Reference Services Review Research Articles

Peer reference, post reference desk: what is next? An interview with Allison Faix, instruction coordinator and librarian at Coastal Carolina University

PurposeKimbel Library used a peer reference model of service beginning in 2009 that was successful for several years but eventually phased out due to shifting priorities and needs. This article aims to describe Kimbel Library's second attempt at creating and using a peer reference program in 2018, how it was different from the original approach, and what ultimately happened.Design/methodology/approachIn this article Reference Services Review Co-editor Sarah Barbara Watstein interviews Allison Faix, Instruction Coordinator and Librarian at Coastal Carolina University, about her experiences with peer reference services.FindingsBecause of the marked decline in the number of research-based questions asked at the library's help desk, the library found itself with smart, well-trained peer research assistants who were disappointed that their research assistance was not in greater demand.Originality/valueThis interview looks at two different ways that peer reference was implemented at the same institution starting in 2009.

Literasi Digital Pustakawan dalam Database Scopus Periode 2010-2020: Studi Bibliometrika

This study aims to see; growth of scientific publications on digital literacy in librarians, core journals of digital literacy scientific publications for librarians, productivity and collaboration of science researchers, digital literacy in librarians, number of publications on digital literacy in librarians by affiliation / institution, number of publications by country, number of publications based on document type, number of publications by subject, 8) map of developments on digital literacy in librarians through keyword clusters. Data obtained from the Scopus database published in the 2010-2020 period. Data analysis using VosViewer software. The results showed that Communication In Computer and Information Science contributed the most articles on digital literacy, then followed by College And Undergraduate, then Reference Services Review journal, the journal with the least amount of Information And Learning Science. The most subjects were Social Sciences with 55.1%, then in the second place were Computer Sciences subjects, namely 21.9%, then the Arts and Humanities subjects were 6.9% followed by Mathematics as much as 5.1%. Meanwhile, the fewest documents were documents on Nursing and Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics with a total percentage of 0.3%, namely 1 document. Trends in knowledge can be seen from the many keywords that are found such as acrl frame work, digital citizenship, digital divide, digital literacy, distance education, distance learning, fake news, higher education, human computer interactive, information literacy, information skills, instructional design, learning. , library instruction, literacy, media literacy, online learning, research, social media. The keywords that are most tied to other networks or other keywords are Information literacy, Digital literacy, Digital literacies, Libraries, Education, Students and Academic libraries.

A Historical View of Library Instructional Podcasts Demonstrating They Were Beneficial to Students and Staff at a New Zealand College of Learning

A Review of: Jowitt, A. (2008). Perceptions and usage of library instructional podcasts by staff and students at New Zealand’s Universal College of Learning (UCOL). Reference Services Review, 36(3), 312–336. https://doi.org/10.1108/00907320810895396 Abstract Objective – To examine usage of a specific set of library instructional podcasts and the potential of the format for effective library instruction. Design – Concurrent mixed methods survey. Setting – Multiple campuses at a polytechnic college in New Zealand. Subjects – A total of 86 self-selected, non-random students and staff. Methods – Web-based survey, piloted before a broader launch, with open and closed questions in one survey instrument (SurveyPro) regarding six sample podcasts accessible via the college’s library website. The researcher used closed questions to gather quantitative data with Likert and verbal frequency scales and used concurrent triangulation to ensure balance with qualitative open-ended question responses for proper later interpretation. Main Results – Of the 86 participants in the study, 71.1% responded that the five library podcasts were “very good.” The study determined that the most useful podcast was called “My account” and helped students and staff activate and use their library accounts. Overall, students enjoyed the five library podcasts slightly more than staff. The orientation walking tour was the least popular podcast. The researchers hypothesized that this was because the podcast did not fit the users’ preferred medium, which was computer based. Even listeners who owned a portable media device preferred using a media player on their computer to access the podcasts. The participants preferred to listen to the podcasts during the day. The participants found that the 24/7 availability and the ability to listen to the material repeatedly were particularly helpful features. Conclusion – Based on the research results, students and staff found library instructional podcasting advantageous because of its ease of access and constant availability. Some participants mentioned ways to improve the quality of the podcasts, but they found them to be an effective new medium overall. Additional research is needed to evaluate podcasts as an instructional medium.

