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About Our Service

Research Services leads NOAA policy analysts and scientists in gathering information to support evidence-based decision-making and scientific inquiry. Our team integrates best practices in literature review methodologies to ensure that you have a high level of confidence and access to the best available science. Here are some of the things our team can do for you:

• Assist in defining and scoping a research question
• Develop a transparent & reproducible search strategy
• Identify relevant information sources
• Test and revise search strings and strategies
• Conduct a search for published and gray literature
• Integrate assisted machine learning to screen sources
• Building a full-text library of sources post-screening
• Develop annotated bibliographies

Why work with a Research Librarian?

Research Service librarians are information specialists that develop extensive search strategies required to conduct thorough literature reviews. Through the integration of best practices in evidence synthesis, our processes and methodologies can ensure a more transparent, reproducible, and thorough literature review.

Our librarians work alongside your research team in order to contribute knowledge and searching expertise to find information that addresses your specific research question. Search strategies developed by our team are constructed to ensure a thorough review has been conducted to address each question, but can also be tailored when evidence needs to be assessed rapidly. 

We understand that the needs of NOAA leadership, policy analysts, project managers, and scientists vary. To help determine your needs and the scope of the project, our team will  work with you to understand your specific research needs. Examples of information our team takes into consideration include: how the information is intended to be used, the level of confidence required in relation to decision-making, whether the specific decisions are mandated to use the best available science and your team's timeline.

See how our service is working to support you into the future in our  FY22-FY24 Research Services Strategic Plan .

Systematic methodologies  & decision making

Thomas-Walters, L., Nyboer, E. A., Taylor, J. J., Rytwinski, T., Lane, J. F., Young, N., . . . Cooke, S. J. (2021). An Optimistic Outlook on the Use of Evidence Syntheses to Inform Environmental Decision-Making. Conservation Science and Practice, 3(6) https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.426

Pullin, A. S., Cheng, S. H., Cooke, S. J., Haddaway, N. R., Macura, B., McKinnon, M. C., & Taylor, J. J. (2020). Informing Conservation Decisions through Evidence Synthesis and Communication. In Conservation Research, Policy and Practice. J. A. Vickery, N. Ockendon, N. Pettorelli, P. N. M. Brotherton, W. J. Sutherland, & Z. G. Davies (Eds.), (pp. 114-128). Cambridge University Press https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108638210.007

Bennett, M. G., Lee, S. S., Schofield, K. A., Ridley, C., Norton, S. B., Webb, J. A., . . . Collins, A. (2018). Using Systematic Review and Evidence Banking to Increase Uptake and Use of Aquatic Science in Decision-Making. https://doi.org/10.1002/lob.10283

Haddaway, N. R., Bernes, C., Jonsson, B. G., & Hedlund, K. (2016). The Benefits of Systematic Mapping to Evidence-Based Environmental Management. Ambio, 45(5), 613-620. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-016-0773-x

Haddaway, N., Woodcock, P., Macura, B. and Collins, A. (2015), Making literature reviews more reliable through application of lessons from systematic reviews. Conservation Biology, 29: 1596-1605.  https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12541

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• Last Updated: Jun 7, 2023 11:48 AM
• URL: https://libguides.library.noaa.gov/research

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, research data services in libraries: a systematic literature review.

Information Discovery and Delivery

ISSN : 2398-6247

Article publication date: 31 October 2022

Issue publication date: 7 April 2023

The purpose of this paper was to systematically collect and review all studies which have been conducted on research data services in libraries across the globe.

Design/methodology/approach

Six world-renowned scholarly databases were searched and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used for the identification and selection of eligible studies. The studies were then assessed using a well-renowned framework for the quality assessment of research studies.

The results revealed that the libraries were engaged in providing different types of research data services such as identification, acquisition, management and preservation of research data. They also arranged training programs, supported the publishing and sharing of data and dealt with the licensing and copyright issues related to data.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study would be helpful for researchers and organizations, especially those engaged in educational activities, in understanding the current scenario of research data services in the world libraries. Furthermore, the findings offer valuable insights to library professionals regarding the types of research support services available globally. This would enable them to play an integral role in planning, designing and implementing such services in their libraries.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that systematically collects and reviews the literature on research data services in libraries worldwide.

• Data management
• Data services in libraries
• Library and research data
• Research data
• Research data services
• Researchers and research data

Safdar, M. , Rehman, S.U. , Arif, M. and Ashiq, M. (2023), "Research data services in libraries: a systematic literature review", Information Discovery and Delivery , Vol. 51 No. 2, pp. 151-165. https://doi.org/10.1108/IDD-04-2021-0044

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See Research Come Alive with this Filmed Experiments Journal and Database

Collection Development and Strategies Department 04.16.2024

Featured Database: JoVEs

You can use databases to easily find organized collections of articles, journals, news, streaming videos, primary sources, data, and more!

Here’s one of our most unique databases:

What’s in it?

JoVE is both a journal, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, and a database, JoVE Science Education Database, of filmed peer-reviewed experiments, published in video format to make visible the subtle, intricate techniques involved in research.

Why should you use it?

You can use JoVE to find ideas for experiments, confirm best practice in lab protocols, or get a head start on your lab sessions by reviewing similar experiments beforehand.

Who should use it?

JoVE is useful to anyone studying the sciences. It contains experiments in biology, neuroscience, medicine, bioengineering, engineering, genetics, oncology, immunology, infectious disease, chemistry, behavior, developmental biology, biochemistry, and psychology.  

Why use a database?

When you use a specific database, rather than a search engine or discovery tool, you often can find more relevant sources. For example, subject databases include sources about that subject only, rather than a general search engine or discovery tool that includes information about everything. This way you don’t have to wade through thousands of irrelevant results!

Want more databases?

Browse or search our Databases List !

If you have questions about this database or others, please see our Ask Us page .

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Use this chat box to ask a librarian for research help. We’re available 24/7! (Holidays excluded.)

Text us your questions to 720-438-4446. We’ll answer from 9 am to 6 pm during the week and reply to after hours questions the next morning. (Your provider rates will apply.)

What Help is Available? Please visit our Auraria Library COVID-19 Updates for the latest updates about what services are currently available.

Visit the Ask Us Desk The Ask Us Service Desk is located on the first floor of the Library and provides in-person help by answering questions about the Library, Campus, or three Institutions. This service also loans anatomical items, technology items (such as phone charges and calculators), plus course reserves, or textbooks, for some classes.

Research Consultations Research consultations are for in-depth and lengthy discussions about research questions. Please use Schedule a Research Consultation Form to request an appointment. We can help you out via Zoom or over the phone. Due to the level of preparation needed, appointments should be made 48 hours in advance. If you need immediate help, please use our 24/7 chat service.

For general library information, as well as for questions about borrowing, renewing, or returning library materials, call 303-315-7763.

Let's get started with using the library tools!

Take a quick tour to learn about the research tools on this page.

Start My Research

This is a quick search option for finding research materials. Enter your search terms to find books, articles, media and more.

Limit Your Search

You can limit the search to narrow down your results. For example, limit to “Books Only” to find books and ebooks, or “Media Only” for streaming videos.

Research Tools

Research menu gives you options for in-depth research. Go to Databases List to find the library's subject or format-specific databases for your research.

Get More Help

Do you still have questions or need help with your research? Check out the Research FAQ or use several options to get in touch with us.

For more ways to get help go to Ask Us .

IFLA Academic and Research Libraries Section Blog

News from academic and research libraries, evolving academic library research support services: research ethics.

Author: Roxanne Missingham, University Librarian, Australian National University

Introduction

Academic libraries are fundamental supporters of research activities in their institutions. The digital environment has opened up the collections and services so that they sit within reach in every lab and researchers’ desktop as a part of the research toolkit that supports research in every discipline. The extensive connection with researchers has provided the opportunity to engage with this community to implement many new services to meet their needs.

