Showing papers in "The Electronic Library in 2000"
TL;DR: The generic features of EIP applications are outlined, and the different approaches being taken by EIP vendors are categorised, many of whom are adapting software developed for document management and information retrieval purposes.
Abstract: Information is now coming centre stage in companies anxious to maintain their competitive advantage in the dot.com economy as electronic business‐to‐business exchanges rapidly emerge. The technical issues of being able to search across a wide range of different database and document types are now being solved through enterprise information portal applications (EIP), often referred to as corporate portals. These provide users with access to internal and external information resources through a customisable Web browser interface. This paper outlines the generic features of EIP applications, and categorises the different approaches being taken by EIP vendors, many of whom are adapting software developed for document management and information retrieval purposes. Emerging roles for information professionals in the deployment of EIP applications are discussed.
190 citations
189 citations
TL;DR: This paper investigates the extent to which six factors drawn from the theory and practice of knowledge management can be applied in small organisations and three cases demonstrate that the fundamental concepts and principles ofknowledge management are similar for small and large organisations.
Abstract: This paper investigates the extent to which six factors drawn from the theory and practice of knowledge management can be applied in small organisations. The factors are: balance between need and cost of knowledge acquisition; the extent to which knowledge originates in the external environment; internal knowledge processing; internal knowledge storage; use and deployment of knowledge within the organisation; and attention to human resources. Three cases demonstrate that the fundamental concepts and principles of knowledge management are similar for small and large organisations. Differences include the value placed on systematic knowledge management practices such as formalised environmental scanning and computer‐based knowledge sharing systems. Consultants, and library and information professionals, are advised to understand the organisation’s management and communication culture; emphasise simple and inexpensive systems integrated into everyday practice; and establish and monitor adherence to tools suc...
158 citations
TL;DR: The task of creating a new job title - digital librarian - to take care of digital libraries and to manage the digital information system is targeted.
Abstract: Stresses that the multimedia nature of the next generation of digital libraries requires the digital librarians (DL) to be essentially a type of specialist librarian who has to manage and organize the digital library, handle the specialized tasks of massive digitization, storage, access, digital knowledge mining, digital reference services, electronic information services, search co-ordination, and manage the archive and its access. The digital librarian acts as guardian of the information superhighway/the universal digital library or the global digital library and acts as a symbiotic human-machine guru. This article also highlights the roles and functions of a DL in information retrieval, content delivery, navigation, and browsing. It envisages the professional education and training for digital librarians in the management of digital information systems. It denotes the DL's interface functions, roles, skills and competencies for the management of digital information systems in the important areas of imaging technologies, optical character recognition, markup languages, cataloguing, metadata, multimedia indexing and database technology, user interface design, programming, and Web technology. This paper finally advocates and targets the task of creating a new job title - digital librarian - to take care of digital libraries and to manage the digital information system.
87 citations
63 citations
TL;DR: Six popular Web OPAC interfaces in use in UK academic libraries have been examined with an overview of the functions offered via those interfaces and a checklist has been developed as an indicator of the important features and functions offered.
Abstract: Web‐based online public access catalogues (OPACs) began to appear in the late 1990s and many libraries are currently considering implementation. As catalogues, they demonstrate advances on traditional OPACs, especially in terms of remote access by users and their potential to integrate many document types and sources via a single interface. This paper considers some of the features and functions of Web OPAC interfaces. As yet, very little evaluation of systems and users has taken place and until more such literature appears, a general approach to products available is considered to be of value. Six popular Web OPAC interfaces in use in UK academic libraries (Talis, INNOPAC, WebCat, Voyager, GeoWeb and ALEPH) have been examined with an overview of the functions offered via those interfaces. A checklist has been developed as an indicator of the important features and functions offered.
57 citations
TL;DR: The role of metaphors in producing electronic books is focused on and the importance of the visual rhetoric concept in driving the design process is introduced and discussed.
Abstract: This paper starts from the observation that the appearance of information contributes to its overall value and that, because there are many ways to represent information, it is very important to find the model which is going to be the most effective and conveys the greatest value of the original information. Appearance has always played a key role in the learning process, as it facilitates the discovery of new concepts by allowing visual association with those which are already familiar. This is why metaphors are so important in learning in general, and have therefore proved to be a valuable tool for designing alternative paradigms when adapting traditional tasks to novel environments. This paper will briefly discuss the link between paper books and their electronic counterparts. It will then focus on the role of metaphors in producing electronic books and introduce and discuss the importance of the visual rhetoric concept in driving the design process. Finally it will also present the main results of the visual book experiment and how these results can be interpreted in the context of the visual rhetoric approach.
56 citations
TL;DR: The Visual book study explored the importance of the visual component of the book metaphor for the production of more effective electronic books, while the WEB book study took the findings of the Visual book and applied them to theproduction of books for publication on the World Wide Web.