Graduate Assistants Trained in Reference May Not Consistently Apply Reference Interview and Instructional Strategies in Reference Interactions

A Review of: Canuel, R., Hervieux, S., Bergsten, V., Brault, A., & Burke, R. (2019). Developing and assessing a graduate student reference service. Reference Services Review, 47(4), 527–543. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-06-2019-0041 Abstract Objective – To evaluate the effectiveness of a reference training program for graduate student employees that seeks to encourage use of reference interview and instruction techniques in virtual and in-person reference interactions. Design – Naturalistic observation with qualitative content analysis. Setting – A large, public research university in Montreal, Canada. Subjects – Three graduate students in Library and Information Science employed by the university library to provide virtual and in-person reference services. Methods – After completing a training program, the three participants provided virtual and in-person reference training for two consecutive semesters. They self-recorded their desk interactions in a Google form. These self-reports, along with their online chat transcripts from QuestionPoint, were the subject of this study’s analysis. Focusing on the QuestionPoint data, the authors coded the transcripts from these participants’ online reference interactions to reflect the presence or absence of a reference interview and various instructional techniques in their responses to patrons. Also, all in-person and virtual questions were examined and categorized as being either transactional or reference questions. Reference questions were further categorized as basic, intermediate, or advanced questions. Main Results – Of the chat transcripts analyzed, 49% were classified as containing reference questions rather than transactional questions. At the desk, 21.9% of interactions were coded as reference questions. Taking the two semesters together, 232 of 282 virtual reference questions were considered basic, while 41 were labelled intermediate, and 9 classified as advanced. Similarly, of 136 desk reference questions, 120 were classified as basic, 14 as intermediate, and 2 as advanced. In their coding of chat transcripts, researchers indicated whether the interaction contained no reference interview, a partial reference interview, or a complete reference interview. Virtual chat transcripts from both fall and winter semesters showed that no reference interview took place in 77.3% of interactions. Authors noted evidence of partial reference interviews in 19.3% of fall transcripts and 21.5% of winter transcripts. Complete reference interviews took place in 3.4% of fall and 1.2% of winter transcripts. Additionally, authors found that 65.5% of chat transcripts contained elements of instruction, with Modelling and Resource Suggestion being the most prevalent forms. Conclusion – Because the graduate students used complete or partial reference interviews in a small number of their virtual reference questions, the authors of this study determined that more emphasis ought to be placed on reference interviews, particularly virtual reference interactions, in future training programs. Graduate students employed instructional strategies in observed virtual reference interactions, a promising trend.

Graduate Assistants Trained in Reference May Not Consistently Apply Reference Interview and Instructional Strategies in Reference Interactions

A Review of: Canuel, R., Hervieux, S., Bergsten, V., Brault, A., & Burke, R. (2019). Developing and assessing a graduate student reference service. Reference Services Review, 47(4), 527–543. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-06-2019-0041 Abstract Objective – To evaluate the effectiveness of a reference training program for graduate student employees that seeks to encourage use of reference interview and instruction techniques in virtual and in-person reference interactions. Design – Naturalistic observation with qualitative content analysis. Setting – A large, public research university in Montreal, Canada. Subjects – Three graduate students in Library and Information Science employed by the university library to provide virtual and in-person reference services. Methods – After completing a training program, the three participants provided virtual and in-person reference training for two consecutive semesters. They self-recorded their desk interactions in a Google form. These self-reports, along with their online chat transcripts from QuestionPoint, were the subject of this study’s analysis. Focusing on the QuestionPoint data, the authors coded the transcripts from these participants’ online reference interactions to reflect the presence or absence of a reference interview and various instructional techniques in their responses to patrons. Also, all in-person and virtual questions were examined and categorized as being either transactional or reference questions. Reference questions were further categorized as basic, intermediate, or advanced questions. Main Results – Of the chat transcripts analyzed, 49% were classified as containing reference questions rather than transactional questions. At the desk, 21.9% of interactions were coded as reference questions. Taking the two semesters together, 232 of 282 virtual reference questions were considered basic, while 41 were labelled intermediate, and 9 classified as advanced. Similarly, of 136 desk reference questions, 120 were classified as basic, 14 as intermediate, and 2 as advanced. In their coding of chat transcripts, researchers indicated whether the interaction contained no reference interview, a partial reference interview, or a complete reference interview. Virtual chat transcripts from both fall and winter semesters showed that no reference interview took place in 77.3% of interactions. Authors noted evidence of partial reference interviews in 19.3% of fall transcripts and 21.5% of winter transcripts. Complete reference interviews took place in 3.4% of fall and 1.2% of winter transcripts. Additionally, authors found that 65.5% of chat transcripts contained elements of instruction, with Modelling and Resource Suggestion being the most prevalent forms. Conclusion – Because the graduate students used complete or partial reference interviews in a small number of their virtual reference questions, the authors of this study determined that more emphasis ought to be placed on reference interviews, particularly virtual reference interactions, in future training programs. Graduate students employed instructional strategies in observed virtual reference interactions, a promising trend.

