Andrew Senior

Abstract: This article is a preliminary report on the work of the Canadian Linked Data Initiative (CLDI), a collaboration between five of Canada’s largest research libraries, Library and Archives Canada, Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Quebec, and Canadiana.org. Although still in its nascent stage, participating institutions are working together to advance the technical services divisions of our libraries in the area of linked data. Project working groups are making progress in five main areas: grant funding, digital collections, education and training, legacy metadata enhancement, and in the evaluation and adaptation of Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative tools. By working across geographic and institutional boundaries, the CLDI aims to chart a path to a new age of technical services, one based on the foundation of Linked Open Data.

Abstract: Out of the many Linked Data vocabularies available for use, several have emerged in the past few years as candidates for the description of continuing resources. Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative (BIBFRAME) 2.0, PRESSoo, Resource Description and Access Registry, and Schema.org all contain classes and properties designed for the application of Linked Data for serials, but are not necessarily alike in their conceptual frameworks or completeness. This article examines possible alignments between elements most likely to be employed for describing serials, as well as how such alignments might remedy previously identified issues with certain vocabularies and aid discovery. Conceptual heterogeneity between the vocabularies remains the principle challenge to greater alignment.

Abstract: Data science is a rapidly growing field with applications across all scientific domains. The demand for support in data science literacy is outpacing available resources at college campuses. The ac...

Abstract: Information services using smart platforms have become one of the demands of this era since the much of information centres' users prefer using them for their speed and simplicity, capacity and efficiency in collecting vast amounts of information that meets the user's needs. Smartphones have spread out globally in a dramatic form, which means that libraries and information centres are now facing tremendous challenges to meet the needs of its users. This study aims at highlighting the efforts of the Library Information Services Specialists' of providing information services by the use of smart platforms that have been applied in Saudi Academic Libraries and Centres, which have delivered the said services. The main requirements for offering information services via smart platforms in the academic libraries and Information Centers were considered the subject of the study (Saudi academic Library and Resource centres at Saudi Universities). However, the significance of the study relies on empowering the researchers and students to have the means of free access to the research, studies, and all sources of digital information via their smartphones. The study consists of two parts, applied and theoretical fields in its methodology. The implementation of the applied research involved conducting a survey among the information services providers at the Saudi academic Libraries and Resource centres at Saudi Universities. Several users of the said libraries have conducted well-planned interviews with 156 information professionals and researchers to identify their views, insights, and opinions on the benefits of offering information services via smart platforms. The theoretical part took from the resources’, references and websites that discussed the aforementioned topic. Also addressed were its obstacles facing the said services in the era of information technology as the study sought to find out the answer.

Abstract: This study focuses on the promotion and use of tourist-oriented built-for-disasterpurpose mobile applications. The investigation relies on two trends that are characterizing modern societies. The first trend refers to the fact that recently, rapidly, and worldwide, the number of mobile applications users increased. The second trend refers to the fact that, worldwide, international tourism demand highly increased from the beginning of the 1960s to the mid-years of 2010s. These travelers are also users of mobile applications, and they use apps for several reasons, including those related to security/emergency issues. International travelers may need information such as risks at the destination, warnings, shelter locator services, emergency routes information, and traveler telephone hotline to be used in the case of earthquakes, tsunamis, infectious diseases, or other disasters. We considered the role of built-for-disasterpurpose mobile applications as a tool to provide information to tourists, increase their risk-awareness, and improve their disaster-preparedness. Previous studies suggest that these tools may have a high impact in that sense. However, the number of users informed about these applications tends to be very low. We systematically reviewed interdisciplinary academic contributions to analyze research on apps-users’ intention to adopt mobile applications. Findings suggest opportunities for future tourism-oriented studies aiming at increasing the number of users of built-for-disasters mobile applications. In particular, we provide a research agenda taking into consideration the geographical spread of the studies, the used research techniques, and the adopted theories.

Abstract: As academic libraries spend an increasing amount of their budgets on electronic resources, librarians seek to find out who is using the electronic resources and why, so libraries can provide better service. One tool is COUNTER,1 which sets standards for recording and reporting usage of networked electronic resources. From COUNTER-compliant data-usage reports from subscribing vendors, libraries receive the number of successful full-text article requests by month and journal, total search requests by platform or database, successful section requests by e-book, and various title request reports, among other reports.2 As described by Emery and Stone,3 there are a number of tools for analyzing COUNTER data in addition to those in an electronic resource management system, including vendor-supplied applications like ProQuest 360 Counter,4 EBSCO Usage Consolidation,5 and consortial tools like Journal Usage Statistics Portal.6 With these data and tools, performance indicators such as downloads per FTE user, cost per search, cost per view, cost per FTE user, and other metrics can be generated.7

Abstract: It has been a decade since Tim Berners-Lee coined Linked Data in 2006. More and more Linked Data datasets have been made available for information retrieval on the Web. It is essential for librarians, especially academic librarians, to keep up with the state of Linked Data. There is so much information about Linked Data that one may wonder where to begin when they want to join the Linked Data community. With this in mind, the author compiled this annotated bibliography as a starter kit. Due to the many resources available, this list focuses on literature in English only and of specific projects, case studies, research studies, and tools that may be helpful to academic librarians, in addition to the overview of Linked Data concept and the current state of Linked Data evolution and adoption.