Group Presentation -

Electronic Resources Centre
by Angela Lau
Jimmy Chan
Charlotte Woo

Introduction

In keeping with the Information Revolution that started about 10-15 years ago, library information centres are changing, with many leading institutions in the world operating for non-book material libraries. At the CUHK, though so far users at the main and branch libraries have had access to different information networks, inadequate space and other resources have prevented the pooling of all electronic facilities under one roof. The committee on University Library System and United College then decided to provide better service to the students of the electronic age through the establishment of an integrated Electronic Resources Centre.

The ERC will facilitate learning at an individual pace and convenience, and serve as an ideal supplement to classroom instruction.

In addition to information available through the networks, it will give users access to stand-alone CD-ROM's' covering a myriad of subjects and disciplines. As the centre has just opened, we, our group intend to do this project so as to introduce the newest facilities that are offered in the Center to all of the students of the CUHK. In this project, we would interview a person in charge in the Centre. Moreover, we would perform a survey so as to get the response of students about the Centre. We do hope after reading our report, readers will enrich their knowledge about this newly opened ERC and fully utilize the services it has provided.

Result on the Interviewing

In order to keep abreast of the latest information technology and library design by getting to know the Centre, we visited the Electronic Resources Centre (ERC) on 10th November, 1995 morning and interviewed the person in charge, Miss Iris Cheung. In the following, we would summarize all we have got after the interview.

The idea and the mission of setting up the ERC

To be proactive, to be a pathfinder rather than a reluctant follower in the delivery of educational resources, the University Library System (ULS) so has the idea to set up the Centre. It aims to teach students in the utilization of the latest electronic resources to enrich their studies and research across different subjects and disciplines. Ultimately, ULS hopes to extend its capabilities and boundary to be a 'library of the future' which will enables users to access resources in all formats and from institutions around the globe.

Reasons for the location

ERC is opened officially on 20th October, 1995. It is located on the first floor of the Wu Chung Library at the United College. As chance would have it, the inconvenience caused to readers by the different locations of the Chinese History Collection and the Western Language History Collection (the former at the Wu Chung Library, and the latter at the main library), and a subsequent decision to move the former to the main library, resulted in the availability of space at the Wu Chung Library for setting up the ERC.

Facilities and Services provided

In the first phase, there are 25 personal computers (model: 486) and 4 Macintosh computers for using the available CD-ROMS which include language learning, science, education, arts, recreations and sports, social science and etc. Users can also use the available computers to access CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-only-Memory) network of the University Library System, and to obtain electronic resources on the Internet through gopher or world-wide-web. Color printers ($2/printout) and laser printers ($0.4/black and white printout) are also provided. All PCs and Macs are networked and connected to the Campus Backbone.

A seminar room of 25 seating capacity is available for user-education. Workshops and seminars on Internet resources are to be held regularly throughout the year. A study area with 4 tables and about 16 seats are available of users to self-study, too.

CD-ROMs (by titles) available in ERC

Art & Performing Arts
Microsoft art gallery
Microsoft cinemania 95

Computers & Multimedia
How to create multimedia

Encyclopedias / Fact Book
KGB / CIA world factbook
Microsoft Encarta 95

Health & Body
A.D.A.M. - the inside story
Complete guide to prescription & non-prescription drugs
The ultimate human body

History
American journey series:
  1. the African-American experience
  2. the civil war
  3. westward expansion
  4. women in America

Languages
Learn English with Asterix & the secret weapon: disk 1 & disk 2 (Mac)

Literature
Discovering authors: British edition
I photograph to remember (Mac)
Monarch notes
World literary heritage

Music
Franz Schubert: the 'Trout' Quintet in A Mafor, D.667 (Mac)
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (Mac)
Microsoft composer collection
Microsoft musical instruments
So I've heard, vol. 1: Bach and before & vol. 2: The classical ideal (Mac)
Richard Strauss: Three Tone Poems (Mac)

Religion
The complete multimedia bible

Science
Safe use of chemicals: a training package

Sports
Extreme sports
Mayo clinic: sports health & fitness
Sports illustrated multimedia almanac 1995

Others
Last chance to see
Microsoft dangerous creatures
Push CD: the multimedia guide to UK universities
Understanding exposure: how to shoot great photographs
World atlas

The characteristics of 'Library in the future'

It is a library without book materials and it represents a unique synthesis of the latest in information technology and library design. Users can tap resources in library across the nation by using computer networks. Although this 'future library' has not became common in HK, it will certainly develop in this electronic age.

The Promotion Scheme applied

Perhaps the target users, staff of the CUHK Academic committee and all the CUHK students are not frequently visit the Centre now, staff of ERC believe that after more promotion such as introductory more of the Centre in CUHK newsletter and give more leaflets to all colleges for distributing to students, then the number of users of the Centre will be absolutely increased.

