Showing papers in "Libri in 2009"

The Differences Among Disciplines in Scholarly Communication. A Bibliometric Analysis of Theses

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to express the differences and similarities of inter-disciplinary scholarly communications through the citation analysis of theses. For this purpose, a total of 29,289 citations from 391 theses between years 1968-2007 were investigated using citation analysis. Samples were chosen according to layer-sampling techniques from 16 disciplines of four basic subject areas (social sciences, pure science, engineering, and arts and humanities). It has been found out that the characteristics of citations of the theses differ among academic disciplines. The study finds that literature obsolescence, language of resources, journal or monograph use, number of citations and authors are related to the disciplines and vary according to the subject areas.

IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto for Creating One World Germany, Iran and Turkey in Comparative Perspective

Abstract: School libraries are indispensable adjuncts to education, a base for generating innovative thinking, a stimulus to culture, and an aid to individual self–development. The IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto, the qualitative standard for universal provision, recommends that for each country there should be work on developing links between the school’s objectives and its library’s service. The Manifesto strongly endorses the creation of strong and effective school libraries. The national school library systems in Germany, Iran and Turkey have provided information services over the years, yet inadequate study to evaluate these services has limited understanding of the effects of the Manifesto. This study examined the impact of the Manifesto through literature analysis, visiting 425 school libraries in these countries and/or using their websites, interviews with 1107 individuals, and a summative comparative evaluation. The results reveal that the national implementations of the Manifesto, its statements on objectives and duties, are a valuable support to ongoing processes of policy formulation. The study also shows evaluations from the librarians’own perspectives, and uncovers general suggestions for more efficient and effective solutions. The comparisons completed in 2008 reveal important information about the impact of the Manifesto in school library services, and enable recommendations to be made for the future use and development of the Manifesto.

Influence of Information Technology in Growth and Publication of Indian LIS Literature

Abstract: Information technology has brought a tremendous change in the nature, boundaries and structure of information. The ongoing movement towards an electronic information society is pushing libraries towards automation and digitization. The revolution has brought impressive changes in the role of LIS professionals who are now being viewed as information managers/facilitators. These developments have also influenced LIS writings and publishing. This study shows that while the application of IT has gained considerable importance in Indian libraries, IT-based papers have surprisingly found less space in Indian LIS periodicals as compared to the LIS literature in general. The findings of this study also indicate that there is an uneven distribution of various topics within the Indian LIS IT-published literature; while some topics/areas of IT have received considerable attention others have been barely touched. Topics like IT in general, bibliographic databases, library networking, library automation and electronic resources have been found to predominate in the growth of Indian LIS literature as compared to the coverage of other areas of IT. Most papers (60%) have single authors, indicating a low amount of teamwork/collaborative writing. The paper's analysis also reveals that working professionals/librarians have made more contributions (48%) in comparison to teaching professionals (22%).

Development and Application of Mobile Technology in South Korean Libraries

Abstract: Mobile library services are still lacking and insufficient to meet the increasing needs of various users. This paper provides an overview of the development and application of mobile technology in South Korean libraries. It presents the service contexts and issues for the future application and access in the mobile library field. This paper categorizes real world examples. It identifies the new mission for building high quality mobile library services and discusses the future of mobile library architecture. It also presents a summary of key aspects of mobile library projects in South Korea and suggests major areas for future planning and development. Finally it envisions the future of mobile library technology.

The community library as site of education and empowerment for women: Insights from rural Uganda

Abstract: Community libraries in developing countries can be important sites of knowledge exchange and acquisition for women with little or no formal education living in communities characterized by extreme poverty and gender inequities. As locally managed and operated institutions, specific needs identified by community members shape their mandates, activities, and types of resources. Community libraries also offer a "neutral" space where women can safely gather and independently or collectively pursue learning in areas of relevance and interest to them. This paper explores the impact of Kyato Community Library (KCL) on women's lives in a rural Ugandan context. It considers the questions: i) What valuable educational opportunities does KCL provide for girls and women who have been prevented from attaining adequate formal schooling?; and ii) What additional services, opportunities and qualities could KCL provide to engage girls and women in these educational opportunities? The paper argues that with careful attention paid to women's literacy needs and desires, local context, appropriate resource acquisition and community-minded personnel, community libraries can promote and support women's literacy and personal development, enabling them to cultivate capabilities needed to engage more fully on equal terms in their societies.

