Learn how electronic texts can save you money! The new technologies that have revolutionized information storage and retrieval demand commensurate changes in librarianship. Research Collections and Digital Information explores the practical and theoretical impact of new information technologies on the libraries of today. It suggests new strategies for collecting, organizing, and accessing library materials and emphasizes the increasing importance of classification and bibliographic rigor in dealing with the riot of information available on the Internet. This helpful book provides a detailed case study of the advantages and disadvantages of an electronic text center. A thorough discussion of the possibilities of custom-tailored digital libraries includes information on the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype, which offers geographers and other earth scientists electronic access to maps, aerial photographs, and texts. In addition, you will find proven guidelines for selecting ebooks and other electronic materials. Research Collections and Digital Information offers guidance on technology's impact on essential library services and concerns, including: budgets for library materials and staff copyright and licensing issues interlibrary loan vendor-library relations library buildings and equipment Research Collections and Digital Information provides a fascinating look into the practical ways that other librarians have risen to the challenges of this dramatic paradigm shift. It is an essential resource for library directors, collections managers, and students.

Learn how electronic texts can save you money! The new technologies that have revolutionized information storage and retrieval demand commensurate changes in librarianship. Research Collections and Digital Information explores the practical and theoretical impact of new information technologies on the libraries of today. It suggests new strategies for collecting, organizing, and accessing library materials and emphasizes the increasing importance of classification and bibliographic rigor in dealing with the riot of information available on the Internet. This helpful book provides a detailed case study of the advantages and disadvantages of an electronic text center. A thorough discussion of the possibilities of custom-tailored digital libraries includes information on the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype, which offers geographers and other earth scientists electronic access to maps, aerial photographs, and texts. In addition, you will find proven guidelines for selecting ebooks and other electronic materials. Research Collections and Digital Information offers guidance on technology's impact on essential library services and concerns, including: budgets for library materials and staff copyright and licensing issues interlibrary loan vendor-library relations library buildings and equipment Research Collections and Digital Information provides a fascinating look into the practical ways that other librarians have risen to the challenges of this dramatic paradigm shift. It is an essential resource for library directors, collections managers, and students.

Going Digital: Strategies for Access, Preservation, and Conversion of Collections to a Digital Format offers you succinct and analytic views of the problems and benefits of digital resources in the traditional academic library. Library administrators, collection managers, and librarians will learn the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and digital collections and the costs of providing local access or implementing remote access to digital collections. Originally presented at a series of five symposiums sponsored by the Research Libraries Group, the articles inGoing Digital will help you decide upon a cost-effective collection method that will meet the needs of your library, your patrons, and your budget.The chapters in this text are written by the nation’s leading librarians who pose and answer questions about hardware and software needed for digital libraries, the costs involved, establishing and maintaining access to digital collections, copyright concerns, and long-term preservation problems. Going Digital gives you insight into factors that will help you decide what will best meet the goals of your library, such as: the advantages and disadvantages of preserving microfilm and digital conversion choosing the correct hardware and software for your digital preservation program the changes required from librarians when shifting from collection development to digital resources examining the selection process for collections from perspectives of access, public service, technological requirements, and preservation ways to improve access to traditional collections cost comparisons between digital and hard copy resources devising a technical plan for successful digital conversion of projects involving the user’s wants when selecting collections for digital conversion and recognizing the central parts patrons play in the selection processIn light of the changing ways we receive and keep our information, Going Digital discusses new collection preservation criteria and suggests that access and informational values, not just deterioration, should be equal factors in selecting materials to be converted to digital form. Proving that digital collections are changing every facet of library operations, Going Digital shows you the most cost-effective way to begin a digital collection and how to choose what materials to digitize in order to provide your patrons with the information they want and need.

Learn to better control costs for print and digital resources—from recognized leaders in library administration! Academic libraries have been using electronic resources for several years, yet library administrators still find that the evolution from print to digital takes meticulous planning. Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources is a collection of eight presentations from the 2004 University of Oklahoma Libraries Conference focusing on the ways academic research libraries can successfully make the transition from print materials to electronic resources. Respected authorities offer effective strategies to efficiently coordinate the use of digital materials in the contemporary research library. As acquisition budgets tighten and fresh emphasis is placed upon finding strategies to afford needed resources, library administrators find it increasingly difficult to meet the challenge of providing information to today’s students and scholars. Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources focuses on innovative, practical solutions to difficult problems facing librarians and library administrators today and in the coming decade. The book is carefully referenced and includes tables and charts to clearly explain data. Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources presents and thoroughly discusses: the impact of digital resources on libraries, research, and learning in history and science open access of research results beyond the print journal regime Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and electronic journal subscriptions an introduction to Ithaka—a not-for-profit organization that acts as an “incubator” for electronic projects and research for libraries evaluations—and innovative alternatives—of the rules and beliefs of electronic resource collection the historical and contextual considerations that have made collections cooperation difficult to achieve—and a global resources network initiative that may answer the challenge transforming scholarship’s role by offering access to the raw material of research—offering new opportunities for access to a greater range of information the responsibilities of research libraries in a rapidly evolving digital world Collection Management and Strategic Access to Digital Resources is essential reading for senior library administrators in public, special, and academic libraries, as well as acquisitions, reference, collection development, and systems librarians.

