Access to Electronic Resources

There are several reasons why a review is appropriate at this time.

• There is now a web interface for the UB Libraries Catalog which provides the capability of creating a direct link between the catalog record and the electronic publication. Future development of the interface may present opportunities for developing innovative approaches to providing access to electronic resources.
• The University Libraries web site, including the Online Resources region, has undergone a major revision.
• The number of electronic resources linked from the Libraries web site has grown considerably since our present procedures were first implemented.
• We need to ensure that we follow procedures which are aimed at providing the user with reliable information and that those procedures are ones which enable us to provide access promptly.
• We also need to be concerned with adopting and following procedures which the Libraries can sustain as the number of electronic publications increases rapidly.
• No additional staff has been provided to technical services areas for providing access to electronic resources, so there is a limit to what technical services staff can be expected to do in this area. Technical services staff feel that their first responsibility is to provide access through the catalog.
• While it is not addressed in this document, we need to consider the use of metadata in the Libraries' web. It might be possible through the use of metadata to replace permanent alphabetical and subject lists with ones which are created as requested.
• Similar reviews are taking place at other institutions as academic libraries struggle to determine the most appropriate ways in which to provide access to electronic resources. All libraries appear to be faced with the challenge of providing appropriate access to electronic publications at a time when staff resources are remaining constant or even shrinking.

Also included at the end of the document is a list of the major changes under consideration.

Selection

• Subjects specialists and unit library reference staff use the Ejournal Request Form or other means to request the addition of e-journals.
• Technical services staff add e-journals when the titles are already held in print format.
• Titles included in services such as JSTOR or Project Muse are added as they become available.

• The catalog is the primary means of accessing e-journals.
• Any e-journal for which full or partial content is available electronically and is accessible from a unit library page is also accessible through the catalog.
• The catalog record contains the URL for the e-journal. The URL in the web catalog provides direct access to the e-journal.
• There can be multiple URLs in a catalog record when multiple hosts provide different volumes of the same title. When there are multiple URLs, it is necessary to explain the distinction. Language such as "for recent issues" and "for earlier volumes" are used in conjunction with URLs..
• Linked to the catalog records is a copy statement for the e-journal with a location name of "Access through Internet."
• "Electronic journal" is used in the call number field. A class code of local is used which makes "electronic journal" searchable.
• Linked to the copy statement is a holdings record. The holdings record does not indicate which issues or volumes are available electronically. Instead, the holdings record includes one of the following:
  • Library has access to the electronic version
  • Library has access to the electronic version of the partial content of the print edition
• Each of the above is followed with "Check the electronic version to determine the specific issues which are available at this time."

• The locally-created information records for e-journals are replaced with a list of titles. The list, modeled on the list maintained by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , includes the following information for each publication:
  • title
  • links to previous or successive titles if those titles are also available electronically
  • scope (full content, partial content of the print edition, table of contents with abstracts, or table of contents only)
  • access restrictions, if any, expressed by an image following the title
  • file format
  • the URL
• Access to the journal is direct from the list.
• Elements which are no longer in information records are the following:
  • an indication if the title is refereed
  • publisher
  • subjects as they appear in the corresponding bibliographic record
  • frequency
  • holdings
  • ISSN
  • notes providing information about the content of the journal
  • the instruction to check the UB Libraries Catalog for additional holdings (this information appears on each page, but not as part of the individual entries)
• The only index maintained centrally is an alphabetical one.
• Unit libraries or indiviudal subject specialists may choose to maintain lists of e-journals by subject.
• Any e-journal for which full or partial content is available electronically and is accessible from a unit library page is also accessible through the catalog. Links from a unit library page can be direct to the site for the e-journal or to the alphabetical list maintained by the Libraries.
• Unit libraries may choose to maintain a list of e-journals for which only table of contents or abstracts are available.

