Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Unrestricted access : analysis of turnaways and usage data at the
University of Huddersfield shows that resources that restrict access
by number of simultaneous users often have a dramatic drop in
usage over a period of time as users become frustrated by turnaway
messages. In addition, restrictions by location, e.g. campus
use/overseas, also result in potential low usage.
COUNTER-compliant usage data : libraries are often suspicious of resources
that do not reveal usage data, or become frustrated when lack of
compliance with the COUNTER code of practice for usage
statistics (see www.projectcounter.org) means that accurate
comparisons cannot be made.
Federated search, as a minimum : services that cannot be added to the
federated or harvested search (see below) are effectively making
their resources invisible to today's user, who expects a 'just in time'
approach to resource discovery.
Another issue is duplication of content. If funds do not permit the
number of A&I databases we have been used to in recent years, then
two resources with similar content are not economically justifiable. The
JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) Academic Database
Assessment Tool (ADAT) 1 allows some of the above comparisons to be
made with a limited number of A&I and full-text databases. However,
simple manipulation of A&I database title lists in Excel (title lists are
available on most vendor websites) can pay dividends, especially when
looking at duplication of titles across a range of products.
Citation databases
Citation databases are a different beast. As long as citation rates and
impact factors are important in research assessment across the world -
and early indication in the UK for the Research Excellence Framework
(REF) 2 suggests that there will be an element of peer review informed
by bibliometrics in the 2014 exercise - then citation databases will be
required as standard by universities with a research interest.
Indeed, citation databases may well have a significant impact on
other smaller, 'general' A&I databases that are already at risk of
cancellation, as they have introduced a number of enhancements over
the past few years:
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