At the Australian National University, a member of the International Alliance of Research Universities, the Dean of Science commented some years ago that he visited the digital library every day, relying more than ever on the full range of library services. For those in the humanities and social sciences the library is perceived as their laboratory, the research infrastructure on which their work depends. Professor Frank Bongiorno recently stated, “For historians, libraries and archives are the laboratory” (Bongiorno, 2022). This provides an environment where the impact of developments in research support by libraries has a significant benefit to the academic community within their institution.

Over the past decades, academic library services have evolved significantly, in particular with the revolution to a digital or e-research environment. A visit to an academic library website will reveal a wealth of services and products supporting research – from special collections to tailored support services.

Research ethics is an area that has benefited from the new library services that have been created to enhance research activity. Together with established services that support research more generally, services have been extended to provide strong support for compliance with, and capabilities to deal with, research ethics matters.

Applying the lens of research ethics to library activities provides the opportunity to reveal an important value from modern academic libraries. The work of the library in this area is vital infrastructure for successful research within institutions.

Research ethics and integrity

The study of ethics reaches back to the Greeks. Aristotle (Aristotle 1999, Aristotle 2002) proposed a philosophy of ethics that was a new and separate area of discourse. In summary, the approach was one that proposed that “moral virtue is the only practical road to effective action” (Sachs, n.d.). National and international research ethics standards have evolved dramatically since World War 2. The Nuremberg Code, established in 1948, is recognised as the first formal codification (Weindling, 2001). It stated that “The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential”. For information professionals this codification represented new standards and the requirement for documentation to record processes, consents and approvals as an integral part of the research ecosystem.

Research ethics is now required for all human and animal studies, with extensive requirements from funders, governments and institutions. The principles developed to underpin the approaches reflect moral principles that are continually reviewed and tested. They are designed to ensure high ethical norms are met. The norms “promote the aims of research, such as knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error” (Resnik, 2020). Ensuring integrity through research ethics is achieved through a range of institutional services, including that provided by libraries.

Dimensions of library support for research ethics

Research and an analysis of the field of research ethics has developed a number of essential principles. These relate to the practices that are required for compliance and values that are relevant to the nature of the support services required for successful research.

Unpacking the major principles and mapping them to work of academic libraries reveals a wealth of effective and well used activities that are fundamental to ensuring researchers can be confident they are able to comply with research ethics. A well-established set of principles (Shamoo and Resnik 2015) includes the following:

Strive for honesty in all scientific communications. Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data. Do not deceive colleagues, research sponsors, or the public.

Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and action.

Share data, results, ideas, tools, resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.

Transparency

Disclose methods, materials, assumptions, analyses, and other information needed to evaluate your research.

Intellectual Property

Honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission. Give proper acknowledgement or credit for all contributions to research. Never plagiarize.

Responsible Publication

Publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to advance just your own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative publication.

Analysing the range of academic library services against these principles provide an insight into the extent of library activities that support research ethics. A summary of the mapping (Figure 1) summarises collection, reference and research services that are all components of holistic support from the library for research ethics.

Figure 1. Mapping of library services to research ethics principles

The investment of academic libraries in collections and services to support research have had a significant impact on building the capacity of our institutions to support research ethics. The key strategic initiatives that have created great support in this area include:

• Digital collections that specifically support research ethics with a wide range of text books, journals and case studies including guides (such as lib guides) and researcher training to facilitate awareness and use of this material;
• Institutional repositories that provide open access to scholarly works including theses, preprints, OA copies of journal articles, non-traditional research outputs and other original research outputs. The most recent figures from Australian and New Zealand universities (Council of Australian University Librarians, 2021) reveal extraordinary strengths in this area. In 2020 (the most recent figures available), there were 1,650,867 resources available through Australian academic repositories and 135,712 through repositories in New Zealand universities. The impact of these in making research open and transparent is extraordinary. The 2020 figures reveal

Downloads from academic institutional repositories 2020 (Council of Australian University Librarians, 2021)

The repositories enable researchers to both make their work openly accessible and access publications from others to increase knowledge of methods and research findings.

• Institutional data support services. Academic libraries now offer a wide range of data support services. These include research data management training, data storage and management of data repositories (such as the Australian National University Data Commons Service). In Australia, a significant program to develop the capabilities of library staff in data management has been delivered by the Australian Research Data Commons and its predecessor, the Australian National Data Services, a federally funded program (Australian Research Data Commons, 2022b). The University of Queensland Library guide on research data exemplifies the emphasis on clear information on data ethics (University of Queensland Library, 2022)

Figure 2. University of Queensland Library Research data guide.

• Specialised reference services have developed that support research with a strong component of research ethics. New courses include systematic reviews, publishing and publishing ethics, ethical writing, using tools such as Endnote and discipline based standards.
• Libraries provide specialist support on copyright and intellectual property. Most universities have a copyright specialist embedded in the library delivering training for researchers, answering enquiries and advising the institution of copyright issues.

Academic libraries are offering a wide range of activities that are vital to supporting researcher’s knowledge of, and capabilities, in relation to research ethics. The evolution in services and products, such as repositories and knowledge of publishing is of benefit to researchers in all disciplines. The evolution of national programs to support greater capabilities of library staff has been an important enabler of these developments.

The digital revolution has enabled greater and more effective outreach to researchers to embed these services across academic institutions. The library services have been vital elements in a partnership to address increasingly complex funder, government and institutional requirements for research. A recent study highlighted the importance of support in these areas (Jackson, 2018). The complexities identified to collect, transport, and store data in compliance with ethical requirements and managing data across the whole data lifecycle are well supported by the new library services.

There is a need to continue to develop the capabilities of librarians to be able to effectively support researchers with emerging issues, such as data management policy, privacy and security. Participation in national programs such as the Institutional underpinnings program for data (Australian Research Data Commons, 2022a) is an important element in this landscape. Over the next decade the evolution of services will provide an exciting area for the academic library community.

Roxanne Missingham , Australian National University

[email protected]

Aristotle. (1999).  Metaphysics , Joe Sachs (trans.). Santa Fe, NM, Green Lion Press

Aristotle. (2002).   Nicomachean Ethics , Joe Sachs (trans.). Newbury, MA, Focus Philosophical Library, Pullins Press

Australian National University. (2022).   Data Commons. Canberra, ANU. https://datacommons.anu.edu.au/DataCommons/

Australian Research Data Commons. (2022a). Institutional Underpinnings. ARDC. https://ardc.edu.au/collaborations/strategic-activities/national-data-assets/institutional-underpinnings/

Australian Research Data Commons. (2022b). Resources for librarians. Canberra, ARDC. https://ardc.edu.au/resource_audience/librarians/

Bongiorno, Frank. (2022). The Humanities Laboratory. Canberra, The Australian Academy of the Humanities. https://humanities.org.au/power-of-the-humanities/the-humanities-laboratory/

Council of Australian University Librarian. (2021) Data file for CAUL statistics 2020. Canberra, CAUL. https://www.caul.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/stats/2020_caul_statistics.xlsx

Jackson, Brian . (2018) The Changing Research Data Landscape and the Experiences of Ethics Review Board Chairs: Implications for Library Practice and Partnerships. The Journal of Academic Librarianship , 44 (5), p. 603-612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2018.07.001

Resnik, David B. (2020). What is ethics in research and why is it important. Washington, D.C., National Institute of Environmental Health Science. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/index.cfm

Sachs, Joe. (n.d.). Aristotle: Ethics. Internet Encyclopaedia of philosophy. https://iep.utm.edu/aristotle-ethics/

Shamoo, Adil E. and Resnik, David B. (2015). Responsible Conduct of Research. 3rd ed. Oxford,  Oxford University Press.

University of Queensland. Library (2022) Manage research data. St Lucia, UQ Library. https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-services/services-researchers/manage-research-data

Weindling, Paul. (2001). “The Origins of Informed Consent: The International Scientific Commission on Medical War Crimes, and the Nuremberg Code”. Bulletin of the History of Medicine . 75 (1): 37–71

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Research Services staff can assist you with finding collections for your use, whether for the casual learner, for formal education support, or for scholarly research. Information about the community, how to plan a vacation, or genealogical research into your family tree are all areas with which the Research Services staff can help. View this guide to help you get started researching .

