Showing papers in "Libri in 2003"

A Moral Reflection on the Information Flow From South to North: an African Perspective

Abstract: In most discussions of the digital divide, the emphasis is on assisting developing nations by facilitating the flow of information resources from the developed countries to the developing - a North-South flow. The South-North flow of information receives less attention. A number of moral questions arise from the current state of South-North information flow, six forms of which are analysed in this paper with particular reference to Africa. The discussion is approached from an ethical perspective based on a specific moral framework based on three moral claims: (1) there exist universal information-related human rights - the right of freedom of access to information, the right of freedom of expression, and the right of individuals and groups to control the information they have generated; (2) the notion of a common good, predicated on a moral community which shares certain values, imposes an obligation to share information; and (3) justice is the main normative tool that can be used to regulate the flow of information.

The information audit : principles and guidelines

Abstract: Auditing is a recognised management technique providing managers with an overview of the present situation regarding specific resource(s) and services within an organisation. Many different types of audits currently exist in the commercial world, including audits of information resources. Currently, as far as the researchers could determine, there exists no single accepted methodology for performing an information audit. In view of this, the researchers investigate whether it is possible (and desirable) to develop a standardised information auditing methodology. Investigating the nature and characteristics of the information audit as well as how a number of other audit types do this, e.g. the financial audit, the communication audit. The researchers conclude that none of these are the same as the information audit, although similarities exist. Various information audit methodologies are discussed, evaluated and classified. The researchers conclude that even though the principles of the financial audit cannot be used to develop a standardised methodology for information auditing, information professionals can look towards the accounting profession for support in developing a standardised, universally accepted method for accurately determining the value of information entities. Guidelines for a standardised information audit methodology are identified.

Disciplinary Differences in Academic Web Presence – A Statistical Study of the UK

Abstract: The Web has become an important tool for scholars to publicise their activities and disseminate their findings. In the information age, those who do not use it risk being bypassed. In this paper we introduce a statistical technique to assess the extent to which the broad spectrum of research areas are visible online in UK universities. Five broad subject categories are used for research, and inlink counts are used as indicators of online visibility or impact. The approach is designed to give more complete subject coverage than previous studies and to avoid the conceptual difficulties of a page classification approach, although one is used for triangulation. The results suggest that Science and Engineering dominate university Web presences, but with Humanities and Arts also achieving a high presence relative to its size, showing that high Web impact does not have to be restricted to the sciences. Research funding bodies should now consider whether action needs to be taken to ensure that opportunities are not being missed in the lower Web impact areas.

Nationwide Library Consortia Life Cycle

Abstract: Library consortia development processes were examined from an ecological approach, combining historical perspective, dynamic developmental approach, and social structure, stressing the issues of permeable boundaries in library consortia and the manifestation of inter-organization relationships. A comparative analysis of several nationwide consortia (from Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Italy, Micronesia, Spain and the U.K.) using six criteria enables delineation of a developmental pattern. Additional support for the model is based on a study of U.S. state-wide consortia conducted by Potter in 1997. A four-stage life cycle sequence is outlined: embryonic, early development, development, and maturation. In addition, the ecological approach stresses founding and disbanding processes, suggesting disbanding as a fifth stage. The contribution of this paper to developmental theories at other levels of analysis (individual, group, organization) is in proposal of an inter-organizational life cycle model.

Design and Development of an Academic Portal

Abstract: A Web portal can be defined as a Web site for a specific audience that aggregates an array of content and provides a variety of services including search engines, directories, news, e-mail and chat rooms. This article investigates the factors that must be considered during the design and development of an academic portal. Personal interviews were conducted with academics in order to identify the content, functions, appearance and value of an academic portal. A working academic portal, the Infopartal, was developed to support academics' task performance.

The consortium site license: A sustainable model?

Abstract: The spread of consortial licensing and the 'Big Deal' has been rapid and far-reaching. While there would appear to be many advantages associated with this purchasing model, there are also reservations about its impact on librarian choice and concerns that it may serve to further consolidate the dominant position of some of the biggest STM publishers. However, until recently little qualitative or quantitative research had been undertaken into the impact this purchasing model is having upon the scholarly communication system. This article summaries the findings of a research programme run by the Ingenta Institute in 2002 which consisted of three separate independent studies into the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the consortial site license for libraries, institutions, publishers and end-users. Preliminary conclusions suggest that while this model has brought many benefits to all stakeholders, it is unlikely to continue in its current form, with significant adaptation and development anticipated at the next round of consortial license renewal. While the number of consortial deals may indeed increase in the future, these deals will not necessarily be 'Big Deals'.

