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Title:
Attracting, Educating and Serving Remote Users Through the Web
Review:
The sub-title is "a how-to-do-it manual for librarians". This is what
the book sets out to deliver, and it does that very effectively. By
taking a practical approach to solving the problems of serving users
who may not only be 'distant' but unknown, unseen and unaware of the
services available, this book should help librarians meet the needs of
this growing user segment.
The ten chapters are each taken by a different author, and the book
falls into three main sections. The first four chapters cover the
fundamentals of supporting distance learners, looking at the role of
the library, understanding and attracting the users and their needs.
The second section is on the practical processes of developing and
delivering: providing electronic reference services; maximizing
current awareness and document delivery services; providing library
instruction for remote users and integrating library resources into
inline instruction. The final two chapters cover the technical aspects
of supporting the remote user of licensed resources, and that of
fundraising and public relation in the electronic environment. The
fundraising section is perhaps the least likely to be useful to a UK
reader from the Higher Education sector, but the Public Relations
activities still offer relevant ideas that can be adapted to local
conditions.
The authors are colleagues from the University of Nevada, Reno,
libraries, and there is inevitably an American emphasis in tone and
language in many places. However the issues discussed (and solutions
suggested) are increasingly relevant globally - particularly with
remote users themselves now more likely than ever before to be
international, rather than 'merely' national users. The publishers
have compensated for this by providing a companion Web site for UK and
European users which provides localized references and supplementary
information. This is the best of both worlds - current thinking from
the forefront of user services development, with regionalized support
and background material.
Comprehensive references at the end of each chapter are supplemented
by those on the companion Web site. This enables the reader -
especially one who is concerned as to how the American options will
fare on this side of the Atlantic - to check and assess many of the
sources used by the authors, and then compare that data and research
with the extra references and links provided by Ian Winship on the UK
site. The large format and generous use of white space on the page
makes this book a comfortable read, and at GBP 34.95 it represents
excellent value for the librarian who needs to get to grips with the
needs of remote users, both on a practical and on a strategic level.
Free Pint Reviewer:
Mark Kerr is Centre Manager of London Aspect, South Bank
University's external IT Training unit, which delivers training in a
wide range of IT topics to over 1,000 people each year from small
businesses, charities, academic and local government organizations.
Mark <kerrmw@sbu.ac.uk> has written 'How to Promote Your Web Site
Effectively' and 'Tips and Tricks for Web Site Managers', both
published by ASLIB, as well as a number of articles and book
reviews for publications such as Managing Information, Program and
Library Technology <http://www.sbu.ac.uk/it-training>.
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