• The information records are time-consuming to create. As the number of e-journals has increased, the time required to create these records has delayed making new titles available.
• Cataloging standards call for using the official URL in the catalog record. Users who approach an e-journal through the web catalog can go directly to the journal irrespective of whether we maintain information records.
• Many staff think that it is confusing to provide access from the catalog to e-journals when only table of contents or abstracts are available.
• Some staff have expressed a strong interest in maintaining an alphabetical list of titles.
• Adding an indication of restrictions on access can help us fulfill requirements of some licensing agreements.
• By restricting the amount of information provided in an enhanced alphabetical listing, the most important data can be provided via a list rather that an information record. Information which would not be included are:
  • Publisher information which is available in the catalog record.
  • The ISSN which is of little interest to users (the situation with ISSNs for electronic versions of print journals is so unsettled that we are often providing an incorrect ISSN).
  • Subject information is in the catalog record.
  • Notes about the content of the journal are usually available through the site for the journal. The publisher updates the information at the site whenever appropriate.
• It is not certain how long it will be feasible to maintain a list of title regardless of the number of fields which we include for each title. The University of North Carolina list on which which these proposed changes are based is a much smaller list that ours (for example, while we currently have more than 200 titles beginning with the letter "a" North Carolina has only 40 titles). We know that in order to reduce load time our list will have to be split by letter. It will not take long before some individual letters will have to be split.
• Another significant departure from current practice would be the elimination of holdings information. Our current attempt to provide up-to-date information as to what is available electronically has not been successful. The frequency with which this information changes (additional volumes are added; volumes and issues can also be removed; indexes are added, changed, or eliminated) makes it appropriate that we depend on the most reliable source for what is available--the web site for the journal.
• The same arguments for not providing holdings information in the alphabetical listing also apply to the holdings record in the catalog.
• The present broad subject index would be eliminated in anticipation of subject specialists creating and maintaining individual subject listings. Hopefully, there will be a weekly report which will alert subject specialists of new e-journals added to the catalog.
• Including the URL is seen as useful information for citations and for being able to return to the site.

Selection

• Subjects specialists and unit library reference staff use the Ejournal Request Form or other means to request the addition of priced or gratis versions of newspapers and news sources (television, radio stations, etc.).
• Technical services staff add electronic versions of newspapers when the titles are already held in print format.

• The catalog is the primary means of accessing electronic versions of newspapers and news sources.
• Any electronic version of a newspaper or news source linked from a unit library home page is also accessible through the catalog.
• The catalog record contains the URL for the electronic version of a newspaper or news source. The URL in the web catalog provides direct access to the electronic version.
• Linked to the catalog records is a copy statement for the electronic version with a location name of "Access through Internet" and a call number substitute of "no call number."
• Linked to the copy statement is a holdings record. The holdings record does not indicate which issues or volumes are available electronically. Instead, the holdings record states "Library has access to the electronic version of this title. Check the electronic version to determine the specific issues which are available at this time."

• The locally-created information records for electronic newspapers and news sources are replaced with a list of titles. The list includes the following information for each publication:
  • title
  • access restrictions, if any, expressed by an image following the title
  • file format
  • the URL
• Information as to what is available electronically is obtained by consulting the site for the newspaper or news source.
• In addition to the alphabetical index, there is also a geographical one.

The notes regarding e-journals also apply to electronic newspapers and news sources.

Selection

• Requests for electronic versions of books, priced or gratis, are submitted using the Monograph Request Form or by other means.
• A record for the title is added to the catalog or a copy statement for the electronic version is added to a record for the print version. The URL for the electronic version is added to the catalog record.
• Linking from a unit library page is optional and can occur at any time.
• The process of cataloging a print version of a book can reveal the availability of an electronic version of the entire work. If the electronic version is available at no cost, a copy statement for the electronic version is added to the record and, if it is not already there, the URL is added to the catalog record.

• The catalog is the primary means of accessing electronic versions of books.
• Any electronic version of a book linked from unit library pages is also accessible through the catalog.
• The catalog record includes the URL for the electronic version. The URL in the web catalog provides direct access to the electronic version.
• Linked to the catalog record is a copy statement for the electronic version with a location name of "Access through Internet" and a call number substitute of "no call number."

• The present Electronic Books and Pamphlets region, accessible through the Libraries Online Resources--Web Publications, is eliminated.

• We have never created information records for electronic versions of books, and the current list provides only title, publisher, and date.
• The number of books which are available electronically will increase rapidly. Eliminating the step of adding the title to a list will enable staff to provide prompter access to more titles through the catalog.

Selection Process

• Electronic versions of government documents which are received in print format because of a depository profile or depository titles which are available only in electronic format are added to the catalog.
• Requests are sent to the appropriate technical services area to provide catalog access for electronic versions titles which are not within the scope of a depository profile.

• The catalog is the primary means of accessing electronic versions of government documents.
• Any electronic version of a government document linked from a unit library page is also accessible through the catalog.
• The catalog record includes the URL for the electronic version of a government document. The URL in the web catalog provides direct access to the electronic version of the government document.
• Linked to the catalog record is a copy statement for the electronic version of the government document with a location name of "Access through Internet" and the appropriate government documents classification scheme call number.

• The present Electronic Books and Pamphlets, government documents sub-region, accessible through the Libraries Online Resources--Web Publications, is eliminated.

