Elsevier Library Connect Pamphlet: 15 Ways to Promote Effective Use of Online Resources

Number 1 • Edition 2 • 2007
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Research and Findings

Research

Findings

Library Website Positioning

Make sure your institute’s homepage features obvious links to library pages

On the library homepage, offer links to digital resources and subject-specific content

Limit the number of clicks a user needs to get to full-text access.

Library Website Searching

Allow searches on metadata or key words associated with online resources

Offer options for restricting a search

Offer searchable lists of online resources and providers

Library Website Help Features

List library staff titles and names with telephone numbers and email addresses

Incorporate subject-specific help features within your library website

Provide well-structured FAQs as part of your website

Provide guides appropriate for all levels of users, beginner to advanced

Marketing to Users

Use communication extending beyond library buildings and targeting users in subject-specific ways

Avoid generic email alerts to a wide audience in favor of tailored email messages

Create training courses and updates focusing on subject-specific problems

Allow users to register online for training courses or sessions

Collaborate with your publisher and vendor contacts

Additional Resources

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Contact Information

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Library Website Positioning

3. Limit the number of clicks a user needs to get to full-text access.

While dependent on an organization’s size and library structure, the ideal is only three or four clicks between an institute’s homepage and full-text access to electronic resources offered by the institute’s library. By offering on your library website links or short cuts to particular resources, you can get researchers directly into their preferred titles with the minimum number of clicks.

Elsevier offers short cut URLs enabling users to jump to specific areas in ScienceDirect. You can add to your library homepage or OPAC the short cuts most popular with your staff and patrons. For a list of short cut links to journals and other pages within ScienceDirect, go to http://info.sciencedirect.com/implementing/linking.

Explore More

Maes, A., Geel, A. V., & Cozijn, R. (2006). Signposts on the digital highway: The effect of semantic and pragmatic hyperlink previews. Interacting with Computers, 18 (2), 265–282.
DOI: 10.1016/j.intcom.2005.05.004
Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com