Library Newsletter - April, 2009
Vol. 13, No. 3
- Word from the Director
- Two Scholars Awarded the Excellence in West Texas History Fellowships
- TexShare Participation Summary, FY 08, Angelo State University
- The Learning Commons at Porter Henderson Library ("slides")
- Change Comes to the Library Databases
- Porter Henderson Library Operations Information and Activity Levels for FY 08
- 2009 Best Sellers, Pulitzer Prize Winners and Finalists Available in the Library
Word from the Director
Maurice G. Fortin, Library Director
The 2009 Spring Semester is rapidly drawing to a close. Another group of seniors and graduate students will soon become ASU alumni. They certainly are entering a tough job market and uncertain economic times. Yet they are equipped with the best skills ASU faculty and staff could provide. I am sure they will do well.
Many of you are probably wondering what is going on with all of these lists of items to adopt from the Library’s Reference Collection. As you probably noted from the e-mails, the Library is in the process of significantly down-sizing its Reference Collection to make way for the new Learning Commons and disposing of out-dated materials. I have sent these lists not only to the ASU campus but to academic, community college, public, and school libraries throughout Texas.
The lists contain information on available items that no longer meet the needs of the ASU community. Good examples are the law-related materials. Most of these items were serial publications requiring annual subscription renewals that provided updates to keep the print volumes current. These updates were often called "pocket parts." When the Library started subscriptions to online legal reference services such as Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw, these print subscriptions were no longer needed. The online versions were more comprehensive, required no physical processing, and, best of all, were updated on a daily basis rather than once or twice a year. As of four to five years ago, the Library stopped subscriptions to virtually all of the print legal services. The vast majority of the print legal reference services on the Library’s First Floor are out-of-date.
Many of the other items on these adoption lists are also out-of-date or simply no longer receive any usage by today’s ASU community. Some of these print resources have been replaced or superseded by online sources available from the Library’s extensive web pages and vendor services. Last year the Library worked with the English Department to convert all of the print literary criticism sources to online access. In the past, Library staff members reshelved maybe three or four volumes a week from these criticism series. Within the first month of online access, searches exceeded 1,000 and full-text articles retrieved also exceeded 1,000 items. Since then, usage has increased nearly every month. ASU’s current and future students are wedded to online access which allows for access and usage from anywhere at any time. Many students still prefer coming to the Library to access the online sources, but many more make use of the Library resources from apartments, dorm rooms, classrooms, computer labs, caf�s, or other locations.
Once I finish sending all of the adoption lists, Library staff members will process for withdrawal and disposal any items that are not adopted. So do not be surprised to see a large, industrial dumpster at the back of the Library filled with out-dated library books. Despite offering these materials to literally hundreds of libraries, no other library is keeping or collecting these items except for a few specialized or comprehensive collections.
Following the withdrawal and disposal process, Library staff members will them transfer items we want to retain, but are not needed on a regular basis, to the remote storage room on the Third Floor. I should note that librarians worked with faculty in many academic departments on making these difficult choices.
The last two steps in the downsizing process will depend on the timing of the construction and remodeling process. Emptied shelving units from the Reference Room will be moved to the Second Floor to expand shelving for the monographic collection. Many reference items will be relocated to the Second Floor and interfiled by call number into that collection. Some of these reference materials will circulate, while others will retain their non-circulating status and be available for in-house use only.
The ultimate goal is to have a Reference Collection of approximately 1,000 volumes in the new Learning Commons on the Library’s First Floor. This collection will support "dictionary" (both general and specialized), quick fact, style manual, and other similar types of research support. A smaller Reference Collection will leave more space for the interactive environment of the Learning Commons.
Planning work continues on the remodeling/Learning Commons project. On pages 3-6 you will find a series of slides from SHW Group (architects for the project). These slides depict a floor layout for the Learning Commons and a series of schematic drawings of various services points including the new Information Literacy Space, service desks for Circulation and Information Technology assistance, a new Reference Desk area with "study" booths nearby, and a coffee bar feature called the "Common Grounds." The coffee bar will be in the area that now serves as the entrance to the Library on the west side of the building. The coffee bar will have a service window to accommodate tables and a seating area on the front porch as well as walk-ups. The new entrance to the Library will be on the north side of the building for access off of the campus’ central walking mall. A revised timeline calls for the plans to go to the Board of Regents for approval at their August meeting. Then again, you never know what may happen as long as the legislature is meeting in Austin. As we get nearer to the start of construction, please watch for announcements of changes and relocations of Library services and possible changes in hours of operation. These changes will be needed to help minimize the duration of the disruptions.