• The number of government documents (U.S., New York State, and Canadian) which are available electronically is increasing rapidly. Eliminating the need to add the titles to a list will enable staff to provide access through the catalog for more titles and to do so more promptly.
• Many print and electronic sources include government documents classification in citations. Using the appropriate government documents classification call number instead of "no call number" would provide the same level of catalog access by call number for all government documents, print and electronic.

• Current receipts which are in general interest subject areas and are issued as single sheets or pamphlets are converted to digital format for addition to the Electronic Popular Government Documents region.

• Any electronic version of a government document which is accessible through the Electronic Popular Government Documents region is also accessible through the catalog.
• The catalog record includes the URL for the electronic version of a popular government document. The URL in the web catalog provides direct access to the electronic version of the popular government document.
• Linked to the catalog record is a copy statement for the electronic version of the popular government document with a location name of "Access through Internet" and the appropriate government documents classification scheme call number.

• Electronic versions of popular government documents are arranged according to major subject categories. Spanish language versions are accessible as part of the subject categories and through a separate category for Spanish language documents only (the Electronic Popular Government Documents region was created, in part, with a 1997 grant from the New York State Department of Education's Electronic Doorway Library Program received by the Western New York Library Resources Council on behalf of the University at Buffalo Libraries).

• Many print and electronic sources include government documents classification in citations. Using the appropriate government documents classification call number instead of "no call number" would provide the same level of catalog access by call number for all government documents, print and electronic.
• Only by maintaining the region can this initiative help the University Libraries fulfill its obligation as a U.S. federal depository to provide community awareness and access.

Selection

• Subjects specialists and unit library reference staff use the Internet Resources Request Form or some other means to request the inclusion of a web site in the catalog. Linking from a unit library page is optional and can occur at any time.

• The catalog provides one of the ways in which web sites can be accessed.
• Inasmuch as users could benefit from catalog access to any web site linked from a unit library page, staff in library units are encouraged to ask that a record for the web site be added to the catalog.
• The catalog record includes the URL for the web site. The URL in the web catalog provides direct access to the web site.
• The catalog record also contains an added title entry of "web resource" to facilitate keyword searching.
• Linked to the catalog record is a copy statement with a location name of "Access through Internet" and a call number substitute of "no call number."

• There is no web region which lists web sites which are accessible through the catalog. We are not suggesting that a list be maintained.

• There are links from unit library pages to many useful web sites. Also providing access through the catalog can increase awareness of the sites and will be of direct benefit to patrons who use subject headings or keywords to access material.
• The full range of web sites for which we may wish to provide access can extend beyond what is feasible or appropriate to link to from unit library pages or from a consolidated list.

Selection

• The selection of a particular database results in the automatic selection of the titles which are included in that product.

• There is a catalog record for any title for which full text of selected articles is available through a database acquired by the Libraries.
• Linked to the catalog record is a copy statement for the database. This copy statement can be in addition to any copy statements for print copies, or it can be the only copy statement. Since it is possible that full text of selected articles are available in more than one product, there may be more than one copy statement of this type.
• The copy statement has a location name of "BISON (Online Resources)" and as a call number substitute the name of the database preceded by in, e.g., "in ABI/Inform."
• Linked to the copy statement is a holdings record. Instead of indicating the earliest date of full text articles or the extent of coverage if it is finite, the holdings record states "Library has access to the full text of selected articles."

• Whether to provide catalog access to those periodical titles included in full text databases is a heavily debated issue within the academic library community. Reasons for this are:
  
  • The database is not providing an electronic version of the journal; it is providing access to the full text of selected portions of issues of the journal.
  • Coverage by the database--titles and range of dates covered--is subject to frequent change, and the producers of these databases are not very good at keeping subscribers informed. Sometimes the information from the database producer is simply not correct.
  • Conditions beyond a database producer's control can result in unanticipated changes.
  • Libraries cannot be expected to keep up with the changes if the producers of the databases have trouble doing so.
• Locally, providing access through the catalog is still considered to be a useful service.
• It is not appropriate to include the URL for the database in the catalog record for the periodical title, because the database does not provide an electronic version of the periodical.
• In order not to provide incorrect information about coverage, it is necessary to restrict information in the holdings portion of the catalog record to "Library has access to the full text of selected articles." By eliminating coverage dates, we are removing a major source of incorrect information.
• Although it could be useful to include the titles in the list of e-journals, the additional titles could make the list impossible to manage.
• Searching for the best approach for this category of material must continue.

Content of present information record

JETP Letters