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1 Introduction
Pages 13-36

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From page 13...
... In addition, transportation researchers and practitioners alike observe that technical reports, even those in digital form, are often difficult to locate and retrieve. Given the amount of information and data available through the Internet, some transportation agencies are questioning the need for traditional libraries that operate primarily as centralized physical collections, and library budgets are often easy targets for cutbacks.3 In recent years, the 1 Value added is a measure of the contribution of each private industry and of government to the nation's GDP.
From page 14...
... conduct a study to take a fresh look at how transportation information is managed and provided. To date, transportation libraries and other information providers have depended primarily on voluntary, informal contacts for the sharing and distribution of documents -- ad hoc arrangements that may change with changes in personnel and funding.
From page 15...
... They are also joining with other information providers, as well as information technology and communications professionals, in knowledge management teams that are working to develop systematic approaches for filtering and adding value to the vast quantity of material now available on the World Wide Web so users can rapidly access relevant and reliable information. The study covers all types of transportation information -- from reports and journal articles to conference proceedings -- as well as databases and statistical information in both the United States and abroad.
From page 16...
... For example, the Transportation Research Information Service (TRIS) database, a compilation of abstracts and citations of more than 620,000 records of completed research, has been funded by the state DOTs and administrations of USDOT for more than 35 years.
From page 17...
... vicesr tation Se Information or nspa Research tiona Tr rmo Research Inf Transportation= (TRISNET k ion t ET ET or or nat ISN ISN system. Netw Products TR TR Supp Coordi information 2.)
From page 18...
... The Thesaurus was adopted by TRB for its indexing activities on TRIS and is maintained and periodically updated by TRB contractors. It is recognized by the Library of Congress and is used by the University Transportation Centers and many state DOTs and academic libraries in applying subject indexing terms to catalogue entries.
From page 19...
... provide technical assistance to participating state agencies on cataloguing documents for use in OCLC and converting them to online formats and (b) develop tools for collaboration Library; three university libraries -- the University of California at Berkeley Transportation Library, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, and the Northwestern Uni versity Transportation Library; the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Library; and the TRB Library.
From page 20...
... . Today, members include the libraries of DOTs in nine states -- Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wis consin; three university libraries -- those of Northwestern Uni versity, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, and the University of Minnesota Center for Trans portation Studies; the corporate library of Hanson Professional Services; and NTL.
From page 21...
... 9 The following state DOTs are participants: Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Ore gon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin. The Midwest Regional University Transportation Center is also a participant.
From page 22...
... 11These state DOTs, however, may provide information about ongoing research if they participate in Research in Progress. 12A scoping study prepared in anticipation of this study provided substantial detail on current gaps in transportation information provision and access, including limited holdings of transportation documents; limited access to conference proceedings, international material, and unpublished technical and research reports; and lack of a permanent repository for transportation documents and archival functions.
From page 23...
... . More generally, as compared with other major sectors of the economy such as health and agriculture, which support national libraries and broad networks of information providers, the transportation sector devotes relatively few resources to information services (see Figure 1-2)
From page 24...
... (Source: Budget estimates, library directors; GDP estimates, BEA 2005.) the National Agricultural Library and their associated information services.13 Implications for This Study Declining budgets for many traditional transportation library collections and library closures provided an important impetus for this study.
From page 25...
... For example, a 2003 survey of the directors of University Transportation Centers found that web-based resources and online catalogues were considered most important in conducting transportation research (LIST 2003) .14 A recent survey by the Pew Foundation found that the vast majority of Internet searchers were satisfied with their searches and searching skills (Fallows 2005)
From page 26...
... · Knowledge management: Librarians and information professionals view themselves as adding value by turning information into useful 15The youngest users (those between 18 and 29 years of age) , however, are more avid, committed, and trusting searchers than older users (Fallows 2005, v)
From page 27...
... A Knowledge Management Task Force composed of PB consulting professionals and information technology support personnel guides the development of the knowledge management system. SOURCE: Personal communication, J
From page 28...
... A full-service transportation library and responsive information services are integral to the program. RD&T program managers add value to research conducted both by the Wisconsin DOT and externally for the department's technical staff in a number of ways.
From page 29...
... As noted, librarians and information professionals are responding by becoming more proactive, moving beyond the reference desk to offer information to users and add value by synthesizing and repackaging that information on the basis of user interests and expertise. (Box 1-4 provides several examples of information identified and synthesized by librarians and information professionals that has proven of value, and in some cases has contributed to significant cost reductions, for state DOTs.)
From page 30...
... The following examples illustrate the ways in which summaries of current research and best practices in a wide range of subject areas prepared by librari ans and information professionals have enabled transportation agency staff to make more informed decisions. The examples are drawn from a Wisconsin DOT report (CTC & Associates LLC 2005)
From page 31...
... The Wisconsin DOT ultimately decided to install signs on the bridge with telephone numbers for crisis counselors. Engineering and Materials · A New York State DOT Bridge Deck Task Force sought a new concrete mixture for bridge decks that would reduce perme ability and the potential for cracking.
From page 32...
... .16 Engineers may look to the library for abstracts of relevant research reports and syntheses of best practices, as well as regulations and design codes that are digested, packaged, and readily accessible through desktop website portals. Librarians are also joining together with information technology and communications professionals as embedded members of research and project teams to broaden their visibility as knowledge managers and integral partners in meeting the mission-critical goals of their organizations (King 2004)
From page 33...
... Specifically, its charge is to · Identify and capture critical business knowledge; · Develop and provide tools and techniques to support knowl edge creation, identification, and sharing across the organi zation; · Facilitate learning from past and current professionals; and · Develop and share best practices in project management and critical business processes. The Knowledge Management Office is currently engaged in several new initiatives.
From page 34...
... Finally, librarians and information professionals are attempting to counter management concerns about the cost of managed information services by identifying the costs in user time and efficiency of not having well-organized information resources. To do so, they must be skilled in both quantifying the value of information services and increasing their own visibility.
From page 35...
... Finally, Chapter 4 reviews funding options for the coordinating structure and the transportation knowledge networks, proposes a funding strategy, and ends with a brief discussion of next steps. REFERENCES Abbreviations BEA Bureau of Economic Analysis FHWA Federal Highway Administration HRB Highway Research Board LIST Committee on Library and Information Science for Transportation MTKN Midwest Transportation Knowledge Network OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
From page 36...
... Draft Final Report, Project 20-7, Task 142. Prepared for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board, May.


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