Dissertations / Theses: 'Academic libraries Australia Reference services'

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Mon, Lorri M. "User perceptions of digital reference services /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7177.

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Russell, John. "Wikis and Collaborative Reference Services." Association of College and Research Libraries, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106433.

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Librarians have long been concerned with connecting researchers with information, typically (but by no means exclusively) by means of face-to-face contact at a reference desk. With the advent of the Internet and the proliferation of online resources and services, librarians have used Web-based resources to add an asynchronic dimension to traditional synchronic reference services. One of the new Web-based technologies that has been discussed by librarians in the past few years is the wiki. Librarians have been using wikis for a variety of purposes, including research guides, knowledge-bases, and library Web sites, though they are flexible enough to work in most situations where collaboration or quick Web editing are desired. Wikis are an attractive tool for reference services because they are a relatively simple and inexpensive way to improve information flows among librarians and between librarians and their campus community.

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Elinashe, Uutoni Wilhelm. "Evaluation of digital reference services in academic libraries in Namibia." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap / Bibliotekshögskolan, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-17833.

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Launching of digital reference services by academic libraries is on the increase. Libraries are exploring new ways of expanding their services by interacting with users and responding to user inquiries via the Internet, especially students enrolled on the distance mode of studying. The purpose of this study was to evaluate digital reference services at the Polytechnic of Namibia library and the University of Namibia library. Two aspects were evaluated, namely, ‘Resources’ and ‘elements of the general digital reference model’. This study was a summative evaluation study in which semi-structured interviews and observations were used to collect data. The research findings showed that these libraries used the general digital reference model in providing responses to the library users. The study established that the two libraries did not follow the IFLA and RUSA standards of staffing and training of librarians working with digital reference services. The study further found that a lack of ability to fully demonstrate to users how to access various library services was one of the major problems that the librarians experienced.
Program: Masterprogram: Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap, Digitala bibliotek och informationstjänster

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Shachaf, Pnina, and Sarah Horowitz. "Are virtual reference services color blind?" Elsevier, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106524.

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This study reports an experiment that examines whether librarians provide equitable virtual reference services to diverse user groups. The relative absence of social cues in the virtual environment may mean greater equality of services though at the same time greater inequalities may arise as librarians can become less self-aware online. Findings indicate that the quality of service librarians provide to African Americans and Arabs is lower than the quality of service they provide to Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, and Jewish students. This study adds to the knowledge of subjective bias in the virtual environment by specifying those that are discriminated against online, identifying the kinds of discriminatory actions of virtual reference librarians, and identifying the type of queries that more frequently result in unbiased service.

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Rieh, Soo Young. "Changing reference service environment: A review of perspectives from managers, librarians, and users." Elsevier B.V, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/105385.

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This is a preprint of an article published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship 25(3), pp. 178-186. This article reviews the literature on academic library reference service, and examines changes in the traditional reference desk model. Based on the review from the perspectives of managers, librarians, and users, new research directions are proposed in which usersâ information-search processes and librariansâ intervention in reference service are integrated.

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Wan, Dollah Wan A. Kadir. "Digital reference services in selected public academic libraries in Malaysia: A case study." School of Communication & Information, Nanyang Technological University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106202.

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Reference service is one of the library’s primary services besides acquisitions, classification, cataloguing and physical planning. This service provides personalized assistance to library users in accessing and using suitable information resources to meet their needs. This research progress paper attempts to identify the status of digital reference services (DRS) in four public university libraries in Malaysia. In this study, the researcher attempts to identify usage of both traditional and digital reference services, user awareness of DRS, user satisfaction, and need for DRS. Two different sets of questionnaires were distributed: (1) a librarians’ questionnaire to librarians in the four university libraries, namely, Tun Abdul Razak Library, UiTM; University of Malaya (UM) Library; Tun Seri Lanang Library, UKM; and Sultan Abdul Samad Library, UPM; (2) a users’ questionnaire to students of the Faculty of Information Management, UiTM, and the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, UiTM, UM and UPM. The findings show that DRS are effective forms of service delivery but their full potential has not yet been exploited. Email reference, Web forms and Ask-A Librarian are the main channels used in providing digital reference, although plans are under way to implement more sophisticated Internet technologies and collaborative digital reference.

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Sobel, Karen D. "Promotion of Library Reference Services to First-Year Undergraduate Students." Thesis, School of Information and Library Science, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1901/441.

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This study describes a survey of 237 first-year undergraduate students conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Through this study, the researcher aimed to fill in gaps in librarians’ knowledge about first-year students’ awareness of reference services, and students’ preferred modes of communication with librarians. The results show significant positive relationships between librarians’ verbal promotion of reference services and students’ tendency to ask reference questions in person.

