Master of Engineering

Launching of digital reference services by academic libraries is on the increase. Libraries are exploring new ways of expanding their services by interacting with users and responding to user inquiries via the Internet, especially students enrolled on the distance mode of studying. The purpose of this study was to evaluate digital reference services at the Polytechnic of Namibia library and the University of Namibia library. Two aspects were evaluated, namely, ‘Resources’ and ‘elements of the general digital reference model’. This study was a summative evaluation study in which semi-structured interviews and observations were used to collect data. The research findings showed that these libraries used the general digital reference model in providing responses to the library users. The study established that the two libraries did not follow the IFLA and RUSA standards of staffing and training of librarians working with digital reference services. The study further found that a lack of ability to fully demonstrate to users how to access various library services was one of the major problems that the librarians experienced. / Program: Masterprogram: Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap, Digitala bibliotek och informationstjänster

Tutorials, Webinars, and Explanations of PubMed Features for Reference Librarians in Public Libraries

The intent of this article is to describe how the social science data library responds to requests for particular data when the data are not cataloged in the data library's collection. The author defines those activities undertaken to locate a potential resource as the pre-acquisition process. The pre-acquisition process begins when the library staff and client have been unable to locate relevant data in the library. Depending upon the nature of the request, time constraints imposed on the client (to produce an analysis based upon these data), and status of the client in the university setting, both staff and client undertake a search to locate the data the client needs. Together they examine the library's reference collection and literature in the field, seek information from experts in the field, and correspond with libraries and institutions which might potentially hold the data or be able to provide assistance in locating the data. The decision to undertake these activities during the preacquisition process depends upon a number of factors. They include the library's mandate regarding the nature of the collection and of its clientele, the level of flexibility in its policies, the quality of the staff, the degree to which the staff is committed to providing user services. the quality of its reference collection and services, and constraints on library resources. Although constraints on the library's resources may indeed be a major factor in determining whether to undertake a search and at what level and to what extent the services shall be provided, the first part of this article presents a brief description of only five factors: the nature of the collection, the impact of an acquisitions policy upon the preacquisition process, staff, the interaction between staff and client, and reference services." The second part describes the preacquisition process carried out at the Social Science Data and Program Library Service (DPLS) at the University of Wisconsin Madison as an illustration of locating data to meet a special client request. The author believes that a description of these activities should have utility not only for data libraries, but for other libraries for formalizing the process of meeting special requests.

Report on a study tour of public library services in the US who are providing first class, cutting edge service to their virtual clients. The study tour was made possible by the award of a Ramsay Reid scholarship from the State Library of Victoria in 2006.

A long-standing antipathy towards genealogists on the part of archivists is suggested by a study of the archival literature. However, there is evidence in the literature of the past decade to indicate that many archivists are reassessing their position vis a vis genealogists. There appears to be several causes. Social historians and other professionals also acknowledge that genealogical endeavours are helpful to their own purposes. Genealogists themselves recognize that their qualifications and standards must be improved in order for them to command respect. Archivists now recognize the lobbying power that can be exercised by this large user constituency. The literature suggests that all these influences are leading archivists to accept the principle that genealogy and genealogists should receive service and respect that is equal to that afforded academic and other researchers. Interviews with seven archivists at three Canadian provincial archives were conducted. They suggest that different archivists hold different attitudes towards genealogists. One interviewee was clearly antipathetic, but three were impartial and three were frustrated and discouraged, not with genealogists per se, but with the problems inherent in putting the principle of equality into practice. Regardless of the attitude held, each interviewee believed that an improvement in methods of accommodating genealogists would not only aid the genealogist, but would also provide some relief from the pressures of serving this large and varied user constituency. But does such accommodation through adjustments in the functions of appraisal and acquisition, arrangement and description, reference and access, and public programming undermine archival theory? In general, it was found that sound appraisal practices are compromised by an approach driven by the needs of the user; however, genealogical research required no adjustment of arrangement and description practices following the principles of provenance and original order. It was also found that the functions of reference and access, and public programming could meet the needs and approaches of genealogists without jeopardizing the physical and intellectual aspects of the records.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1993. / Includes vita and abstract. Order number 9320541. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 180-186).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pittsburgh, 1996. / "97-09421." eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-105).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Communication, Information and Library Studies." Includes bibliographical references (p. 176-184).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1993. / Includes vita and abstract. Order number 9320541. Includes bibliographical references (p. 180-186).