Proposed Business Information System Design (BISD) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Northern Uganda

Abstract: The article reports the study conducted in northern Uganda to design a Business Information System (BIS) for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). A study by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2005, 30) established that the majority of business enterprises depend on "word of mouth". There is no meaningful mechanism for accessing relevant information on business resources, a considerable amount of which is available in Uganda. Based on this documented fact, there is a need to establish the requirements for a BIS and to propose one. By using descriptive research design this study establishes the business information system requirements and recommends the appropriate BIS for the SMEs in northern Uganda. The study establishes, among other things: the preferred business information processing formats, most appropriate location of the proposed BIS centre in northern Uganda and views on BIS for efficient business information provision. The study recommends that as part of the strategy to facilitate access to the BIS, there should be the adoption of Internet-based services with the integration of an interactive business planner, an online small business workshop, the business start-up assistant; telephone services; fax services and in-person services. There should also be a feedback mechanism coordinated from the Gulu district; the coordinating centre and the system interface should be flexible allowing the acquisition of business information from both the micro and macro levels.

Evaluating the Accessibility of Florida's Public Library Home Pages

Abstract: This study evaluates the home pages of Florida's public libraries for accessibility by people with disabilities. The evaluation includes every Florida public library system website, examining each home page of the 78 libraries offering websites. The study employed the WebXact online evaluation service to identify errors using compliance standards contained in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 508 legislation requires libraries to attain accessibility compliance, as all Florida libraries are recipients of federal funding. The hypotheses are: libraries with larger budgets and larger per capita income are more likely to have accessible websites. Of the 78 public library systems home pages examined, only 21 were found to be without accessibility errors. These findings indicate that 73 % of the home pages had at least one major accessibility error based on Section 508 criteria. Additional findings indicate that accessibility performance is related to library income levels and income per service population. Presented research includes a legislative history of accessibility, with a section focusing on library website accessibility. Related accessibility studies are reviewed for comparability purposes and substantiation of findings. The study offers recommendations for improving accessibility and identifies opportunities for additional research.

What a Digital Library of Malay Manuscripts Should Support: An Exploratory Needs Analysis

Abstract: The paper describes an exploratory needs analysis for a digital library of Malay manuscripts. The manuscripts are facing several problems, including (a) the lack of trained manu script librarians; (b) budgetary constraints in manual and digital preservation initiatives; (c) the problems in storage and maintenance of the collection; (d) restricted access for users, (e) the need to preserve the fragile manuscripts, (e) the difficulty of undertaking collaborative transliteration work because of the access problems; (f) the dispersal of titles at several repositories which exacerbates the access issue; and (g) a lack of detail in the description in the manuscript library catalogues. The objectives of this study are: (a) to find out the current state of manuscript collection management and practices in selected libraries; (b) to identify the problems faced by manuscript repositories; (c) to study the meta data schema used by repositories to describe their manu script collections, and (d) to identify a suitable open source digital library software to support a digital library of manu scripts. The study gathers qualitative data from an open-ended questionnaire distributed to five manuscript librarians in Malaysia. Cataloguing practices in manuscript repositories were observed and the open-source digital library software Green stone was studied for its suitability. The information gathered and observed which helped determine the requirements of a digital library that empowers repositories in building, storing, preserving and disseminating information about manuscript collections is presented. The design and modules of the digital library are described.

Environmental Scanning Initiatives of SMEs in Singapore

Abstract: Due to rapid changes and more intense competition happening in today's marketplace, the business environment is increasingly becoming uncertain and volatile. As a result, the ability to conduct effective environmental scanning is becoming critical for organizations to survive and succeed. This study investigates environmental scanning and information sharing practices of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. The objectives of the study included looking into the information needs of SMEs, the sources frequently utilized for the acquisition of environmental information and how this information is processed, stored, disseminated and utilized. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for collecting data and 45 SMEs, representing different industries, participated in the study. It was found that a majority of the participating companies perceived external environmental information as critical to their survival and growth and conduct frequent environmental scanning activities. However, improvements should be made to the effectiveness of environmental scanning, as the collected information may not be disseminated to the end-users in a timely manner.