Abstract: This paper presents the results of two studies into electronic book production. The Visual book study explored the importance of the visual component of the book metaphor for the production of more effective electronic books, while the WEB book study took the findings of the Visual book and applied them to the production of books for publication on the World Wide Web (WWW). Both studies started from an assessment of which kinds of paper book are more suitable for translation into electronic form. Both also identified publications which are meant to be used for reference rather than those which are read sequentially, and usually in their entirety. This group includes scientific publications and textbooks which were both used as the target group for the Visual book and the WEB book experiments. In this paper we discuss the results of the two studies and how they could influence the design and production of more effective electronic books.
55 citations
49 citations
TL;DR: The strategic planning process provides a useful framework through which to view the many tasks associated with Web site development and maintenance and to conceptualise their relationship to one another.
Abstract: Many libraries are creating Web sites, to serve a wide range of purposes. The author is Webmaster of the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL); using her own Web site as an example, she discusses a number of issues and tasks associated with creating and maintaining a professional Web site, within the context of a strategic planning approach to Web site development. Beginning with “Should we have a Web site?”, the stages of the process are outlined, including identification of aims and objectives, analysis of user needs, selection of content and services to be included, writing or developing the content, developing the information architecture, navigational aids, visual design of the site, HTML coding or use of page development software, metadata, mounting the completed pages on a Web server, testing and modifications, listing with search engines and directories, publicity and promotion, ongoing site maintenance, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Web site. The strategic planning process provides a useful framework through which to view the many tasks associated with Web site development and maintenance and to conceptualise their relationship to one another.
37 citations
TL;DR: The authors describe efforts within a global organization to capitalize on current knowledge management concepts and technologies for knowledge access and sharing in order to provide users with more personalized, responsive, and integrated information systems.
Abstract: Two projects in the US Department of the Navy to develop enterprise portals for facilitating knowledge discovery and dissemination are discussed. The authors describe efforts within a global organization to capitalize on current knowledge management concepts and technologies for knowledge access and sharing in order to provide users with more personalized, responsive, and integrated information systems. The Next Generation Library supports knowledge management and networking objectives, as well as providing high‐quality content access at the desktop. The Naval Postgraduate School Knowledge Portal, still under development, is designed to link internal administrative databases with current message traffic and external scholarly information resources.
TL;DR: The WaX system has been designed as a knowledge management tool for general practitioners to enable them to access the information they require within 15 to 30 seconds.
Abstract: We are all experiencing information overload. In the same way that the printing press has revolutionised the publishing industry, the Internet is revolutionising the amount of information available today. The ease with which electronic information can be stored, distributed and manipulated is threatening to enhance rather than to alleviate the information overload. We need to develop methodologies that will enable us to access relevant information at the time when it is required. The WaX system has been designed as a knowledge management tool for general practitioners to enable them to access the information they require within 15 to 30 seconds. It has been piloted in several regions in the UK with very positive results.
TL;DR: Recommendations for the Arabian Gulf libraries to take advantage of the availability of the information networking technology in creating their electronic libraries are concluded.
Abstract: Describes the various technological and social requirements for planning the electronic library. These requirements include the LAN and the client‐server architecture, facilities for storage and access, facilities for archiving digital information, establishing priorities in building the network information resources, introducing the necessary changes in library organization and services, and providing a comprehensive user training program. A literature review outlines the advantages of the electronic library over the traditional library, and highlights the contributions of the US Federal agencies and private foundations in advancing the electronic library through funding digital research projects. Suggests guidelines for building the electronic library in the Arabian Gulf region and concludes with recommendations for the Arabian Gulf libraries to take advantage of the availability of the information networking technology in creating their electronic libraries.
TL;DR: The main overall conclusions are that information searching is a minority activity and that the volume of non‐curricular activity is substantial but unquantified.
Abstract: This paper describes a survey of the use of the electronic information floor (EIF) located in Glasgow Caledonian University’s Caledonian Library and Information Centre. The survey used both observational and questionnaire based methods and builds on a previous study which used focus groups and semi‐structured interviews. The study was divided into two parts: an observational study and a questionnaire based study. The observational study found word processing, sending and receiving e‐mail, and Web browsing to be the most common activities. The more substantial part of the study was questionnaire based, the questionnaire being administered both on paper and electronically. The main findings were: most respondents were full‐time students: most respondents were PC rather than Mac users; only 18 per cent use CD‐ROMs and only about 13 per cent use online databases. About a third had problems in using the EIF. The main overall conclusions are that information searching is a minority activity and that the volume of non‐curricular activity is substantial but unquantified.
TL;DR: Kageyama (1996, hereafter K) represents one of his major contributions to this area of study as discussed by the authors, and has sparked much interest in the semantic aspects of morphological and syntactic operations.
