the more extensive and diverse the set of formats accepted, the less likely that the repository will be able to offer services beyond bit-level preservation for most of the formats across time. What we don’t know (and this is a place where data would be valuable) is how many authors take advantage of these opportunities to include non-textual materials at institutions that permit this. We do know that less than a third of respondents noted that the ability to include non-text features was an important issue that encouraged implementation of an ETD program in their institution. One might speculate that this reflects the publication practices of many faculty, who continue to generate their work largely in text formats. Or, it is possible that our students need additional support, for example from the library and information technology professionals on campus, to fully exploit relevant technologies that could enhance their scholarly work. It is also possible that since librarians were the predominant group completing this survey, they may not be directly aware of the importance of the inclusion of non-text materials to various departments in their institution. At its annual conference, NDLTD gives awards to graduate students who have authored innovative ETDs, and examples of the types of materials used by these students can be seen in their work, linked from the NDLTD Web site.6 Needs of Graduate Students Many university libraries are making a renewed effort to provide services and technology-rich spaces for graduate students. Institutions such as New York University, University of Minnesota, and University of Washington have studied graduate student needs for library and information services using a variety of techniques.7 The kinds of support that graduate students desire are likely to vary by institution and by discipline. Each institution should have mechanisms in place to gather needs-assessment data, and it would be useful to better understand what specific needs students have at the thesis or dissertation stage. Note that an institutional policy decision about the unacceptability of long-term embargoes may well play an important role in shaping these needs, particularly with regard to advice about copyrighted materials. E-research is also giving rise to new demands for help. While students often include appendices with survey instruments and tables of data, the large volume of data associated with e-research methodologies has not generally been included as part of the dissertation. One institution becoming active in this area is Oregon State RLI 270 13 ETDs and Graduate Education: Programs and Prospects ( C O N T I N U E D ) JUNE 2010 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A BIMONTHLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC
Previous Page Next Page