Connecting Print Patrons to Electronic Holdings with Shelf Dummies

Abstract

After a two-year renovation, the Kent State University Music Library reopened as the Performing Arts Library. Before the closure, some serials were sent to the depository or reclassified within the library. In order to assist patrons browsing print journals or searching for articles in the stacks, library staff created shelf dummies detailing print and electronic holdings information as well as indexing for each title. Patron feedback has been positive, and the project has helped both library staff and patrons better understand accessibility and location of journals.

Keywords:

• Serials management
• Academic libraries
• Access
• Information-seeking behavior
• Information retrieval

Notes

1 http://www.ohiolink.edu/about/news/ejcff.html, access Feb. 3, 2012.

2 The depository member institutions are Cleveland State University, Youngstown State University, Kent State University, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, and the University of Akron.