One of the significant gaps in library troubleshooting literature is methods of diagnosis. Chapter 4 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 58, no. 7), “Methods of Diagnosis,” attempts to fill this gap by reviewing trends and common methods of diagnosis for both reactive and proactive troubleshooting. We discuss the DECSAR troubleshooting methodology; diagnosis techniques of re-creation, elimination, backtracking, and half-splitting; and tools such as link checkers, screen capture programs, OpenURL editors, and other remote-access troubleshooting tools. We also discuss proactive troubleshooting, analyzing problem reports, and access checks.
Author Biographies
Ashley Zmau
Ashley Zmau has more than ten years of academic library experience and is coauthor of Electronic Resources Librarianship: A Practical Guide for Librarians (Rowman & Littlefield 2018) and The Electronic Resources Troubleshooting Guide (ALA 2020). She is currently the technical services librarian at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine and was previously the electronic resources librarian at the University of Texas at Arlington and the electronic resources management librarian at Southern Methodist University.
Holly Talbott
Holly Talbott has more than seven years of experience with electronic resources and is coauthor of The Electronic Resources Troubleshooting Guide (ALA 2020) and Electronic Resources Librarianship: A Practical Guide for Librarians (Rowman & Littlefield 2018). She is currently the electronic resources librarian at Kent State University and was previously the electronic resources and licensing librarian at the University of Arizona Libraries.