For the best service, e-mail the library at [email protected] in advance of your visit. This will allow the staff to prepare for your arrival, whether collections need to be retrieved from closed stacks, or online research is needed before assisting you. Have an in-depth research question you'd like help with? Book a librarian appointment .

The BPL has extensive research collections available for use within the Library, including newspapers and magazines on microfilm, and government documents. Digitized prints and documents are also available through our online repository,   Digital Commonwealth , and we have many online research guides , opens a new window to assist users remotely.

For research related to our special collections, please head over to our Special Collections page to find more detailed information on our collections and how to request items to view.

Maps, atlases, and other cartographic materials are located at the  Leventhal Map & Education Center , located in the Central Library in Copley Square. Research services are available at the Center  on weekdays and by special appointment.

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In-Library Use Only Materials You can access materials found via the online catalog marked In-Library Use Only by coming to the Delivery Desk at the Central Library in Copley Square  at least twenty-five minutes before closing. Some materials are stored offsite and may not be available right away.

Other Materials Much of our research collections, particularly those older than 1974, are not represented in our online catalog. Please consult our special collections index to find contact information for requesting access to individual collections, or get in touch with our Research Services librarians via [email protected] for help or to have materials pulled for you in advance of your visit.

How do I get help with research and reference questions?

Online Fill out our contact form or email us at [email protected] . Our librarians will be in touch over email within twenty-four hours. Depending on your needs, we might recommend a phone call or visit when we get back to you. If your research need is complex, please indicate in the form that you would like to schedule an appointment to discuss your research needs.

Phone We have librarians on-call to help you with research and reference from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. You can reach us at 617.536.5400 .

In-Person There is a librarian on duty at all BPL locations who can help you with research. More intensive research help is available at the Central Library in Copley Square in Bates Hall.

Book a Librarian You can also book a 30 minute appointment with a research librarian . After you request an appointment, the Library will get back to you within 2 business days letting you know if your appointment was approved; information about joining the meeting will be sent in a separate email. Appointments must be requested at least 5 days in advance. 

I don’t live in Massachusetts but I want to do research at the BPL. How do I access materials?

You can get a research card at the Central Library in Copley Square at either the Borrower Services Desk (Level One of the Boylston Street building) or the Delivery Desk (Level Two of the McKim building). This card is free and allows use of materials inside the library. To get this card, you need a photo ID and a document that states your current address. A driver's license or state ID should fulfill both requirements.

If you are coming to the BPL from far away for extensive research, we encourage you to reach out to our Research Services librarians ahead of your visit to ensure the most efficient use of your time here. You can email our Research Services librarians at  [email protected] .

Will the BPL photocopy research materials for me?

Generally speaking we do not make copies for patrons but we do offer photocopiers for your use . If you have trouble using one of our copiers let us know at the nearest service desk.

Please note: some of our materials can’t be photocopied for preservation reasons. In many such cases digital photography would be allowed but please consult with a research librarian before photographing any research materials.

What if I want to use my Arts book for more than one day?

When you return your item to the Delivery Desk , be sure to let a staff person know you would like to extend your hold. The item will be put aside and will be available on the “holds” shelf the following day.

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Introduction

Electronic resources have proliferated impressively in the Russian context as they have in all geographical areas and intellectual spheres of research. Yet, there is a case to be made that in the Russian case this proliferation has been particularly unprecedented. As there has for generations existed a tremendous respect among Russian academics and learned people for not only knowledge but especially the management of it, bibliographers and bibliography as an institution of knowledge has always commanded great respect even despite the awful changes that have rocked the Russian academic community in recent decades. The current migration of knowledge to the world wide web in order to actively facilitate and expand access to it has been taken very seriously by Russian academicians and librarians and has in recent years, in contrast to the 1990s, received increasing recognition and, more importantly financial support, from the state. While there are literally hundreds of online organizations and search possibilities available on the Runet (Russian Internet), some of the most important for international scholars and academics researching and writing about Russia are to be found in the major Russian libraries, which is why this guide pays them particular attention.

Russian National Library

URL: http://www.nlr.ru/index.html

The Russian National Library (Rossiiskaia natsional’naia biblioteka, RNB) is the oldest public library in Russia, founded in 1795 during the reign of Catherine the Great. Some of the earliest materials that comprise its collection came from her, including Voltaire’s personal library. Much additional material came from Poland during the Polish Partitions, only some of which has been returned. The RNB opened to the public in 1814 as the Imperial Public Library. Its collection grew rapidly during the 19th century because of the Imperial censorship laws, which necessitated everything published in Russia to provide one copy for this, the national depository library until the Bolshevik Revolution. By 1914 the RNB held some 3 million volumes. In 1918 it was renamed the Russian Public Library, but during most of the Soviet era (from 1932 to 1992), it was known as the Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library. Renamed the Russian National Library in 1992 by Presidential decree, the RNB hosts one of the largest collections of materials in the world, with over 30 million items.

Catalogs of Books in Foreign (European) Languages

Books in Foreign European languages from the Sixteenth Century comprise another database of this section of the RNB’s OPAC, including almost 40,000 titles held by the RNB ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/in16.php ). These include books on all subjects from theology to law including some rare books. Most of the entries are from handwritten bibliographic records from the Imperial Public Library in St. Petersburg. As such both the items and their records are constantly being digitized. Similarly, the specialized database for Fifteenth Century European materials is constantly being expanded through the additional of newly digitized items from the collection of the RNB’s rare books and manuscripts collection, the largest in the Russian Federation. Currently, more than half of some 6000 items in the RNB’s collection are accessible online at ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/incunab.php ).

Also part of the foreign languages collection, the specialized electronic catalog for Finnish language materials includes monographs from 2002 and older from the RNB collection, and periodicals from beginning in 1957. Materials (both periodicals and monographs) that were collected after 2002 are in the general electronic catalog for Russian-language materials. Another specialized electronic catalog, Rossika, focuses on books dealing with Russia published in foreign languages (either abroad or in Russia), or books by Russian authors translated into foreign languages. This collection is focused only on older materials, those that came into the RNB collection before 1930. More recent materials can to searched for using the main electronic catalog. Additionally, there is another online catalog that allows searching for older foreign language materials published in Russia, that is based on the bibliographic work “Union Catalog of Books in Foreign Languages Published in Russian in the 18th Century,” published in 1984-86 in three volumes. Sixty percent of this online database overlaps with the Russica database. The Library of the First Cadet Corps (previously known as the Landed Gentry Cadet Corps, is another specialized catalog that is not, strictly speaking, focused on materials in foreign languages but nevertheless contains many such materials because of the aristocratic social status of many of its authors, which in the Russian context over the 18th and 19th centuries meant using foreign languages, particularly French. This catalog has streamlined access to a large collection of rare materials that belonged to cadets of this Corps, originally founded in 1732, including almost 7000 original monographs in foreign languages and over 300 original notebooks from some of the cadets. Finally, a newly founded (since 2006) online database of Yiddish language materials based on the holdings of RNB’s section known as OLSAA (Department of Literatures and Languages of Asia and Africa) allows searching of over 20,000 Yiddish language monographs and some 800 periodical titles. The periodical titles are also available for browsing as an alphabetized list, which is very useful in determining exact holdings. Searching is easiest in the Latin script, as all the titles in the database are accompanied with Latin script transliterations and, in some cases, by Russian language descriptions. All of these can be found in the national library list of electronic catalogs:  http://nlr.ru/nlr_visit/RA1812/elektronnyie-katalogi-rnb .

Catalog of Periodicals and Current Serial Publications

Perhaps the most used database collection of the Russian National Library is that of of its journals and periodicals ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/Periodika_rus.php ), not only for locating hard to find publications from years and centuries past, but also to verify the existence of rare and short-lived serials whose records in some cases exist nowhere else. The RNB catalog is extremely useful for its detailed information on the historical records of given publications, including tracking name and place of publication history over the course of its life. The first and primary database in this collection is the Catalog of Periodicals and Current Serial Publications in Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian Languages, which is the result of an extensive project to digitize the card catalog records of the RNB periodical and journal collections since 1728. It is very important to note that Russian bibliographic tradition strictly separates periodical publications from newspapers. This database is not for newspapers, which is a separate OPAC. Also, while the periodical list is consistently being updated, this process does have interruptions which may be witnessed in certain searches. The periodical publication database has not been updated since July 2012.

