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ERIC Number: ED435400
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1998-Nov
Pages: 37
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Using Links To Facilitate Access to Internet Resources: A Content Analysis of Ohio Public Library Web Sites.
Mason, Susan Gortner
This study analyzes the use of external links on Ohio public library World Wide Web sites, focusing on methods used to facilitate access to Internet resources. The categorization of links was analyzed, with specific focus on the organization, scope, and presentation of links arranged topically. This study suggests that the public libraries of Ohio are at different stages in the process of creating effective Web sites with well-selected, organized, and presented links, but clearly are working toward the goal of providing enhanced access to Internet resources. Of the 113 Web sites analyzed, 109 had at least one link to an Internet resource created outside of the library's Web site. Nearly 47% organized links topically, into ready reference areas. The organization and scope of the ready reference areas varied widely. The number of links provided in the ready reference areas ranged from 1 to 1,718, with nearly 40% providing fewer than 25 links. Approximately 50% of ready reference areas were organized using a broad categorization scheme, with the remaining 50% listing links without using categories or categorizing randomly without any attempt at exhaustiveness. Annotations were the most commonly applied presentation technique studied, used by 62.2% of libraries that organized links into ready reference areas. Appendices include a coding sheet and population sample data. (Contains 16 references.) (Author/MES)
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A