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Current Awareness Services

Current Awareness Services. Definition. A service which provides the recipient with information on the latest developments within the subject areas in which he or she has a specific interest or need to know. (Hamilton). Components of CAS. Database User interest profile Notification

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Current Awareness Services

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  1. Current Awareness Services

  2. Definition • A service which provides the recipient with information on the latest developments within the subject areas in which he or she has a specific interest or need to know. (Hamilton)

  3. Components of CAS • Database • User interest profile • Notification • Feedback • Document delivery (Rowley)

  4. Factors of a good CAS • Knowing what topics to cover • Knowing who wants what • Knowing the source for obtaining the latest information • Supplying the information regularly and reliably (Hamilton)

  5. Benefits • Keeping the user up to date • Saving time • Creation of new ideas • Savings on journals • Reducing paper flow. (Rowley)

  6. E-CAS • Electronic current awareness uses a computer-based technique for matching the contents file of the information product with the interest profile of the user

  7. Elements of E-CAS • Using cost-effective products or databases covering the subject field • Running at regular intervals using effective and easy-to-use software • Creating search profiles for individual needs • Delivering relevant search results to the user; exporting into personal database • Making provisions for rapid document delivery

  8. Advantages of E-CAS • Keeping users better informed • Providing access to needed documents • Supporting academic, professional and managerial taks • Automating the process of searching for retrieving relevant information • Providing information in a preferred format

  9. Examples of E-CAS products and services • Current Content • UnCover • Commercial Science Publisher • Elsevier Science Publisher - COTENTS-Alert - CoDAS • Springer Verlag Science Publisher • OCLC

  10. Examples of E-CAS products and services • Online hosts • Journal subscription agents - Swets subscription service - EBSCO Information services- Current Citations - Customised TOC

  11. In house Vs. External Services • External services - Advantages - Disadvantages • In-house CAS - Computer based options - Non-computer based options (Rowley)

  12. External ServicesAdvantages • Access to a large store of information • Downloading for further processing and packaging • Freeing staff time • Saving cost, if subscription and the staff time taken into account

  13. External Services Disadvantages • Difficult to change search terms and titles covered • Serendipity effect lost • Erratic services. • Coverage imposed • No personalization

  14. In-House CAS • Computer based option A computer based solution offers both a better service, with more flexibility and easier indexing and maintenance of the database in the longer term, coupled with lower costs.

  15. In-House CAS • Non-Computer based option Local scanning of newspapers, newsletters, journals and other published information sources • Copies of title pages from journals • Copies of the first page of articles • Daily newspaper cuttings • Advertisement bulletins • Bulletins of events

  16. Evaluation of CAS • Coverage • Currency • Cost • Mechanisms for creating and maintaining profiles • User friendliness of the interfaces that support theses activities • Personalization • Integration with document delivery • Relevance to user needs

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