Trends in reference usage statistics in an academic health sciences library.
PURPOSE: To examine reference questions asked through traditional means at an academic health sciences library and place this data within the context of larger trends in reference services. METHODOLOGY: Detailed data on the types of reference questions asked were collected during two one-month perio...
| Publicado en: | Journal of the Medical Library Association Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. 23 - 31 |
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| Autores principales: | , , |
| Formato: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
University of Pittsburgh, University Library System
Jan2007
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=106269565&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 106269565 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 15365050 PI8 jtl: Journal of the Medical Library Association issn: 15365050 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jan2007 vid: 95 iid: 1 pid: 60406 pub: University of Pittsburgh, University Library System place: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 106269565 106269565 2009506374 NLM17252063 106269565 ppf: 23 ppct: 8 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Trends in reference usage statistics in an academic health sciences library. aug: au: De Groote SL Hitchcock K McGowan R affil: Library of the Health Sciences (Peoria), University of Illinois at Chicago, P.O. Box 1649, One Illini Drive Peoria, IL 61656, USA. sgroote@uic.edu sug: subj: Academic Medical Centers Administration Information Retrieval Trends Libraries, Health Sciences Trends Library Reference Services Administration Library Services Trends Organizational Change Planning Techniques Qualitative Studies Quantitative Studies Retrospective Design Human ab: PURPOSE: To examine reference questions asked through traditional means at an academic health sciences library and place this data within the context of larger trends in reference services. METHODOLOGY: Detailed data on the types of reference questions asked were collected during two one-month periods in 2003 and 2004. General statistics documenting broad categories of questions were compiled over a fifteen-year period. RESULTS: Administrative data show a steady increase in questions from 1990 to 1997/98 (23,848 to 48,037, followed by a decline through 2004/05 to 10,031. The distribution of reference questions asked over the years has changed-including a reduction in mediated searches 2,157 in 1990/91 to 18 in 2004/05, an increase in instruction 1,284 in 1993/94 to 1,897 in 2004/05 and an increase in digital reference interactions 0 in 1999/2000 to 581 in 2004/05. The most commonly asked questions at the current reference desk are about journal holdings 19%, book holdings 12%, and directional issues 12%. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a unique snapshot of reference services in the contemporary library, where both online and offline services are commonplace. Changes in questions have impacted the way the library provides services, but traditional reference remains the core of information services in this health sciences library. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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