In addition to the above, there exists an additional catalog that permits more in depth searching of Russian imperial journals from the reign on Alexander I, called “Russian Journals from the First Quarter of the 19th Century with Rospis Content” ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/Periodika19v_1_3.php ), which was prepared over the course of 11 years from 1995 to 2006 as part of the preparation of three-volume Union Catalog of Russian Periodic Publications, 1801-1825. There are nearly 30,000 entries in this database, and it is searchable by multiple means.

A sister database to the first listed in this section above, the Catalog of Periodicals and Current Serial Publications in Foreign (European) Languages ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/Periodika_in.php ) includes the large number of foreign-language periodicals in the RNB collection, again not including newspapers.

For newspapers, the RNB offers the site of its Union Catalog of Russian Newspapers, 1703-1917 ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/svnewsp.php ), which, similarly to its journals site, is tremendously good for checking on particular titles because of its detailed annotations that lay out the historical changes of each title in terms of publisher, place of publication, and the name itself. It is thus possible to check on small, regional papers that may have struggled and been published in various forms or very briefly, as well as the large, urban center or state supported publications. The database is also quite large, built on the records of three leading library collections in the Russian Federation: the Russian National Library (RNB), the Russian State Library (RGB), and the State Public Historical Library (GPIB). In cases where a known publication could not be found in any of these three places, historical newspaper records kept at the Science Library of the Federal Archives and the Vissarion Belinsky Universal Academic Library of the Sverdlovsk oblast in Yekaterinburg were used to fill in the gaps. The bibliographic collection contains entries of all Russian-language newspapers that were published on the territory of the Russian Empire per its borders in 1913, as well as Russian papers from large Russian diaspora communities. Through the additional links on the bottom of the OPAC page (below), patrons can visit additional useful links detailing the rules of the RNB newspaper reading room, information concerning copying, contacting the staff, as well as browse holdings of foreign newspapers in the RNB.

The final database included in the periodicals section is one for holdings of Yiddish language newspapers. The holdings are organized by their transliterated Latin-script names, based on the holdings of the RNB’s OLSAA, the Department of Literatures and Languages of Asia and Africa, just as with journals (above). The record here connects patrons to the same OPAC as is used with the journal entry above, and also provides access to the alphabetized, Latin-script listing of Yiddish-language newspapers held in the RNB OLSAA collection. In addition to the alphabetized name index, patrons can also browse holdings by geographical order, searching for papers by place of publication.

Catalog of Publications in Languages of the Peoples of the Former USSR

The catalog of publications in the various languages of minority peoples of the Soviet Union is organized into four separate databases: first the Finno-Ugric group, followed by small peoples, and then separate catalogs for Armenian and Georgian. This first database, the Unified Electronic Catalog of Finno-Ugric Languages ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/ruslbr_v3.php?database=ONL ), includes the following tongues: Vep, Izhorian, Karelian, Komi, Mansi, Mari, Mordvin, Khanty, Udmurt, and Sami. The pre-revolutionary collections in each of these languages were compiled in conjunction with the formation of state libraries specializing in materials in each of these languages, aided by significant linguistic expertise from Finland, which was then a part of the Russian Empire. In Soviet times the catalog kept growing, as it has since 1991. Currently, the database opens a portal to almost 20,000 titles, including monographs and periodicals.

In addition to the specific Finno-Ugric database, another catalog, the Electronic Catalog of Books in Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation and Countries of the CIS ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/ruslbr_v3.php?database=ONL2 ) was begun in 2000 for all languages of the Russian Federation and participants in the Commonwealth of Independent States that have been acquired since 2000. This includes all languages except Russian and the Finno-Ugric languages for which patrons are encouraged to use databases above. This database is envisioned as becoming much larger in the future as materials in non-Russian languages from before the year 2000 are added to it retrospectively.

Finally, this section includes two alphabetized catalogs, one for Armenian ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/arman ) and one for Georgian ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/gruzin ) materials, the former from 1623 and the latter from 1629. Both are organized by alphabetical entries of scanned catalog cards from the Russian National Library’s card catalog materials, exactly as the electronic Russian book database above works. Because the card catalog entries provide translations of the titles into Armenian and Georgian, it is possible to enter search terms in Russian, but the results are given in Georgian and Armenian only, so without knowledge of these languages searching the RNB database is not useful. Both catalogs are alphabetically organized according to the Armenian and Georgian alphabets. The Georgian database grants access to over 105,000 scanned cards of various titles, while the Armenian database includes some 64,000 scanned titles.

Catalogs for Other Types of Documents

In addition to maintaining and updating the catalogs outlined above, the staff of the Russian National Library is in the process of creating and/or taking apart a host of other specialized catalogs in order to ensure that the collections of the RNB are most accessible to researchers. The Department of Printed Music and Sound Recordings ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/note ), which contains titles from 1518 until the present, is currently in the process of being updated and is not yet searchable. The nearly 7000 titles of the Cartography Department ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/kartogr.php ) are available, however. The twin catalogs of the Alphabetized Geographical Catalogs of Russian Maps ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/cart ) and Atlases ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/rus_atlas ) contain over 60,000 scanned cards from the physical catalog between them regarding items currently housed in the Cartography Department. Similar to the alphabetized catalogs described elsewhere above, these holdings are organized by groups of cards that have to then be sifted through electronically to find the exact entry desired. Entry into the link is strictly by group, and not by individual title. Similarly, the RNB provides access to the card catalog of a rich collection of foreign maps ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/in_cart ) and atlases ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/in_atlas ) from 1600 to 2004, almost 50,000 cards recently added from the physical catalog. In the same vein, the RNB has recently placed the full card catalog of two additional libraries on its website: the the Catalog of Russian Historical Maps and Atlases ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/hist_rus ), from 1700-2004, and Catalog of Foreign Historical Maps and Atlases ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-case3/sc2.php/hist_in ), from 1501-2004.

Another very useful catalog added to this group of databases is the Russian Union Catalog of Printed Maps from the 18th Century ( http://www.nlr.ru/rlin/kartogr18.php ). This is a large and rapidly growing list of old map titles and annotations, featuring maps in Russian, German, French and Latin from the 18th century. It includes access to catalog information on materials from both the Russian State and National Libraries, as well as from a host of museums across the Russian Federation.

Additional specialized databases in this group include access to the Russian National Library’s electronic library. Here (http://nlr.ru/eng/coll/rare/), patrons are able to browse holdings of the Russian National Library’s catalog of rare materials as well as access its growing collection of full-text digitized materials available of many prominent items from Russia’s publishing history, including the full collection of Russian Imperial legal codes ( http://www.nlr.ru/e-res/law_r/content.html ), and access to the Russian State Library’s online library collection dissertations, the Electronic Dissertation Library ( http://diss.rsl.ru/ ). An additional portal offering of full-text materials is the catalog Russia’s First Newspaper “Vedemosti 1703-1727,  which provides access to digitized copies of the early years of Sankt Peterburgskie Vedemosti, Russia’s first printed newspaper begun by order of Peter I in 1702 (1703 in the Gregorian calendar). The early years of this paper, including its first decade when it was actually published in Moscow and was known as “Petrovskie Vedemosti,” are accessible through the Russian National Library’s electronic library. To access the full content of this growing electronic collection patrons are encouraged to register with RNB. Finally, there is an online database specializing in research on local issues around the Imperial capital, St. Petersburg. Literature about St. Petersburg , is a database allowing patrons to perform specialized searches scanning materials from various publications and journals that have been written about St. Petersburg. The project of creating a searchable database from over 600 journals and a wealth of monographic literature began at the RNB in 1989 and is currently up to 80,000 items, over 35,000 of which are available for online searching.