Modelling Information-Seeking Behaviour Patterns of Iranian Medical School Academic Staff

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of academic staff in the schools of medical sciences of Iran and to draw up a model of their information-seeking behaviour. A qualitative research method -Grounded Theory - was employed to carry out this research, analyze the data, and data were collected through interviews. Data analysis showed that the information-seeking behaviour of these Iranian Medical Schools' academic staff has seven stages: selecting subjects, searching information, retrieving information, browsing, gathering information sources, using information, and transferring information to others.

Marketing Orientation of national libraries

Abstract: This study investigates how far European national libraries have adopted marketing principles and developed a marketing orientation to face new challenges. The degree of a marketing orientation was analysed in the websites of 14 national libraries, the national library buildings of Austria, Belgium, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal were observed and rated, and managers of these organisations interviewed. Analysis showed varying attitudes to marketing, with the British Library having the most advanced approach in developing a marketing orientation. Other national libraries had adopted certain aspects of a marketing orienta-tion but lacked a coherent approach. Recommendations made in the area of website design included the better use of digital re-sources and introduction of Web 2.0 features. In regard to national library buildings it was recommended to have one central point of access from where the visitor is guided through the building. Developing a marketing orientation was a major but beneficial step in the evolution of a national library. It required a shift of perspective from inward to outward looking and the willingness to learn from other markets. A marketing orientation was a way of addressing the future challenges successfully.

Current Trends in Library and Information Studies Curricula

Abstract: The present study presents an analysis of curricula offered at library and information studies departments in different parts of the world. Data was collected from the websites of 30 departments in 21 countries and coded based on the typology proposed by Wilson in 2001. This typology proposes five major subject fields that can be combined to better represent the complexities present in the curricula. The analysis of curricula in the sample revealed that the five subject fields proposed by Wilson's typology are present in the sample. The category scheme presents a long list of categories that represent different combinations between the five subject fields, revealing a sample of curricula centered on information and technology subjects that emphasize users' needs. Findings show that the largest percentage of the courses examined relates to information content in general and to content provided to specific groups of users. Technology courses are the second major category present in the curricula examined. The examination also revealed an additional and important category, not found in Wilson's original typology, which encompasses supporting non-library related courses. This category is the third largest category in the sample and it reflects an interdisciplinary trend in the curricula examined that aims at providing students with knowledge in subject areas not related to information and librarianship.

A Critical Review of User Acceptance Research in the Area of Mobile Services

Abstract: Scientific rigor and practical relevance are extensively discussed and highly important criteria of the quality of scientific articles. This research examines the balance of these criteria within the domain of technology acceptance research for mobile services. 2073 articles were considered for the study and 24 that covered the topic were chosen for detailed review. Five sub-criteria for rigor (theoretical base, research model, sample choice, questionnaire and tests) and four sub-criteria for relevance (success factors, target group, timeliness and limitations) were elaborated to evaluate the articles. Most articles meet rigor criteria quite well, where-as the number of articles with sufficient relevance is significantly lower. The often-assumed contradiction of rigor and relevance could not be supported. The study thus concludes that both criteria are non-exclusive and can coexist in one article.

Fundamentalism of the Mind or Wagging the Long Tail ?: Google and the future of thinking

Abstract: Statements about 'the Google Generation' and 'Digital Natives' are creating unhelpful generalizations that block the capacity to intervene in superficial information literacy practices. The goal in this paper is to move beyond the cliches of Web 2.0, offering productive and positive trajectories to move librarians, teachers, students and citizens from the information to the conceptual age. The paper has a particular focus on the consequences for education and economic development of investing simplistic phrases with explanatory power.

Of Ducks and Downloads: The Moral Economy of Intellectual Property in Post-Soviet Society

Abstract: As living standards have risen in recent years the citizens of post-Soviet states are turning increasingly toward newly-available high bandwidth Internet connections as a new medium for the exchange of music, films, and computer software. Taking Ukraine as an example, the author argues that users are literally and metaphorically reconstructing imported Internet technologies in accordance with their own pre-existing cultures. The author probes these understandings through analysis of statements on file sharing behavior made by a sample of Ukrainian Internet users. To explain this distinctive technological path, the author examines the interaction of technologies, users, and regulatory regimes. These have shaped the understanding of ordinary users toward what the author, following E.P. Thompson, calls the "moral economy" of copyright and file sharing. The transition from this moral economy of intellectual property to the global intellectual property regime has occurred in law but not in practice.

