Annual Report FY2008

Reference/Instruction

Electronic Reference

As we continue to look for electronic resources to serve our students and faculty, we are astonished at the array (and the price) of what is available. In 2007-2008, we added the following resources:

• DynaMed - an evidence-based clinical reference tool purchased in support of the nursing programs at VC and UHV
• Science Direct Social Sciences Collection - about 395 full text journals published by Elsevier Publishers in support of the School of Business at UHV
• Literature Cricitism Online - Short Story Criticism - electronic version of highly used reference material in support of literature classes at VC
• One Source Global Business Browser - part of the Reference USA suite of databases, the Global Business Browser provides company information and financial data for over 1.7 million US and international companies purchased in support of the School of Business at UHV

Top 20 Databases - Based on Numbers of Searches

Database Name	Sessions	Searches	Total Full Text
Business Source Complete	10,639	41,528	32,281
Academic Search Complete	12,281	31,855	24,941
MLA International Bibliography	11,522	29,604	1,119
Literature Resource Center	9,981	29,525	13,441
CINAHL	5,957	18,941	11,016
Business and Company Resource Center	2,691	15,947	1,787
ERIC	2,369	8,779
PsycINFO	2,174	8,212	37
Gale Virtual Reference Library	1,618	7,992	732
Education Index		7,692	5,740
Medline/Medline with Full Text	2,106	7,661	164
Twayne Authors	3,042	7,034	366
Literature Criticism Online	1,480	7,019	3,013
Oxford English Dictionary	1,022	6,858	8,401
Scribners	2,871	6,681	144
Academic OneFile	4,294	6,486	5,852
PsycARTICLES	2,398	6,313	4,314
Biography Resource Center	1,072	5,570	2,009
Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection	1,379	5,544	1,324

Public Computing

In September 2007, responding to increasing student concerns about the lack of available computers in the Library, we installed software that requires login and enforces session time limits.

Over the years, increasing use of the Library by non-student computer users and recreational use of the computers by students sometimes made available computers a bit short in supply. The new software placed time limits on non-student users (the main users of recreational computing). Those time limits, in addition to requiring a library borrower’s card for use, has made more computing time available to students.

All computer users in the Library, VC and UHV students included, are now required to login to Library computers using the barcode from their campus ID/Library card. They are required to set up a pin number with the Library Circulation Department before use.

As predicted, the gate count (overall traffic in and out of the Library) has been reduced, but less than anticipated (about 25%) as the students re-discovered the library as a place to study and meet.

Library Instruction

As more sections of classes go online, bibliographic instruction numbers continue to decline from prior years in terms of classes and number of students served (both are down more than 30% from last year while contact hours are down more than 25%). The number of these classes served by in-person bibliographic instruction is 50% of what it was in 2005-06. Victoria College class instruction decreased by a lesser amount than UHV but the facts that there are more online classes AND that we no longer have a direct presence in New Student Orientation both factor into the decline. There was only one class taught for NONA groups in 2007-08, which is a decrease from prior years.

Looking forward: because of the change in format with New Student Orientation, and also because of ever-increasing numbers of online courses, we can expect all numbers for in-person instruction for succeeding years to diminish. To respond to the growing need for online instruction, we have placed a number of online tutorials—animated and narrated programs on library research topics—on the library’s web site. More are planned for the future. Future statistics hopefully will reflect usage of these programs.

Professional Activities

Karen Locher, Head of Public Services, continued service during this year on the TexShare Electronic Information Working Group. This group oversees the selection and development of electronic resources subscribed by TexShare for the use of member libraries. Karen also served on the 2009 Program Planning Committee of the Texas Library Association, and is Chair-Elect of the Texas Library Association, District IV.

Lori Williamson, Access Services Librarian, continues to serve on the American Library Association Office for Information Technology Policy, Copyright Advisory Subcommittee. The subcommittee's charge is to:

• Advise the OITP Copyright Specialist on copyright education program content, models and methods;
• Provide an ongoing channel for member communication in matters relating to copyright and libraries
• Actively participate on the copyright discussion list
• Promote copyright education programs at home institutions and to library divisions and state chapters;
• Attend committee meetings to be held at ALA Annual and Midwinter meetings.

Her appointment continues through 2012.

Submitted by Karen Locher, Head of Public Services and David Ticen, Instruction Librarian