Librarians and other library professionals will find this informative book chock full of thought-provoking papers that will help you find new solutions to the collection development problems your library may experience while facing this new digital age. Collection Development in a Digital Environment is a result of papers presented at the 1998 University of Oklahoma Libraries Conference. You will discover ways to help your library take the lead in advancing the academic agenda through technology while at the same time leaning how technology requires change in the way libraries themselves operate. Collection Development in a Digital Environment explores ethical and technological dilemmas of collection development and gives several suggestions on how your library can successfully deal with these challenges and provide patrons with the information they need. This guide covers many valuable ways that your library can be better prepared for developing a “user friendly” collection of materials in this new digital age. You will discover how methods to shift your library from buying materials for collections for faculty or students that may need them sporadically to a system of responsiveness and customization where “just in time” and “just for you” are the standards of information access, making you and your library both time-effective and cost-effective. Collection Development in a Digital Environment brings to light many ways in which libraries can improve collection development methods, such as: using the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) initiatives to improve global access to information, such as the Global Resources Program, which features a seamless web of interconnected, coordinated, and interdependent research collections that are electronically accessible to users examining discussions on scenario-driven planning and the benefits of having your patrons let you know what they are interested in instead of guessing what materials they may be interested in analyzing the influence of the World Wide Web on the role of libraries to discover how you can use these ideas to expand the collection of materials in your library gaining insight into how the concept of disintermediation in the publishing process will help libraries use the electronic environment to eliminate intermediate sources and collect materials directly from the publisher, thus saving time and money From the insightful chapters in Collection Development in a Digital Environment, you will find new and successful ways to use the new digital environment to enhance collection development in your library. This unique book will help your library be more digitally accessible while still being user-friendly to your clientele.

How are your library and its patrons adjusting to the challenges of the digital age? This essential book examines how digital formats are changing libraries today, from the perspectives of librarians, vendors, and library users. Editor Sul Lee is an internationally recognized leader in library administration and management. The expansion of digital collections has been one of the foremost issues in the library field since the early 1990s, and this book addresses important questions about the impact of the digital age. Questions like: How will scholars and students react to digital formats? How will electronic resources change collection development? Will libraries stop buying print materials in favor of digital resources? Will libraries convert to only digital products or will they have to buy both electronic and print formats? Will academic libraries retain their central role in the university? With chapters from leading academic deans and directors, directors of national organizations of library professionals, and book/serials vendors including Philip Blackwell, CEO of Blackwell Limited, this book explores: digital resources and technology digital books--and what they mean to libraries legislation on copyrights and intellectual property rights in the digital age electronic cooperation between libraries how digital technology can facilitate on-campus research partnerships the extent to which academic libraries are embracing electronic publications

"A huge investment has been made in digitizing scholarly and cultural heritage materials through initiatives based in museums, libraries and archives, as well as higher education institutions. The 'Digital Economy' is an important component of institutional planning, and much attention is given to the investment in digital projects and programmes. However, few initiatives have examined the actual use, value and impact of digital collections, and the role of digital collections in the changing information environment. As the creative, cultural and educational sector faces a period of restricted funding, it is timely to re-examine the use of the digital collections that have been created in the past twenty years, and to consider their value to the institutions that host them and to the communities of users they serve. This book brings together a group of international experts to consider the following key issues: What is the role of digital resources in the research life cycle? Do the arts and humanities face a 'data deluge'? How are digital collections to be sustained over the long term? How is use and impact to be assessed? What is the role of digital collections in the 'digital economy'? How is public engagement with digital cultural heritage materials to be assessed and supported? This book will be of interest to academics, librarians, archivists and the staff of cultural heritage organizations, as well as funders and other key stakeholders with an interest in the development and long term sustainability of digital collections."--Publisher's website.