Bibliometric study of global information literacy research during 2000-2019

The study examined global publications on information literacy research (9105) using data from the Scopus database during 2000-19. The global literacy research registered (22.17%) annual average growth and averaged (7.48) citations per paper. The 118 countries unevenly participated in global information literacy research and the top 10 countries accounted for (73.86% and 83.52%) share of the global publications and citations. A total of 589 organizations and 855 authors contributed to global information literacy research. The top 20 most productive organizations and authors together contributed (11.17% and 4.74%) share and (14.06% and 7.82%) share to global citations output. Purdue University, USA (111 papers) and the Queensland University of Technology, Australia (76 papers) are the most productive organizations in the world, University of Sheffield, U.K.(20.48 and 2.74) and, University of Arizona, USA (14.25% and 1.91%) are the most cited organization. M. Pinto (48 papers) and A. Lloyd (34 papers) are the most prolific authors and A. Lloyd (35.24% and 4.71%) and R. Hobbs (22.47% and 3%) are the most cited authors in the subject. Reference Services Review (271) and Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (204 papers) were the leading journals publishing on this theme. Journal of Documentation (28.45%) and Journal of Academic Librarianship (19.93%) were the lead journals in terms of citation impact per paper.

Academic Library Patrons Value Personalized Attention and Subject Matter Expertise in Reference Consultations

A Review of:
 Rogers, E., & Carrier, H. S. (2017). A qualitative investigation of patrons’ experiences with academic library research consultations. Reference Services Review, 45(1), 18–37. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-04-2016-0029
 Abstract 
 Objective – To examine the experiences of patrons with one-on-one reference consultation services. 
 Design – Qualitative analysis of open-ended interviews. 
 Setting – Academic library at a public university in the Southern United States. 
 Subjects – Students who attended a consultation with a reference librarian. 
 Methods – All students who attended a reference consultation with a librarian were invited to participate in an interview. Open-ended interviews were conducted after informed consent was collected. Interviewers were provided with prompts to help participants discuss their experiences but were not intended to guide the conversation. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed line-by-line. The transcripts were then analyzed using a conventional, inductive model of content analysis. Transcripts were first analyzed in an initial phase to identify basic themes, and then further examined in an advanced analysis in light of these themes. 
 Main Results – 10 students agreed to participate for a response rate of 38%. Most participants became aware of the reference consultation service by receiving library instruction as part of their course or through word-of-mouth recommendations from peers or faculty. No participants were aware of consultations through library marketing efforts or the library website. The major theme that emerged from the analysis was that patrons chose a reference consultation because it allowed them one-on-one attention from the librarian and because of the librarian’s perceived subject expertise. The primary problems participants identified with the service were that it was not adequately marketed to the students and that students were not aware of the service. Participants intended to use the skills and information gathered from the consultation to continue their independent research and they also largely intended to use librarian’s services as they continue working on their projects. 
 Conclusion – The authors found that the reference consultation is a valuable service for academic libraries and that consultation with a librarian in their office provides unique perceived benefits to the patrons compared to a traditional reference desk interaction. Further research is suggested to determine the value of consultations for distance or online students, to ensure that reference consultations services are sustainable, and to further examine student’s emotive reactions to the consultation experience.