I hope all of you have a great summer. The Library has a great selection of recent, best sellers and award winners available for your summer reading pleasure. See page 11 for a list of the 2009 Best Sellers and some Pulitzer Prize honorees available in the Library. If you would like to see what other titles are available, you may come to the Second Floor. The Best Seller shelves are located over the front entrance in the reading alcove. Or, you may search any of the recent lists of new books available from the Library’s "New Books" web page: http://www.angelo.edu/services/library/newbooks/index.html. Simply use the find command and the term "Best Sellers."
Elsewhere in the Newsletter, you will find information on the first recipients of the Excellence in West Texas History Fellowships, database changes, and statistics on Library operations and activities.
Two Scholars Awarded the Excellence in West Texas History Fellowships
The Excellence in West Texas History Fellowship Program has selected the first two individuals to receive the Fellowship. The $40,000 Fellowship is awarded to a Ph.D. or ABD in the area of humanities for a full academic year and includes a $5,000 publishing subvention to an academic press for each completed manuscript accepted for publication. The topic must be cutting edge research in an area west of the 100th meridian (the western half of Texas) and utilize the regional archives in West Texas.
The two awards will be presented to Megan Benson (Oklahoma University) of Norman, OK, and Daniel Kerr (University of Kansas) of Borger, TX. Dr. Benson's topic is "Texas Water Law: The Rule of Capture on the High Plains." Mr. Kerr's topic is "Sheepdogs and Barbed Wire: An Environmental History of Land Use on the Southern High Plains."
TexShare Participation Summary, FY 08, Angelo State University
| Cost to Library for TexShare Databases | $11,563 |
| Value of TexShare Databases (if licensed individually) | $226,420 |
| Number of Fulltext Journal Titles Available (based on vendor-supplied data) | 12,947 |
| Newspapers and Newswires | 1,318 |
| Reference Books | 4,654 |
| Searchable Primary Source Documents | 597,326 |
The Learning Commons at Porter Henderson Library
designs prepared and presented by SHW Group, March 12, 2009
Architectural Site Plan
(Not to scale)
First Floor
The new entrance, opening off the pedestrian mall on the north side of the building, is the green area at the top of the graphic. The Information Literacy Space is the green area at the bottom center. The Reference Area is in the corner to the far right of the graphic.
Legend for "First Floor"
Information Literacy Space
Closed (top), Open (bottom)
(Not to Scale)
"Common Grounds" Caf� and Outdoor Seating (above), Reference Area (below)
Change Comes to the Library Database Offerings
by Mark Allan, Head of Library Reference Services
As Anthony J. D’Angelo, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Collegiate EmPowerment has stated, "Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant." In this vein, the Library is replacing several long-standing databases with new resources that will better meet students and faculty’s needs. But how was this decision made?
In order to provide the most cost–effective and complete access to information resources, the Library obtains access to many of its services via various consortia which enable us to obtain materials at a lower price than if the ASU Library singly purchases database access. During a review of the databases purchased with Library funds, several databases that are part of a particular consortial package were found to be "underachievers" with regard to usage and cost. However, the data indicated that the content of some databases in this package are very useful to our students and faculty’s research needs.
Based upon this information, the Library’s Collection Development committee looked at resources already subscribed to by the Library as well as alternatives to those databases which receive heavy use. Furthermore, students and faculty’s preference for full text online resources as opposed to citation-only databases was considered. This analysis resulted in the decision being made to drop access to fifteen databases and replace the five most heavily used databases with "equivalents" produced or supplied by a different vendor.
Most, if not all, of the current content in the heaviest-used databases that will be eliminated is duplicated in the replacement "equivalents." Moreover, in the case of the two most heavily used databases the content is in a full text format! Much of the content in the less utilized databases that have been dropped is already covered by other online resources that the Library is continuing to subscribe to. Additionally, older content from the databases to be lost may be covered in the print index resources that the Library has retained in its collection. Finally, if the need exists, a Dialog search of the replaced databases is a possibility for students or faculty, although this would result in a charge to the patron. However, hopefully this latter situation will not be necessary or will be the case on a VERY infrequent basis!
