October
25, 1982ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ Diane
Nahl-James
LS 663
Online Information SystemsÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ Plan
for a Service
Dr. G. Lundeen
A Plan for an Online Reference
Service
in an Academic Library
I NTRODUCTION
Implementation of an online information
retrieval service in a university research library reference department similar
to Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaii in size, resources, and user
population is proposed.
This is a simulated report by an
Online Information Services Committee appointed to investigate the feasibility
of offering a new information service in the university research library to all
current and potential user groups:À
faculty, visiting scholars and researchers, students, business,
government, and the general public. The proposed and recommended service shall
be called Online Reference Service (ORS), to be phased in over a three year
period, located in the reference department, staffed by newly trained existing
staff members, and budgeted through existing and contributed funds.
The purpose for introducing the new
information system is to respond to direct needs of the user population, to
support research and teaching activities with a timely and a maximally wide
information base which allows users to keep abreast of multidisciplinary
connections to their own work arid the work of others, thus integrating the
body of ever-increasing knowledge through filling informational needs. Other
libraries have reported improvements in the following areas: improved productivity
and progress of research, improved current awareness of new ideas at the
forefront of progress, and maximizing use of the library?s current vast
resources in journals and monographs. Availability of bibliographic,
statistical, citational, graphic, etc. information online in libraries affects
the future of scholarly work since current writings are available sooner.À Time is of the essence in research when
workers must use more searching than necessary, or when an unnecessary series
of experiments can be avoided or when a breakthrough occurs interdisciplinary
insights provided through literature searches, which can mean savings in
research budgets as well.À An online
system can prove to be cost effective for users libraries.
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ Among
the expected benefits of implementing the Online Reference Service are the
following:
a.À ÀÀÀ More
searches can be performed for patrons because the system is veryÀ
ÀÀÀ ÀÀÀÀ fast.
b.À ÀÀÀ Librarians
can now offer wide range or large searches where manual
systems
took too much time to be cost?effective for searches as part of regular library
service. Now a comprehensive search may be done online in a matter minutes.
c.À ÀÀÀ Deeper
and more complex searches are possible acrossÀ
ÀÀÀ ÀÀÀÀ multidisciplinary
databases in a matter of minutes, as well specificÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ
ÀÀÀ ÀÀÀÀ searches
on a single topic database.
d.À ÀÀÀ Many
formats for the printout of the information are 1e due to built?
ÀÀÀ ÀÀÀÀ In
access points like title, author, citation, abstract, subject,
date,ÀÀÀÀÀÀ
ÀÀÀ ÀÀÀÀ corporate
source, statistics and graphics, etc.
e.
ÀÀÀÀÀÀVendors include the ability to create
database files of our own
materials,
or of particular topic domains which covered in the current database systems,
thus aiding organization and use of local materials and resources.
f. ÀÀÀÀÀ Many
bibliographies can be created rapidly and may be updated automatically on
schedule to keep the user current on the latest developments in an area.
g. ÀÀÀÀ Many databases
from most academic areas are represented with more added each year in an
expanding information storage retrieval business, both private and government
based.
h. ÀÀÀÀ Searchers
profiles of topic areas may be stored online and keep users up to date in their
areas of interest and to alert them to new terminology and methodology.
i.
Searchers
and users improve cognitive skills of information retrieval and use
through
interacting with the system, more library?s resources will be utilized because
they referred to users more often through online search references.
(Ferguson, 1977;
Haggerty, 1977; Hoover, 1979; Knapp, 1978; Schmidt, 1977; Triolo, 1978)
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ ORS
is expected to impact well with existing references and is expected to show-up
current search capacity of current resources in the library and outside through
inter-library loan follow-up document delivery services
PERSONNEL
ORS will be phased in over a three
year period. Each year three searchers will be trained to add to the repertoire
of the reference librarians the skill of online searching. The first year
searchers will train the second and third year searchers to maximize
experiential benefits of long? term use of the system. These nine reference
librarians will be scheduled daily for half-time work with ORS and half-time
reference department work .It is thought that this arrangement will maximize
use in both areas since many searches now done manually with patrons will be
done by computer with the ORS librarian on duty.