Abstract: Recent years have seen a rising interest in the role of verb semantics in accounting for the grammatical behaviors of verbs (e.g. Pinker (1989), Hale and Keyser (1993), Levin (1993), Levin and Rappaport Hovav (1995)). Linguistics in Japan has also witnessed an increased interest in this area, partially reflecting the developments in the United States. One influential figure in this line of research is Taro Kageyama, whose recent works have sparked much interest in the semantic aspects of morphological and syntactic operations (Kageyama (1993, 1996), Kageyama and Yumoto (1997)). The work under review in this article, Kageyama (1996, hereafter K), represents one of his major contributions to this area of study.
TL;DR: There is a great gap between job advertisements and reality in regard to systems librarians’ education requirements, work experience, job responsibilities, and areas of knowledge and skills.
Abstract: This follow‐up report of 133 job advertisements for systems librarians in American Libraries during 1996‐1997 compares the results of a content analysis of job advertisements and a survey of employers and newly hired systems librarians. The report shows that, although a majority of employers are satisfied with their newly hired systems librarians, they indeed have higher expectations for the positions in terms of qualifications and responsibilities. There is a great gap between job advertisements and reality in regard to systems librarians’ education requirements, work experience, job responsibilities, and areas of knowledge and skills. The types of libraries, to a certain extent, influence systems librarians’ actual qualifications and job responsibilities.
TL;DR: Web‐OPACs not only offer simplified access to library holdings for end‐users but also enable librarians to add value to their catalogue data by including links to full‐text or multimedia documents corresponding to a particular citation.
Abstract: Web‐OPACs not only offer simplified access to library holdings for end‐users but also enable librarians to add value to their catalogue data. One feature which has become almost a standard for new library software is including links to full‐text or multimedia documents corresponding to a particular citation. Other features which have not yet become common but will soon do so include: links to publishers, links to corporate sources, and links to journal titles. The latter usually provide tables of contents, and sometimes also offer direct access to full‐text documents for subscribers. Online database providers have acknowledged these new possibilities, librarians soon will. So when migrating library software to new products or new releases, such issues should be observed.
TL;DR: An overview of some of the digital library programs in Taiwan is presented, divided into four categories: preservation of Chinese and Taiwanese culture; establishment of domestic research digital libraries; provision of foreign researchdigital libraries and integration of conventional and digital libraries.
Abstract: At the opening of the twenty‐first century, developments of digital libraries have been attracting the attention of many countries and Taiwan is no exception. The purpose of this article lies in delineating recent developments of digital libraries in Taiwan. This article first quotes a definition of a digital library, and based on this definition, an overview of some of the digital library programs in Taiwan is presented. These programs are divided into four categories: preservation of Chinese and Taiwanese culture; establishment of domestic research digital libraries; provision of foreign research digital libraries and integration of conventional and digital libraries.
TL;DR: The purpose of this paper is to show how XML is applied to digital library systems and some issues for a more efficient application of XML to digital libraries are discussed.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to show how XML is applied to digital library systems. For a better understanding of XML, the major features of XML are reviewed and compared with those of HTML. An experimental XML‐based metadata retrieval system, which is designed as a subsystem of the Korean Virtual Library and Information System (VINIS) is demonstrated. The metadata retrieval system consists of two modules: a retrieval module and a browsing module. The retrieval module allows the retrieval of metadata stored in Microsoft Access files and the display of search results in an XML file format, while the browse module permits browsing of metadata in XML/XSL document formats. Finally, some issues for a more efficient application of XML to digital libraries are discussed.
TL;DR: This paper tries to analyze who comes to the library and why and will accompany them and see what their problems and their reactions are in order to obtain a global vision that points to possible solutions.
Abstract: Although enough has been written about users’ behaviour in information search, experiences with regard to their conduct within the library are very scarce. Many of the aspects are closer to psychology than to librarianship: but to improve services, it is necessary to know the client reactions, specially in situations related to the use and yield of the available resources. Among librarians a broad answer is to offer many electronic tools, all types of equipment, and qualified robots for any kind of task. Turning the library into a science‐fiction film can be attractive, but is not always the best solution: readers are not "androids". This paper tries to analyze who comes to the library and why; thus we will accompany them and see what their problems and their reactions are in order to obtain a global vision that points to possible solutions.
TL;DR: Key questions concerning hardware, software and network installation and upgrades are asked and strategies for dealing with the needs for continuous funding and long‐term financing that are essential for keeping up with the requirements of the electronic library are provided.
Abstract: This article discusses the impact of information technology requirements on the costs of electronic libraries. The fast‐paced developments of technology require continual updating of hardware and software. Networking access consists of initial costs and recurring expenses. Electronic content, training, and support all demand ongoing expenditures. In this environment institutions must budget accordingly. One‐time outlays from grant‐funding agencies or parent institutions will not meet the demands of the information technology marketplace. This article asks key questions concerning hardware, software and network installation and upgrades and provides strategies for dealing with the needs for continuous funding and long‐term financing that are essential for keeping up with the requirements of the electronic library.