Russian State Library

http://www.rsl.ru/ru

The roots of the Russian State Library (Rossiiskaia gosudarstvennaia biblioteka, RGB) in Moscow go back to its founding as the Rumiantsev Museum in 1828 by order of Nicholas I in honor of Count Nikolai Petrovich Rumiantsev. In 1862, when this institution opened its doors to the public, it housed some 100,000 items. After the death of Vladimir Lenin, it was renamed in his honor and remained the Lenin Library until 1991, serving as the main depository library of the Soviet era. Since then it has been known as the Russian State Library, even though the metro stop servicing it is still called “Lenin Library.” Currently, it houses the largest depository collection in the Russian Federation and the second largest in the world, after the Library of Congress. Extensive holdings include both Russian and Foreign materials, including some 43 million titles in all formats, among which are 16.5 million books and brochures, 13 million journals, 650,000 newspapers, and 1.2 million serial titles. The electronic catalog of the RGB is sufficiently vast that an online instruction manual for electronic searching is recommended to all new users of the site. The online catalogs of the RGB are more flexible than those of the RNB, and it is possible to change the settings of one’s search within each catalog quite easily.

Rumiantsev Museum circa 1900 (Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pashkov_house.jpg?uselang=ru)

Unified Electronic Catalog

The primary, or unified catalog of the RGB is the broadest search engine available through the Russian State Library OPAC, although it does not permit patrons to access all titles held or accessible to the RGB, thereby necessitating searching in the other specialized online catalogs. Users will find, similarly to the RNB online databases, that while searching in English is possible, results will generally be disappointing. The database is constructed on Russian and the Cyrillic alphabet and searching in Russian will always render the best results. The online databases of the RGB are useful precisely because searching is possible in a variety of ways that the more restrictive RNB catalogs do not permit. In all OPAC searches, it is possible to set the search terms to permit a combination of words: marking yes will bring up entries only in the exact order indicated, whereas marking no will permit searching for each word and the combination also. In addition, for patrons with more specific information available, the catalog allows one to specify in what departmental library of the RGB they want to search, or in fact if the item is in, for example, a museum affiliated with the RGB database. One can also specify the language of the item from most world languages, as it is often best to search for the item in its original language if possible. Additional instructions for searching with symbols or only parts of words are given at the bottom of the OPAC page.

Among the immediate row of tabs above the search entry windows, the simple search tab takes patrons to the direct, basic search: a single search window that permits a broad array of search means including all elements, author, name of subject, personality (prominent author/subject), title, series, specialization code, subject, organization, field or industry, publisher, year of publication, place of publication, ISSN, ISBN, Index of the BBK, registration number and system number. Some of these are not known to common users and are designed for quick searching by librarians affiliated with the RGB. Others are not useful unless used in a more advanced search in conjunction with other search criteria (for example, just entering the year of publication will always fail to narrow your search because there will be too many hits, unless you are looking for something published in say, 1725). A more advanced search is offered by the second tab, a combination search that allows patrons to enter up to six fields including subject, author, personality, title, publisher, or all fields. The third tab “po neskol’kim BD” (on multiple databases) allows patrons to cross-search several catalogs at once. The fourth tab is for advanced searching, which is set up similarly to the simple search except that patrons are permitted to enter up to six cross-referenced items, three with a pull down menu of search parameters similar to the simple search, and three more terms entered directly by the patron. It also then allows a choice of permitting a combination word search or not. The fifth tabs takes patrons to the “Common Command Language” search, better known as a Boolean search .

The Fundamental Digital Library of Russian Literature and Folklore

http://feb-web.ru/index.htm

FEB-web (the Fundamental Library of Russian Literature and Folklore) is a project of Gorky Institute of World Literature and the Informregistr Center at the Russian Ministry for Communications. It has been online since 2002. The site is a mammoth collection of materials on Russian literature and folklore, including full text versions of the major works of Russian literature, links to numerous literary and cultural guides and manuals, as well as a wealth of bibliographic guides detailing materials available from the most broad (Pushkin) to the most specific (historical works published in 1860). Feb-web is not specifically linked to any particular physical collection, like the Russian State and National Libraries, but rather work in partnership with numerous institutes, museums, university departments and individual scholars to make researching Russian literary history as accessible as possible on the web. Unfortunately, having so much information accessible on one site requires considerable familiarization with the content before the site can be used for searching for specific information as opposed to simply general browsing. This all the more true because the overall organization of the site content is somewhat confusing. Nevertheless, arguably no other single site in the sphere of Russian cultural and literary studies attempts or succeeds to bring as much under one roof. Everyday the operators of Feb-web attempt to place a new useful link for academic research, and as such the site is useful if for no other reason than to simply keep abreast of changes in online materials available in the field. Because there is not a search interface associated with Feb-web (rather, one browses the text available and links on the particular subjects they find interesting) using the site in English can be useful for those with limited or no Russian language ability. However, researchers must keep in mind that not everything on Feb-web is available on the English-language version.

Because there is a vast amount of information on Feb-web, it would not be useful to attempt to describe it all in a guide of limited space. The importance of the site is better served by simply bringing some examples to light as an invitation for researchers to familiarize themselves with it. There are numerous avenues one could pursue in terms of content, which has more to do with one’s scholarly specialization more than anything else. As a general Feb-web browsing principle, as long as the link has a “plus” sign before it, it can be broken down into smaller parts, which means its text will not be viewable. If one clicks on the link at this point, it will simply open the same screen in another tab. You must get the end of the line (the electronic sheet image before the link has “lines of text” and not a plus sign) before actual text becomes available. Usually, this means so many levels within the online outline that among the tabs over the text is one titled “path,” which if clicked will show you how you got to the page you are at and how to get back. This is extremely useful in order to avoid getting lost and needing to return to the home page, thereby sometimes losing the progress made in finding very specific and particular materials. The word maze is not inappropriate for this site. Following are some specific examples of what can be found on Feb-web.

• One of the important serials sites one can access through Feb-web is Zhurnal’nyi zal, http://magazines.russ.ru/ . Here patrons can find a wealth of links to Russian scholarly (“fat”) journals. In some cases, this access includes full-text articles (under the archives tab). More often it includes an index of the publication’s history, as well as in some cases useful announcements about current or future projects under the “obozren’ie” tab.
• Patrons can access full-text versions of essential bibliographic sources such as Lisovskii’s Russkaia periodicheskaia pechat’, 1703-1900 gg. and its successor, Bibliografiia periodicheskikh izdanii Rossii, 1901-1916 under a tiny link called “Periodika” near the bottom of the “Deistvuiushchie izdaniia” section in the left sidebar. Once the source is located, it then requires a minimum of six (non-intuitive) clicks into the specific layout of the source before any of the text can be viewed.
• Full text collection of a tremendous amount of Russian literature. Not only the international renowned authors but lesser known materials also, such as Protopop Avvakum’s 17th century guide for “ How to Live in the Faith .”
• Various specific works of literature, including poetry, prose, biography, autobiography, correspondence, etc. available in full-text in a host of paths toward specific authors or entire fields of literary scholarship. For example, a collection of memoirs, correspondence and documents are available through the “Rossiiskii Arkhhiv.”

Archives of Russia

http://www.rusarchives.ru/

This is the central site of the Federal Archival Service, founded within the Russian Ministry of Culture in 2004 in attempt to centralize information on conducting research in Russian archives, as well as legislation pertaining to the various archival agencies across the Russian Federation. From this home site it is best to link to the “Map of the Site,” from where one can access the main site menu through the left-side fly out menu. Also from this site it is possible to access the home site of the Federal Archival Service at http://archives.ru/ , where one can find information on the service itself, view legal and budgetary information concerning the creation of this service within the culture ministry, participate in an online forum discussing issues concerning the service (or just read about what people are saying), etc.The unified archival search engine (described below) is also accessible from this site, although not the individual archival search.

