# Presentation: 527096

## LinkOut in the Hills : the West Virginia University Experience – Past, Present, and Future

- Jean L. Siebert
- Collection Manager
- Reference Librarian
- B.S. Pharmacy, M.L.S., M.B.A
- Jean.siebert@mail.wvu.edu

## Health Sciences LibraryProjected 2007 

## Acknowledgements

- Susan Arnold
- Virginia Bender
- Terrance Burton
- Kathy Kwan
- Julie Kwan
- Michael Kronenfeld
- Ruth Nellis
- Frances O’Brien

- Dave Piper
- Dale Prince
- Susanne Rasmussen
- Jean Shipman
- Tansy Szeliga
- M.J. Tooey
- Nancy Wasson
- Toni Yancey

## Objectives

- Share West Virginia University Health Sciences Library (WVU HSL) Methods for Teaching Users about accessing full text from PubMed
- Describe Past Present and Future of LinkOut Project
- Present Outcomes of LinkOut Project

## Methods 

- Elevator Moments
- User Friendly Icons
- Press Releases
- Message of the Week
- Staff Training
- In Library Training
- Office Visits
- Colorful Handout
- Integrated with Instruction Program
- Web Site Information

## Elevator Moment

- Waiting for Elevators
- Look for PubMed  Paper Printed Search Results without LinkOut Icons

## Press Releases

- E-News
- The Center (HSC publication)
- The Spirit (WVU campus newsletter)
- “What’s New” on Health Sciences Library web page

## User Friendly Icons

- Incorporate Color and Design of Parent Institution
- West Virginia University Health Sciences Center
- Benchmarked other library LinkOut Icons
- Utilize Word(s) which users Understand
- Avoid Library Jargon
- Tried and tested Alternative words
- On Shelf
- Print Collection
- ONLINE

## User Friendly Icons

- Full Text Journal
- In Library

## Slide 10

## Message of the Week

- Colleges
- Pharmacy
- Nursing
- Send out weekly email to students, faculty and staff
- Also Posted on their web pages
- Upon Request they include messages related to the library

## Incorporate Into Everything!!

- Staff Training
- Library Staff Essential
- In Library Training
- Handout Racks
- New Faculty Information/Orientations
- Office Visits
- Library Instruction
- Reference Desk Questions
- Directional Help

## Slide 13

## Slide 14

## Promotion Must Be Continuous

- Faculty Turnover
- Retirement
- New Faculty
- Interdisciplinary Research
- Student Turnover
- Graduation
- Jobs which require library research
-  Rural Rotations
- Staff Turnover
- Retire
- Switch Jobs from other campuses
- Change to Research Based Positions

## Past

- Started on LinkOut 2002
- Published Article Fall 2002 in PDI Alert
- Major Library Projects Slowed Project Down
- Moving Journals put project on hold Summer of 2004
- Weeding and Moving Books 2003-2005

## Present

- Over  1,200 Journals in Access Database
- Creates Reports When Needed
- Change in Vendors Creates Additional Work
- Addition of Full-Text Databases
- Serial Vendors Mergers and Acquisitions
- Adding More E-Journals Increases Data Entry
- Elsevier Science Direct
- LWW Journal Collections

## Reasons for High Use

- Only Academic Medical Center in town
- Two Hospitals into without libraries
- Largest Research University in State
- Geographically Limited Access
- Construction Two Research Buildings
- Largest Square Foot Building in State
- Stairs (100+ from Parking Lot)
- Leader Online Journal Conversion WV
- Highest Number of Electronic Journals
- WVU HSL Supports Rural Rotations
- Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy Etc

## Change of Cast

- LinkOut Data Entry  and Activation Executed by Reference Librarians
- Susan Arnold
- Virginia Bender
- Jean Siebert
- Training Serials Library Associate to take over LinkOut for Reference Librarians
- Susanne Rasmussen

## Quotation

- In Research, Data Speak
- Curtis L. Meinert 1966

| Description | 2004 | 2005 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full-Text Access | 8815
 | 31549
 |
| Journals NOT Full-Text | 4699 | 8420 |
| All Journal Access
 | 13514
 | 39969
 |

- Outcomes

## Slide 22

## Future

- Investigating Connecting Serials Solution with PubMed
- Submit for Poster Session on Outcomes at Regional Meeting
- Writing an article on Our Project and Outcomes

## Lessons Learned

- LinkOut Project
- Takes longer than Projected
- Access Database Critical
- Anticipate Delays
- Continual Need for Promotion
- “I didn’t know you could do that”
- “Usually use www.pubmed.gov”

## Lessons Learned

- Who Will be Responsible Long Term?
- Weekly or Bi-Weekly Work
- Understanding the Importance of PubMed
- Bring Them into Project Earlier
- Unanticipated Outcomes
- Heavy Use Full-Text Journals
- Decreased Library Visits
- Increase in More Difficult Serial Questions

## Questions and Comments

- Now
- Later
- _[Jean.siebert@mail.wvu.edu](mailto:Jean.siebert@mail.wvu.edu)_
- 304 293-1920

## Conclusion

- Achieved Objectives
- Delighted to Discuss with you in Future
- Hope You Will Implement and Maintain LinkOut
- Thank you for Listening