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Figures for entry to all branches over the
year show an increase of more than 10%. Caulfield Library and Sir
Louis Matheson Library both recorded more than one million visits
during the year- a first for Caulfield.
Integrating government publications
Previously,
at the Matheson Library, government publications were kept
separately to the rest of the collection. To improve access,
integration of government publications into the collection
continued in 2004, and the catalogue updated to reflect this. This
project will be completed in 2005.
Providing loans services
Facilitating borrowing from the collection
The number of items lent from the library's
collections in 2004 showed a decrease of 17,621 (1.5 per cent) to
1,102,943. A decrease in loans of physical items has been
anticipated for some time, as the library increasingly provides
resources electronically. It should be noted the library's
improved collections budget and changes to opening hours have kept
the collection relevant and accessible and this is reflected in
the still substantial number of loans. Three of the eight branches
experienced an increase in loans numbers compared to 2003.
Matheson Library loans totalled 409,059- an increase of 4137
items or 1.02 per cent. At Caulfield Library, where opening hours
have been extended, loans rose to 290,454 - an increase of 5005 or
1.75 per cent. At Berwick Library, where opening hours were also
increased, loans rose to at total of 34,642- an increase of 1799
items or 5.48 per cent.
|
Loans by branch |
|
Branch library |
2004 total loans |
Variation from 2003 |
Percentage increase |
|
Berwick |
34
642 |
+1
799 |
+5.48 |
|
Caulfield |
290 454 |
+5
005 |
+1.75 |
|
Gippsland |
70
063 |
-1
997 |
-2.77 |
|
Hargrave-Andrew * |
155 836 |
-14 445 |
-8.48 |
|
Law |
49
383 |
-3
702 |
-6.97 |
|
Matheson |
409 059 |
+4
137 |
+1.02 |
|
Peninsula |
67
408 |
-7
165 |
-9.61 |
|
Pharmacy |
25
279 |
-1
365 |
-5.12 |
*Preliminary building work and major collection
movements impacted on services provided from the Hargrave-Andrew
Library.
Improving online loans services
Since the introduction of online intercampus
loans requests in 2000, the catalogue system has allowed users to
place requests for items that are not eligible for loan (such as
reference books, items in closed collections, items on order). As
a result, the requests are rejected- a frustrating feature of the
catalogue for users and staff alike.
In 2004 the library set out to address these
issues by reviewing the catalogue system and investigating
possible solutions. Solutions devised will be implemented in 2005.
It is anticipated that the amended system will not accept requests
for items ineligible for loan and will be able to provide library
staff with improved statistical information regarding movement of
the collection.
Providing access to reserve
collections and electronic reading lists
Improving access to course materials via electronic reading
lists
A hurdle was overcome in 2004 with the
agreement of the university's legal advisers that the library
could link directly to documents embedded in web pages. The
process of linking directly to an actual document rather than to a
web address where the document resides is known as "deep linking".
The result of deep linking is that documents directly published to
the web are now seamlessly viewed.
The flexibility of electronic reading lists
has proved a major advantage for teaching staff, who are able to
update these lists as the need arises. More teaching staff are
taking up the library's offer of providing this service.
Delivering online reading lists via the my.monash portal
A straightforward path to online reading
lists was established by utilising the my.monash portal. Because
the portal delivers a custom view for each student, links to the
library's reading lists appear according to each students' chosen
units of study.
Hits on items linked through reading lists
totalled a very impressive 3,975,897- an increase of 1,327,657 or
50.1 per cent over 2003.
Maintaining reserve collections
Reserve collections continue to dwindle in
size as the library expands access to essential student reading
materials online. Reserve loans in 2004 totalled only 47,554 or
4.3 per cent of all loans. In 2004 staff actively searched for
electronic versions of textbooks that are being purchased in
multiple copies for reserve and short loan collections. These
electronic books are logging high use and reducing the need for
the library to duplicate purchases across campuses.
Providing access to other libraries'
collections
Participating in reciprocal borrowing schemes and consortia
In 2004 the
library continued to participate in the following reciprocal
borrowing schemes and consortia:
- Cooperative Action by
Victorian Academic Libraries (CAVAL);
- University Library
Australia;
- South Eastern
Scientific and Technical Information Consortium (SESTICON); and
- Monash-Melbourne
Intercampus Loan program.
Of note was a service improvement offered
to students of academic institutions participating in the
Cooperative Action by Victorian Academic Libraries (CAVAL)
Reciprocal Borrowing program. A trial was held in second semester
of a streamlined indemnification procedure for CAVAL borrowers.
Previously, a student or staff member would be required to arrange
a CAVAL borrowing card at their home institution's library before
borrowing from another institution's library. The streamlined
procedure enabled students and staff to borrow from the
university library of their choice upon their initial visit to
that library. This new arrangement has proven very popular
and will continue in 2005.
The Monash-Melbourne Intercampus Loan program
continues and, in 2004,1277 items were sent to Melbourne
University students at the Baillieu Library.
Obtaining materials from other
libraries for postgraduate students and staff
Providing an inter-lending and document delivery service
Requests in 2004 totalled 33,215 with 30,571
of these requests made using the electronic request forms. The
average turnaround time for requests made by Monash staff and
postgraduate students for items not held by the Monash University
Library was an impressive four days.
The reduced demand for items to be obtained
from other sources has several possible explanations: the
increased collection budget supported the purchase of an
increasing number of research titles in microform; the number of
journal titles available as electronic back-sets continues to
increase; and the library continues to expand the print research
collections. In 2004 the collection of the library itself supplied
28.5 per cent of titles submitted as document delivery requests.
Conversely, Monash University Library
supplied 10,389 items at the request of users from other libraries- up from 9955 items supplied in 2003.
|
Year |
Requests received from Monash users |
Items supplied from other libraries'
collections |
Items supplied from our collection |
|
2004 |
33 215 |
19 446 |
10 441 |
|
2003 |
40 302 |
24 047 |
12 079 |
Leading and supporting the
university's information management strategies
Collaborating to develop metadata standards
Collaboration with the wider university community to develop
metadata standards continued through 2004. The University Web
Steering Committee approved metadata standards and guidelines for
the university's new content management system in early 2004.
Further advice on specific elements and appropriate syntax for
encoding DC in HTML output was provided. Metadata surveys and
queries from external sources were completed on behalf of the
Monash metadata community.
Improving the library intranet and shared drive structure
As part of
the library's information management strategy, an intranet and
shared drive working group was formed to review the content,
structure and management of electronic information resources
provided for library staff use. The scope of the project covered
all explicit (recorded) knowledge useful for library staff in
their day-to-day work. As a result of the working party a report
recommended that the shared drive be considered as a separate
project with a number of recommendations made on structure, backup
procedures, archiving electronic documents and file management. A
project officer for the implementation of a shared drive structure
has been employed to move the project forward into 2005.
The new look
staff intranet was launched in December in conjunction with a
staff news bulletin as a total communication package for staff.
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