Provision of agricultural information for development: a case study on crossing communication boundaries

Abstract: Information provision appears to play a significant role in development projects in rural communities, despite the fact that it is not the sole concern of development agencies. Investigation of a successful training programme on maize production proved that integrating knowledge of the target group’s information behaviour and their use of communication mechanisms into development strategies can help to effectively cross the boundaries between the modern information resource system and that of the indigenous knowledge system. It is argued that field workers operative at the interface between the developed world and the target groups in rural communities are ideally suited to the direct provision of information in a situation-specific context. However, field workers should be made aware of the value of information, as well as of the information behaviour of rural people used to handling information within an oral culture. The Merger Model depicts the way in which information from both the modern information resource system and the indigenous knowledge system can be harnessed for the transfer of information through development projects.

Ranking University Libraries with A Posteriori Weights

Abstract: In aggregating the wide range of resources and services provided by the university libraries to produce a single composite index for comparison, two types of weights representing the relative importance of the criteria have been discussed in the literature. One is a priori weights assigned by the experts in a subjective manner before the scores for the criteria are measured. The other is a posteriori weights determined objectively from the scores measured for the criteria. Taking into account the opinion of experts, this paper proposes an a posteriori approach based on the concept of least squares to compare university libraries. Since the characteristics of the libraries as revealed by their performance scores on each criterion have been considered in calculating the composite indices for comparison, the results are more representative and are thus more acceptable to the libraries being compared. To illustrate this approach, university libraries in Taiwan are ranked using the proposed approach. The composite indices calculated from this approach are greater and more concentrated than those calculated from the a priori approach. Psychologically, this is very attractive to the libraries being ranked, although most libraries have similar ranks determined from these two approaches.

Information Literacy: A Plug-and-Play Approach

Abstract: This paper reflects on issues raised by the development of an information literacy module for first-year undergraduate students at the University of North London. Information literacy is defined as an essential attribute of the independent learner, consisting of ICT skills as well as more complex information handling competences. The discussion focuses on how the module aims to develop generic, transferable IL skills and to foster a transition to a more independent learning mode. The module is customised to address the needs of a variety of disciplines through the implementation of a 'plug-and-play' structure and a range of delivery strategies to support students with diverse IL skills at the point of entry.

Internet use among academic librarians in the Universities of Zimbabwe and Zululand

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to examine Internet use, trends by academics and librarians at the Universities of Zimbabwe and Zululand, with specific reference to the use of resources for research and teaching. A survey by means of a questionnaire was conducted among the study population at the two institutions. Preliminary results indicate high computer and Internet skills among librarians from both institutions. The results also indicate that e-mail and the Web were used most for work and personal use, while telnet, other library OPACs and electronic journals were used most for work purposes. The study also highlighted rather similar problems facing the two institutions in terms of Internet accessibility. Access was a major concern, due to inadequate provision of computers and the existing connection to the Internet. Inadequate training in the use of Internet resources and lack of awareness among academics and other potential users were also highlighted. Despite these problems, the study revealed that there is a great potential for Internet use and appreciation among academic librarians and users in the two institutions. This paper reports on findings received from librarians; a report on both librarians and academics will appear in a future publication.

Cooperation in Context: Library Developments in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract: Major research and academic libraries in four Central and Eastern European countries (Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia) have undergone significant changes since their socio-political transformations that began in the early 1990s. In-depth interviews with forty-nine (49) key library policymakers were conducted in 1999. The data suggests that cooperation and resource sharing are at the heart of the institutional changes taking place in the libraries in the four countries. Commonalities and differences between and among the countries were identified along four dimensions: centralisation vs. decentralisation, individual vs. collective goals, product vs. process orientation, and global vs. local considerations. A typology of cooperation models ('artificial', 'contested', 'directed', and 'voluntary' cooperation) was devised that reflects the changing nature and visions of cooperation as reported by the respondents interviewed. The results raise questions about the exogenous vs. endogenous forces that contribute to the adoption of new attitudes and values toward cooperation and resource sharing.