Copyright and Course Management Systems: Educational Use of Copyrighted Materials in the United States and the United Kingdom

Abstract: An overview of U.S. and UK Copyright legislation reveals that fair use/fair dealing guidelines do not directly address the use of copyrighted materials in course management systems. Although many colleges and universities develop and share their own guidelines, there is no consensus among those institutions or between those institutions and publishers. Research on the use of copyrighted materials with course management systems is lacking and, together with the absence of legal or professional association mandates, librarians and institutions are open to charges of copyright infringement. This situation is problematic for universities and may be fueling the trend toward Open Access publication of university research. This paper reviews the existing codified guidelines for fair use of copyrighted materials from the 1970s through the present, some legal challenges that have occurred, and how some of the larger universities are currently handling the questions of fair use and licensing as they pertain to course management systems. In addition, a recommendation is made for research to bring the parties closer to an accepted set of guidelines.

Information in Isolation: Gossip and Rumour during the UK 2001 Foot and Mouth Crisis – Lessons Learned

Abstract: The 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak constituted the biggest crisis ever to affect the UK farming system; it was one of the worst epidemics of its kind in the world. Farmers and rural communities were disrupted and traumatized as FMD spread rapidly through the whole of the country. The crisis unfolded as a series of information and communication problems, primarily from government to farmers, with consequences for action in a time of crisis. Farmers needed information at the different stages of the crisis to inform them about the various processes and procedures that had to be carried out once a farm had been infected, and information on the complex system of biosecurity measures introduced by the government. As these measures were implemented to control the spread of the disease, the places where farmers usually met to communicate and exchange information either shut down or became inaccessible. There were many gaps in the information needed; there was not enough information; it conflicted with earlier information or information from other sources; and it was disseminated and received too late for the required purpose. The paper explores the role of rumour and gossip as a means of conveying information between the various actors during the crisis. During the FMD crisis there was much confusion and distrust, which provided the right kind of setting for rumour and gossip to flourish. Rumour and gossip took on new dimensions and played an important role in the exchange and transfer of information about events and also in people's behaviour and activities. As farmers were isolated, unable to meet, much of their information came third-and fourth-hand via informal channels of gossip and rumour. This study used a mixed method approach of semi-structured interviews with members of farming house-holds. It concludes with suggestions as to what various actors, including libraries, in similar crisis situations could learn from this study by examining how lessons learned concerning the role of gossip and rumour in the FMD crisis may be applied to other crises, particularly the current H1N1 virus (swine flu) pandemic.

Irreparable Damage: Violence, Ownership, and Voice in an Indian Archive

Abstract: This paper uses a 2004 destructive incident at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune, India as a case study to discuss the intersection of caste politics, ownership, and violence in the archives. After a brief overview of the events leading up to, during, and subsequent to the violent destruction of archival documents by an angry lower caste mob, this paper provides the historical context necessary to analyze issues of ownership, politics, and colonialism within the context of a South Asian library, keeping in mind the complex interplay of religion, region, and caste in India. The paper then explores this incident from an archival studies perspective, looking at archives as both sites of violence and as cultural and political symbols, and explores how issues of ownership, political pressure, and access, if not properly addressed, can boil over into violent destruction of the archival record. Finally, this paper argues that violent incidents such as the one described can occur outside of the Indian context, in almost any archival setting, and concludes with recommendations on how to avoid future destruction in archival repositories.