Reference Services Review: content analysis, 2012-2014

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a retrospective analysis of content published in Reference Services Review between 2012 and 2014. Design/methodology/approach – This analysis utilizes the methods and format outlined by Katy Mahraj, author of Reference Services Review: content analysis, 2006-2011 (2012). The author manually reviewed the content of all journal issues from 2012 through 2014 using both print and online copies of the journal, accessed through the Emerald Group Publishing web site. Information reviewed included total number of articles per issue, author affiliations, article format and article content focus. The type, size and location of author institutions were confirmed using institutions’ official web sites as necessary. The results of this analysis are compared to Mahraj’s results to identify changing trends. Findings – Reference Services Review has published an average of 38 articles per year between 2012 and 2014. Articles have focused most commonly on information literacy and instruction and emerging technologies. Reference services, outreach and library management have also received regular coverage. All authors during this time period have been affiliated with academic institutions, primarily large academic institutions with 5,000 or more students. Originality value – This analysis continues the work of Katy Mahraj to consolidate data on the volume, focus and authorship of Reference Services Review. These data continue to provide an overview of trends in the field’s professional and scholarly literature, with implications for broader trends in academic librarianship.

Library Research and What Libraries Actually Do Now: Education, Inclusion, Social Services, Public Spaces, Digital Literacy, Social Justice, Human Rights, and Other Community Needs

Previous articleNext article No AccessFrom the New Editorial TeamLibrary Research and What Libraries Actually Do Now: Education, Inclusion, Social Services, Public Spaces, Digital Literacy, Social Justice, Human Rights, and Other Community NeedsPaul T. Jaeger, Ursula Gorham, Natalie Greene Taylor, Karen Kettnich, Lindsay C. Sarin, and Kaitlin J. PetersonPaul T. Jaeger Search for more articles by this author , Ursula Gorham Search for more articles by this author , Natalie Greene Taylor Search for more articles by this author , Karen Kettnich Search for more articles by this author , Lindsay C. Sarin Search for more articles by this author , and Kaitlin J. Peterson Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Library Quarterly Volume 84, Number 4October 2014Special Issue in Honor of John Carlo Bertot Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/677785 Views: 1171Total views on this site Citations: 18Citations are reported from Crossref © 2014 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Ulrikke Wethal, Katherine Ellsworth-Krebs, Arve Hansen, Sejal Changede, Gert Spaargaren Reworking boundaries in the home-as-office: boundary traffic during COVID-19 lockdown and the future of working from home, Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy 18, no.11 (May 2022): 325–343.https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2022.2063097Bharat Mehra Toward an impact‐driven framework to operationalize social justice and implement ICT4D in the field of information, Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology 18 (Jun 