Management of the Centre

The Centre is administratively under the direction of the ULS. The branch librarian at Wu Chung Library supervises the staff and manages the daily activities of the Centre, with the assistance of a computer technician and other staff. However, the branchlibrarian coordinates the services of the Centre and works in partnership with the United College and all other faculty members of CUHK, in the management of facilities and assistance to users.

Survey Result

Apart from the interview, we also have conducted a survey to collect the opinion of the Chinese University of Hong Kong students towards the Electronic Resources Centre (ERC). Our survey had the sample of the size 60. Since it was difficult to choose our sample by the random sampling method, we decided to employ the convenient sampling method. In such a way, questionnaires were distributed to the students at our most convenience. We distributed the questionnaires at three locations only, included University Library, Franklin Canteen and Wu Chung Library. All of them were completed successfully.

The questionnaire was divided into three sections: 1. General Information 2. the ERC facilities and 3. Personal Information. In the first section, we asked the respondents have they heard the Electronic Resources Centre before and how frequently do they use the ERC facilities. Then we put the focus to the characteristics and services provided at the Centre in the second section. This part contained four kinds of questions. They were related to the computer services offered and the comments of the respondents on the equipment, environment and management of the Centre. Also the other two kinds of questions were about the difference between the ERC and the usual university libraries and the promotion strategy. Personal information such as sex and the college was gathered at the last section of the survey. Once the data were collected, we performed simple data analysis as to draw a rough picture of the opinion of CUHK students on the ERC. The following results were obtained.

Result 1

Figure 1. Percentage of respondents who have/have not
heard the ERC before.

From the above pie chart, we found that nearly 80% of the respondents have not heard the ERC before.

Result 2

Figure 2. Usage rate of the ERC facilities.

There are three main facilities provided at the Centre, including attending the seminar courses, using the computer services and visiting the study area. From the bar graph we have, there were 19 respondents out of 60 never used the ERC facilities, 22 used the facilities at the frequency of 1-3 times a week. Additionally, an encouraging number of 6 respondents who claimed that they always use the ERC facilities and at the rate of above 3 times a week.

Result 3

Figure 3. Frequency of uses of computer services.

Totally five types of computer services were available at the Centre. They were CD-ROM, CD-LAN, Internet, Library catalogues and E-mail. You should notice that using the E-mail services was not encouraged there. From the result of the survey, we knew that Internet was the most commonly used computer services at the Centre. Besides, other computer services have similar usage rate.

Result 4

Table 1. Comments on the equipment, environment
and management of the ERC.

Agree Disagree No Comment
Enough choice of CD-ROM titles 11 (38%) 7 (24%) 11 (38%)
Enough number of computers 17 (59%) 4 (13%) 8 (28%)
The model of the computer
available in ERC (486) is good		 6 (21%) 20 (69%) 3 (10%)
Enough choice of CD-ROM titles 11 (38%) 7 (24%) 11 (38%)
The charging system for printing is
reasonable (color - $2, B/W - $0.4)		 11 (38%) 15 (52%) 3 (10%)
The staff are helpful 22 (76%) 0 7 (24%)
The environment is comfortable 24 (83%) 3 (10%) 2 (7%)
The location is suitable 12 (42%) 10 (34%) 7 (24%)

There was 38% of users agreed of the enough choices of CD-ROM titles and 59% claimed that there was enough number of computers installed at the Centre. To our surprise, 69% of users complained the computer model (486) were too slow to cope with the Internet Search. Some of them suggested a better model such as Pentium should be brought and replaced the old one. Also, over half of the users, 52%, argued why was the charging system for printing so expensive. Only agreed with the present charging system. An encouraging result was obtained from the survey, that was about 75% of users found the staff helpful.

Owing to the large area, almost 3500 feets, of the Centre and the non-wall design would absolutely made the users feel comfortable. Thus it was not surprising to have 83% of users found the ERC comfortable. Lastly, from the table, there was 42% of users praised that the Centre was well located. But actually there still have many respondents claimed that it was very inconvenient to visit the Centre at the Wu Chung Library.

Result 5

Figure 4. Percentage of respondents who know/do not know
the difference between the ERC and the usual University libraries.

From the above pie chart, we found that there was 60% of respondents knew that the ERC was different from the usual university libraries while 40% did not.

Result 6

Figure 5. Difference between the ERC and the usual University libraries.

There were three major difference between them. They were all using computers, CD-ROM and more computers than other. There was 20 respondents could correctly identify the difference of more computers than other. Also an even worse result was obtained for the other two differences. Only 13, 14 respondents who could point out the difference of CD-ROM and all using computers respectively and successfully.

