Initiative Review Group VII Final Report June 30, 2001

Provide access to full-text electronic resources in all fields where appropriate.

Members:

Elizabeth McKee (leader), Jan Dixon, Beth Juhl, Julie Thacker, and Marilyn Rogers

1. Background and Current Situation

"Full text" can refer to at least four or five different kinds of electronic products:

• Electronic books (including reference works, encyclopedias, directories, etc.)
• Databases of geographical (spatial) data or statistical data, such as digital map data and government statistical data
• Electronic journals (counterparts to specific periodical or serial publications)

Free with subscription to print

Online sold separately or at an additional cost to print

Available only online

• Databases of journal articles

Aggregates of several hundred or several thousand journal titles

Full text added to indexing and abstracting databases for specific subject areas

• Free publications-full journals or other material provided on an Internet site, e. g. associations interested in educating about an area frequently mount a large amount of information (or misinformation) and make it freely available to any interested searcher

This format in libraries has evolved so quickly that our first widely-used, full-text product, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, was purchased in 1997 and we now find online is frequently the preferred, even the only acceptable, medium for many students. As early as 1998, librarians began to see that while full-text aggregate databases were extremely popular with undergraduates, these products presented new problems of overlap, unreliability, mutability, and of course costs that made them very different from their print counterparts.

Encyclopedia Britannica Online was purchased in August 1997 through a consortium of Arkansas college and university libraries (based on ARKNet membership), with funding from a three-year $750,000 grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. Prior to that time the Libraries had acquired several specialized full-text newspapers, legal, and trade journals, and a limited number of online journals, such as Current Clinical Trials, and the Journal of Extension. These earlier products had limited use and limited appeal because they could not be used outside the library, required special software to run, and were passworded or available to only one user at a time.

The quick spread of graphical web browsers, such Mosaic and then Netscape, created a better delivery mechanism for full text. Through the auspices of the Walton/E-Text grant project, a number of new web-based products were introduced to campus, including: Academic Universe (Lexis Nexis on the Web), Standard and Poor's NetAdvantage, Moody's/FIS Online, UMI's Periodicals Abstracts Research II and ABI/Inform Global, and WilsonSelect. (A complete list can be found in the appendices of the Walton Project reports.) The project's main goals were to investigate the implications of moving away from traditional library collections to electronic full text. As part of this charge, many studies were conducted comparing general aggregate periodicals databases, such as WilsonSelect through FirstSearch, Periodicals Abstracts Research II on ProQuest, and IAC's Expanded Academic Index. Several of these were published by UA librarians. Even with detailed use studies of current print periodicals, the Libraries have not been able to cancel many print subscriptions in favor of these aggregate article databases.

We have new forms of database information to deal with besides the bibliographic and the full-text articles. On the University of Arkansas campus, the provision of spatial data in electronic format, for use as online maps and in geographic information systems (GIS), has been under development through the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) since 1991. On-going dialogs between the UA Libraries and CAST are progressing towards implementation of GIS in the Libraries. A proposal is being developed for the provision of a wide variety of spatial data, including the Arkansas GeoStor (for free) and ESRI products (as part of the UA campus-wide contract beginning July 2001) through the Library webpages, and for the introductory awareness and instruction in the use of GIS spatial electronic resources.

Cataloging and Access

Intellectual access

While the Walton/E-Text Committee worked to evaluate and add full-text databases, an increasing number of serials titles developed online counterparts to their print versions. Since 1995/96, librarians from Technical and Public services units have met together to develop guidelines for selecting Internet resources to be added to the online catalog and procedures for creating and maintaining cataloging records.

For some time, duplicate (even triplicate) information about e-journal holdings was maintained on the library home page, in a large set of binders at the Reference Desk, and in the online catalog. Our long term goal has always been to maintain all e-journal information solely in InfoLinks, providing patrons one quick lookup for all full text holdings. In 1999/2000, several breakthroughs brought us very close to that goal:

Using vendor title lists and an LC program called "MARCMaker" , librarians developed a procedure for creating "quick MARC" records for journals held in large aggregate databases such as ProQuest and WilsonWeb

Publishers and vendors began to make available journal-specific URLs, so that the library catalog could provide users with direct links to individual journals

Serials cataloging undertook the task of inputting summary holdings information for specific volumes and dates available online, in addition to journal-level URLs

Most publishers and vendors have migrated from logins and passwords to IP-based authentication. For the remaining titles (less than a dozen) that still have passwords, that information has been entered into InfoLinks item records so that any library staff member can find it when needed.