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Taha, Ahmed. "Streamline e-information service for virtual users: A quality function deployment (QFD) approach." School of Communication & Information, Nanyang Technological University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106053.

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Migration from the traditional to web-based library paradigm is usually accompanied by remodelling of many library core activities particularly those associated with user-centred services. In this capacity of the web-based service paradigm, many academic libraries have established networked environments within which many virtual-user communities are forming and growing. Understanding the virtual user's needs in these communities has become the first priority of networked libraries for designing, running and managing effective virtual reference services to meet the increasing expectations of the invisible users. To achieve this, the networked libraries strive to improve their quality of service by applying a wide range of such quality management approaches as quality function deployment (QFD) and LIBQUAL™. QFD initially stresses on driving continuous improvement of the user-oriented services towards end-user satisfaction. The paper attempts to incorporate the QFD to be integrated strategically in designing and managing e-information provision within networked library service environment. The UAE University Library is used as a case study, where the evidence-based librarianship (EBL) approach has been employed in three studies to identify user needs and acceptance of e-services. Based on these studies, the paper presents a model aimed at streamlining e-services for virtual users in ICT-rich learning environments.

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Evans, Paul. "A multimedia system to instruct novice users of online library catalogues." View thesis, 1996. http://library.nepean.uws.edu.au/about/staff/thesis.html.

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Simons, Kevin J. "The Work Process of Research Librarians: Implementation of the Abstraction-Decomposition Space." Connect to this document online, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=miami1113847496.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2005.
Title from second page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [2], vi, 72, [22] p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-37).

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Oakshott, Stephen Craig School of Information Library &amp Archives Studies UNSW. "The Association of Libarians in colleges of advanced education and the committee of Australian university librarians: The evolution of two higher education library groups, 1958-1997." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Information, Library and Archives Studies, 1998. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/18238.

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This thesis examines the history of Commonwealth Government higher education policy in Australia between 1958 and 1997 and its impact on the development of two groups of academic librarians: the Association of Librarians in Colleges in Advanced Education (ALCAE) and the Committee of Australian University Librarians (CAUL). Although university librarians had met occasionally since the late 1920s, it was only in 1965 that a more formal organisation, known as CAUL, was established to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information. ALCAE was set up in 1969 and played an important role helping develop a special concept of library service peculiar to the newly formed College of Advanced Education (CAE) sector. As well as examining the impact of Commonwealth Government higher education policy on ALCAE and CAUL, the thesis also explores the influence of other factors on these two groups, including the range of personalities that comprised them, and their relationship with their parent institutions and with other professional groups and organisations. The study focuses on how higher education policy and these other external and internal factors shaped the functions, aspirations, and internal dynamics of these two groups and how this resulted in each group evolving differently. The author argues that, because of the greater attention given to the special educational role of libraries in the CAE curriculum, the group of college librarians had the opportunity to participate in, and have some influence on, Commonwealth Government statutory bodies responsible for the coordination of policy and the distribution of funding for the CAE sector. The link between ALCAE and formal policy-making processes resulted in a more dynamic group than CAUL, with the university librarians being discouraged by their Vice-Chancellors from having contact with university funding bodies because of the desire of the universities to maintain a greater level of control over their affairs and resist interference from government. The circumstances of each group underwent a reversal over time as ALCAE's effectiveness began to diminish as a result of changes to the CAE sector and as member interest was transferred to other groups and organisations. Conversely, CAUL gradually became a more active group during the 1980s and early 1990s as a result of changes to higher education, the efforts of some university librarians, and changes in membership. This study is based principally on primary source material, with the story of ALCAE and CAUL being told through the use of a combination of original documentation (including minutes of meetings and correspondence) and interviews with members of each group and other key figures.

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Bracke, Marianne Stowell, Michael Brewer, Robyn Huff-Eibl, Dan Lee, Robert Mitchell, and Michael Ray. "Finding Information In a New Landscape: Re-thinking Reference Services." 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/337106.

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Poster presentation from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.
The information landscape is in flux -- customer’s use of traditional reference services are shrinking while libraries are being called upon to take on new responsibilities. This poster shows how the UA Libraries shifted its reference services to meet customer’s needs in the new landscape and allow librarians to have the flexibility to take on new work.

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Radford, Marie Louise. "Relational aspects of reference interactions a qualitative investigation of the perceptions of users and librarians in the academic library /." 1993. http://books.google.com/books?id=8bLgAAAAMAAJ.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 1993.
eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 315-329).

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Pfarrer, Theodore Richard. "Applications of CD-ROM technology for reference purposes a survey of reference librarians in libraries of four-year colleges and universities /." 1989. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/20701156.html.

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Hung, Yu-Tang, and 洪郁棠. "A Study of Evaluation Criteria for Digital Reference Services in Academic Libraries." Thesis, 2008. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/a5q84g.