Using Distance Education to Internationalize Library and Information Science Scholarship

Abstract: Library and information science educators have long sought to internationalize scholarship to enrich the quality of educational programs and professional practice. But many obstacles restrict the size and growth of traditional international education efforts, particularly in developing countries. This article presents a case study that uses emerging distance education techniques to deliver a graduate course on knowledge management in The Peoples' Republic of China and the United States. Sponsored by the U. S. Fulbright program, this demonstration project blends learning technologies, using Web-based WebCT software, videoconferencing, personal contacts and readings to create an international, virtual learning space. The article describes how faculty and students achieved the three course goals: (1) learning to learn internationally, (2) bilateral communication and (3) knowledge management. Findings and recommendations support the following conclusions: using active learning pedagogies that engage the students in the learning process; applying multiple technologies that can be supported internationally; maximizing the use of two-way, asynchronous and synchronous communication to encourage individual and group learning; and focusing on broad, interdisciplinary content to facilitate participation in international learning environments.

Closed-access policy as a solution to library crime: Perception and view of students

Abstract: Library crime in academic libraries is a global problem. Security of library books has been the subject of much investigation. However, the situation is not getting better. This study examines whether there are significant differences in the utilisation of library books after the introduction of a closed-access policy in Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library and whether the users are satisfied or not with the policy. Questionnaires were administered to a random sample of 1100 students. Results show that maximum use was made of the library. Students were satisfied with the implementation of the closed-stack policy. There is no significant difference between the science and non-science students in preferring closed-access. Recommendations pertinent to a smooth implementation are suggested.

Long-term preservation of electronic theses and dissertations in Algeria

Abstract: In accordance with a decree issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Algeria in August 2000, an electronic copy of every Master's and PhD thesis defended in all academic institutions must be deposited at the CERIST Research Centre. Deposit is a condition for getting the diploma. CERIST is then entrusted with the mission to build a database of Algerian theses and to update the national inventory of current theses and research. However a serious problem of archiving and preserving these Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) has emerged. From December 2001 to November 2002 a great number of ETDs has been deposited and constitutes a set of more than 1000 floppy disks and 100 CD-ROMs. What guarantees that these digital materials deposited by students are preserved and safeguarded? What guarantees that the content of these materials are preserved and accessible at any time regardless of machine, operating system and software. This paper explores the problem of the long-term conservation and preservation of electronic theses in the Algerian context, and shows how international recognised standards and techniques for setting up and organising the local ETD's archives may be applied.

Towards a Vision of Inexpensive Scholarly Journal Publication

Abstract: The dream of free and easy scientific and scholarly publishing on the Internet antedates the introduction of the World Wide Web. The last ten years have seen that dream dampened but not extinguished by the growth of the online for-profit journal, but multiple voices continue to speak for new models less tied to high prices and restricted access. This paper reviews the main models now in play, to identify their characteristic features, their strengths and their weaknesses. It reviews the criteria that will determine success and failure and concludes that management of costs and assurance of academic quality are the two critical factors. As a result of these factors, an altered, high-quality system of scholarly communications does not show promise of being truly inexpensive.

The development of digital libraries in South Korea

Abstract: As information technologies have developed, the digital library is making the library undergo a changing paradigm of its role to create, organize, and distribute information resources. Digital libraries have created and promoted innovative information services with digitization of resources. The development of digital libraries has been attracting the attention of many countries and South Korea is no exception. This article provides an overview of recent developments in digital libraries in South Korea. To build the digital library, various innovative projects are currently in progress involving a range of different libraries and institutions. This article also discusses information policies, standards, and technical issues in South Korea in recent years. Until now, the various projects involving digital collections and digital libraries in South Korea have been carried out with very little coordination. If a more coordinated and coherent approach to building digital libraries is to succeed in South Korea, all libraries and institutions will need to work closely together to establish the appropriate framework for cooperation.

Libraries and Distance Education - a German View

Abstract: On our way to an information-based society, the volume of data, of information and of knowledge will become ever greater. At the same time a technology is developing which, on the one hand, facilitates data processing but, on the other hand, requires competent handling and efficient management of information and knowledge. The existence of digital, multimedia information resources also support distance education and decentralized learning in our society. The library as a physical location for knowledge and wisdom is becoming increasing replaced by a library of electronic information, multimedia teaching and learning. As a consequence, clients and users must acquire sufficient information literacy and at the same time libraries must become actively involved and provide an appropriate range of services for distance learning. This article reviews the position of libraries and continuing distance education programs especially in Germany. Finally it provides a vision of a successful integration of distance education and library information environment as a qualitatively new form of learning and teaching.