MARCIVE records were loaded in 1999/2000, bringing with them several thousand URLs for full-text government documents online

Challenges and ongoing issues for intellectual access to full text resources include:

the need for journal-level URLs within large aggregate databases

 

the need for cataloging information about monographic titles included in large aggregate databases, such as Gale's Literature Research Center

the need for routine maintenance and URL checking (the Innovative Interfaces URL checking utility is not a success)

the preference for one, unified bibliographic record covering all formats (print and online) versus several different records for different formats

 

Remote Access and Troubleshooting

In 1998/99, the Libraries purchased Innovative Interfaces' Web Access Management (WAM) module to provide proxy server access to IP-authenticated products for off-campus users. The WAM has worked very well, handling more than 23,500 sessions in 1999/2000, jumping to almost 70,000 in 2000/2001 and extending access to users who would have previously had to come to campus or make a long distance phone call into the campus modem pool.

As is evidenced by constant chatter on the Innopac Users List, the key problem with the WAM proxy server is the amount of staff time and expertise that must be devoted to troubleshooting patron problems. While actual maintenance of the proxy forwarding table and settings is fairly routine, user questions can take a succession of e-mails and phone calls to resolve successfully. Patrons who are not very technically savvy have a difficult time in reporting their home computer configurations. Not all librarians at the reference desk feel comfortable or competent discussing technical configurations with callers. While enhanced troubleshooting web pages and e-mail help forms have served to streamline the process somewhat, assisting users with the proxy server is a very technical and time-consuming task. As browsers and products keep evolving, as home computing grows more sophisticated, and as user expectations for 24/7 support grow, this task can only become more labor-intensive. This kind of technical support is a new and sometimes overwhelming responsibility in Reference.

A second element of troubleshooting full-text products is the amount of communication with vendors and publishers needed to maintain access to databases and e-journals. In the past, the Libraries would create printed claims for late paper journals; no reasonable user expected the Libraries to fix the problem or obtain the issue the same day. With electronic access, users notice and report immediately when a title is unavailable and they often expect that access will be restored immediately, even on evenings and weekends. While the Reference staff may field the majority of these calls and complaints, it is the Head of Serials who usually must contact the publisher or vendor to resolve the problem.

Printing

The Libraries have made a decision not to charge for printing until there is a campus-wide system in place. Computing Services experimented with the UniPrint system in 1999-2000, but eventually took that product down because of repeated problems in ID verification over the campus network. We estimate that the Libraries will spend approximately $35,000 on public printing in 2000-2001. In addition to convenience, one of the reasons many users prefer electronic versions to print is because they can print out e-journals for free, while print copies continue to cost at least 7 cents per page. In an effort to control paper and toner waste, Systems installed the Printhack system on one area in Reference in April 2001. We plan to expand that system to other areas in Reference, while we wait on an integrated debit card for campus.

Supporting and troubleshooting the public printers has become a major function of reference desk staff, at times to the detriment of true research questions. The level of tech support needed on the Lobby Level "runway" has increased tremendously in the past year. Reference and Systems continue to investigate staffing alternatives to having expensive library faculty perform this function. However, true reference questions continue to come disguised as simple printing or downloading questions. Full-text products bring all library functions: lookup, circulation, copying, etc. to the reference desk. It is difficult to separate research-level questions from simple navigation and technical queries.

Collecting Criteria and Budgeting

Several different deliberative bodies have grappled with full text decisions in the last few years. From 1994-1997, the U. of A. Libraries' COLERS (the Council on Library Electronic Resources and Services) developed criteria for selection of electronic materials and forms and procedures for ranking and processing those products. Proposals for new products were reviewed and ranked by consensus 2-3 times each year. Automation, subject librarians, acquisitions librarians, and administrators all took part in the decision-making process. During COLERS' lifespan, CD-ROM indexes and abstracts began to give way to online products, such as the Wilson Indexes Online. Although very few of the products selected by COLERS had full text, the work of that group set up models for decision-making and consensus building that carried forward into future efforts.

The Walton/E-Text Grant Project (1997-2000) was charged with identifying and implementing full-text products, and with evaluating their impact on library collections, budgets, and services. Products purchased with grant funds fell into three broad areas: basic undergraduate and reference tools (ProQuest, WilsonSelect, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Access Science, Biography Resource Center), core business titles (Lexis Nexis, S&P NetAdvantage, Moody's FIS Online, STAT-USA, Gale Business Resources Integrated, ABI/Inform, and Wall Street Journal), and a collection of tools for literary research (LION: Literature Online, Literature Resource Center). In addition, equipment or products to support the delivery of full text were also purchased with grant monies, included computers and printers, scanners and Ariel/Prospero document delivery software, and the WAM module from Innovative. Cumulatively, the products purchased with Walton funds, and the work of the committee and other library staff in implementing those products, was transformative.

Because the Walton group focused so extensively on undergraduate products, and because new full-text e-journal offerings were proliferating at an alarming rate, Acting Director Juana Young called together a Serials Working Group in 2000. This committee examined needs and criteria for graduate or research tools, and methods to make collecting and budgeting decisions for new full-text products. The group identified three trial products (ACM Digital Library, E*Subscribe ERIC documents full text, and IEEE E-Journals) all of which were to be evaluated for renewal in spring or summer 2001.

