E-Metrics

Libraries are spending large proportion of their budget on the subscription of information resources (print and electronic resources). Since the early 2000's increasing percentage of library budget has been shifted to the purchase of e-resources. The usage data of e-resources provided by the publishers and aggregators to libraries, proved to be helpful for libraries and decision makers in selecting best possible resources for their users. In yesteryear's many e-metrics tools had been developed and are in continuous experiments so to develop reliable, consistent and on time usage data. The present study discusses the various e-metrics tools and their advantages and limitations.

Impact of Discovery Layers on Accessing E-Resources in Academic Libraries

The paper discusses the implementation of the ‘CUB E-journal One Search' tool as an alternative solution to commercial discovery services, which was designed using Google Custom Search by the Central Library, Central University of Bihar and its impact on the library users. A descriptive survey method was used for the study. The present study found that library users found CUB E-journal One Search as a useful tool to get their desired information out of 9000 subscribed e-resources in the university. Most of the users used CUB E-journal One Search frequently in order to find relevant articles, write their assignments and research articles. The study indicated that the library users were influenced by Google like single search boxes and wished to have same features. Further, users expected features like document recommendation, search filters, RSS and on-screen help from the discovery tool. The paper is a first attempt to study the impact of open source discovery tools on the library users. It will further give confidence to the librarians in developing countries to deploy open source search solutions using Google Custom Search in the libraries.

E-Discovery with the ABCD Information Management System

This chapter discusses the e-Discovery oriented philosophy of ABCD as a library system and the possibilities offered by the ABCD-Site, such as the meta-search, integrating external databases into the ABCD-database environment, easy inclusion of all sorts of links to e-resources and widgets (e.g. Google Scholar) with sample applications. The chapter will be based on the statement that actually the whole ABCD-system technology is built on the philosophy of e-Discovery as implemented by e.g. the ‘Virtual Health Library' in Latin America rather than as a ‘library system'. In this way the system represents a ‘modern library'.

Responsive Library Website Design and Adoption of Federated Search Tools for Library Services in Developing Countries

Library attention has been shifted away from only physical services, since much of its operations are now going virtual, and almost everything about library activities now compete for online attention. Librarians have no choice than to conform to the trend since the major concern of library is to meet the need of its clienteles at all cost. Moreover, the paradigm shift in information ecosystem is now e-discovery tools. Responsive website design and federated search tools are part of the tools adopted to meet and satisfy information needs of library users in this era of information exploration. This chapter looks at the concept of responsive website design and federated search, components of responsive websites design, need for adoption of responsive website design for libraries in developing countries, federated search products and vendors, benefits of federated search technology, dichotomy between open search and federated search, adoption of federated search tools in developing countries, issues to consider with the federated search tool.

Trends and Issues in Digital Libraries

The study explored trends and issues in digital libraries with a view to furnish the expected audience with current happenings in this area of operations and service delivery. The chapter is a detailed review of characteristics of digital libraries considering the creation of digital collections which include conversion of retrospective materials, born digital resources and institutional repositories. The paper considered digital collections and copyright issues, benefits and issues of digital libraries, preservation of digital content. It x-rayed trends in information discovery, access and retrieval in a digital library, human-computer interaction, information organization and categorization of digital library services.

E-Discovery Components of E-Teaching And M-Learning

Electronic discovery is the electronic aspect of identifying, collecting and producing electronically stored information (ESI) in response to a request for production in a law suit or investigation.ESI includes, but is not limited to, emails, documents, presentations, databases, voicemail, audio and video files, social media, and web sites. E-Teaching is the teaching students using electronic equipment either directly or indirectly. As well as M-Learning also anytime and anywhere for fixing timings for learning process. M-learning or ‘m'obile learning is defined as “learning across multiple contexts, through social and content interactions, using personal electronic devices”.A form ofdistance education, m-learners use mobile device educational technology at their time convenience.M-learning technologies include handheld computers, MP3 players, notebooks, mobile phones and tablets. M-learning focuses on the mobility of the learner, interacting with portable technologies. This paper deals with some important things about E-Teaching and M-Learning with advantages of both.

Google Search

This chapter explores Google Search as an information discovery tool and various similar retrieval tools facilitated by Google such as Google Scholar, Google Patents, Google Books, and Google CSE etc. It also confers various search strategies offered by Google to carry out search queries. All services availed by Google are substantially very helpful for the library professionals to disseminate information services to their clientele. Google tools may be used by the libraries to upgrade their library and information services almost at no cost. Invention of Google and prodigious services of Google has turned our current era into Google era. The argument made in this chapter relates the facilities offered by Google to modern libraries, and information retrieval services.

University Library Portal

ABSTRACT: In today's modern digital information environment, a well-defined e-platform is needed to organize, store, retrieve and dissemination of information effectively. A library portal is highly beneficial tool for web-enabled information services. Most of the university libraries are adding e-resources to their collection. The utility of these e-resources will be limited in the absence of an effective library portal that facilitates the users to exploit these to the maximum extent. Web portals are the tools that enhance access to the e-resources by providing visibility to various e-resources. This paper highlights the role of a library portal in providing effective library services in electronic environment. An attempt has been made to explain the term ‘library portal', need of university library portal, Role of Librarian in designing library portal and development of library portal literature study at national and international level.

Commercial and Open Access Integrated Information Search Tools in Indian Libraries

A library portal is single-user interface for accessing a wide variety of electronic resources, both within and outside the library. A few federated search engines like EBSCO Discovery service, Summon (web scale discovery service), Knimbus, Mendeley, FedGate, ABCD open source software, Google CSE etc. are being used by libraries to give access to all subscribed or free online e-resources as well as library catalogues, archives' and other reading materials in the library to save the time of readers and give easy access to multiple databases and resources through federated search tool. In distance learning and online education environment libraries need to provide the right information on a single platform to its users from all resources or databases available in the library in a minimum of time. In this chapter the author discusses about the selected commercial as well as open source discovery tools used in Indian Libraries.

VLIR-UOS Workshop ‘E-Info Discovery and Management for Institutes in the South'

The authors present the results of the workshop ‘E-info discovery & management for institutes in the South' organized by Hasselt University Library for VLIR-UOS at Antwerp University. The workshop brought together the practical experience in the South with the technical expertise in the North. This paper gives a summary of the presentations of the workshop. It also presents an overview of tools and software for information management and discovery in the context of usability in the South. Finally, this type of workshop helps to define the role of libraries and librarians. Libraries are moving from an acquisition management to an access management role. The debate about the relevance of discovery tools and library catalogues is only starting. Other challenges are the result of changes in scientific communication and evaluation. Which role can librarians play in the upcoming scientific social networks? Which role can they play in the research information systems that universities and other research institutes are installing?