Perhaps more central for the researcher looking at working in Russian archives is the list of the numerous, individual archives in Russia that one can access through rusarchives.ru, at http://guides.rusarchives.ru/search/basic/BasicSearch.html;jsessionid=abcpjH-SyQ-OJexHyNTyv . Each of the individual archives listed at this site is a link to a portal containing more information about the holdings, location, collections, and administration of that particular archive, together with contact information and, in some cases, pdf or PowerPoint presentations about specific holdings, procedures, etc. It is also possible to visit the sites of the individual databases of the participating archives of the Archival Service through their listing site, at http://www.rusarchives.ru/elektronnye-opisi-federalnyh-arhivov , which also has a listing of archival OPACs on the bottom half of this page. The Federal Archival Service also has a centralized search engine at http://portal.rusarchives.ru/poisk.shtml , which can perform two kinds of searches. First, It can search through archival sites on the Runet (Russian Internet), which includes 84 archival cites affiliated with the Federal Archive Service; it can search this entire database or be instructed to search particular holdings. Secondly, it can search the site of the Archives of Russia (the Archival Collection of the Russian Federation , pictured below), which grants access to the catalog records of more than 600 million items, or some 8.5 million kilometers of combined shelf space, according to the Archival Service management.

In addition to the above, another useful site, particularly for scholars who are planning to go to Russia, is the Exhibitions site, which lists the current special exhibitions and other programs currently taking place in the various archives of the Archival Service, http://www.rusarchives.ru/evants/exhibitions/index.shtml . The site has an archive of it own as well, so patrons can search to see what special events have been held among the archives beginning with the year 2000. Some specialized exhibitions develop into permanent parts of the online archival service collection, such as the exhibit “Victory, 1941-45,” now complete with its own search engine for wartime archival materials, available at http://rusarchives.ru/novosti/vystavki/05-05-2016-otkrytie-istoriko-dokumentalnoy-vystavki-1941-v-shtabah-pobedy .

Russian State Public Historical Library

http://www.shpl.ru/#_=_

The Russian State Public Historical Library (Gosudarstvennaia publichnaia istoricheskaia biblioteka Rossii, GPIB), often called simply the Historical Library, has one of the best specialized collections of historical titles and bibliographic guides useful in pointing scholars toward additional sources. The library was formed in 1863 as the Moscow City Chertkov Public Library, when most of its original collection was based on the personal library of Aleksandr Dimitrievich Chertkov. The collections of the library grew in the second half of the 19th century largely through donations from historical libraries of other wealthy Russian donors. In the aftermath of the October Revolution, its holdings swelled from various collections of abolished organizations (especially religious ones) and nationalized institutions. In the 1930s and 1940s, GPIB received another significant amount of materials from items confiscated by state security organs during the terror. Finally, many materials from Germany and Eastern Europe ended up on its shelves after the end of WWII. Current holdings approach 4 million volumes, mostly on history and publications relating to history in Russian and foreign languages. Its present name dates to 1938.

Bibliophika

http://www.bibliophika.ru/index.php?sh=proj

Bibliophika is the specialized, full-text online catalog created for the collections of the Russian State Public Historical Library. Currently, Bibliophika provides full-text access to 1235 volumes that have been digitized, equal to almost half a million pages. All of these are from pre-revolutionary texts and include Russian imperial legal publications, bibliographic guides on history, geography, and ethnography of Russia, as well as texts about genealogy, heraldry and history of culture. The GPIB administration has established two methods of accessing the library’s materials: guest and subscription. Guest entrance is open to everyone and permits browsing all the digitized titles in GPIB’s collection, although in low-resolution and not all pages. A subscription permits unlimited access to all materials in high resolution. Subscribing has to be done by writing directly to the GPIB administration, which can be done through their website.

Using the OPAC to access GPIB’s digitized collection is relatively straightforward. The first top-left window is called “divisions,” and allows patrons to choose either books, portraits, or maps and plans as the goal of their search. While there is a search mechanism within the OPAC, the limited size of the digitized collection makes browsing a real alternative. If any of the three divisions is chosen, it pulls up a list of browseable, linkable items that appear to the right of the search block. However, this can take a while if as views are limited to the automatic 40 items per page, as there is no way to skip forward. It is possible to change the setting to display more than 40 items at once, however. The portrait file currently houses 1936 items, the maps and plans file displays 497 items, and the books file contains 335 files listed in alphabetical order. Books are possible to divide further by choosing a particular collection in the window under the search portal. While the browser of the digitized materials is sufficient for maps and portraits, for books there is some inconvenience in that skipping within the file is not possible, rather the patron must page through the text one page at a time either forward or backward. The amount of materials that have been digitized from GPIB’s collection is tiny, but some of these books are important guides to materials that are visible and certain to be useful to individuals without access to bibliographic collections. This small amount of digitized material will hopefully grow.

http://www.runivers.ru/

By declaration of its creator ( the Autonomous non-profit organization to create, support and develop the historical and cultural encyclopaedia and Libraries ” Runivers ” ), the purpose of Runivers is to provide access to books, texts, and primary resources on Russia and Russian culture to anyone with internet access both in Russia and all over the world, thereby making accessible materials that are currently in book depositories, state libraries and archives and are available to a limited number of people either because of subscription limitations or geographical reality. The core project has been to place collected works – mostly history and philosophy from the last half century of the Russian Empire – into and electronic facsimile library that can be accessed from the Library tab on the home website. Holdings under this tab are organized into either an alphabetized catalog or one divided into different categories, including (listed in order of appearance): atlases, bibliographic guides, war history, general history, journals/periodicals, Russian (fatherland) history, military/regimental history, travel literature, Russian philosophy, document collections, encyclopedias and dictionaries. Patrons can then link onto their desired items and download the entire text either via pdf or DjVU. The final link on the tab is for new items entering the collection.

Under the Encyclopedia tab, patrons can use the search interface created by Runivers to browse the encyclopedic information digitized in their database. This is very useful, and the database is promised to keep expanding. Unfortunately for the moment, there are only three encyclopedias that comprise the entire content of this database, and they are all pre-revolutionary military encyclopedias. These include the 8-volume Encyclopedia of War and Naval Sciences from 1883-97; the 14-volume Encyclopedia of Military Lexicons, 1852-58; and the 18-volume War Encyclopedia from 1911-1915. Additionally, Runivers users can access more mostly Russian imperial military history through the Projects tab, although there are additional materials on Russian philosophy, general history, numerous maps from the Runivers encyclopedia collection, and a file or recorded lectures on historical topics mostly from Russian historians and intellectuals. Finally, in the tab Historical gallery , patrons can browse through an exceptional collection of historical Russian maps and atlases dating to the reign of Peter I; an exceptional collection of Russian photographs from the late Russian Empire; and a collection of Russian illustrations and painting on topics concerning national history, complete with annotated descriptions about the work and the historical subject depicted.

Academic Libraries and Collaborative Research Services

Edited by carrie forbes.

Higher education institutions in the United States and across the globe, are realizing the importance of enabling internal and external collaborative work, e.g., interdisciplinary research and community partnerships. In recent years, researchers have documented the benefits of organizational collaboration for research including greater efficiency, effectiveness, and enhanced research reputation. In addition, accreditors, foundations, business, and government agencies have been espousing the value of collaboration for knowledge creation and research and improved organizational functioning. As a result of both the external pressures and the known benefits, many forms of internal and external research collaborations have begun to emerge in higher education.

At the heart of this change, academic libraries, who have long been models for collaborative work, are increasingly participating in the research process by providing a widening range of research services beyond traditional reference services. Innovative library services, in areas such as bibliometric analysis, research data management, and data repositories, are evolving in response to changes in education funding and policies. These funding and policy changes have also coincided with technological developments to create opportunities for academic librarians to find new roles within their institutions and the research community. There is a growing body of literature examining these changing academic library roles, but few volumes have concentrated on how the nature of collaborative work in libraries is helping to reshape institutional research practices.

Academic Libraries and Collaborative Research Services fills that void by providing academic librarians and administrators with case studies and guidance on how academic libraries are establishing their place in this new collaborative research arena in the areas of emerging liaison roles, research data services, open access and scholarly publishing, and professional development programming. The book will also be useful to higher education administrators and institutional research officers looking for information on how to partner with libraries to increase the effectiveness of collaborative research.