2022).https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24693Teresa Helena Moreno Beyond the police: libraries as locations of carceral care, Reference Services Review 50, no.11 (Dec 2021): 102–112.https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-07-2021-0039Alison Frayne Transcribing public libraries as revitalized ethical spaces, IFLA Journal 4 (Feb 2022): 034003522210747.https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352221074716Amatul Momin Social Justice as It Evolves in the LAM Sector, (Jan 2022): 56–81.https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-8363-0.ch003Joseph Winberry, LaVerne Gray, Jean Hardy, Baheya Jaber, Bharat Mehra Conceptualizing Relevance of Information as a Social Justice Issue: An Interactive Panel Discussion, Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology 58, no.11 (Oct 2021): 667–672.https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.524Bharat Mehra Social Justice Design and Implementation: Innovative Pedagogies to Transform LIS Education, Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 62, no.44 (Sep 2021): 460–476.https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis-62-4-2020-0094Ralph Cuseglio MSW interns in the public library: a case study in community partnership, Social Work Education 40, no.55 (Jul 2020): 671–683.https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2020.1791066Elizabeth A. Wahler, Mary A. Provence, John Helling, Michael A. Williams The Changing Role of Libraries: How Social Workers Can Help, Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services 101, no.11 (Jun 2019): 34–43.https://doi.org/10.1177/1044389419850707Marc Kosciejew Information’s Importance for Refugees: Information Technologies, Public Libraries, and the Current Refugee Crisis, The Library Quarterly 89, no.22 (Mar 2019): 79–98.https://doi.org/10.1086/702193Keren Dali Chapter 6: Integrating Social Work Perspectives into LIS Education: Blended Professionals as Change Agents, (Mar 2018): 83–121.https://doi.org/10.1108/S0065-28302018000044B007Keren DaliPaul T. Jaeger Beyond Scholarly Publishing: The Human Dimension of Peer Review in LIS, The Library Quarterly 88, no.22 (Mar 2018): 99–124.https://doi.org/10.1086/696578Paul T. JaegerErin ZerhusenUrsula GorhamRenee F. HillNatalie Greene Taylor Waking Up to Advocacy in a New Political Reality for Libraries, The Library Quarterly 87, no.44 (Oct 2017): 350–368.https://doi.org/10.1086/693492Nadia CaidiJ. J. GhaddarDanielle Allard Negotiating Borders: Librarianship and Twenty-First-Century Politics, The Library Quarterly 87, no.44 (Oct 2017): 391–409.https://doi.org/10.1086/693493Christine Stilwell Public Libraries and Social Inclusion: An Update from South Africa, (Feb 2016): 119–146.https://doi.org/10.1108/S0065-283020160000041006Toni Samek Critical Reflection on Librarianship and Human Rights: A Book and Continuing Endeavor, (Feb 2016): 245–263.https://doi.org/10.1108/S0065-283020160000041010Paul T. Jaeger, Katie Shilton, and Jes Koepfler The Rise of Social Justice as a Guiding Principle in Library and Information Science Research, The Library Quarterly 86, no.11 (Dec 2015): 1–9.https://doi.org/10.1086/684142Judi Moreillon Digital Storytelling Based on the Association for Library Service to Children Competencies: A Learning Activity to Promote Values Associated with Social Justice, Public Library Quarterly 34, no.33 (Sep 2015): 212–229.https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2015.1069676

