Electronic Resources Librarianship: A Practical Guide for Librarians will help new e-resources librarians to hit the ground running. Simultaneously a step-by-step guide and comprehensive toolkit, the book walks readers through their first few days on the job, giving them the practical skills to immediately begin engaging with vendors, diagnosing access issues, tracking usage, and making well-informed retention decisions. Further, it sets readers up for long-term success by talking about project planning and goal setting in an environment of continuous change, as well as advice on how to pass on their newly acquired e-resource knowledge to others. This easy-to-read guide addresses several ever-present issues for both new and established e-resource librarians: the need for concrete tools to implement in their day-to-day tasks, the need to gain goal setting and project management skills to thrive and not just survive, and the need to overcome feelings of anxiety and isolation. Acting as a ready reference, Electronic Resources Librarianship will help steer librarians through the intricacies of the daily e-resource grind while giving them the tools and the confidence to handle even the most complex challenges. Special Features include: Extensive technology toolkit Sample worksheets, email scripts, and checklists Real-world troubleshooting problems and solutions Practical strategies for organizing and prioritizing work Comprehensive list of support groups, so readers are never at a dead end

The Role of the Electronic Resources Librarian focuses on longstanding hurdles to the transition of libraries from print collections, to online information services, all from an Electronic Resources Librarian (ERL) perspective. Problems covered include cost containment for electronic serials, web design, discovery, customer service, efficiency, and adapting organizations to the needs of contemporary users. The title considers the historical development of the ERL role, how the position emerged in North America in the 1990s, how it is represented within the organizational structure of academic libraries, and how the ERL role maps to technology, information services, and professional identity trends. Explores the changing role of the Electronic Resources Librarian (ERL) Identifies long-term trends in Electronic Resource Management Recommends best practices for the ERL role in modern libraries Contextualizes the current ERL role in historical and current developments Maps the ERL role to trends in technology, information services and the shifting professional identity of academic librarians

Understand better how the role of ER librarian has changed through the years The advent of online information has not only changed tremendously the way that resources are stored and accessed, but has caused the evolution of the library and information science profession itself. Electronic Resources Librarianship and Management of Digital Information: Emerging Professional Roles takes a comprehensive look at the position of electronic resources (ER) librarians, the other people who work with e-content, what training and skills are needed, the managing of e-resources, and what the proliferation of online information means for the future of libraries. Respected experts provide a timely broad-based analysis of the impact of the digital age on the profession, libraries, and the people in libraries who manage the information. Electronic Resources Librarianship and Management of Digital Information: Emerging Professional Roles is a concise and informative signpost on the way the library profession has responded to the advent of the digital information age. This revealing volume explores where these professionals have gained their knowledge and skills, what initiatives they have undertaken and made manifest, how do or don’t e-resources fit in the scope of the traditional work that is performed in an academic library, and the latest issues encountered with the new format. The text is extensively referenced, includes figures to illustrate concepts, and tables to clearly present data. Topics discussed in Electronic Resources Librarianship and Management of Digital Information: Emerging Professional Roles include: essential and preferred characteristics of electronic resources librarian the evolution of ER librarians’ duties the role of ER librarian in hybrid collections research on how well schools train ER librarians providing access to users with disabilities ER librarian role in corporate libraries altering workflows to accommodate the new electronic information format in academic libraries a comparison of the natures of print-based and online resources and the cataloging, maintenance, and access issues a review of the resources and tools that license practitioners use issues involving effective collaboration formal usability testing challenges in making the transition to digital factors affecting the handling of usage data the Government Printing Office’s dissemination of electronic government information and more! Electronic Resources Librarianship and Management of Digital Information: Emerging Professional Roles is a valuable resource for librarians, administrators, educators, and students considering this aspect of librarianship as a profession.

A library user can’t access an article. Your log in credentials won’t work. In the realm of electronic resources everything runs smoothly—until suddenly, without warning, it doesn’t. Invariably, systems will break down, but a trial and error approach to finding out what’s wrong is highly inefficient. This hands-on guide from two expert ERM librarians walks you through the essentials of troubleshooting. It outlines a methodical process that will help you identify the source of a problem even when it’s not obvious and take steps to reach a resolution. With the goal of developing a library-wide workflow in mind, this guide will teach you how to familiarize yourself with the components of electronic resources, using flowchart diagrams of common access chains such as discovery services, knowledge bases, research guides, and library services platforms; navigate the complete triage and troubleshooting workflow, illustrated through 14 in-depth examples; recognize the symptoms of common access disruptions; conduct efficient troubleshooting interviews; manage help tickets and design problem reports that capture key information without overburdening the user; create publicly available help pages for problems originating with users’ devices or computers; communicate with vendors and IT personnel for speedy resolutions, providing dozens of clear definitions of library and technology terms that will help you minimize confusion; and customize your own troubleshooting workflow chart for common use across departments and staff hierarchies.

Libraries are licensing information resources in greater numbers then ever before.In order to negotiate and manage an ever-increasing number of licenses, libraries are either establishing Electronic Resource (ER) Librarian positions, or have been assigning these responsibilities to current staff. In both cases, few resources are available to acclimate new ER librarians to the diverse responsibilities associated with their position. An introduction and practical guide to the standard responsibilities ER librarians address daily. These include: knowing the rights libraries have as consumers of information under United States copyright law, understanding licensing terms and conditions, negotiating licenses to support the specific needs of the subscribing institution, and managing these resources once subscribed. Although every college and university is different, this book provides a framework within which the new ER librarian can learn the basics behind negotiating and managing their information resources effectively. Offers practical advice for the new electronic resources librarian Easy for the lay-person to understand Useful as a reference to specific terms, concepts, and issues related to electronic resource licensing

"Co-published simultaneously as Collection management, volume 32, numbers 1/2, 3/4, 2007."

The ever-shifting landscape of electronic resources challenges even the most tech-savvy information professionals. Now, however, you can surmount those challenges, with the solid backing offered in this practical book. Despite their being visible, valuable, and expensive components of public and academic library collections, electronic resources remain somewhat mysterious to many librarians. How do you deal with vendors, how do you decide which e-resources to buy, how do you optimize access for remote users, and perhaps most importantly, how do you motivate your public to use them? Created by three front-line practitioners, this guide answers all of those questions and more, offering practical advice to information professionals involved in any aspect of electronic resource management—from selecting, acquiring, and activating to managing, promoting, and deselecting. It features clear instructions along with definitions, checklists, FAQs, and sidebars comprising sensible tips and anecdotal asides for the involved librarian. Written in a lively style and brimming with helpful information, this is the guide you'll wish you had in library school, and a resource you will refer to again and again.