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碩士
國立中興大學
圖書資訊學研究所
96
Digital reference service has become regular in university libraries. This new type service system is deemed important in Europe and US because users can ask questions without going to the librarian. The service can reach a lot more users and expand the library service. The system should be periodically evaluated to promote service quality and efficiency to meet users’ demands which will enhance university libraries’ professional image and satisfaction. This study tried to generate a set of evaluation indicators of digital reference for service by the university library understanding current evaluation status, reviewing the relevant literature, and soliciting librarians opinions and suggestions through their practical experience. This study employed questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews. The subjects are from 97 university libraries. A total of 176 copies of questionnaires were distributed and 125 copies were returned. The returned rate of questionnaire was 71%. Fixed-alternative questions were analyzed through Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) using descriptive statistics, t-test and factor analysis. Open-ended response questions were analyzed and subsumed with semi-structured interviews of six librarians into results. Study results were as follows: (1) Currently the most common method of evaluation in practice is to survey users’ satisfaction through questionnaire and the resulted is showed with quantitative data. Only a few university libraries adopted systematic evaluation. Lack of human resource is the major obstacle. (2) The evaluation indicators were divided into four dimensions, inducing users’ satisfaction, cost effectiveness, service process, and evaluation of software, a total of 55 indicators. (3) Indicators of less feasibility were usually those strongly subjective opinions and of high complexity. The personal subjective factors caused criterion inconsistency and increased difficulty of evaluation. Descriptive and basic statistical data were more feasible. Hereby, four suggestions for university libraries were made, based on the conclusions of this study: 1. To adopt a systematic evaluation of digital reference service. 2. To expand the evaluation and to enhance the depth of evaluation content for libraries that already stasted evaluating their digital reference services. 3. To actively make digital reference service related policies. 4. To fully and accurately gather and preserve the information that evaluation needed.

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Owens, Irene. "Librarian-patron interaction and information exchange in the reference department of an academic library." 1995. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/34537053.html.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1995.
eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 187-204).

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Hufford, Jon Robert. "Elements of the bibliographic record used by reference staff members at three ARL academic libraries." 1989. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/68425366.html.

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Ho, Adrian K. "Interpreting Workplace Learning in Terms of Discourse and Community of Practice." 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106292.

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This paper is an abridged version of my thesis for an M.A. in Communications Studies granted by the University of Calgary. I presented it at the National Communication Association 2004 Convention in Chicago, IL (Session 1536). I decided not to have it published in the conference proceedings.
Based on the ethnographic data collected from the workplace of an academic library, I argue that workplace learning (WL) is a situated socio-cognitive process. It is expedited by knowledge management (KM), which is a collective effort to generate, share, and institutionalize work-related knowledge. KM is inherent in the face-to-face conversational interactions embedded in planned formal training, planned informal sharing, and spontaneous informal learning. When face-to-face interaction is not possible, KM is accomplished through textualization. It helps the members of the workplace acquire new work-related knowledge and integrate it to their common, contextualized knowledge base. The contents of the knowledge base are manifested in the membersâ professional practices and explicated by their professional/communal discourse. By virtue of their distinctive practices and discourse, the members form a community of practice (CoP) and gain their professional/communal identity. Whenever they engage in KM, perform their practices, and/or use their discourse, they authenticate their professional/communal identity and enact their CoP.

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Wu, Mei-Mei. "Information interaction dialogue a study of patron elicitation in the information retrieval interaction /." 1993. http://books.google.com/books?id=1jzhAAAAMAAJ.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1993.
Includes vita and abstract. Order number 9320541. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 180-186).

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Waugh, Jessica L. "Cooperation in the Commonwealth perceptions of partnership initiatives between Virginia's academic health sciences libraries and select (contiguous) public library systems for the provision of consumer health information services /." 2009. http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/570.

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Desai, Christina M., and Stephanie J. Graves. "Cyberspace or Face-to-Face: The Teachable Moment and Changing Reference Mediums." 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106047.

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This is a pre-print of an article that is accepted for publication in RUSQ Spring or Summer of 2008.
This article considers the teaching role of reference librarians by studying the teachable moment in reference transactions, and usersâ response to that instruction. An empirical study of instruction was conducted in both virtual and traditional reference milieus, examining three services: IM (Instant Messaging), chat, and face-to-face reference. The authors used the same criteria in separate studies of all three to determine if librarians provided analogous levels of instruction and what factors influenced the likelihood of instruction. Methodology employed transcript analysis, observation, and patron surveys. Findings indicated that patrons wanted instruction in their reference transactions, regardless of medium, and librarians provided it. However, instructional techniques used by librarians in virtual reference differ somewhat from those used at the reference desk. The authors conclude that reference transactions, in any medium, represent the patronsâ point-of-need, thereby presenting the ideal teachable moment.

