Posters abound in education libraries as decorative objects yet few libraries realize the educa tional potential of the poster. Posters are colorful, attractive learning r:nedia which ?an enha�ce the learning environment. This paper describes the value of posters 1n the educational sett1ng, offers suggestions on selecting posters for learning, and includes examples of various types of learning posters.
Broad-based citation studies in engineering have been done infrequently over the years, with most such studies being performed in specific engineering disciplines. A current snapshot of the materials being cited in a wide cross section of engineering is presented in this paper. The study involved analyzing nearly 5000 citations takcn from a rcprcsentative selection of scholarly journals. The data can be viewed as a benchmark as to the types of materials currently being used by a wide range of engineers engaged in research as well as being useful in collection management decisions.
Retention of diverse staff is an often stated goal but frequently takes a back seat to recruitment efforts. One reason for this is a lack of understanding of the factors that influence employees to stay in an organization. Methods to determine why employees leave or stay are discussed as well as the retention tools that work best to retain diverse employees. These tools include mentoring, networking, career and learning opportunities, a balance between work and home life, a welcoming climate, and support for research.
Web-scale discovery services such as Summon (Serial Solutions), WorldCat Local (OCLC), EDS (EBSCO), and Primo (Ex Libris) are often touted as a single search solution to connect users to library-owned and -licensed content, improving discoverability and retrieval of resources. Assessing how well these systems achieve this goal can be challenging, however. This article describes the use of interlibrary loan borrowing request data as a means to evaluate whether the Summon discovery system was achieving its goal of improving retrieval. Four years following implementation of the discovery system, there was a 22 percent decrease in interlibrary loan borrowing requests. Requests by undergraduates dropped at a higher rate than faculty, staff, and graduate students. Undergraduate requests for articles dropped more than requests for loans. Two years’ postimplementation of the discovery system, the number of interlibrary loan borrowing requests by undergraduates for locally owned or licensed materials dropped by 57 percent, freeing up interlibrary loan staff to expand services into new areas. This study indicates that implementation of a discovery system can lead to a reduction in interlibrary loan borrowing.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.