Designing games in the classroom: Learning benefits

Designing games in the classroom: Learning benefits

LOEX‐of‐the‐West 2012: creative landscapes in southern California

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue of Reference Services Review entitled “LOEX‐of‐the‐West 2012: creative landscapes in southern California”.Design/methodology/approachOver 160 librarians from across the USA and Canada attended the biennial LOEX‐of‐the‐West (LOTW) conference on the campus of Woodbury University in Burbank, California from June 6‐8, 2012. LOTW strives for an atmosphere in which speakers can share innovative ideas and open a dialog with other librarians.FindingsTraditionally, after each LOEX‐of‐the‐West (LOTW) conference a number of papers based on session presentations are submitted to Reference Services Review (RSR) for publication. Building on their work at the 2012 preconference, Editors of RSR, Ms Eleanor Mitchell and Ms Sarah Barbara Watstein, have worked closely with presenters to transform their talks to published papers. After going through a double blind peer review process, seven papers have been selected for publication in this issue.Originality/valueThe authors/Guest Editors are excited to share these papers in this special LOEX‐of‐the‐West issue of Reference Services Review. It is indeed just as the conference theme stated “Information Literacy for all Terrains”.

Trends in the literature on library instruction and information literacy, 2001‐2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the literature on information literacy and library instruction from 2001‐2010 published in the annual, comprehensive topical bibliography published in Reference Services Review.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examined 3,527 articles contained in the annual bibliography from 2001‐2010 and identified 2,052 which appeared in peer‐reviewed journals. Using the 2,052 articles identified as peer reviewed, the authors then determined the location of the primary author, the journal that published the article, whether the journal was from the discipline of library science, what type of research the article contained, and the key themes present.FindingsThe number of articles in peer‐reviewed journals has grown substantially over the ten‐year period. Most articles (70 percent) were published by authors residing in the USA, but articles from Asia and Africa are now being seen on a more consistent basis. Reference Services Review has published the most articles on this topic during the period, but information literacy has also branched out into other non‐library‐specific disciplines. Empirical or theoretical research articles make up less than 50 percent of the total articles published, while case‐study type descriptions of programmatic or teaching initiatives continue to be the most published article type. Key themes continue to be collaboration, assessment, and the application of technology to instruction efforts.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are limited to peer‐reviewed articles published in English‐language journals.Originality/valueWhile other articles have examined aspects of the body of information literacy literature, this study encompasses a more comprehensive and thorough data set.

Library Instruction in the Digital Age

ABSTRACT Updating her 2003 article in Reference Services Review (“The Future of Reference: Get Real!” Reference Services Review 3(1), 2003, 39–42, DOI: 10.1108/00907320310460898), the author emphasizes the need to get a good sense of what one's users’ priorities are, concentrating efforts on successful tools researchers will actually use; responding to changes that have taken place in research and scholarship; devising instruction for use in actual environments, spaces, and timeframes; focusing on local user needs; and working to influence user-centered design of library online systems. This article originally published in Journal of Library Administration, Vol. 51, Issue 3, pages 301–308, 2011. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2011.556948.

Reference Services Review: content analysis, 2006‐2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a retrospective analysis of the content published in Reference Services Review from 2006 through 2011.Design/methodology/approachThe author manually reviewed the content of all journal issues from 2006 through 2011 using the Emerald web site. The information reviewed was number of articles per issue; author affiliations; article format; and article titles, abstracts, and keywords. The type, size, and location of author institutions were confirmed using institutions' official web sites as necessary.FindingsThe paper finds that Reference Services Review has published an average of 40 articles per year. The majority of articles focus on topics in information literacy and reference services, with consistent coverage of emerging technologies, working with diverse populations, library space, and management. The majority of contributors are affiliated with large academic institutions in the USA, with some representation from liberal arts colleges, public libraries, community colleges, and international authors.Originality/valueThis analysis consolidates data on the volume, focus, and authorship of Reference Services Review as the journal reaches its 41st year of publication. The data provide a snapshot of trends in the field's professional and scholarly literature with implications for trends in academic librarianship.

정보활용능력 주제영역의 계량분석 연구

This paper aims to find out the kinds of sub-topics that were researched in relation to Information Literacy (IL). The text mining method was applied to the articles with ‘information literacy’ in the fields of the descriptor, title and abstract in the LISA Database. Also, out of 214 journals that published these articles, those with the top ten highest frequencies were listed and analyzed. Research results show that 908 articles on information literacy were published in 214 journals and ‘User training’ and ‘Students’ were major descriptors in the sub-topic area of information literacy. Also, Reference Services Review and The Journal of Academic Librarianship are two key journals in IL research as they have the highest frequency of related articles and have shown increasing trends.

Library Instruction in the Digital Age

ABSTRACT Updating her 2003 article in Reference Services Review (“The Future of Reference: Get Real!” Reference Services Review 3(1), 2003, 39–42, DOI: 10.1108/00907320310460898), the author emphasizes the need to get a good sense of what one's users’ priorities are, concentrating efforts on successful tools researchers will actually use; responding to changes that have taken place in research and scholarship; devising instruction for use in actual environments, spaces, and timeframes; focusing on local user needs; and working to influence user-centered design of library online systems.

New thoughts on library outreach to international students

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to three articles from Reference Services Review on the theme of library outreach to international students. It aims to give a summary overview of the current research on international students and library outreach and to introduce and contextualize the three articles.Design/methodology/approachThis paper frames the three articles and places them in the context of the exhaustive literature on the topic.FindingsInternational students are not all alike. Grouping all of these students together under the umbrella term of “international student” contributes little, if at all, to the understanding of their real needs and problems.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that there are still areas for further exploration on the topic of international students and library outreach.Originality/valueThis paper argues with the oversimplified and generalized approach to international students, and suggests that it is not the most useful way to assist individual students.

