What are libraries doing to promote the use of electronic resources? This combination session will use a thorough literature review and a systematic plan to identify which are the most commonly used techniques and marketing strategy, and propose a suite of methods for evaluating and marketing electronic reference resources.

1. Evaluating and Marketing
Electronic Reference
Collection
ER&L 2010
February 1 – 3, Austin, Texas
The College of New Jersey
Jia Mi

2. Information Retrieval
Landscape
Students/Faculty have very different
approaches to information retrieval
◦ OCLC report “Perceptions of Libraries and Information
Resources” (2005)
◦ Ithaka‟s studies “Key Stakeholders in the Digital
Transformation in Higher Education ” (Aug. 2008)
◦ Simon Inger Consulting report “How Readers Navigate to
Scholarly Content” (Sept. 2008)
◦ University of Washington study “Lesson Learned: How
College Students Seek Information in the Digital Age.” (Dec.
2009)
They all prefer online resources
Library is not the first place to start their research

3. Researchers vs. Librarians
Researcher‟s Perception Librarian‟s Perception
Online Major Reference
Works
Librarians: 86% Online
Online Handbook
Series
Librarians: 75% Online
Online Monographs
92% :CRITICAL to Access
Librarians: 57% Online
Fundamental knowledge
[BOOKS] on each discipline

4. Researchers vs. Librarians
Researchers say… Librarians say…
“My faculty and students
Print 150 prefer electronic format, so I
am moving most of my
No Preference 250 reference books to e-format.
400
My print material is not being
Online
used, it sits on the shelves.”
0 100 200 300 400
# of Researchers
Sources: Global Faculty eBook Survey 2007 (E-brary); Global ScienceDirect
user survey, S.M.S. Research 2009, 450 Librarian Responses

5. Studies on Print Reference
Usage
1990 Eugene Engeldinger 5-year study at University of
Wisconsin
Result: more than half of the reference items (51.4%) had been used no more
than one time
2005 Jane T. Bradford 2-year study at Stetson University
Result: Only 9.7%of the print reference collection was being used
2007 58% 33%
Survey of Print reference was dead or It is not dead
145 on its way out
Librarians
@ALA

6. Impact Factors for
Librarians
Before eBooks Purchasing
Content
7%
Space
Easy License 6%
Agreement Easy to Use
10% Interface Affordability
41%
Patron Demand
14%
Accessibility
15%
Source: 2009 SMS Research/Elsevier Survey Responses from 450 Librarians Worldwide

7. Librarians „ Consideration
After eBooks Purchasing
80%
69%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30% 26% Series1
20% 19%
20%
13% 13%
11%
10%
0%
Source: 2009 SMS Research/Elsevier Survey Responses from 450 Librarians Worldwide

8. The College of New Jersey
 A highly
selective, Comprehensive
Undergraduate College with
a strong liberal arts core
 Approximately 6,000 FTE
992 faculty members
 Over 564,000 monographs
 Over 46,165 journals
 95% Freshmen are on
campus

9. Evaluate eReference
Collection
Searchabilit Navigability Results Linking Citation Tool
y
Browse Uncluttered Clearly Linking to Instruction on
design resented Other DBs Citation
Basic Search Minimal Search Linking to Citation Tool
clicks to Terms Library
search Highlighted Catalog
Advanced Clear Site Relevancy Inter- Multimedia
Search Navigation Ranking operability
Metasearch Plain Ease of Persistent
Language working links to the
item level
Help

11. eReference Usage in 2009
4000
3500
3,379
3,185
3000
2500
Encyclopedia of Women in World History
2000 Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th Ed.
Oxford Islamic Studies Online
1500 Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford Reference Online
Grove Art
1000
Grove Music
500
0
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
FT
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Searches
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Sessions
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

12. Where did Users Access From?

13. Entrance Sources

14. Linking, Linking and Linking

15. Link to Other Databases
Also linked to
ARTStor (ARTStor)
Literature Online (Proquest)
Classical Music Online
(Alexander‟s)
RILM (EBSCO)

16. Link to Library Catalog

17. Course Management Systems
● Library Resources
– Add the link to your Browser
– Direct link as a banner
– Direct link to a search box
– Linking directly to subject homepages
– Linking directly to book homepages
● Incorporate eReference into CMS
● Subject Specific Guides (LibGuide)
● Embedded librarians (SOCS)

18. Marketing Resources in the
Course Management System
Jackson, P. A. (2007). Integrating Information Literacy into Blackboard: Building Campus Partnerships for
Successful Student Learning. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 33(4) p.454-461 .

19. RSS Feeds in SOCS (CMS)
● Deliver dynamic content
● Low maintenance
● New Books
● Database listings
● Canned database searches
● Can be re-purposed

20. RSS: French Studies Guide
http://www.tcnj.edu/~library/moulaison/FrenchStudies.htm

21. RSS: Italian Studies Guide
http://www.tcnj.edu/~library/moulaison/ItalianStudies.htm

22. RSS Feeds in Library Subject
Guides
22

23. RSS Feed in Other Spaces

24. LibGuide: Marketing Resources

25. User Centered Example: Connect to
Student Portals
● MyMonash
– Reading lists
– Past exams
– Search the library catalog
– Checked out materials
– Links to library databases
– Podcasts (Online Lectures)
– Library SMS Notifications
● For more information, see
Simon Hugard's 2007
EndUser
presentation available from:
http://users.monash.edu.au/
~simonh/enduser2007/

26. User Centered Example : Course
Reserves in the CMS
Course Reserves in the CMS. Yale University Library is dynamically including course reserves
from Voyager in u-Portal and Sakai. (Thanks to Kalee Spraugue for the screenshot and
details)

27. Conclusions
● Making students and faculty more aware of the
library's role in providing access to the high-
quality resources they need.
● Continue to find more effective ways to integrate
our resources and services with the Course
Management Systems
Patrons don't come to the library first
Patrons don't start the search from the library website
● Go to the patrons in the online environment
● Work with vendors to improve the product quality

28. Thank You