114 ALA Annual 1994 Conference Reports
The New Collection Management: Internet & Other Networked Resources for the "Wired" Collection Manager: An ALCTS Preeonference
This half-day program was presented as a preconference to the American Library Association Annual Meeting in Miami Beach by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Planned by Peggy Johnson, University of Minnesota, the preconference was designed to help col- lection managers learn how to take advantage of networked electronic resources that are available for selection, preservation, communication, and user liaison. The focus of the program was on the practical aspects of using the Internet and other networked tools.
A Selection Model Using Electronic Tools for Network-Based Resources ~ Sam Demas (CorneU University)
Demas discussed the need for principles to guide selection and collection development for the new information age. Selectors should be out on the Internet examining the available resources and applying the same criteria to those electronic resources as they do to other aspects of collec- tion development. Libraries need qualitative selection based on clearly delineated policy.
Demas reported on the development of a model for selecting, organizing, and delivering resources at Cornell University's Mann Library. A team of Mann librarians listed organizational challenges to be faced, information genres to be considered, and tiers of electronic access to be available for each selection. This team of "Internet prospectors" identified and evaluated every Internet resource within the collection scope of Mann Library. Of over 1,000 individual titles examined, only forty-one were added. Titles selected must fit the Mann collection policy for other formats. Selection means providing access to the fl0e, rather than a pointer that sends the user to another means of access.
The library team also has developed a taxonomy of Internet resources to map the literature of the discipline. For each part of the taxonomy a selector has been assigned and a conspectus level noted. Several general electronic lists are monitored daily for new resources; other lists are moni- tored by selectors for use in their assigned areas. The Mann staff have identified the equipment needed for a selector workstation, so that selectors will have the capability to access the resources. An extensive in-house training program also has been implemented. Demas indicated that more information on this project will be appearing in the literature.
Issues and Answers in Collection Management m Lesl ie Bjorncrantz (Northwestern University)
Bjorncrantz addressed the changing role of collection managers in the electronic age. She spoke of the need to superimpose one's own path on technological change and to adopt the Internet into one's work life incrementally. Bjorncrantz used the framework of six domains to illustrate the uses of electronic resources for the collection manager. The six domains are communication, envi- ronmental scanning, professional issues in collection management, bibliographic access, publica- tion, and instruction. She also identified key roles for today's collection managers, including developing Internet expertise in specialized fields, using a variety of media to communicate with others, cultivating and broadening the public service role, creating and delivering new Interact links to the user, examining organizational structure and personnel issues in a period of role change, and sharing selected local resources with the world.
ALA Annual 1994 Conference Reports 115
Gophers as Collection Management Tools and Resources: Building One for Collection Managers and Users ~ Elizabeth Miller (Library of Congress)
Miller provided background information about LC MARVEL, the Library of Congress' Gopher- based information system. The impetus for LC MARVEL came from the LC staff, not the man- agement. It was built by librarians and is better organized than previous Gophers. LC MARVEL was introduced over the Interact in July 1993 and has continued to add new resources on a regular basis. Miller then gave a demonstration of LC MARVEL, showing the variety of menus, files, and documents available for searching. These include information about the Library of Congress and its programs, research services, technical services, and collections. LC MARVEL provides access to copyright information, the Library of Congress Information System (LOCIS), congressional directories and guides, government information, and a wide array of Internet resources. This excellent tool has many possibilities for the collection manager. To access LC MARVEL via the Internet, telnet to marvel.loc.gov and the login is "marvel."
Internet Training for the "Wired" Collection Manager m Roy Tennant (University of California, Berkeley)
Tennant noted several problems with the Internet. First is that it has vastly expanded access to information, and anyone can now be a publisher of electronic information. This is compounded by the ever-changing mix of systems needed to provide access to Internet-based information. And finally, collecting or selecting in the electronic environment may really be pointing to something on the network rather than owning or mounting it locally. In order to determine what training is needed, it is necessary to identify institutional needs and opportunities as well as selector needs. Some institutional considerations are the servers supported, other types of electronic information available, and the level of selector involvement in electronic information selection and access decisions. Selector issues are basic familiarity with personal computers, general Internet knowl- edge and experience, proficiency with software used for electronic information, and strategies for Internet resource discovery and current awareness. Tennant suggested that Internet training should include general information about the Internet, Internet connections, client/server architec- ture, and basic Internet tools. Training should also cover the Wide Area Information Server (WAIS), Gopher software, and World-Wide Web (WWW). Training should address the need for integration of networked resources in collection management and strategies for keeping up with what is available.
This was not a future-oriented preconference, but instead was a practical look at networked resources available to the collection manager today. Helpful hints about managing time, integrat- ing and using new resources, basic networking tools, and training needs made this a timely and welcome session.
0364-6408(94)00059-X Margaret Maes Axtmann Assistant Director for Collections and Technical Services
University of Minnesota Law Library 229-19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455 Internet: [email protected]