The databases that the Library will be dropping access to appear below, and those with an equivalent “replacement” have the replacement indicated in bold. An additional asterisk means that the new resource is a full text resource. And to paraphrase Anthony J. D’Angelo, I hope we "Don't fear change, (but) embrace it."
Applied Science & Technology, Art Abstracts, Biography Index, Biological/Agricultural Index (via FirstSearch) - Biological & Agricultural Index (via EBSCO), Book Review Digest (via FirstSearch) - Book Review Digest (via EBSCO), Dissertation Abstracts (via FirstSearch) - Dissertation Abstracts (via ProQuest), Education Abstracts - Education Research Complete*, Essay/General Literature Index, General Science Abstracts, Humanities Abstracts - Humanities International Complete*, Index to Legal Periodicals/Books, Library Literature, Readers Guide Abstracts, Social Science Abstracts, and Wilson Business.
Porter Henderson Library Operations Information and Activity Levels for FY 08
|
CATALOGING (Net items added to the Collection; does not include Government Documents) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year | Number of Items |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 5,373 | 447.7 | July (768) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +55.9% | |||
| 2007 | 3,446 | 287.2 | June (1,048) |
| 2006 | 5,271 | 439.2 | May (884) |
| 2005 | 5,187 | 432.5 | Feb. (1,153) |
|
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS (Net number of items added to both the Federal and State Documents Collections) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year | Number of Items |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 2,282 | 190.2 | Aug. (572) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +1,288% | |||
| 2007 | -7,925 | -660.4 | Sept. (798) |
| 2006 | 5,508 | 459.0 | Aug. (952) |
| 2005 | 7,521 | 626.7 | Jan. (1,037) |
|
DOOR COUNTS (Individuals entering front doors of the Library and the West Texas Collection) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Individuals |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 155,526 | 12,960.5 | Oct. (20,885) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +10.5% | |||
| 2007 | 142,095 | 11,841.3 | Oct. (14,518) |
| 2006 | 125,009 | 10,417.4 | Oct. (14,518) |
| 2005 | 121,287 | 10,107.3 | Oct. (14,716) |
|
QUESTION COUNTS (Total number of questions received) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Questions |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 21,830 | 1,819.2 | Sept. (2,610) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: -3.3% | |||
| 2007 | 22,576 | 1,881.3 | Sept. (3,078) |
| 2006 | 22,795 | 1,899.6 | Sept. (3,379) |
| 2005 | 22,845 | 1,903.8 | Sept. (3,209) |
|
CIRCULATION (Total number of items (print and online) circulated from the Circulation Desk) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year | Number of Items |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 31,716 | 2,643.0 | Oct. (4,353) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: -4.1% | |||
| 2007 | 30,461 | 2,538.4 | Oct. (4,451) |
| 2006 | 29,087 | 2,423.9 | Oct. (4,665) |
| 2005 | 33,663 | 2,805.2 | Oct. (4,878) |
|
CIRCULATION-MEDIA (Total number of items circulated) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year | Number of Items |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 6,440 | 536.7 | Oct. (797) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +36.1% | |||
| 2007 | 4,732 | 394.3 | Apr. (600) |
| 2006 | 3,965 | 330.4 | Apr. (474) |
| 2005 | 3,868 | 322.3 | Sept. (476) |
|
COMBINED ONLINE ACCESS (Number of searches) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Searches |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 301,844 | 25,153.7 | Feb. (43,378) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +4.4% | |||
| 2007 | 289,109 | 24,092.4 | Oct. (41,262) |
| 2006 | 303,051 | 25,254.2 | Oct. (42,217) |
| 2005 | 260,705 | 21,725.4 | Oct. (33,381) |
|
COMBINED ONLINE ACCESS (Number of documents retrieved/viewed) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Documents |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 594,455 | 49,537.1 | Mar. (88,584) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +37.5% | |||
