Sample Search ___________________________________ Search Results Abstract ___________________________________ Full Text Online Catalog WorldCat Assessment Faculty Response A Happy Marriage: Masters’ Theses and Proquest Jane Bambrick, Cheng Library – William Paterson University Yes, Digitization Our Decision: Partner with Proquest To submit our theses electronically Offer free online access to the full text of these theses to the WPUNJ community via Include theses in the Proquest Dissertations and Theses Database Provide full text of theses to scholars outside the WP community through Proquest for a Fee Receive a MARC record for the Library’s online catalog To Preserve copies in microfilm for perpetuity Option for no charges for students ________________________________________ ___________________________________ Development of Department Manuals procedures that should be followed by students for the completion of their theses. The document should be approved by all department members and approved by the Library. All theses must meet the requirements set forth by Proquest for the inclusion into the database Departments can specify citation style, APA, MLA, etc. All manuals must include the contact information for the Library. The Library sends departments the necessary documents that explain the Proquest procedures for electronic submission Why Digitize….? Students Offers incentives for the highest quality of research Provides flexibility in the way research findings are presented Enhances professional development and career profiles Leads to professional networking Affords browsing the theses collection offsite Faculty/Researchers Provides quick and easy access to research not available elsewhere Increases scholarly debate and inquiry Shares the intellectual content within the scholarship of the digital world Preserves primary literature in perpetuity The Universities Offers “state of the art” access to theses Attracts quality graduate students Strengthens and promotes high standards within Graduate Departments Necessitates collaboration within the University Increases the number of “cited authors” of the University Enables theses to become part of the assets and history of the University Disseminates research to scholars throughout the world Results in sharing of intellectual production Results in a positive profile of the University in the academic world Librarians Offsets printing costs Frees up much needed shelf space Eliminates the need for microfilm storage, readers, printers, etc. Provides the MARC record for cataloging Implements the capability to monitor the frequency University The Beginning There is currently a trend in the growth and development of masters’ programs offered by colleges and universities in New Jersey. Many require theses, yet the policies and procedures of the schools vary in terms of the acquisition and storage of these documents. The Internet has provided an avenue to digitize theses with relative ease. This is an excellent venue for graduate students to research their topics and later share with fellow scholars. After considerable study and deliberation, William Paterson University decided to partner with Proquest to insure the accessibility and preservation of students’ theses. ________________________________________ How we began in 2004: Formed a Theses Committee composed of Librarians to explore the best avenues to access and preserve the University Masters’ Theses Reviewed the Literature to determine the state of the art of accessing and preserving theses Conducted Survey on how college and university libraries in New Jersey address their theses. Explored the possibilities of digitization Collaboration between the Library and Departments Gain University Support from Deans and Provost - Reach out to Departments to get “on board” - Contact the Graduate Studies from each Department - Identify the most enthusiastic departments to begin Students’ Responsibility Read the Handbook and note the Department and Library requirements. Meet with the Librarian and go over the options of Traditional Publishing (No Charge) or Open Access.($). Bring Advisor’s sign off. Select optional copyright and/or bound copies, assign subject headings and keywords. This constitutes the electronic submission of your thesis and it will be included in the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database. ________________________________________ ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database This database that is a result of the marriage of ProQuest and the masters’ theses of the Cheng Library. It is a collection of over 150 digitized master’s theses from 2008 to the present. The majority of titles in the collection are from the departments of Communication Disorders and Music. Other departments are now participating and these include Sociology, Political Science, Kinesiology and education. The Graduate Studies Coordinator must work with the members in their departments to develop Manuals or Handbooks that explain the policies and 6/19/13