LUC 2024

We'll present a practical look at a major, ongoing project we've been working on to make our databases easier for users to find. The project centers on the process of creating a customized taxonomy of subject tags and type tags and applying them to our databases. We'll discuss project organization, division of labor, creation of taxonomies, and systematic application of changes to over 1,000 different databases. We'll also touch on challenges and future plans for rewriting database descriptions.

In February 2023 at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans Library, we were told we had to clear out one-third of our print journals stacks to make way for an IT server room. We ultimately withdrew over 33,000 bound journals and an additional 2,300 items after weeding our reference monographs. We will describe our projects, how we coordinated with various institutional departments, and how we developed a new methodology for reporting withdrawn items.

In the summer of 2024, Oxford University Press (OUP) worked with LOUIS to provide its members with access to 450+ Very Short Introductions (VSI) ebooks (https://academic.oup.com/very-short-introductions). These ebooks are used by faculty nationwide to provide students with background knowledge on topics. Together we will explore how the VSIs are being used by member institutions and discover other OUP resources that could be used in LOUIS member classrooms.