Informatics Publishing Limited

Ahmed Taha ¹

Affiliations
1 Research Consultations Desk, the Main Library-United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) Po Box-1441, Al-Ain, AE

Abstract

The web and the digital devices indisputably have become integral components of the e-library services as they provide smarter and convenient ways of making research information easily accessible and retrievable at a real-time. This survey seeks to shed light over the newly introduced e-research consultations as a new genre of expert library service to support postgraduate studies and research projects. We diagnosed the potential factors responsible for query processing prior to suggesting a model for improving the process of answering research inquiries and consultations. Analysis of the research queries and consultations, received via various routes of communication, revealed that the research desk can conveniently handle a wide range of information needs, such as encompassing short-answer factual information and guidance about search strategy, and offering in-depth research consultations and expert assistance in tracking down hard-to-find information. It can formulate advanced search strategies, providing guidance in using specific library e-resources and e-services, and assisting in thesis writing. The study argues that as the research devoted library moved its user centred research reference services into web-based, the research librarian should have to adjust to the new e-research paradigm and should excel in answering the needs of research students and faculty.

Keywords

E-Research, Research Consultations, Research Users, Digital Academic Library, Uae.

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Ahmed Taha ¹

Affiliations
1 Jimi Business and Engineering Library, Jimi Campus-1, UAE University, P.O. Box 17555, Al-Ain, AE

Abstract

The pervasive use of Internet and ICT (information and communication technology) in many learning and research settings has greatly enhanced the phenomenal growth of a wide array of digital applications and utilization to expand significantly throughout the chain of eLTR (e-learning, e-teaching, and e-research) arenas. The DL (digital library) primarily benefited the most from the powerful capabilities of the Web to enhance friendly search and retrieval across multidisciplinary domains to promote e-information dissemination within networked environment. Concomitantly, scholarly use of Internet has facilitated the Web-based research (e-research), which furnished a platform for developing innovative research practices, modelling, simulation, and quality test within virtual laboratory environment. Should the DL view e-research as a new domain of information service? Many studies on using the Web for scholarly research have provided strong evidence to consider e-research as a new challenging domain for DL services, since the DLs have become more obligated to answer the growing information needs of the e-research community over 24×7. Integrating DL resources with e-research process has therefore, become, a highly urgent necessity in e-learning environment. This work sketches the potential of DL e-services for actively endorsing e-research activities. Conceptual model representing interoperability between the two e-domains is presented.

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