Analyzing organizational schemes of information resources in library websites by user education approaches

Abstract

This paper examines the organizational schemes of information resources provided in 38 academic business libraries or collections from 50 top-ranking business schools. A wide variety of schemes, ranging from a simple alphabetical list by database titles to research guides in which resources are inseparably embedded where relevant, were found to illustrate current practices in presenting information resources in the web-based environment. In addition, the paper develops a typology by which the schemes are classified and assessed by resource integration dimension, resource/user orientation dimension, and user-education approach dimension. This typology will assist in assessing existing schemes from the perspectives of both search and instruction as well as in developing new schemes.