A comparison of print and electronic journal holdings in academic and public libraries

Abstract: The past few years have seen an enormous growth in the number of journals that libraries can access electronically. This is a well-researched and well-documented phenomenon, but no studies have compared the actual number of electronic journals a library can access, particularly in comparison with the total number of journals they receive through all sources, including print. The growth of serials management companies suggests the possibility of this research. Through analysis of resources tracked by Serials Solutions, Inc., one can get a firm grasp on how many electronic journals a library is tracking, in comparison with the number of print or microfilm titles they have. This article presents the first comprehensive analysis of how many journals public and various types of academic libraries can access electronically, rather than in print. While highlighting the incredible increase in access to information electronically, it also identifies the limitations of the current research, particularly regarding libraries' print holdings. As data collection improves, future research will be more accurate, and will provide a basis for studying both the growth of electronic access to journals and the expected reduction in print access to journals.

An Evaluation of a Health Video on Demand Service Available to the Public via Interactive Digital Television

Abstract: The public is rapidly being furnished with digital health information of all kinds and on a wide and expanding range of platforms – kiosk, Web, digital interactive television and mobile device. Along with different platforms are different ways of providing information: text, graphics, audio records as well as two-way communication and video. This paper examines one of the very first attempts to provide the general public with health information and advice via a video on demand (VODs) service, downloadable from a digital interactive television (DiTV). This was the NHS Direct service on the HomeChoice channel available to cable TV-on-demand subscribers in the London area. The authors analyse questionnaire and records of actual video use to build up a picture of the impact the service has. Reported here are the initial results of a video on demand service. Data on users, use, satisfaction and the value of the service was investigated using a combination of log analysis and questionnaire survey methods.

Card-Image Public Access Catalogues (CIPACs): Issues concerned with their planning and implementation

Abstract: This article identifies and discusses the issues and problems that need to be considered in the process of planning and implementing card-image public access catalogues (CIPACs). CIPACs are online library catalogues based on databases of digitised catalogue cards with more or less sophisticated mechanisms for browsing or searching. Solutions of this kind have been implemented by a number of libraries in various countries since the mid-1990s, mainly as inexpensive alternatives to full retrospective conversion of their old catalogues. Based upon a questionnaire and relevant literature, the article looks at the following aspects: cost, conversion speed, universal access, saving of space, preservational aspects, software selection, preparing the card catalogue for conversion, scanning and quality control, image standards, optical character recognition, manual and intellectual input, technological aspects, administrative tools, organisational aspects, peculiarities of old catalogues, presentation of CIPACs to the users, and life expectancy of card-image catalogues.

Durning-Lawrence online: Benefits of a retrospective catalogue conversion project

Abstract: The University of London Library has recently undertaken a project to catalogue one of its special collections online, that of Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence (1837-1914), a protagonist of the Baconian theory in the controversy over the authorship of the works attributed to Shakespeare. The collection is especially rich in editions of Bacon's works and other Baconiana and in seventeenth-century English drama, with other strengths being emblem books and early editions of the works of Daniel Defoe. This article places the retrospective cataloguing project in the context of the international drive for retrospective conversion of antiquarian material and of the Library's mission to support research within the federal University of London and the region and internationally. It describes the method used for cataloguing, then focuses on the benefits of the project both academically for researchers and administratively. In addition to the commonly acknowledged benefits of multiple access points in online catalogue records and speed and precision of searching from anywhere in the world, others include the opportunity as part of the project to conduct a preservation survey with little extra cost of time or handling, establishing the rarity of particular items and classes of items in the collection, and insight into the collector provided especially by provenance notes in the catalogue records, enabling scholars to learn a considerable amount about Durning-Lawrence and his collecting patterns from direct electronic access. The value of projects conducted along similar lines may easily be inferred.Pre-print of article published in Libri, 53(2) (June 2003), 142-8.