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Creative Music Research in Special Collections: Home

What is this giude for, why special collections and creative research.

• Archives and Libraries
• Using a Finding Aid
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• Primary Source Analysis
• Music Copyright
• Creative Research Opportunities
• Creative Music Research Examples and Methodologies

This guide introduces special collections from a creative music research perspective. It outlines how archives operate, how to begin the research process, how to approach copyright and permissions and highlights different forms of creative projects that can come from archival research.

This LibGuide was created with support from Wilson Library's Primary Sources Teaching Fellowship

The primary sources within special collections offer unique perspectives that reflect time and place, individual identities, and community practices. In academic research, primary sources such as diaries, correspondence, records, manuscripts, and photographs provide evidence of historical thought and experiences. In creative research, primary sources can provide evidence of creative practice, or inspiration for new compositions, stories, or interpretations of historical performance practices.

About Special Collections

The Wilson Special Collections Library is home to the University of North Carolina's North Carolina Collection , Rare Book Collection , Southern Folklife Collection , Southern Historical Collection , and University Archives and Records Management Services . The five special collections hold unique and rare books, organizational records, personal and family papers, photographs, moving images, sound recordings, and artifacts that document the history and culture of the University, the state, the region, the nation, and the world. The Wilson Special Collections Library is open to the public.

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Library services in the digital age, summary of findings.

The internet has already had a major impact on how people find and access information, and now the rising popularity of e-books is helping transform Americans’ reading habits. In this changing landscape, public libraries are trying to adjust their services to these new realities while still serving the needs of patrons who rely on more traditional resources. In a new survey of Americans’ attitudes and expectations for public libraries, the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project finds that many library patrons are eager to see libraries’ digital services expand, yet also feel that print books remain important in the digital age.

The availability of free computers and internet access now rivals book lending and reference expertise as a vital service of libraries. In a national survey of Americans ages 16 and older:

• 80% of Americans say borrowing books is a “very important” service libraries provide.
• 80% say reference librarians are a “very important” service of libraries.
• 77% say free access to computers and the internet is a “very important” service of libraries.

Moreover, a notable share of Americans say they would embrace even wider uses of technology at libraries such as:

• Online research services allowing patrons to pose questions and get answers from librarians: 37% of Americans ages 16 and older would “very likely” use an “ask a librarian” type of service, and another 36% say they would be “somewhat likely” to do so.
• Apps-based access to library materials and programs: 35% of Americans ages 16 and older would “very likely” use that service and another 28% say they would be “somewhat likely” to do so.
• Access to technology “petting zoos” to try out new devices: 35% of Americans ages 16 and older would “very likely” use that service and another 34% say they would be “somewhat likely” to do so.
• GPS-navigation apps to help patrons locate material inside library buildings: 34% of Americans ages 16 and older would “very likely” use that service and another 28% say they would be “somewhat likely” to do so.
• “Redbox”-style lending machines or kiosks located throughout the community where people can check out books, movies or music without having to go to the library itself: 33% of Americans ages 16 and older would “very likely” use that service and another 30% say they would be “somewhat likely” to do so.
• “Amazon”-style customized book/audio/video recommendation schemes that are based on patrons’ prior library behavior: 29% of Americans ages 16 and older would “very likely” use that service and another 35% say they would be “somewhat likely” to do so.

When Pew Internet asked the library staff members in an online panel about these services, the three that were most popular were classes on e-borrowing, classes on how to use handheld reading devices, and online “ask a librarian” research services. Many librarians said that their libraries were already offering these resources in various forms, due to demand from their communities.

These are some of the key findings from a new national survey of 2,252 Americans ages 16 and older by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and underwritten by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The interviews were conducted on October 15-November 10, 2012 and done on cell phone and landlines and in English and Spanish.

Public priorities for libraries

Asked for their thoughts on which services libraries should offer to the public, majorities of Americans are strongly in favor of:

• Coordinating more closely with local schools : 85% of Americans ages 16 and older say libraries should “definitely” do this.
• Offering free literacy programs to help young children: 82% of Americans ages 16 and older say libraries should “definitely do” this.
• Having more comfortable spaces for reading, working, and relaxing: 59% of Americans ages 16 and older say libraries should “definitely do” this.
• Offering a broader selection of e-books: 53% of Americans ages 16 and older say libraries should “definitely do” this.

These services were also most popular with the library staff members in our online panel, many of whom said that their library had either already implemented them or should “definitely” implement them in the future.

At the same time, people have different views about whether libraries should move some printed books and stacks out of public locations to free up space for tech centers, reading rooms, meeting rooms, and cultural events : 20% of Americans ages 16 and older said libraries should “definitely” make those changes; 39% said libraries “maybe” should do that; and 36% said libraries should “definitely not” change by moving books out of public spaces.

Americans say libraries are important to their families and their communities, but often do not know all the services libraries offer

Fully 91% of Americans ages 16 and older say public libraries are important to their communities; and 76% say libraries are important to them and their families. And libraries are touchpoints in their communities for the vast majority of Americans: 84% of Americans ages 16 and older have been to a library or bookmobile at some point in their lives and 77% say they remember someone else in their family using public libraries as they were growing up.

Still, just 22% say that they know all or most of the services their libraries offer now. Another 46% say they know some of what their libraries offer and 31% said they know not much or nothing at all of what their libraries offer.

Changes in library use in recent years

In the past 12 months, 53% of Americans ages 16 and older visited a library or bookmobile; 25% visited a library website; and 13% used a handheld device such as a smartphone or tablet computer to access a library website. All told, 59% of Americans ages 16 and older had at least one of those kinds of interactions with their public library in the past 12 months. Throughout this report we call them “recent library users” and some of our analysis is based on what they do at libraries and library websites.

Overall, 52% of recent library users say their use of the library in the past five years has not changed to any great extent. At the same time, 26% of recent library users say their library use has increased and 22% say their use has decreased. The table below highlights their answers about why their library use changed:

How people use libraries

Of the 53% of Americans who visited a library or bookmobile in person in the past 12 months, here are the activities they say they do at the library:

• 73% of library patrons in the past 12 months say they visit to browse the shelves for books or media.
• 73% say they visit to borrow print books.
• 54% say they visit to research topics that interest them.
• 50% say they visit to get help from a librarian. Asked how often they get help from library staff in such things as answering research questions, 31% of library patrons in the past 12 months say they frequently get help, 39% say they sometimes get help, 23% say they hardly ever get help, and 7% say they never get help.
• 49% say they visit to sit, read, and study, or watch or listen to media.
• 46% say they visit to use a research database.
• 41% say they visit to attend or bring a younger person to a class, program, or event designed for children or teens.
• 40% say they visit to ­borrow a DVD or videotape of a movie or TV show.
• 31% say they visit to read or check out printed magazines or newspapers.
• 23% say they visit to attend a meeting of a group to which they belong.
• 21% say they visit to attend a class, program, or lecture for adults.
• 17% say they visit to borrow or download an audio book.
• 16% say they visit to borrow a music CD. 

Internet use at libraries

Some 26% of Americans ages 16 and older say they used the computers there or the WiFi connection to go online. Here’s what they did on that free internet access:

• 66% of those who used the internet at a library in the past 12 months did research for school or work. 
• 63% say they browsed the internet for fun or to pass the time.
• 54% say they used email.
• 47% say they got health information.
• 41% say they visited government websites or got information about government services.
• 36% say they looked for jobs or applied for jobs online.
• 35% say they visited social networking sites.
• 26% say they downloaded or watched online video.
• 16% say they bought a product online.
• 16% say they paid bills or did online banking.
• 16% say they took an online class or completed an online certification program.

Additionally, some 36% of those who had ever visited a library say the library staff had helped them use a computer or the internet at a library.

African-Americans and Hispanics are especially tied to their libraries and eager to see new services

Compared to whites, African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to say libraries are important to them and their families, to say libraries are important to their communities, to access the internet at the library (and feel internet access is a very important service libraries provide), to use library internet access to hunt/apply for jobs, and to visit libraries just to sit and read or study.

