所面臨的問題與解決方法，是否能夠符合圖書館的電子資源管理需求。 根據研究發現，提出結論如下：1.確認不同於傳統印刷館藏之電子資源管理新模式；2.建構大學圖書館電子資源管理系統功能要件及標準；3. 國內大學圖書館電子資源管理負責單位與工作流程；4.我國大學圖書館電子資源管理工作遭遇之困難；5.我國大學圖書館電子資源管理系統與功能；6.我國大學圖書館使用現有電子資源管理系統之困難與對未來新系統之期望；7.廠商電子資源管理系統功能與未來發展方向；8.提升我國大學圖書館使用電子資源管理系統使用率之方向。 最後針對前述研究結果提出建議： 對圖書館的建議：1.簡化、重整現有電子資源管理的作業流程；2.發展電子資源使用評鑑；3.訂定電子資源館藏發展政策；4.電子資源管理的新模式；5.提升圖書館對於電子資源管理的主導性。 對廠商的建議：1.以使用者為導向設計電子資源管理系統；2.發展合作機制，整合圖書館新舊系統；3.提高系統與國內大學圖書館使用環境的整合度；4.加強推廣、行銷電子資源管理系統。 / The electronic resources have many different characteristics with traditional print collections, so it must be managed with new model different from traditional print collections, but the librarian, collection and technical caused the difficulties of electronic resources management. When the librarians tried to resolve these problems, they found that the traditional integrated library system is unable to provide the necessary support, so the electronic resource management systems came into being. The study is explored through literary reviews and in-depth interviews in order to understand the problems and solutions with electronic resources management in eight libraries and three vendors in Taiwan and see if they can support the function required of the electronic resources management. Based on the research findings, the conclusions of this study are: 1.identify the new model of the electronic resources management different from traditional print collections; 2.construction of the university libraries’ electronic resources management function required and standards; 3.the departments are responsible for electronic resources management of university libraries in Taiwan; 4.the difficulties of university libraries’ electronic resources management in Taiwan; 5.university libraries’ electronic resources management systems and their functions in Taiwan; 6.the difficulties of using electronic resources management systems and the expectations of new system; 7.the vendors’ electronic resources management products and their future direction of development; 8.the direction of increasing Taiwan's university libraries use of electronic resources management system usage. Finally, according to the results of the study, several suggestions are provided: For the library: 1.simplified and reorganized the existing electronic resource management workflow; 2.the development of electronic resource usage evaluation; 3. construct the electronic resources collection development policy; 4.the new model of electronic resources management; 5.upgrading the libraries’ dominant of electronic resources management. For the vendors: 1.their systems should support user-centered access; 2.intergrated with the existing systems; 3.intergrated with the other vendors’ systems; 4.appropriated the use of the environment in Chinese; 5.to enhance the promotion and marketing of electronic resources management system.

Yes / This paper describes a project undertaken by the University of Bradford library to assess systematically the accessibility of our electronic resources, and gives recommendations for others wishing to do the same with their collections. Since the 2001 Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA), academic libraries in the UK have had a legal duty to provide all students with information in a form accessible to them, an obligation strengthened by the 2010 Equality Act (c. 15) to include all kinds of impairments, not just visual. The change in information sources from print to electronic has raised further challenges to providing access to information for all library users. Electronic resources have the potential to address many of the accessibility needs of our readers, but concerns have been growing in the higher education sector that the way in which e-resources are delivered can make them less accessible.

The aim of this study was to determine the information-seeking behaviour, needs and preferences of doctors, specifically with reference to Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) in the UK. This is particularly relevant during the current IT and resource development currently being undertaken in the NHS. Mixed methods research techniques were utilised to gather and analyse the data collected to meet the aims and objectives of this study. Three data collection methods have been utilised. The first utilised Clinical Librarians to count the information needs (questions) of doctors (Clinical Librarians Logs). The second data collection method gathered clinical questions from clinical librarians (specialists), medical librarians (generalists) and from websites hosting clinical questions (such as http://www.attract.wales.nhs.uk). These were analysed using the taxonomy developed by Ely et al. 2000. Finally an online questionnaire was used to gather data on doctors' awareness and use of electronic EBM resources. The major finding is that research undertaken on the information needs in the healthcare sector in the USA cannot be readily utilised in the NHS. This research utilised a unique data collection technique, the Clinical Librarian as a data collector. This enabled the quantification of doctors unperceived information needs. This research identified that doctors in the UK asked roughly one question for every four patients seen. Despite the advances and ease of use of electronic resources, the preferred information source was colleagues. Time continues to be the major barrier for accessinge lectronici nformation to aid clinical decision making.

This study focuses on the role of Information and communication technology (ICT) in support of effective knowledge management. Based on a comprehensive literature review, a knowledge management framework was developed for investigating the role of ICT in support of knowledge management. The framework not only centers on the dynamics of knowledge objects and processes, but also focuses on the impact of the internal knowledge management environment where organizational, managerial, structural, cultural and other related elements are intertwined and interplayed. Based on this research framework, two sets of hypotheses were proposed for testing: (a) whether ICT enables and facilitates conversions between knowledge objects and knowledge management processes, and (b) whether the internal knowledge management environment impacts the effective implementation of knowledge management projects. To test the hypotheses, a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including theoretical induction, continuous literature review, secondary data analysis, and the conduct of an online questionnaire survey and a case study was adopted in this study. The empirical findings were drawn from the secondary data analysis, case study and questionnaire survey. A questionnaire survey and a case study were conducted to obtain empirical data for testing and validating research hypotheses. To obtain a better understanding of current knowledge management best practices, secondary data were gathered and analyzed. In order to investigate the conversion processes of knowledge objects, an online survey was used to explore the experience, perceptions and opinions of respondents in the use of electronic resources at an individual level. To identify the factors that can determine success or failure in implementing knowledge management projects, a case study involving the pilot implementation of a knowledge portal was undertaken for collecting and analyzing empirical evidence from the field. The empirical findings confirm the ICT's enabling role in knowledge management. The results of this study further suggest that the conversion processes between data and information are fully supported by ICT, whereas the conversion processes between data and knowledge, and the conversion processes between information and knowledge are only partially supported by ICT. While knowledge codification and dissemination are increasingly supported by ICT, supportive technology for knowledge generation and application remains much less effective. The critical success factors impacting the implementation of knowledge management projects include organizational, structural, strategical, managerial, and cultural elements. These interlocking elements form the internal knowledge management environment in an organization. This study provides theoretical contributions by better understanding the nature of knowledge, the relationship between ICT and knowledge management, and the relationship between knowledge management and internal knowledge management environment. It also provides a contribution relevant to practitioners by developing a novel knowledge management framework, which can be used as a guideline of knowledge management efforts.

Presented at Electronic Resources and Libraries, Austin, Texas, March 1, 2011

Academic libraries are attempting to manage growing collections of diverse electronic resources in a cha-otic environment of evolving standards and systems. The transition from a print-dominated resource en-vironment to an electronic one has complicated the decision-making process. Current discourse primarily focuses on meeting patron needs and has distracted researchers from looking at librarian needs. The au-thors discovered that librarians want a better understanding of the nature, extent, and diversity of elec-tronic resources for decision making, assessment, and accountability. Drawing from the collaborative methods and design philosophies of other disciplines, this paper outlines an approach to leveraging Web 2.0 philosophy and Business Intelligence techniques to address these needs. This approach will serve as a guide for academic librarians to transcend their current practices in order to develop innovative, colla-borative, and holistic approaches to the joint stewardship of library electronic resource collections.