Bits, Bytes, and User Comfort – The Digital Library (DigiBib)

Abstract: The Digital Library (DigiBib) was founded in 1998 as a joint project of the University Library of Bielefeld and the Service Centre for University Libraries of North Rhine-Westphalia (HBZ), Cologne. The initial aim was to create an Internet portal furthering science, teaching and research for the li- braries of universities and universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westfalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate. A uniform work interface to access the relevant digital sources (catalogues and scientific abstract, index and full-text data- bases) is offered while allowing the participating libraries to develop their own specific profile on the basis of the com- mon platform. With the initial set-up established successful- ly, it is now planned to expand further and to integrate other user groups and libraries, such as public or school libraries. This article discusses different aspects pertaining to, and sec- tions of, the DigiBib and shows the interaction of the mod- ules with each other in order to achieve an integrated whole. In "Technical Administration and Development of the Digi Bib", Anette Seiler gives an overview over the development and maintenance of the different modules of the DigiBib software. The section on content and acquisition ("Acquisi- tions for the Digital Library", by Erwin Hardeck) deals with the legal, financial, managerial and technical background of acquiring electronic media such as databases and e-journals in, and for, consortia. In " Public libraries and the DigiBib", Heiko Jansen describes a groundbreaking project to include public libraries as users of the DigiBib. The section on Inter- library Loan and Document Delivery by Tatjana Mrowka ("The online-ILL module as an integral part of the Digital Library") presents one of the latest building blocks of the DigiBib offering users immediate and comfortable ordering facilities subsequent to successful searching.

Liberating literacy: Uncovering the ideology and expanding the practice

Abstract: Literacy is a cultural common denominator. Not just our ability to read but how we read, what we read, and our reactions to our readings can affect our actions and determine our paths. The term literacy may indicate merely a set of skills, yet it implies something more complex. The methods and motives of literacy - what we choose to read, if we choose to read, and how we interpret what we read - are as much a part of literacy as the ability to decode. Literacy is a practice, an act that refers both to the applications of skills as well as the conditions under which these skills are applied. It is within this practice of literacy that we may find a variety of options for experience, each with its own culturally determined value. By examining how literacy is taught and how meaning-making and practice are modeled and encouraged, we may recognize a relationship between literacy and culture, between interpretation and experience. This analysis will lead us toward a theory of informed criticism, where popular texts and cultural knowledge are considered to be as valuable as a canonical education. As we examine literacy, a new question arises: will literacy liberate or control us?

A Notice on Content of Library and Information Science (LIS) Schools Web Sites

Abstract: This paper identifies trends in the content of home pages for Web sites of LIS Schools. Out of the 94 LIS School Web sites on a list maintained by the Internet Training and Consulting Services (ITCS), only 62 sites were working and showed no errors. All 62 Web sites were downloaded in a one-month period (May 2002) using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet program, and the data collected from each home page was tabulated. The most common elements were then incorporated into a model home page that visually shows the predominant content on this type of Web site.

Information Behaviors in an Online Smoking Cessation Forum

Abstract: Smoking is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality today, and a focus of attention by primary care practitioners and public health. Few studies take into account the role of community-based information transactions, nor have they examined the information needs of quitting smokers beyond generic patient education pamphlets. A pilot study examines the function and value of information communicated in an online forum dedicated to smoking cessation. Firstly, a Web-based survey was sent to fourteen forum participants known by the author. Twenty questions about medications, decision support sources, the evaluation of those sources, and basic demographic information were asked and the resulting responses were analyzed. Secondly, 371 selected posts from the Web forum were collected to better understand the importance and frequency of specific types of cessation-related information. Several models are discussed in a preliminary attempt to characterize the forum's community-based information behaviors. Survey respondents view the existence of online community-based information resources (in the persons of their community peers) as a major factor in their cessation efforts. Although no attempt was made to generalize findings beyond this initial pilot, gaps were tentatively identified between the support provided by more traditional healthcare practitioners and the information needs experienced by this population. In their provision of a milieu for the exchange of information, online fora may enable support at a depth and quantity unavailable through more immediate channels. Further studies are needed to develop a better understanding of information-related behaviors of this large population.

The Instructional and Motivational Effectiveness of a Computer Program in the Training of Cataloguing Students

Abstract: The low level of interaction between lecturer and student has led to a number of problems in the education and training of cataloguers through distance education and training. Students often need an immediate answer to a question or problem in a practical exercise for them to continue to the next step. The case study is a response to the need to conduct research on the provision of additional practice opportunities to students. The program development included a needs analysis phase, design phase, development phase, implementation phase and formative evaluation phase. Students' response to such a program is evaluated. The fact that an overwhelming majority of the students would use the program again and recommend it to others is an indication of the success of the program as well as the need to expand the program to include all the aspects pertaining to the cataloguing course.