For almost all of the library resources we asked about, African-Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely than whites to consider them “very important” to the community. That includes: reference librarians, free access to computers/internet, quiet study spaces, research resources, jobs and careers resources, free events, and free meeting spaces.

When it comes to future services, African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely than whites to support segregating library spaces for different services, having more comfortable spaces for reading, working and relaxing, offering more learning experiences similar to museum exhibits, helping users digitize material such as family photos or historical documents.

Also, minorities are more likely than whites to say they would use these new services specified in the charts below.

Statistical analysis that controls for a variety of demographic factors such as income, educational attainment, and age shows that race and ethnicity are significant independent predictors of people’s attitudes about the role of libraries in communities, about current library services, and about their likely use of the future library services we queried.

In addition, African-Americans are more likely than whites to say they have “very positive” experiences at libraries, to visit libraries to get help from a librarian, to bring children or grandchildren to library programs.

About this research

This report explores the changing world of library services by exploring the activities at libraries that are already in transition and the kinds of services citizens would like to see if they could redesign libraries themselves. It is part of a larger research effort by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project that is exploring the role libraries play in people’s lives and in their communities. The research is underwritten by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

This report contains findings from a survey of 2,252 Americans ages 16 and above between October 15 and November 10, 2012. The surveys were administered on half on landline phones and half on cellphones and were conducted in English and Spanish. The margin of error for the full survey is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.

There were several long lists of activities and services in the phone survey. In many cases, we asked half the respondents about one set of activities and the other half of the respondents were asked about a different set of activities. These findings are representative of the population ages 16 and above, but it is important to note that the margin of error rises when only a portion of respondents is asked a question.

There are also findings in this report that come from an online panel canvassing of librarians who have volunteered to participate in Pew Internet surveys. Some 2,067 library staff members participated in the online canvassing that took place between December 17 and December 27, 2012. No statistical results from that canvassing are reported here because it was an opt-in opportunity meant to draw out comments from patrons and librarians, and the findings are not part of a representative, probability sample. Instead, we highlight librarians’ written answers to open-ended questions that illustrate how they are thinking about and implementing new library services.

In addition, we quote librarians and library patrons who participated in focus groups in-person and online that were devoted to discussions about library services and the future of libraries. One batch of in-person focus groups was conducted in Chicago on September 19-20. Other focus groups were conducted in Denver on October 3-4 and in Charlotte, N.C. on December 11-12. Some 2,067 library staff members participated in the online panel.

Acknowledgements

About pew internet.

The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project is an initiative of the Pew Research Center, a nonprofit “fact tank” that provides information on the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping America and the world. The Pew Internet Project explores the impact of the internet on children, families, communities, the work place, schools, health care and civic/political life. The Project is nonpartisan and takes no position on policy issues. Support for the Project is provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts. More information is available at pewresearch.org/internet .

Advisors for this research

A number of experts have helped Pew Internet in this research effort:

Larra Clark, American Library Association, Office for Information Technology Policy

Mike Crandall, Professor, Information School, University of Washington

Allison Davis, Senior Vice President, GMMB

Catherine De Rosa, Vice President, OCLC

LaToya Devezin, American Library Association Spectrum Scholar and librarian, Louisiana

Amy Eshelman, Program Leader for Education, Urban Libraries Council

Sarah Houghton, Director, San Rafael Public Library, California

Mimi Ito, Research Director of Digital Media and Learning Hub, University of California Humanities Research Institute

Patrick Losinski, Chief Executive Officer, Columbus Library, Ohio

Jo McGill, Director, Northern Territory Library, Australia

Dwight McInvaill, Director, Georgetown County Library, South Carolina

Bobbi Newman, Blogger, Librarian By Day

Carlos Manjarrez, Director, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Institute of Museum and Library Services

Johana Orellana-Cabrera, American Library Association Spectrum Scholar and librarian in TX.

Mayur Patel, Vice President for Strategy and Assessment, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Karen Archer Perry, Senior Program Officer, Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Sharman Smith, Executive Director, Mississippi Library Commission

Michael Kelley, Editor-in-Chief, Library Journal

Disclaimer from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

This report is based on research funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Today's hours, standards research guide.

by Juan Denzer, Engineering and Computer Science Librarian

Technical, Industry or Engineering Standards are used regularly by SU faculty, students and staff. Standards are documented agreements that specify the characteristics, performance and production methods for products, services or systems. Developed by voluntary consensus organizations, these standards aim to ensure interoperability, safety, quality and fair competition in various industries. They typically encompass product standards that define features and performance requirements or process standards that specify production and delivery methods.

By providing a common language and set of expectations, technical standards benefit various stakeholders, including:

• Manufacturers: reduce costs, gain market access.
• Consumers: enjoy safer, compatible, and higher-quality products.
• Regulators: ensure adherence to safety and performance requirements.

Examples include electrical safety, telecommunications, food safety, and medical device standards.

Syracuse University Libraries owns a very limited number of standards in print and has access to ASTM Standards and ASHRAE Standards online. There are also individual standards available online through TechStreet .

For more information on how to locate Standards, copyright, sharing or citing standards, visit the Standards Research Guide . If there’s a standard not available that is needed, contact your Subject Librarian to request purchase.

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Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device., how academic libraries can support research offices more effectively.

University research offices manage an increasingly complex set of responsibilities. Research has become a several-hundred-million-dollar source of revenue at many institutions, and the role of the research office is to oversee, protect, and further develop this vital enterprise.

As grants have become critical in supporting research initiatives, researchers find themselves spending a larger proportion of their time on administrative tasks, such as finding project collaborators, locating, and securing grants, and reporting on grant-funded activities. In fact, seven in 10 researchers now spend at least 30 percent of their time on administrative tasks, an Ex Libris survey revealed. These activities take time away from the research itself.

Research office leaders find it challenging to provide the administrative support that researchers require, owing to a lack of time and resources. This is a key area where academic libraries can help.

Looking to libraries for support

A growing number of researchers are looking to libraries for support. Specifically, there is increasing demand for data research services, among other activities.

While collaboration between libraries and research offices is on the rise, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Fifty-four percent of research office leaders said the library was a main partner in research activities in 2021, an increase from 48 percent in 2020. However, this means that libraries and research offices are still not close collaborators at nearly half of institutions.

Keys to effective collaboration

How can libraries collaborate with research offices more effectively? This starts with communicating the value they can provide in supporting the entire research enterprise—from identifying new publishing channels, to collecting university research, making works more easily discoverable, and measuring the impact of research.

“In general, I think libraries can do a better job of promoting what they’re able to do at the institutional level,” says Jessica Clemons, an account executive for research solutions at Ex Libris .

Here are three strategies that libraries can use to advocate for a larger role in supporting university research.

Build relationships.

Developing one-on-one relationships with researchers and research office staff gives academic librarians an opportunity to highlight their expertise and explain the types of assistance they can provide within the research process.

“I once heard a librarian say, ‘Our administration thinks of us as a pool of contract managers.’ But librarians are so much more than that,” Horon says. “They have skills in information science that can bring great value to the research enterprise.”

Be creative.

There are other university stakeholders that libraries could partner with as well, Clemons says, such as marketing and communication departments. These campus departments are looking to share the good work that’s being done at the institution. By collecting publications and datasets and sharing these assets with campus marketing teams, librarians can help showcase their institution’s research outputs more effectively.

Demonstrate value.

As academic libraries are able to demonstrate the significant value they can bring to the research enterprise, they will come to be viewed as a highly respected and indispensible partner in the process.

To support university researchers and research offices, libraries need effective tools. For instance, Ex Libris Esploro is a cloud-based research information management solution that automates the capture of research assets and applies metadata to these consistently, making it easier for librarians to help gather, index, share, promote, and track the impact of an institution’s research.

“For institutions to remain viable, there needs to be more collaboration between libraries, researchers, and research office personnel,” Clemons concludes. “I think they all have to work better together to sustain the research enterprise.”

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