Thursday, July 16, 2009

"E-Journal Cataloging in an Age of Alternatives: A Survey of Academic Libraries" by Xiaotian Chen and Stephen Wynn

Chen and Wynn present the results of a survey of 72 U.S. academic libraries on cataloging practices for electronic journals. The survey covered various aspects including if e-journals are cataloged, what percentage, the use of batch loading, if holdings are reported to OCLC, reasons why e-journals are not cataloged, other services for accessing e-journals, the use of A-to-Z lists and OpenURL link resolvers, and future plans to change policies or procedures. Respondents were also asked to identify persistent problems/issues with e-journal cataloging and to anticipate future trends. The researchers found that most libraries who are cataloging their e-journals are satisfied with their policies. They also found that some libraries think cataloging is unnecessary and predict that "this sentiment will grow, especially as new tools become more widely adopted."

Chen and Wynn's article can be found in The Serials Librarian, vol. 57, issue 1 & 2 (July 2009), pages 96-110.

No comments: