Showing papers in "International Information & Library Review in 2014"

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Initiatives: A Survey of University Libraries in Nigeria

Abstract: The study investigated the extent of adoption of electronic theses and dissertations in university libraries in Nigeria. Data collection for the study was via online questionnaire. The study revealed that digitization of theses and dissertations started between 1980 and 1995. It was found that only a few university libraries have embraced digitization of theses and dissertations in Nigeria. Benefits of electronic theses and dissertations were identified as improving university ranking and visibility, increasing access to the theses and dissertations, saving space in the library, enabling others link to the work with persistent URLs, preserving the work for future generations, and saving costs for students. Challenges such as unstable internet connectivity, lack of funding, irregular power supply, lack of information technology personnel, absence of electronic theses and dissertations submission policy, and copyright issues were identified. It is hoped that the study might provide insights useful for libra...

An Investigation of Service Expectations: Developing and Validating an Alternative Scale for Service Quality Assessment in Academic Libraries

Abstract: The article provides an overview of the expectations and perceptions of library service quality from university students in Bangladesh. A modified version of the five dimensional SERVQUAL instrument was used to collect data from the universities. Respondents were asked to indicate their opinion on three columns, i.e., desired, minimum, and perception of service performance using 28 service items. It was found that the students’ desired expectation for services is unreasonably high. The study, therefore, made an effort to examine the sources of their expectation to develop and validate an alternative item-scale for service quality assessment. The results indicate that the students’ expectation sources had a significant impact on their opinion on service quality. A large proportion of students felt that their expectation for quality services is their right. This led them to rate higher desired expectation score for services. It suggests that user's desired service expectation is unrealistic and is not relia...

Predicting the Use of a Digital Library System: Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET)

Abstract: The purpose of the current study is to contribute to the limited research base on the use of digital library systems in the Middle East and to investigate factors affecting the adoption of such systems in the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training in Kuwait. The study was conducted by surveying the academic faculty of the School of Basic Education using a structured questionnaire. Data from 160 respondents were found to be usable. Regression analysis revealed that perceived relative advantage, perceived result demonstrability, perceived visibility, perceived trialability, and awareness have positive significant effects on the rate of adoption of the digital library system, and perceived ease of use has a negative significant effect on adoption. However, the results showed that perceived compatibility and perceived image have an insignificant impact on the rate of adoption. The implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.

Intellectual Freedom Education in Japan and the United States: A Comparative Study

Abstract: The rapid development of information technology has dramatically changed the basic paradigm of access in libraries, as well as librarian's roles and responsibilities. In order to remain abreast with these changes, instruction on intellectual freedom in Library and Information Science education needs to be reexamined and revamped. There have been few studies which examined the state of intellectual freedom education in library science programs, and even fewer examined from an international or comparative approach. The present study is an examination of the state of intellectual freedom education in Japan. Interviews and a survey were applied to five Library and Information Science educators in Japan. The findings were analyzed in comparison with the results of Bruce Shuman's survey (1977). The University of Hawaii Library and Information Science curriculum was also used as a reference for comparison. Other recent smaller-scale survey studies are supplemented to illustrate American practice as well. Two fin...

Implications of Institutional Repositories on Contributors' Professional and Publishing Practices: A Survey

Abstract: An institutional repository is a system for dissemination and stewardship of the intellectual life and scholarship of an institution. It has become a new way for the institutions to contribute to the broader world of scholarship (Giesecke, 2011). In spite of the global recognition of institutional repositories as an open access scholarly communication channel, institutional repositories are still struggling with the problem of non-participation from contributors in developing countries like India. This study conveys the results of a survey conducted at a minority university of India. The study is an expression of the opinion of 542 faculty members and research scholars pertaining to the possible implications of institutional repositories on their professional and publishing practices. The study is undertaken to: Determine the level of awareness of institutional repository among contributors; identify the reasons for participation and non-participation of contributors; examine the implications of instituti...

Research Output from Palestine (1995–2012): A Bibliometric Study

Abstract: Palestine is a small newly established state in the Middle East. The objective of this study was to assess the quantity and quality of research output from Palestine after Oslo peace accords. The data used for this study were retrieved from Scopus database (officially known as Sciverse Scopus). Bibliometric analysis was used to identify the pattern of publication, relative growth rate, authorship pattern, collaborative measures, author's productivity, most prolific authors, and most prolific journals. A total of 3,585 published documents were retrieved from Palestine. A steady increase was observed after 2001. The h-index of the retrieved documents was 57. Fifty-three (1.48%) documents were published in Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, whereas 52 (1.45%) and 49 (1.37%) documents were published in Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology and Asian Journal of Chemistry, respectively. Half of the top 20 journals in which Palestinian researchers had published their articles were un-indexed in Institu...

International Information and Library Review: A Ten Year Bibliometric Study

Abstract: The study intends to examine the publication patterns of International Information and Library Review from 2004 to 2013 and to predict the impact and influence of this established journal in the field of library and information science over the last decade. The study finds that International Information and Library Review has published the majority of papers in single authorship mode followed by in two-authorship mode while, contributions in three authorship and more than three-authorship mode are found less. The degree of collaboration in International Information and Library Review publications is found to be 0.45, indicating less intensity of collaborative trend of research. The study reveals that the University of Pittsburgh of the United States is the top performer with 12 authors followed by University of Wisconsin Milwaukee of the United States (10 authors), Universiteit van Pretoria of South Africa and University of the Punjab Lahore of Pakistan (7 authors each). In regard to geographical distribu...