Careers in Librarianship in Nigeria, Fast and Present

Abstract: Introduction. Many people enter the field of librarianship in Nigeria both from within and outside, without realising exactly what they are heading for; what ,the Status of librarians is in this country; what their opportunities and prospects are like; that conditions of Service vary for different libraries; that they have special problems to f ace in their work äs a result of the peculiar Position of Nigeria; that librarianship is still very young in the country and that pioneers have fought very hard amidst many obstacles to bring it up to the present stage and that it is for them to carry on the good work by continuing the fight. This article is therefore simply a survey. of the whole development of the career, and its present position with regard to the above points. There can be no career in librarianship without libraries. The first library in the country was the Lagos library founded in 1932 äs a subscription library. In 1945 the British Council established in Lagos a public-library type of library primarüy for publicising British culture and secondarily to stimulate the establishment of public library Services in the country. The Lagos public library was opened in 1946 jointly by the British Council and the Lagos Town Council. Actually it was in 1948 with the establishment of Ibadan University library that Nigeria acquired for the first time a library in the füllest sense, equipped for reference and research, permanently established, professionally directed and staffed. 1948 therefore marks the beginning of a Professional career in Librarianship. Initially it was a career in a profession which had:

Distribution of Books in the English West Midlands in the Later Middle Ages

Abstract: The purpose o£ this essay was to attempt to assess within a f airly restricted area the importance of book collections during the later middle ages, their form, content and to some extent the method of their acquisition. The area covered is the West-Midland region of England which includes the counties of Warwickshire, Worcestershire and south Staffordshire. The period of the later middle ages may be more specifically defined here äs the eleventh Century to about the year 1400. This study is intended äs a pilot project for a larger work on libraries and the distribution of books generally in Britain throughout the whole of the mediaeval period. I begin therefore by outlining the method of study. The material for a distribution survey is in existing manuscripts, in early catalogues, in Wills and in other evidence of books which are now lost. Existing manuscripts are of two types, firstly those which are still in places like Worcester and Lichfield and were almost certainly there in the Middle Ages. Most of the Worcester books were acquired before the Dissolution and it is possible to identify those acquired later mainly äs they are not to be found in the catalogue of the Cathedral books prepared in 1622 by Patrick Young. All books now in the Cathedral Library and not recorded by Young must have reached the Library after that date. Very few books are now at Lichfield and there is little evidence that there was a large mediaeval collection. The other type of existing manuscripts which concerns us here is that which has preserved some evidence of previous ownership. This may be in the form of a Statement that the book belongs to a particular house, e. g. 'Liber ecclesie Cathedralis Beate marie Wygornie' or 'Istum librum procuravit frater lohannes Grene doctor theologie ecclesie Cathedralis beate marie Wygorniensis ad communem utilitatem claustralium A. D. 1386'. It is necessary to distinguish between these ex libris inscriptions äs some were written by a member of the house and some were entered later. Most Orders had slighfly different forms of words which help us to distinguish between early and late entries, e. g. 'Liber sancte marie Wygorniensis' or 'Hie über

Designing a Model for Description of Theses and Dissertations Information on a Large Scale

Abstract: Theses and dissertations as the main products of the process of research at graduate and post-graduate levels are among the most important scientific documents of any country. By themselves, in combination, or in comparison with data from other sources of information, the set of data from such documents can provide a new source of information which is highly valuable from scientific and managerial points of view. However, a review of the related literature indicates that there is no uniform model which can incorporate all the various dimensions of these documents. The present article reports on the results of a study carried out to construct a comprehensive model to describe and analyze the information on theses and dissertations. To this end, the research problem is initially defined, followed by a literature review. The article continues with a description of the research method which involves the Delphi Method and a feasibility test. The study resulted in the identification of a total of 184 describable and analyzable items of information on theses and dissertations and their relevant information. The information items were classified into three categories including information on theses and dissertations, information related to them, and mixed information, all of which are discussed in terms of 12 different aspects.

Place, Space and Time: Adult Education Experiences of Learners and Librarians in South African Public Libraries

Abstract: Drawing on results of a national survey, this article examines adult education in South African public libraries from the perspective of adult learners and librarians. Quantitative data from 589 libraries from the total sample of 1295 libraries was collected. This was supplemented by qualitative data collected during site visits to eleven libraries selected to cover geographical spread. The activities of the 26.7 % of the libraries involved in adult education are analysed with a view to understanding the interventions through the experience and perceptions of the participants, and so arriving at an understanding of the contribution of the libraries’ role in the fight against illiteracy which is acknowledged by the South African government as a serious impediment to its development efforts. An attempt is made to assess the extent to which the experiences in the libraries can be said to be particular to the local situation, or whether the lessons learned form part of a broader pattern of adult education policy and practice observed in other parts of the world, especially developing countries. It is concluded that, in spite of the modest scale of the interventions, the impact is sufficiently encouraging to recommend intensifying and spreading initiatives in the public library’s drive for social inclusion.

