Acknowledgment of Libraries in the Journal Literature: An Exploratory Study

doi:10.2478/jdis-2020-0023

Abstract

Abstract:

Purpose: This study examines ackn?wledgments to libraries in the journal literature, as well as the efficacy of using Web of Science (WoS) to locate general acknowledgment text.

Design/methodology/approach: This mixed-methods approach quantifies and characterizes ackn?wledgments to libraries in the journal literature. Using WoS’s Funding Text field, the ackn?wledgments for six peer universities were identified and then characterized. The efficacy of using WoS to locate library ackn?wledgments was assessed by comparing the WoS Funding Text search results to the actual acknowledgment text found in the articles.

Findings: Ackn?wledgments to libraries were found in articles at all six peer universities, though the absolute and relative numbers were quite low (< 0.5%). Most of the library ackn?wledgments were for resources (collections, funding, etc.), and many were concentrated in natural history (e.g. zoology). Examination of Texas A&M University zoology articles found that 91.7% of the funding information came from “ackn?wledgments” and not specifically a funding acknowledgment section. The WoS Funding Text search found 56% of the library ackn?wledgments compared to a search of the actual acknowledgment text in the articles.

Research limitations: Limiting publications to journals, using a single truncated search term, and including only six research universities in the United States.

Practical implications: This study examined library ackn?wledgments, but the same approach could be applied to searches of other keywords, institutions/organizations, individuals, etc. While not specifically designed to search general ackn?wledgments, WoS’s Funding Text field can be used as an exploratory tool to search acknowledgments beyond funding.

Originality/value: There are a few studies that have examined library ackn?wledgments in the scholarly literature, though to date none of those studies have examined the efficacy of using the WoS Funding Text field to locate those library ackn?wledgments within the journal literature.

Key words: Acknowledgment, Bibliometric analysis, Libraries, Web of Science

E. Hubbard, David, and Sierra Laddusaw. "Acknowledgment of Libraries in the Journal Literature: An Exploratory Study." Journal of Data and Information Science, vol.5, no.3, 2020, pp.178-186. DOI: 10.2478/jdis-2020-0023

Figures/Tables 4

Table 1

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Table 2

References 15

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Univ.	Article Number	FAs Number (%)	FAs with FT=librar* Number (%)	LAs with OA Funding Number (%)	LAs without OA Funding Number (%)
TAMU	45,066	28,785 (63.9)	182 (0.63)	107 (0.37)	19 (0.07)
P1	62,820	41,216 (65.6)	126 (0.31)	35 (0.08)	33 (0.08)
P2	49,983	34,906 (69.8)	167 (0.48)	36 (0.10)	36 (0.10)
P3	59,079	38,306 (64.8)	136 (0.35)	30 (0.08)	24 (0.06)
P4	42,663	29,046 (68.1)	91 (0.31)	19 (0.07)	19 (0.07)
P5	57,792	39,336 (68.1)	186 (0.47)	67 (0.17)	44 (0.11)
Average	52,901	35,266 (66.7)	148 (0.42)	49 (0.14)	29 (0.08)

WoS Categories	Zoology	Environmental Sciences	Information Science & Library Science	Multidisciplinary Sciences	Ecology	Plant Sciences	Public, Environmental & Occupational Health	Genetics & Heredity	Health Care Sciences & Services	Nutrition & Dietetics	Toxicology	Water Resources
TAMU	5	2	-	-	4	1	2	-	1	2	1	1
P1	5	1	-	2	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
P2	5	2	8	2	2	1	1	3	-	1	1	1
P3	-	3	1	4	1	1	1	-	-	1	1	-
P4	-	-	2	-	-	3	-	-	1	1	1	3
P5	1	7	2	5	1	-	3	3	3	-	1	-
TOTAL	16	15	13	13	11	9	7	6	5	5	5	5

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