10 Science, Technology, Engineering and Medical (STEM) Library
The impact of the Asian currency crisis on the Australian Dollar combined with
steep increases in journal prices by publishers foreshadowed a major deficit (up
to 30%) on journal subscriptions expenditure in the STEM area. A combination of
strategies was employed to deal with the crisis including the elimination of
duplicate subscriptions across campuses except when an electronic alternative
was unavailable or the local usage made the cost of intercampus loans
prohibitive. Cooperation with University of Melbourne and SESTICON libraries was
arranged to avoid in as far as possible cancellation of the same journals, and
journal subscriptions were reviewed in the context of price, usage, availability
and relevance to teaching and research.
A total of 395 titles have been cancelled in the STEM area, representing 20%
savings in the Life Sciences/Medicine and 30% in the Physical
Sciences/Engineering areas. The availability of RIBG funding for journal
subscriptions was essential to avoid a much greater number of journal
cancellations. The search for an IT based cost-effective alternative to provide
effective access to the serials literature involved a number of cooperative
projects:
READS (Regional Electronic Access and Delivery of
Serials).
The pilot project covering Physical Sciences is planned to commence in 1999.
READS will provide electronic access to content pages of journals and unmediated
web access to document delivery. The project is a cooperative one between
Melbourne, Monash and La Trobe universities with Monash University Library as
lead institution. The system is based on the MEADS system, which it may
eventually supersede.
AVEL (Australian Virtual Engineering Library) Project.
The DETYA funded project is led by the University of Queensland Library with
seven partners including the Monash University STEM Library. The project will
commence in 1999.
National Electronic Library for Chemistry. The
Hargrave Library is a foundation partner in this project. In 1998 the conspectus
evaluation of the Monash Chemistry collection was updated for the project.
Work progressed throughout the year towards the merging of the Biomedical and
Hargrave collections and services into the Hargrave-Andrew Library, with a
current and a retrospective site. The "STEM Merger Working Party"
consulted widely with staff, management and the union on the proposed
redeployment of staff following the merger. University funding for refurbishment
was withdrawn due to urgent needs in other areas. The Library will fund
refurbishment on a modest scale. Indicative costs identified by the Project
Architect were used to identify priorities for refurbishment. Consultation on
refurbishment's included both user representatives and Library staff. Shelving
and space requirement for services were reviewed and an agreement on stock move
was finalised. The new STEM building is expected to be completed in March 1999.
Merger and movement of stock are expected in the latter part of 1999 following
the completion of extended office space and erection of additional shelving.
Faculty-based Library Teams. In 1998 faculty
based teams of subject and reference librarians were created to deliver tailored
library services to faculties across the campuses. The restructuring of library
services offered cost-effective access to the full range of specialist library
services. Effective communication between faculty and team members was
facilitated through formal meetings, email and visits to other Monash campuses.
Electronic Information Services.
The increased usage by patrons of the webpages, electronic information
services and electronic information desk in 1998 was reflected in a reduction in
the number of reference inquiries by 3% in the Biomedical Library and by 4% in
the Hargrave Library. The Alfred Sub-branch of the Biomedical Library recorded a
2.7% inquiry increase. The home pages of the Biomedical and Hargrave libraries
were continuously updated, revised and enlarged.
Information Literacy.
The innovative use of Information Technology in the design and delivery of
the STEM information literacy programs led to a significant increase in staff
productivity. The Biomedical Library registered a 12% increase in the number of
students reached and an 11% decrease in staff contact hours with a 10% increase
in classes. In the Hargrave Library a spectacular 41% increase was recorded in
the number of participants with a 16% decrease in contact hours and 6% decrease
in formal sessions. In 1998 an important new Hargrave initiative was the design
and delivery of an information literacy unit as a component of the new
"Engineering Context" subject. The unit was presented by Library staff
on Clayton and Caulfield campuses with tele-teaching to Gippsland campus.
Evaluation by students indicated a general satisfaction with information
literacy classes ranging from orientation to undergraduate and postgraduate
levels.
Lending Services.
Lending Services statistics in 1998 remained the same in the Biomedical
Library and declined by 12.54% in the Hargrave Library. The change is partly
attributed to a more liberal loans policy and an increase in multiple copies of
student reading titles. Door counts dropped by 1.0% in the Hargrave Library and
6% in the Biomedical Library.
The growth in purchase of digital resources continued in 1998. Evidence Based
Medicine Reviews and Biomedical Core Collections II à IV were added providing
access to 62 full text journals with links to and from Medline. Auto SDI and
Auto Alert services extended to all OVID databases offered a significant
enhancement to users. In Physical Sciences and Engineering a number of core
databases were moved to OVID to extend remote access in support of Flexible
Learning and Teaching.
A Client Satisfaction Survey of the Hargrave Map collection indicated that 57%
of respondents rated the collection and services of the highest level,
representing a 2% increase in maximum score over the previous year.
Courses and conferences attended by staff focussed on IT skills and flexible
learning. Krystyna Thomas presented a paper to the Flexible Learning and
Technology conference on "Information Literacy Workbook (ENG 1601) - mixed
mode delivery and flexible learning". Vivienne Bernath continued to serve
on the CAUL Database Review Committee, a national body. Marta Chiba continued as
Convenor of the SESTICON Science and Technology Information Consortium, and
represented the Monash Library on the Alfred Research Precinct negotiations on
the merger of the libraries of four institutions. Marta Chiba facilitated the
involvement of the Vic. Health Strategic Planning Unit in funding the
introduction of OVID Information Services in Victorian Hospital Libraries
through a seminar and two formal meetings of Vic. Health, the Southern
Healthcare and the Inner and Eastern Healthcare Networks.
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