It is advisable to introduce the
service gradually with our user groups to allow the trainees to become
proficient at a steady pace, thus promotion of the new service will increase
each year to interest more of the user population in ORS.
Searches will be scheduled by the
reference secretary and coordinated with the ORS librarian on duty. Searches
will be scheduled in 30 minute intervals as needed, indicated by information on
the ORS Search Request Form filled out by users requesting searches.
Two of the searchers will share
administrative duties related to maintaining the system. Clerical help is
available through the pool for record-keeping functions.
BUDGET
A start-up budget of $22,000 for the
first three years of the new service will be contributed from the following
sources:
a.ÀÀÀÀ President?s Educational
Improvement FundÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ $6,000
b.ÀÀÀÀ UH research Corporation,
Social Science Research
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ Institute, East West CenterÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ 6,000
c.ÀÀÀÀ 1311 Alumni AssociationÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ 6,000
d.ÀÀÀÀ Reference services budgetÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ 4,000
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ 22,000
Two terminals and two modems will be
purchased each year for three years for a total of six search stations. This
budget will pay for all equipment costs, supply costs, manuals, thesauri,
public relations costs, and utilities, training costs, for the first years.
There is no fee for joining an online vendor, rather charges are incurred by
use and billed monthly. These charges will be born by users, thus the library
will incur no overhead associated with use by patrons. In the case where a user
is dissatisfied with the search results they may opt not to pay for the entire
search or to pay a part of the fee. This is expected to affect users future use
of ORS after initial failures and is expected to remain a low cost>
decreasing as service to users improves.
Online vendors chosen will be phased
in over three years beginning with Lockheed?s DIALOG (SDC?s ORBIT, BRS, and
NASA follow) allowing search staff to dovetail their proficiency in one system
with another and to increase the information base.
During the first year the projected number
of searches is ten per day on the averages or 3,000 for the year. This is
expected to increase by 100% each year as the benefits of using the system are
realized and as promotion of the service reaches more users.
Lockheed has agreed to donate 24 hours
of connect time and training seminars for three searchers, allowing trainees to
become faster and more proficient during real?time actual on -the-job search
situations. (Plosker, 1980)
Demonstrations to groups will be
cost?effective as we will record live demonstrations and replay them through
the terminal without incurring online costs. (Hoover, 1979)
Users will also pay for all off line
prints and off-campus mailing charges.
TRAINING
The nine searchers will train other
interested library personnel or very frequent users on the system at periodic
seminars they will offer during each year. In this way the repertoire of the
staff will increase and users will he able to more fully integrate with the
library system. Proficient users may be authorized to perform their own
searches at convenient times, or may have their own terminals.
An online users group will be formed
which will combine with other users in the city, meeting monthly to share
experiences, strategies, exchange information, summarize recent literature on
online searching to enhance development of the use of the system. This group
will offer weekend intensive courses during the year. (Haggerty, 1977; Triolo,
1978; Williams, 1977)
PHYSICAL_REQUIREMENTS
The ORS will be located in the
reference section of the library in a visible glass enclosed room adjacent to
the main reference desk. The facility requires two desks or search stations,
six chairs, three telephones, two terminals with modems, four file cabinets,
four large book shelves for search manuals and thesauri, two tables, a storage
cabinet for supplies (paper, pens, etc.). The room is large enough to
accommodate 10 search stations and will be expanded in yearly increments to six
stations, more will be added as use of the service increases, grows and becomes
fully integrated into the library?s reference functions. Adequate furniture
exists within the reference department to set?up the location. (Hoover, 1979;
Watson, 1978)
DOCUMENTATION
& RECORD-KEEPING
In addition to the Search Request
Forms filled out by users indicating, topic, known references, desired number
of citations, price range willing to pay, name, address, dept, status, type of
search, searchers will maintain search log entries for each user. Running
search log entries by vendor, database(s) used, subject, connect time, online
print 4, offline print pages#, searcher, requestor ID, date are kept by
searchers. Search strategies are kept with user Request Forms and cross-filed
by subject in a search file. Users may release search results to the ORS and
those searches go on file to be reused for other patrons or to he used as
models for new searches. As well, search strategies may be saved online for
frequent re-use.