Quick guide to finding US Supreme Court cases

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide librarians (and their patrons) with a quick method for finding United States Supreme Court cases in varied sources, including in databases and on internet web sites.Design/methodology/approachIn order to provide librarians (and their patrons) with a quick method for finding Supreme Court cases, the article will explain case citations and case names. In addition, the article will provide varied sources for finding a case on a particular topic, for finding a major Supreme Court case – by case name or by topic – and for finding current Supreme Court cases.FindingsIn 1989, a guide that offered a quick method of finding Supreme Court cases appeared in Reference Services Review. However, since the article's inception, numerous sources, including databases and internet web sites, have come into existence. As such, an update of varied sources for quickly finding Supreme Court cases is needed.Practical implicationsThe article is a useful resource for librarians (and their patrons) to quickly find Supreme Court cases.Originality/valueThe strategies and ideas presented in the article will provide librarians (and their patrons) with the means to quickly find Supreme Court cases.

Better Collaborative Working is Likely to Increase Uptake of Library Resources in a University Setting

A review of:
 Hightower, Barbara, Carolyn Rawl, and Michelle Schutt. “Collaborations for Delivering the Library to Students Through WebCT.” Reference Services Review 35.4 (2007): 541-51.
 
 Objectives – To ascertain the extent to which university faculty members are integrating library resources within the WebCT course management system / managed learning environment. Also, to identify the reasons why faculty members are not integrating library resources within WebCT, and to explore their willingness to do so in future.
 
 Design – Case study with survey questionnaire and selected interview follow up.
 
 Setting – Urban campus of Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, United States of America.
 
 Subjects – One hundred and two members of faculty received a questionnaire. Five follow-up interviews were conducted.
 
 Methods – One hundred and two members of faculty with WebCT-supported courses received a questionnaire. They were asked to indicate if they linked to library resources, and if so which specific ones (e.g. library homepage, online catalogue, etc.). If they did not link to library resources they were asked to indicate the reason why not, either by selecting one or more of five pre-selected reasons, or by detailing their own.
 
 Follow-up interviews were conducted with five respondents, two of whom (Education and Nursing) linked to library resources, and three of whom (from Business, Education and Science) did not.
 
 Server log reports were also examined to identify how many students were entering library resources from WebCT.
 
 Main Results – The survey response rate was 28% (29 individuals), and of these Nursing and Sciences were the highest users with 7 individuals in each faculty.
 
 Of the 29 respondents only 7 (24%) currently linked to library resources. Nursing were the biggest group with 10 links (38% of the total), Science with 6 (23%) and 5 each from Liberal Arts and Education (19%). The resources chosen to link to were 
 • Article databases (6)
 • Library homepage (5)
 • Ask a Librarian e-mail service(3)
 • Net library e-book collection (3)
 
 Six other library resources scored lower and two were not linked to at all.
 
 While few respondents actually provided links at present, 77% of those did express an interest in doing so in the future. Almost a third of respondents asked to be contacted to learn more about how to provide links and to learn more about library services.
 
 Only 57 incidents of students linking through to library resources from WebCT occurred in the study period.
 
 Conclusion – Numbers of faculty currently providing links from WebCT to the library is very small, and few students find their way to library resources via this route. However, interest generated by the survey and follow up indicates that this may be a valuable means of promoting library resources.

Library and IT mergers: how successful are they?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to four articles from Reference Services Review focusing on the theme of library/IT mergers. It aims to place the articles that follow in their larger historical context and draw conclusions about the success or lack of success of such mergers in general.Design/methodology/approachThe paper frames the four articles that follow, explaining their approach to library/IT mergers and their place in the ongoing discussion of the service effectiveness of such converged organizations.FindingsThe paper suggests that library/IT service mergers may be analogous to management's or labor's decision to unionize.Practical implicationsThe success of academic libraries and IT services has more to do with the quality of leadership and professional commitment to service than it does with the question of whether these two academic units should merge.Originality/valueThe paper provides an introduction to the special issue on library and IT mergers.