ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

Fast Facts

Ann Viles

➔ Why scientists and engineers become librarians

A survey of “information specialists who had degrees in science or engineering” finds that 25 percent of 194 respondents moved to library and information science because of “disillusionment or dissatisfaction with a current career in science.” The remaining 75 percent changed fields for more positive reasons, such as “their love of the scientific and technical literature as well as the fun and challenge of information research” (56% of that group), “the unceasing variety of their jobs (17%), powerful cutting-edge technology (32%), the fascination of the information explosion (12%), finding the ‘needle in the haystack’ for clients (3%), the power and prestige that arises from contributing to the organization’s bottom line (5%), and the satisfying and critical teamwork with faculty and other researchers (18%).”

Julie Hallmark and Mary Frances Lembo, “Leaving Science for LIS: Interviews and a Survey of Librarians with Scientific and Technical Degrees,” Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship No. 37 (Spring 2003). June 6, 2003

User preferences for institutional portals

➔ A recent online survey of potential users of institutional Web portals at tertiary education institutions in the United Kingdom finds “the top 10 rated features … are as follows: Search your favourite resources, Library administration, Access or update teaching materials, Personal information, Library and quality Internet resources alerts, Access your institutional email, Handbook, Deadline alerts, Access or update reading lists, [and] Campus news.” The features ranked as the least desirable were “Weather, News, Catering, View payslips, [and] Vote in student elections.”

Liz Pearce, “‘Apart from the weather, I think it’s a good idea’: Stakeholder Requirements for Institutional Portals,” Ariadne 35 (March-April 2003). May 21, 2003

Faculty reading behaviors at the University of Georgia

A 2001 survey of faculty at the University of Georgia finds that “personal print subscriptions still have enormous impact on faculty scholarship: 91% of respondents reported reading at least one article in this format every week,” compared to 73 percent for library print subscriptions and 67 percent for library electronic subscriptions.

Erin T. Smith, “Changes in Faculty Reading Behaviors: The Impact of Electronic Journals on the University of Georgia,” Journal of Academic Librarianship 29.3 (May 2003): 162–68

➔ Reading behaviors of scientists

A long-term study of the reading behaviors of scientists finds that 46.3 percent of the articles read by scientists surveyed from 1990 to 1993 came from personal subscriptions (100 percent print) and 40.6 percent from library subscriptions (99.1 percent print and 0.9 percent electronic). From 2001 to 2002, personal subscriptions accounted for only 15.2 percent of the articles read (54.5 percent print and 45.5 percent electronic), and library subscriptions accounted for 49.0 percent (12.7 percent print and 87.3 percent electronic).

Carol Tenopir, et al., “Patterns of Journal Use by Scientists through Three Evolutionary Phases,” D-Lib Magazine 9.5 (May 2003). May 29, 2003

Ann Viles is coordinator of reference and instruction at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, e-mail: vilesea@conrad.appstate.edu