Result 7

Figure 6. The promotion strategy of the ERC.

From the pie chart obtained, 73% of respondents thought that the promotion of the ERC was inadequate.

Conclusion

Inadequate promotion

As the ERC have just opened for a month, it is not surprising to find out that 22% have not heard the ERC. From the survey, we could also find other insights that may lead to the low usage rate of ERC by CU student. That are the inadequate promotion and the poor location for the center. During the interview with Iris. We know that ERC only put its promotion adverting at starting.

Poor location

Many respondent (including UC, non-UC students) complaint the ERC is poor located and asked why the center is not located at the heart of university. With our own experience, we visiting the ERC, we found that there is about 10-15 users and few of them are using the computer promotion program with in the whole campus.

Inadequate up-dated computer model

As the above mention, ERC have only 486 model of PC, we think it has not good enough performance when users use it to connect the Internet so we suggest that ERC should provide a few 586 for Internet user.

Comfortable environment

If you have visited the Centre,you will find that it has a comfortable environment and large area.

Helpful staff

In general students are satisfied with the attitude of the staff and find them helpful.

Suggestion for increasing rate of ERC

We suggest that staff should create a home-page about the service provided by ERC to attract more student (UC or non-UC). Moreover, they also can develop more leaflet in canteen.

Appendix I

Request for Responding the Given Questions

We are a group of the Chinese University of Hong Kong students, taking the course GEE120BD, Technical Communications. We plan to do a project about the newly opened Electronic Resources Centre at the Wu Chung Library. Through the project, we intend to introduce the newest facilities that are offered in the Centre to all of the students and staffs of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In addition we hope that they can keep abreast of the latest information technology and library design by getting to know the Centre. In order to enrich the content of our project, we really need your help to provide us with the detailed information about the Centre. The followings are some questions that query us and we are grateful that if you could spare some time to answer them.

Questions about the Electronic Resources Centre

  1. Why does the University set up the Electronic Resources Centre?
  2. What is the mission of the Centre?
  3. Which kinds of service do the Centre offer to the users?
  4. Which kinds of special service are provided in the Centre but not in the other libraries in the University?
  5. What are the target users of the Centre?
  6. How frequently do the students and staff visit the Centre?
  7. What is the staff structure of the Centre?
  8. Where did the Centre's capital sources come from?
  9. Why was Wu Chung Library chosen as the location of the Centre?
  10. What is the total area of the Centre?
  11. What are the facilities and equipment provided at the Centre?
  12. What CD-ROM titles are available at the Centre and how are they classified?
  13. Is there any connection between the university departments and the Centre?
  14. What is the prospect and potential development of the Centre in CUHK?
  15. What is the promotion strategy of the Centre?
  16. What are the characteristics of the 'library of the future'? Is it common in Hong Kong?
  17. What is the future development of the 'library of the future' in Hong Kong ?
Indeed, we really wish that you could arrange an interview for us. Lastly, if you have any problems with the questions, please feel free to contact Charlotte Woo at 7131 3300 A/C 6.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Appendix II

A Sample of the Questionnaire

We are a group of GEE120BD Technical Communications students. We are conducting a survey about the opinion of the students of the Chinese University of Hong Kong towards the newly opened Electronic Resources Centre (ERC) located at the United College. We hope that you can spare some time to finish this questionnaire and all the questionnaires will be destroyed after we have finished our data analysis process.

(Please put a tick in the appropriate box)

Part A : General Questions

  1. Have you heard of the Electronic Resources Centre (ERC) which is located at the first floor of Wu Chung Library?

  2. How frequently do you make use of the ERC facilities, include attending the seminar courses, using the computer services and visiting the study area?

Part B : The ERC facilities

  1. What kinds of computer services have you ever been used?
    (You can have more than one choice.)

  2. What is your comment on the ERC in the following aspects?


    		Agree Disagree No Comment
    Enough choice of CD-ROM titles


    Enough number of computers


    The model of the computer
    available in ERC (486) is good


    Enough choice of CD-ROM titles


    The charging system for printing is
    reasonable (color - $2, B/W - $0.4)


    The staff are helpful


    The environment is comfortable


    The location is suitable


  3. Is there any difference between the ERC and the usual CUHK university libraries (the University Library, Elizabeth Lucia Moore Library, Ch'ien Mu Library, Li Ping Medical Library, Architecture Library and American Studies Resource Library)?

  4. If the answer of Q5 is yes, What is the difference?

  5. Do the promotion strategy of ERC in the Chinese University of Hong Kong is successful?

    6. Part C : Personal Information

    Sex:

    College:

    The Chinese University of Hong Kong