| 2007 | 432,416 | 36,034.7 | Feb. (63,397) |
| 2006 | 399,493 | 33,282.8 | Oct. (56,962) |
| 2005 | 339,874 | 28,322.8 | Apr. (49,991) |
|
INTERLIBRARY LOAN (Total number of transactions: loans plus borrows) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Transactions |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 8,115 | 676.2 | Oct. (1,059) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +8.0% | |||
| 2007 | 7,515 | 626.2 | Oct. (1,053) |
| 2006 | 7,025 | 585.4 | Mar. (1,248) |
| 2005 | 4,972 | 414.3 | Mar. (564) |
|
INTERLIBRARY LOAN (Average percentage of requests filled) |
|||
| Fiscal Year | Percentage Filled | Best Month | Percentage Filled |
| 2008 | 83.6 | Mar. | 88.4 |
| 2007 | 85.1 | Mar. | 94.6 |
| 2006 | 82.7 | Nov. | 94.7 |
| 2005 | 86.1 | Dec. | 91.2 |
|
LIBRARY INSTRUCTION (Number of sessions) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Sessions |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 150 | 12.5 | Feb. (40) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +9.5% | |||
| 2007 | 137 | 11.4 | Sept. (41) |
| 2006 | 152 | 12.7 | Sept. (45) |
| 2005 | 134 | 11.2 | Sept. (40) |
|
LIBRARY INSTRUCTION (Number of participants) |
|||
| Fiscal Year |
Number of Participants |
Average per Month |
Highest Month (Number) |
| 2008 | 3,205 | 267.1 | Feb. (790) |
| % CHANGE over FY 07: +10.0% | |||
| 2007 | 2,913 | 242.7 | Sept. (977) |
| 2006 | 3,008 | 250.7 | Sept. (938) |
| 2005 | 2,621 | 218.4 | Sept. (871) |
2009 Best Sellers, Pulitzer Prize Winners and Finalists Available in the Library
CS1129 .B552 2008. Coll, Steve. The Bin Ladens : an Arabian family in the American century. [Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Biography]
DA47.9.I4 H47 2008. Herman, Arthur. Gandhi and Churchill : the epic rivalry that destroyed an empire and forged our age. [Pulitzer Prize Finalist for General Nonfiction]
DS79.76 .R537 2009. Ricks, Thomas E. The gamble : General David Petraeus and the American military adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008.
E185.2 .B545 2008. Blackmon, Douglas A. Slavery by another name : the re-enslavement of black people in America from the Civil War to World War II. [Pulitzer Prize Winner for General Nonfiction]
E332.74 .G67 2008. Gordon-Reed, Annette. The Hemingses of Monticello: an American family. [Pulitzer Prize Winner for History]
E382 .M43 2008. Meacham, Jon. American lion : Andrew Jackson in the White House. [Pulitzer Prize Winner for Biography]
E468.9 .F385 2008. Faust, Drew Gilpin. This republic of suffering : death and the American Civil War. [Pulitzer Prize Finalist for History]
E807 .B735 2008. Brands, H.W. Traitor to his class : the privileged life and radical presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. [Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Biography]
E908.3 .G65 2009. Goldberg, Bernard. A slobbering love affair : the true (and pathetic) story of the torrid romance between Barack Obama and the mainstream media.
F2546 .G747 2009. Grann, David. The Lost city of Z : a tale of deadly obsession in the Amazon.
GV838.P54 P47 2008. Phelps, Michael, with Alan Abrahamson. No limits : the will to succeed.
HG4930.5 .C64 2009. Cohan, William D. House of cards : a tale of hubris and wretched excess on Wall Street.
HQ777.35 .G66 2008. Gosselin, Jon; Gosselin, Kate; & Carson, Beth. Multiple bles8ings : surviving to thriving with twins and sextuplets.
HV8080.U5 D63 2009. Dobyns, Jay & Johnson-Shelton, Nils. No angel : my harrowing undercover journey to the inner circle of the Hells Angels.
JC574.2.U6 C668 2008. Coulter, Ann. Guilty : liberal “victims” and their assault on America.
JZ1305 .F75 2009. Friedman, George. The next 100 years : a forecast for the 21st century.
PS3553.O692 S26 2008. Cornwell, Patricia. Scarpetta.
PS3553.U75 A89 2008. Cussler, Clive & Cussler, Dirk. Arctic drift.
PS3553.U75 C67 2009. Cussler, Clive. Corsair : a novel of the Oregon files.
PS3555.V2126 P59 2009. Evanovich, Janet. Plum spooky.
PS3557.R489137 B55 2008. Griffin, W.E.B. Black ops.
PS3557.R5355 A95 2009. Grisham, John. The associate.
PS3566.A822 R86 2009. Patterson, James & Ledwidge, Michael. Run for your life : a novel.
PS3566.I372 H36 2009. Picoult, Jodi. Handle with care : a novel.
PS3573.O642 M68 2009. Woods, Stuart. Mounting fears.