Accessibility and utilization of electronic information resources for research by academic staff at selected Nigerian universities between 2005 and 2012

Abstract: Due to copyright restrictions, the full-text of this item not attached to the record. Please access the article on the official website of the journal via the DOI link at the top of the record.

National Information and Communication Technology Policy and Digital Era School Librarianship in Botswana

Abstract: School librarianship has advanced in the digital era to encompass interactivity, connectivity, and access to a wide variety of information in different formats, through the capabilities of information and communication technologies. School libraries exist to support learning in schools and the importance of the digital age in student's learning cannot be overstated. Today's students are born in the age of technology; therefore a school library that does not encompass the use of electronic media will not meet the needs of the digital generation. The purpose of this article is to find out the status of technology diffusion and use in Botswana school libraries and to advance reasons for the lack of information and communication technology uptake in school libraries. A document analysis of literature was done to determine the factors that hinder the growth of school librarianship in Botswana during the digital era, using the stakeholder theory as a lens for the investigation. Findings reveal a weakness in the...

Online Producers: Studying the Information Needs and Internet Seeking Behavior in the Agricultural Sector

Abstract: The agricultural sector is changing due to the advancing information technologies and the internet. Information is required by agricultural producers which cover all aspects of agricultural production including the processing of agricultural products on-farm or in rural areas. The abundance of agricultural information however does not necessarily imply better informed producers, especially if their information behavioral patterns are not studied. A review of the literature on producers’ information needs and an empirical study on olive and olive oil producers is presented. The theoretical construct of the survey is informed by Wilsons’ macro model of information-seeking behavior. This is employed in order to understand information needs, preferred information resources, as well as obstacles in information seeking of olive and olive oil producers. The survey provides new information behavior results for producers’ information spaces, which in turn are creating a new global business agricultural production ...

Collection Building of School Libraries in Kuwait: Censorship or Selection

Abstract: Lester Asheim's famous piece Not Censorship but Selection published in 1953 is still valid in characterizing the spirit of the censor versus the selector. As information control and censorship differ from one place to another and from time to time, the Kuwaiti school library scene's practices of collection building in both the public and private education schools reflect this old age practice and its features. The conflict between selection and provision on one hand and prevention and censorship on the other is very clear in schools; as schools are responsible for providing access to information.

Curriculum Satisfaction Among Library and Information Science Graduates in China: An Exploratory Survey

Abstract: Results of a 2011 survey of 228 library and information science students at two universities in China enrolled between 2003 and 2006 show that respondents generally had low satisfaction with the curriculum during their university study. Also, half of the respondents indicated that there was little relevance between the curriculum they undertook and their current vocation. In summary, the library and information science graduates believe that reform of the library and information science curriculum system is imperative. This article examines these student perspectives and offers some suggestions on what some of these reforms should be. The suggestions include deletion of duplicate content in courses, addition of more relevant courses, and improvement of the teaching quality and course content.

Occupational Health Hazards: Assessing Occurrence and Policies in Nigerian Academic Libraries

Abstract: This study examines the policies and occurrences of occupational health hazards among library personnel in private universities in the Southwest, Nigeria. A total population of 177 respondents from 15 privately owned universities were used for the study. The research instrument used in the collection of data was a questionnaire. The result of the study shows that most respondents have experienced occupational health hazards. The study also revealed that muscle strain, back aches, eye problems, and respiratory diseases are the most prevalent occupational health hazards experienced by library personnel. The study identified manual handling of library materials, constant exposure of the eyes to computer screens, inhaling of chemicals and dust, as well as long sitting position as the main causes of occupational health hazards among staff. Most respondents indicated that their organizations are not implementing policies on occupational health hazards. Recommendations were made on how to address the various iss...

Measuring Effectiveness and Efficiency of an Academic Library's Collection and Services of the Central Library, Allahabad University: Users’ Point of View

Abstract: The main purpose of this study is to know the users opinion regarding the adequacy of the library's collection and to analyze the level of users’ satisfaction about the library collection, organization, facilities, and services. A well-structured survey was administered to the faculty members, research scholars, and students of the Allahabad University Library to collect data. Data show that the majority of the respondents believess that not only does the library possess an average collection, but the overall library's function, i.e., library collection, organization of collection, attitude of library staff, services, and IT-based services, is also rated average.

Opportunities and Challenges of Implementing Web 2.0-Based Library Services in a Ghanaian University Library: The Case of the University for Development Studies Library, Ghana

Abstract: Technology is impacting greatly on all spheres of life and libraries, the world over are leveraging these technologies to improve upon their services. Academic libraries are taking advantage of Web 2.0 applications to design and deliver a variety of new resources and services. However, this does not appear to be the case for academic libraries in sub-Saharan Africa and other places in the developing world as they are yet to fully embrace the implementation of social media for service delivery. This study reports on a study which aimed at investigating whether Web 2.0 applications could be used to deliver enhanced library services to graduate students of the University for Development Studies in Ghana. A questionnaire consisting of 23 items was administered to a sample of 155. 119 copies of the questionnaires were retrieved and found suitable for analysis and interpretation. The collected data was analyzed and interpreted using the SPSS package and Microsoft Excel. This article provides an overview of the ...