Purpose of Project:

Contemporary use of computer technology has revolutionized the concept of academic libraries from that of housing tangible physical artifacts to that of storing vast quantities of information in intangible electronic form. With the increased range of subjects now covered in research and educational data bases, computerized literature services for academic libraries have become almost obligatory today. This project proposed to supplement the limited library resources of historically black colleges and universities in two ways: by providing them access to computerized bibliographic information via a costeffective network and by training librarians in the skills needed to deliver on-line information retrieval services.

Innovative Features:

The 15 participating institutions obtained computerized bibliographic services by subscribing to the DIALOG Information Retrieval System using a network format to link their libraries with this advanced system. These services permit accessing information that may or may not be physically located in a specific library.

The first phase of the project was devoted to training. Twenty-two librarians from participating institutions attended a one-month institute at Atlanta University devoted to referencing on-line information. They developed instructional modules that integrated computerized bibliographic resources into existing manual catalogue systems.

The second and third grant years were devoted to delivering reference services to the schools' academic constituencies, i.e., publicizing their availability and developing course-related modules for teaching on-line referencing within various disciplines. Once the services were known, librarians at participating schools searched a variety of data bases to fulfill information requests, and set in motion an evaluation of program costs and effectiveness. In addition to helping faculty and students in their bibliographic searches, information from the DIALOG network was used by administrators in program planning, budgeting and evaluation decisions.

Evaluation:

A 34-item questionnaire developed and administered by an external evaluator to assess the usefulness of the summer institute showed that the librarians felt professionally improved by learning state-of-the-art librarianship and that their bibliographic search skills were vastly upgraded. After returning to their home institutions, they employed what they learned about integrating computerized services into their manual systems, conducted library demonstrations, and assisted faculty with data base searches. Feedback from these faculty on the value of the instructional and research services was very favorable.

Assessments of the retrieval services at each institution were the responsibility of the participating schools. A few schools measured the quality of their new instructional modules by using pre-and post-tests of students' information retrieval skills; others used student evaluations of the modules developed by participating librarians. Both found students' interest and knowledge of library resources increased from exposure to the new instructional units.

The external program evaluator based formative cost evaluation on monthly statistical reports from participating libraries, including billings from DIALOG on data base use and connect hours.

Impact or Changes From Grant Activities:

Twenty-two librarians learned on-line bibliographic information retrieval skills to serve 15 historically black colleges and universities. Instructional modules in the humanities, social and natural sciences, and business were developed to teach students computerized referencing skills. Furthermore, all 15 libraries found ways to sustain the enhanced library services after FIPSE funding ended.

Due to financial constraints, the project could only allocate total of 3,000 searches per year, or 200 for each of the 15 schools. Although an inadequate number for a combined college population of 43,000, it represented a significant improvement over previous on-line usage. For example, in 1984, a total of 53 searches were conducted for five of the participating colleges; with the advent of the project, 700 searches for these same five were undertaken in 1985, and r many as 900 in 1986.

Data on the number of searches conducted between 1985 and 1987 at the 15 participating schools show uneven use of the new library technology. Even so, the number of searches either increased the next year or remained the same. The project gets credit for making the majority of searches possible.

For the first time, these 15 historically black schools could access information that was not physically located in their libraries. The training of their librarians in computerized bibliographic technology imparted state-of-the-art information retrieval skills. Both activities focused new attention on the library's central role in the academic advancement of the university and served, according to project participants, to enhance the educational mission and goals of these schools.

What Activities Didn't Work?

Administrators at the participating institutions used the search services less than anticipated. As a group, they initiated only 75 recorded searches over two years. However, the project's major shortcoming was the inadequate number of searches available to the colleges and universities chosen to participate. Nevertheless, the decision to introduce more black schools to these services than resources permitted resulted in integrating computerized retrieval within them all, and the institutional commitment on each of the 15 campuses to continue to support these services.

What Do You Have To Send Others And How Do They Get It?

Materials used by the instructors of the summer institute and the evaluation of the institute may be requested from the project director. Monthly reports from the participating libraries, which include statistics, teaching modules and other materials, are also available upon request. Finally, monthly billings from DIALOG citing the data bases used, connect hours, cost for each institution, and the cumulative costs may be requested from:

Lorene B. Brown
School of Library and Information Studies
Atlanta University
223 James P. Brawley Drive, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30314
404-681-0251

Cost Effeciveness:

A subscription contract purchased from DIALOG through Atlanta University gave the schools access to the retrieval system at lower rates than could be purchased by their individual libraries. These cost efficiencies were crucial because of today's volume of publications and the costs of implementing new technologies. They were especially important for some of the black schools already operating deficit. Even those where computerized resources already existed, their costs dictate low usage.

Cost data show 1986-87 savings of $5,347 on library searches because of the subscription usage discount arranged with DIALOG. The monthly savings due to the network subscription amounts to about one-sixth of the total costs. Further savings were realized by centralizing billings of participating schools at Atlanta University, which also provided an accurate record for cost analysis.

What Has Happened To The Program Since The Grant Ended?

The participating libraries have received operational funds from their respective institutions to continue the new retrieval systems. All 15 historically black schools now have, in use, systematic strategies for locating, identifying, and evaluating information resources.

[Alverno College] [Table of Contents] [University of California]