Small Samples, Broad Applications: Using Bibliographies to Support Instruction, Collections, and BudgetsJOHN KROMERPHYSICAL SCIENCES LIBRARIANMIAMI UNIVERSITY

Overview

• Background

• Bibliography Comparisons

• Cost Analysis

Background

• Chemistry 254: Organic Chemistry for Majors

• Every sophomore chemistry major (53 students)

• Write a paper on a “name reaction”

• Option to attend a library session (25 attended)

• Print Resources

• SciFinder

• Sources for spectra

• ACS Style

Part 1: BibliographyMethods

• Bibliographies collected and anonymized

• Librarian graded bibliographies (10 points possible)

• Small deductions for formatting (0.5-1 point)

• Larger deductions for non-scholarly resources, incomplete citations, missing citations (1.5+ points)

• Bibliographies of students who attended library session compared with those of students who did not attend a session

Findings: Number of Citations

Total Citations Scholarly Articles

8.92 8.549.82

8.00

Attendees Non-Attendees

Findings: Citing Spectra

Total Using Spectra

Appropriate Spectra Cited

No Spectra

2118

4

19

69

Attendees Non-Attendees

Findings: ACS Style

Largely unsatisfactory, regardless of instruction session attendance.Common errors:• Including Article Titles (75%)• No Formatting: Bolds, Italics (60%)• No Journal Title Abbreviations (57%)• Using Other Citation Styles (21%)

Conclusions

Attending a library instruction session results in:• Higher bibliography scores (82% vs. 68%)• Using and citing more scholarly sources• Finding and citing spectra from a verified

source

Attending a library session MAY result in:• Citing the original article (p=0.063)

Conclusions

Attending a library instruction session does NOT result in:• Better use of ACS Style (or use of it

whatsoever)• Different breadth of coverage (range

of years cited, newer or older average citation year)

Limitations

• Self-selection• Percentage of grade

Part 2: Cost AnalysisMethods

• Journal costs from:• Direct purchase (actual amount paid)•Ulrich’s• OhioLINK paid• Total usage• Local stats• OhioLINK stats•Cost per use

Part 2: Cost AnalysisScenario

• 53 students• Sophomores•Chemistry majors•Organic chemistry class•Average 9 articles per paper

•How much did it cost?

List Price Cost per Use

• 365 Articles• Total: $12,008.78•Mean Cost per Use: $32.90•Median Cost per Use: $4.25

• 28 Open Access Articles•Cost per Use without OA: $35.63

OhioLINK Adjustments

• Savings (or expenses!) from OhioLINK: $9,696.92

$12,008.78-$9,696.92$2,312.71

SciFinder

•Cost per session: $18.73• Low estimate: 31 sessions• 31 * $18.73 = $468.31

• Likely number based on average sessions per month: 207 sessions

• 207 * $18.73 = $3877.58

Librarian Cost

•Median salary for an academic librarian in the Midwest: $39,8001

• 52 weeks, 40 hours per week• 2 hours prep time• 6, 1-hour sessions• 2 hours of follow-up

$191.351

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/10/placements-and-salaries/2013-survey/explore-all-the-data-2013/#_

Total CostList cost

$12008.78

$3877.58+

$191.35$16077.7

1

Low cost

$2312.72$468.31

+ $191.35

$2972.38

Likely cost

$2312.72$3877.58

+ $191.35

$6381.65

Journals:SciFinder

:Salary:

Potential ILL Savings

• Typical interlibrary loan charge: $15/article• 8 titles less expensive through ILL• For non-OhioLINK titles, potential savings of $898.47• 4 titles with savings $49.84 or greater per use

Potential ILL Savings

$2312.72$3877.58

+ $191.35

$6381.65- $898.47

$5483.18

Limitations

•Abstract vs. Full Text•Cost Estimations•Ulrich’s• Small Sample Size/Scale

Future Directions

• Longevity study (same students or multiple years)• Similar study on theses•Comparison across disciplines

Questions?

Thank you!

kromerjd@miamioh.edu