Currently, the needs for decision-making and budgeting structures for full-text products are being subsumed into an overall effort to build new structures and processes for collection development.

User Education and Expectations

While users find the electronic products very appealing and generally easy to use on a superficial basis, they do require sophisticated searching skills to make the best use of the databases without librarian instruction in most cases. Finding time to learn each new database well, create teaching aids, presentations, and user handouts is challenging for the librarians. Users now ask questions in person, by phone, and by e-mail and it takes collegial cooperation to assure that the people staffing the public service desks in all areas, especially the Reference Desk, are able to answer their questions quickly and accurately.

2. Issues that must be addressed

The issues will continue to evolve. Some of those we have currently identified and feel will require ongoing attention in our regular work, even if not deemed a "thrust area" for IRG's, will include:

• Defining and identifying the products and categorizing them to assign a relevant policy
• Division of responsibilities-changing contracts, negotiation, decisions and staff input
• Budget considerations-one time versus subscription
• Licensing-for example for ILL or Reserve
• Use--instructional support
• Equipment
• Access-identification and cataloging, promotion, instruction, authentication and passwording, technical support
• Printing-costs to library vs. users, also technical support
• Preservation and archiving-perpetual electronic collections vs. bound journals
• Content-time lag, completeness of product, publisher "embargoes", graphics
• State trials and consortial agreements
• Communication-many departments involved, lots of discussion is necessary

3. Long term goals

Fulfilling the mission of the University of Arkansas Libraries, the provision of information in full-text electronic format is an ever-increasing and relevant form of recorded knowledge. Full-text resources in electronic format, and their availability both locally and remotely though the Web, support the information needs of students, faculty and staff, irrespective of a user's location. The provision of electronic full text is an innovation within the University Libraries-- innovations are vital to the Libraries' success. With the goal to upgrade the University of Arkansas Libraries to the Association of Research Libraries' (ARL) standards, the provision of electronic full-text resources should correspond with the information resources provided by ARL member libraries which have institutional missions similar to those of the U. of A. Regular and frequent evaluations of new products, comparisons among competing vendors products, changing prices and variable scales often considered proprietary agreements challenge us in the time required to make wise decisions for the organization. This is an elusive, ongoing goal that will be in front of us for the foreseeable future.

4. Other relevant initiatives

IRG #1 User needs

IRG #3 Realign resources

IRG #4 Preservation/conservation

IRG #5 Evaluation of space

IRG #6 Collection development

IRG #8 In-house digitization

IRG #9 Collaborative digitization

IRG #10 Fund raising

IRG #11 Data Collection (use statistics)

IRG #12 Budget

IRG #13 Consortial relationships

IRG #16 Staff development and training

5. New initiatives needed

• Information Literacy-We have not fully addressed our need to incorporate instruction and outreach in the curriculum.

New publication models require communication with faculty (retraining, publicity) to ensure appropriate research assignments

• Use studies/statistics-Use of the paper collection drives decisions for online products.
• Printing, scanning, copying-a holistic model is needed
• Managing technology-mission of the computer labs vs. library computers should be addressed, rovers and techies should be considered to assist students, each product we acquire increases demand for workstations and printing

6. Individuals who are essential in the next phase

We recommend a representative from reference, automation, and someone with Web design responsibilities. In general, the work combines responsibilities of reference, collection development, and serials personnel to accomplish the gamut of aspects.

7. Time needed to develop the plan for implementing this initiative

In this case the plan is after-the-fact, since we are already deeply involved in full text. It is an ongoing issue that we will need to continue to work with. We need to plan for efficient selection and acquisitions. The selectors will have to work cooperatively on this. Even if not chosen as a thrust initiative this must be considered an important, ongoing part of our work, that requires much of the attention of at least one full-time librarian, who works extensively with other librarians and several departments of the library, as well as with the faculty of many subject areas.

8. Priority level of this initiative in long-term plan

This is a mission-critical, priority one initiative. It is distinct and of highest priority, but also part of broader initiatives named above.

We see ourselves entering a "research phase" now in the full-text venture. That is, the committee members believe we need to take time to see what other libraries are doing. We need to learn the best ways of prioritizing, winnowing down our product choices, and re-evaluating all our decisions (in general every year, in time for the renewal). Sample statements and workflow examples still need to be addressed. We see much work still to be done to address the best interests of our clientele and make the wisest budget decisions.

 

Appended:

• Sample forms developed by BJ for COLERS, such as:
• Guidelines for Electronic Resources Workform
• Equipment/Furniture Requirements
• Floppy Disk Format Information
• Electronic Resources Scorecard
• Remote Access/End User Format Information
• Computer File Format Information
• CD-ROM Format Information