Search log information and Search
request information will be entered into an automated bookkeeping system for
verification of hills from vendors, billing purposes to departments or grants,
etc., elimination of paper files, compiling monthly statistics related to ORS
use in terms of databases used, vendors used, topics searched, terms used,
types of searches, cost-analysis. The automated system allows easy location of
recorded search information, sorting totals for easy verification, use
statistics for annual reports. (Echt, 1981; Hawkins, 1980)
To facilitate evaluation of the
service the patron will be asked to fill out a Post Search questionnaire after
the post-search interview with the searcher. The form will allow improvements
to the ORS and will be changed as refinements are apparent. Users will be
encouraged to give later evaluations of some searches when they become aware of
new uses for old searches.
PUBLICITY
Promotion of the ORS will be
directed to faculty during the first year through campus mail announcements
describing the benefits of computerized literature searches and posing sample
questions. This group includes research institutes on campus and graduate
students who may want to use the ORS for their own research. During the second
year ORS will arrange for a reception in the library to introduce the service
to faculty, graduate students, and researchers with live demonstrations using
prepared pre-recorded searches and taking questions from the guests. As well,
small group demonstrations will be held during the year with handouts with
guidelines for the particular groups for use of ORS, comparisons of manual and
computer searches on their topics with sample questions and answers. As well,
labels will be used in the reference stacks to alert users to the computer
search capability of various indexes. During the third year posters will be
made for the library and for departments to alert and to illustrate the use of
ORS for typical search questions. Search packages will be developed by the
staff for particular user groups showing them bow a computer aided search can
enhance their information repertoire (e.g., Dissertation Search Package
describing aids available to literature reviews, Grant Proposal Package
describing the update facility for researchers preparing written proposals, Course
Support Bibliographies for professors to guide their students to proper
resources, etc.) Finally, the community will be alerted
REFERENCES
Echt, Sandy, et al.
?Save time, simplify procedures, get better statistics.? Online
5(2):21?37 (April 1981).
Ferguson, D.
?Marketing online services in the university.? Online 1(3) :15?23 (July
1977)
Haggerty, T.
?Education of online users.? ASIS Bulletin 3:20?21 (August 1977)
Hawkins, D.T. &
Brown, C.P. ?What is an online search?? Online 4(1) :12?19 (January 1980)
Hoover, R.E.
?Computer aided reference services in the academic
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ library?ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ 3 :28?40 (October 1979)
McClure, C.R. ?A
planning primer for online reference service? Online 4:57?65 (April
1980).
Plosker, G.R. &
Summit, R.K. ?Management of vendor services:
how
to choose an online vendor.? Special Libraries 71(9)
354?7ÀÀÀÀ (August 1980)
Schmidt, J.A. ?How to
promote online services to the people who count the most.. .management. . .end
users.? Online 1:32?8 (January 1977)
Summit, R.K. &
Firschen, 0. ?Public library use of online bibliographic retrieval services.? Online
1(4) :58?64 (October 1977).
Triolo, V.A. &
Regazzi, J.J. ?Continuing education in on-line searching: an instructional
module for special librarians. Special Libraries 69:189-200 (May/June
1978)
Watson, P.G.
?Selection of computer?based systems for public service.? in Buying New
Technology, 1978.
Williams, M.E.
?Education and training for online use of databases.? Journal of Library
Automation 10:320?34 (December 1977)
*Knapp, S. &
Gavryck, J. ?Computer based reference service a course taught by
practitioners.? Online 2:65-76 (April 1978)