The Catalog

The Homepage

vs.

Best Practices in Connecting to Online Resources

Georgia Briscoe, University of Colorado Law LibraryKaren Selden, University of Colorado Law Library

Cheryl Nyberg, University of Washington Gallagher Law Library

Choices

1. Icon

2. Link on Library Homepage

3. Link on Library OPAC

Choices

4. Catalog Electronic Resource

5. Catalog Each Item in the Electronic Resource

6. Create Lists of Electronic Resources

Access Via the CatalogPros & Cons

Karen Selden

University of Colorado

Law Library

Pros

1. Catalog Provides Many Access Points

2. Electronic Resources Enhance the Collection

Pros

3. “One Stop” Access for All Library Resources

4. Patrons Do Use the Catalog

Cons

1. Increased Workload for Tech Services Staff

2. Link Checking and URL Maintenance

Cons

3. Limitations of the MARC Format

4. Patrons Won’t Use the Catalog

Recommendations

1. Know Your Patrons & Do What’s Best for Them

2. Access Is Not an Either / Or Proposition

Recommendations

3. Consider Your Staffing Situation

4. Try Creative Solutions

5. Don’t Be Overwhelmed

Access Via the Homepage

Cheryl Nyberg

Gallagher Law Library

University of Washington

Appreciation

• Facing Challenges Creatively

• Working Constantly to Improve

• Embracing Change

More Thanks

Theresa Knier

Administrative Assistant

Gallagher Law Library

Symbols & Meanings

• Cat– Mysterious– Hard to Understand – Worth the Effort

• Log = Tree– Roots of Research– Organic– Branching Out

Symbols & Meanings

• Homepage–Writing Is on

the Wall–Valuable

Real Estate–Remodel as

Needed

Catalog Woes

• Bound by Rules

• Change Is Costly

• “Known Item” Limitation

• Training Intensive

Good Library Users

Think Like a

Lawyer

Librarian

Catalog Wish List

• One Record

• Live Links

• Index Links

• Consistency

• Bluebook Abbreviations

Homepage Pros

• First Stop

• No Rules

• Customizable

• Easily Changed

Think Outside the Bun

• Focus on Users’ Needs & Behaviors

• Customize• Don’t Be a

Slave to the Alphabet

Options

• Homepage• How-To’s• Legal

Research Guides

• FAQs• News

Homepage

• Location• Location• Location• No Jargon• Cluster by

Type

Plain Language

• Avoid

– Licensed

– Subscription

– JSTOR

• Use

– Full-Text

– Indexes

Cluster by Type

• Full-Text

• Indexes

• Legal

• Nonlegal

• Cross-List

Legal Research Guides

• Instructional

• Specific to Subject or Process

• Motivated Users

FAQs & News

• Familiar Format

• “New to You”

• Current Events

Worst Practices

• List Only in Alphabetic Order

• Provide Names Without Descriptions

ELLVIS

Electronic

Law Library

&

Virtual

Information

Service

Examples of Best Practices

Karen Selden

&

Cheryl Nyberg

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Research Library

http://lib-www.lanl.gov/

ejournals/ejournals.htm

University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville

http://www.lib.utk.edu/

University of California, San Diego, Libraries

http://gort.ucsd.edu/ejourn/ index.html

Physics (via ROGER)

SUBJECT

SUBJECT

electronic journals physics

University of SaskatchewanLibrary

http://library.usask.ca/ejournals/ subjects.phtml

University of Minnesota

LUMINA: Digital Library Gateway

http://www.lib.umn.edu/

By Type of Material

By Subject

Conclusions

• “Fast Access Beautifully”

• Tailor to Your Library Situation

Conclusions

• Sometimes Technology Is the Determining Factor

• No Right or Wrong Answers

Conclusions

• Best Practices Are Beginning to Emerge

• Respond to Changing Trends

Conclusions

• Redundancy Is Good

• Catalog & Homepage Share a Common Goal

Conclusions

• Rules vs. No Rules Access

• Do It Well

Finally

Be

&

Slideshow & Handout

http://lib.law.washington.edu /_cheryl/cathome.htm