   
Section of Social Science Libraries
Annual Report 1994-1995
Hans-Christoph. Hobohm, Fachhochschule Potsdam, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 4, D-14467 Potsdam, Germany (fax: +(49-331) 2884355; e-mail: hobohm@fh-potsdam.de) is Chair of the Section, succeeding Ekkehart Seusing (Germany). Ms Eva Thomson-Roos (Stockholm School of Economics Library, Box 6501, S-113 83 Stockholm, Sweden (fax: +(46-8) 318213; e-mail: bibetr@hhs.se)) is Secretary of the Section of Social Science Libraries, succeeding Ms Kyllikki Ruokonen (Finland).
Standing Committee and Section Membership
The Standing Committee has 13 members from nine countries, plus five corresponding members. Section registration in 1995 stood at 74 members.
Projects
No projects were ongoing during the report period.
Publications
Newsletter
The Section's Newsletter, which is a continuation of the SSID Liaison Bulletin was published once in May 1995 and distributed to members only.
The SSID Bibliography of Social Science Information and Documentation, a conclusion to the SSID bibliography project was published by the Helsinki School of Economics Library and sent to all members of the Section free of charge. The Internet format of this bibliography was updated three times in 1995, with some 170 references. Special thanks for these additions were extended to E. Seusing, A. Kasayanenko (Russia), L. Khoho (Finland), and K. Chelbi (Tunisia). It is hoped that the bibliography will receive more active support as it has been an excellent publicity mechanism.
Future Conferences
Beijing, 1996
Contacts have been made with Renmin University Library, which is willing to help in organizing a half-day workshop. The theme will be: "Seeking Information for Development Studies" with speakers from China, Korea, Japan and Singapore.
Copenhagen, 1997
The Section will organize a joint workshop with the Section on Government Information and Official Publications.
Meetings
Prague, October 1994
Since few of the SC members were present during the Havana Conference in 1994, it was decided to hold an interim meeting organized together with an international seminar. Stanley Kalkus (Czech Republic) hosted the meeting at Charles University and the National Library of the Czech Republic. Eight papers were delivered on the National Library of Prague's special collections; transformation of the Czechoslovak Parliamentary Library; Evaluation of the profession; Research support in the social sciences special library and the challenges of networked information; Libraries in transformation in the Czech Republic; Finnish research library scene; and Demand for new library services and their cross-effects on existing services. The papers were published in INSPEL 29(2):84-126(1995), the official organ of the Division of Special Libraries.
Istanbul Meetings
Workshop
The Section sponsored a half-day workshop on "CD-ROM Issues and Developments", organized and chaired by Bill Bartenbach (USA).
Open Session
The Section's open meeting was attended by 56 participants and had as its theme, "Special Internet Projects of Social Sciences".
Papers presented
No Time to WAISt: Bringing Local Library Friendliness to the Internet
by REPKE EDUARD DE VRIES
Abstract:
The free availability of software like Gopher and World Wide Web which can both bring any electronic material to the net and provide access to it has made the Internet a place with some well-designed resource centres, but also many that are difficult to use. Finding one's way has on the whole become difficult. Using the traditional local library as a model, this paper tries to identify some of the factors which can also make an Internet service useful and easy. The paper demonstrates how and why WAIS databases in particular can contribute. Both Gopher and WWW integrate well with WAIS, which is available both free of charge and commercially. WAIS brings easy-to-search databases of both text and non-text items to the Internet.
Scholarly Communication and the Use of Networked Information Sources
by YASAR TONTA
Abstract:
This paper examines the use of networked information sources in scholarly communication. Such use is reflected, among others, in the footnotes and bibliographies of scholarly articles published in print journals. Twenty-seven print journals representing a wide range of subjects were identified through the ISI's SCI and SSCI Journal Citation Reports
Journals that were selected were those that published the most influential papers in their respective fields during the period of 1990-1993, and thus consistently ranked at the top in terms of their impact factors. From these top journals, a total of 97 articles were selected for further review. Footnotes and bibliographies of those 97 articles were checked to determine if they contained references to networked information sources such as electronic journals and archives accessible though the network. Only two (out of 97) articles contained such references. Findings were discussed in light of other studies published in the relevant literature. Some explanations were also offered as to why references to networked information sources appear relatively infrequently in scholarly articles published in print journals.
CD-ROM and the End-User: Power to the People
by SHARON TAYLOR
Abstract:
This paper suggests ways in which librarians can empower end-users of CD-ROM technology to continue to carry out unmeditated end-user searching. The paper is divided into three parts: part one examines some of the general characteristics of end-users and the common errors that they make when searching CD-ROMs, as identified in current literature. The second part focuses on the library environment and how CD-ROM technology plays an important role in low-cost dissemination of information to its clientele. The third part examines ways in which librarians can assist end-users in their use of CD-ROM technology. The paper draws upon the current library literature on end-user searching of CD-ROMs and discuses this technology in terms of public, school and academic libraries.
Awakening the Sleeping Beauty: CTA's CD-ROM Experience in Africa
by MARIE-JOSEE JEHL and ANDRIES DUSINK
Abstract:
The paper is based on CTA's (Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation) evaluation of its CD-ROM programme and its evaluation in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, on UNESCO's inventory of CD-ROM sites and on CAB international evaluation. After a short presentation of CTA's CD-ROM programme and its evaluation, the paper looks into the impact made by this information technology and the various applications the users and end-users developed in developing countries and especially in Africa. It shows how CD-ROM improved the status of the librarians and raises sustainability issues regarding subscriptions, access to primary documents and training. There is evidence that many African librarians could made their CD-ROM services sustainable through more publicity and marketing of their services towards their clients and notably through sensitizing the institute's managers. The suitability and potential of the CD-ROM as an appropriate technology are then analyzed. Future prospects such as production of national databases, regional library cooperation and electronic networking are suggested.
Multimedia CD-ROM and Beyond
by CHING-CHIH CHEN
Abstract:
Not Available
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