[Eril-l] EXTERNAL: Inquiry on guidelines for A-Z Database lists

[Electronic Resources in Libraries discussion list]

Everything we pay money for is on the list.  I check it a couple of times a year to make sure everything is still responding, URLs haven't changed, and so forth.  (Large database vendors are pretty good about stable URLs and forwarding old URLs, but some of the smaller places... oy vey!).  We get most of our databases as part of a package deal from the Texas State Libraries and Archives Commission, so I monitor their mailing list and website for announcements of database changes and additions.

We also include some open access resources if they are reasonably general and/or relevant to our university's instructional goals (e.g., the Directory of Open Access Journals several free music databases for our very busy music department, the Occupational Outlook Handbook for our career center, etc.) but we don't obsessively track down every OA resource ever.

We have (currently) 98 databases and other resources, so we worry a bit about having too many databases for our students to reasonably keep track of.  I suspect that most of them just use our discovery portal and search everything, even if it would be better to focus more tightly on one database...


Tony Zbaraschuk



Tony Zbaraschuk

Public Services Librarian, Assistant Professor – Library

Chan Shun Centennial Library

100 West Hillcrest Street | Keene | Texas | 76059

www.swau.edu<http://www.swau.edu/> | 817-202-6480 | tony.z at swau.edu<mailto:tony.z at swau.edu>



[1562774135912]





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From: Eril-l <eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org> on behalf of Electronic Resources in Libraries discussion list via Eril-l <eril-l at lists.eril-l.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 6:33 AM
To: eril-l at lists.eril-l.org <eril-l at lists.eril-l.org>
Subject: EXTERNAL:[Eril-l] Inquiry on guidelines for A-Z Database lists

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Hi, everyone --

We are gathering information on guidelines for alphabetical lists of databases and/or electronic resources. How do you all decide which subscription resources to include in your library’s Database list? Does your list also include Open Access resources? If so, how do you decide which OA resources to include/exclude? Even if your library doesn't have formal guidelines, it would be great to hear from you.

Please feel free to email me directly. Thanks in advance for any information you're willing to share!

Best,
Karen

---
Karen H. Gau, MSLIS (she/her)
Health Sciences Collections Librarian
VCU Libraries | Health Sciences Library
Virginia Commonwealth University
509 N. 12th St., Box 980582, Richmond, VA 23298-0582
(804) 828-0638 | gaukh at vcu.edu<mailto:gaukh at vcu.edu> | library.vcu.edu/hsl<https://library.vcu.edu/hsl>
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