Quality Management of Reference Services in Malaysian Public University Libraries

Abstract: This study explores quality measurement of reference services in Malaysian public university libraries. Specifically it identifies the quality criteria used for reference service and how these criteria contribute to the mission of the library. An open ended questionnaire was used to gather qualitative data from ten public university libraries pertaining to quality issues in reference services. Most libraries use statistical data such as number of queries received and answered and duration in which a query is handled as quality indicators of the service. The libraries report an increase in the quality performance by libraries since the adoption of a quality management system based on the ISO 9001:2000 standard.

American Libraries and Linguistic Diversity. Policies, Controversies and Ideological Fences

Abstract: Among other themes, Philip Noyce's controversial Australian film Rabbit Proof Fence calls attention to the harshness of enforced language policies. While current practices in our own milieus may not echo the severity of policies directed at Australia's Stolen Generations, the film is cause for examining language issues in our own communities. What effect do attitudes and policies toward English languages learners have on children attending public schools in the United States? What roles can both public and university libraries play in supporting linguistic diversity and in fostering a culture of pride versus shame? This paper examines modes of action, through library programming, collection development initiatives, outreach, and education to support both heritage and endangered languages.

Aspects of the Status of Management Information Systems and the Information Needs for Public Administration in Uganda

Abstract: This paper examines the status and evaluates the progress made towards the establishment of a management information system (MIS) for public administration in Uganda as well as considering the information needs of public administration in the country. The study focuses on the information systems of two central government ministries, the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MFPED), and the local administration of five districts. In addition to a literature review, questionnaires were administered to 530 respondents. Data collected was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The study reveals that although public administration in Uganda is based on New Public Management (NPM), an approach which exploits IT-based MIS, the information system that is in place is still dependant on printed data. Computer supplies are dismally inadequate, favour central as opposed to local government, and use of basic applications such as word-processing, constitutes the bulk of computer competency. Thus, the application of a management information system within a networked-computer environment barely exists. The study recommends developing ICT policy strengthening MIS training, developing MIS infrastructure and providing and developing sectoral information analysis centres with relevant rights and obligations.

Academic Library Transformation in the Post-Communist Poland. Warsaw University Library

Abstract: This article examines the complex changes that have occurred in Polish academic libraries, focusing on University of Warsaw Library (UWL) after the fall of communism in 1989. An accelerated transformation of libraries begun shortly after the initiation of political and economical changes and was sped up by the series of grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation followed by Polish government funds. The library automation was the first major task for libraries. In preparation for automation the first in Poland authority file was created and thus the process of introducing and following international standards of bibliographic description in the climate of interlibrary cooperation had begun. As a part of transformation the open stacks and the Library of Congress classification were introduced for the first time in Poland in a newly constructed UWL building. A crowning achievement of transformation is the first Polish union catalog called, Narodowy Uniwersalny Katalog Centralny (NUKAT) launched in 2002.

Libraries in the Middle East During the Ottoman Empire (1517 – 1918)

Abstract: The region known as the Middle East today is an important historical, strategic area where many of the very first scientific and cultural creations of mankind flourished. The Middle East came under 400 years of domination by the Ottoman Empire beginning in the sixteenth century. Under Ottoman rule the region developed important foundation institutions. These institutions helped develop cities like Damascus, Aleppo, Jerusalem, Baghdad, Mecca and Medina. Among these foundation institutions were libraries serving as scientific and cultural centres. These libraries were founded within the mosques and madrasas towards the end of the sixteenth century and played an important role for the scientific and cultural development of the region. According to archival documents and foreign sources the sultan and renowned persons of the region established libraries because they believed in their important role. This study is intended to provide information on their foundation, distribution and development through statistical data about libraries in the region and the specialties of their collections. Furthermore it attempts to clarify the general status of the hitherto unknown foundation libraries of the Ottoman Empire in the region.