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Nyirenda, Golie Alfred Chrispin. "Evaluating the impact of electronic libraries on physical libraries in South African university." 2015. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1001921.

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M. Tech. Business Information Systems
In this day and age, technology keeps advancing thereby enabling electronic libraries to be one of the most useful sources of information. Traditional, physical libraries are, however, still in existence and one would wonder what the impact of online library is on physical libraries. In this research, the impact of electronic libraries on physical libraries in a South African university is evaluated. The main purpose of this study was to explore the impact of electronic libraries on physical libraries. The goal of the study was to conceptualize a framework for understanding the impact of Electronic library on Physical library which was accomplished by finding out whether the number of physical library users had increased or decreased in terms of the usage of the physical library in the past five years, what challenges are being faced by physical libraries due to the availability of electronic libraries and finally by evaluating the impact of electronic libraries on physical libraries.

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Van, Heerden Martha Maria. "Evaluering van die rol van interpersoonlike kommunikasie in die funksionering van die Unisa biblioteek se algemene inligtingsdiens." Diss., 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/16308.

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Text in Afrikaans
In hierdie studie word die rol van interpersoonlike komrnunikasie in die funksionering van die algemene inligtingsdiens van die Unisa Biblioteek aan die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika ondersoek. 'n Kwantitatiewe meetinstrument word ontwikkel om gebruikertevredenheid met die hoofkomponente van die algemene inligtingsdiens, naamlik die inligtingsassistent, die inligting wat deur die klient ontvang word en die fisiese omgewing waarin die diens gelewer word, te evalueer. Daar word bevind dat 'n beduidende assosiasie bestaan tussen gebruikertevredenheid met die inligtingsassistent en gebruikertevredenheid met die inligting wat ontvang word. 'n Verkorte vrae lys word ontwerp en aanbevee 1 as 'n meetinstrument waarmee die bestuur gebruikertevredenheid met die algemene inligtingsdiens op 'n gereelde grondslag kan meet.
This study investigates the role of interpersonal communication in the functioning of the general information service provided by the Unisa Library at the University of South Africa. A quantitative measuring instrument is developed to evaluate user satisfaction with the main components of the general information service, that is the information assistant, the information received by the client and the physical surroundings in which the service is provided. It is found that a significant association exists between user satisfaction with the information assistant and user satisfaction with the information received. A shortened questionnaire is designed and recommended as a measuring instrument with which management can on a regular basis measure user satisfaction with the general information service.
Communication Science
M.A. (Communication)

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Boltman, Hester Gertruida. "Die persoonlike bibliografiese databasis : toepassingsmoontlikhede vir die lewering van 'n SDI-diens aan akademici." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12919.

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Vaughan, K. T. L., Bradley Hemminger, and Meredith Pulley. "Scientists Comment on Their Libraries: Successes, Shortcomings, and Dreams for the Future." 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/105152.

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A survey was conducted of 969 science researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This long survey concluded with three questions requesting usersâ perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the campus libraries, and what single improvement the libraries could make to support scientific research and education. While the scope of these questions was more limited than large-scale surveys such as LibQUAL+TM, the results largely confirmed information from a local implementation of that survey. In addition, an interactive visualization tool was developed to help with analysis of the resulting comments. A summary of the major findings, recommendations for library improvements, and overall conclusions is given.

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Mpotokwane, Eng Sealogane. "The use and application of information communication technologies for information provision by library workers of the University of Botswana library." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/3751.

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The purpose of this study was to deternine the use and application of information communication technologies (ICTs) by the library workers of the University of Botswana Library. ICTs play an important role in a library environment because they enable libraries to be accessed rapidly as well as increasing the range, relevance and accessibility of information provided by the libraries. ICTs are therefore important for supporting the library workers in their everyday roles. This research was done with a view to propose recommendations which may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of University of Botswana Library workers in facilitating timely, relevant, accurate and reliable access to information for the library users through the utilisation of ICTs. The population of the research was the University of Botswana Library and its branches namely the Faculty of Engineering Library in Gaborone, the Centre for Continuing Education Branch in Francistown and the Harry Oppenheimer Branch in Maun. Primary and secondary sources of data were used to meet the objectives of the study. The research was done using a self-administered questionnaire, observation and interviews. The response rate was 67 (86.36 %) out of a population of 88. The data collected for this study identified that the University of Botswana Library workers had limitations on the use and application of ICTs as well as varying levels of skills and knowledge on their utilisation. The library workers lack ICT skills because they are only trained for specific routine tasks. In addition, some workers do not have enthusiasm to learn on their own.
Thesis (MIS.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Academic libraries Australia Reference services'

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