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| Peter Kraus | May 2008 | |
| The hiring of several new faculty members in the German Language and Literature Section of the Modern Languages department at the University of Utah resulted in an increased demand for library instruction and technical support. A library subject specialist and a faculty member in German collaborated to teach graduate students about important electronic and print resources in German language and literature. | ||
| Monday Obaidjevwe Ogbomo Esoswo Francisca Ogbomo |
Availability and Accessibility of ICTs in the Rural Communities of Delta State, Nigeria (html) | May 2008 |
| A study of 128 people in the rural areas of Delta State, Nigeria, showed that only a relatively small number have access to computers, telephones, and radio, while virtually none have Internet access. Since Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are vital for development, the authors recommend aggressive government action to remedy this situation through the creation of infrastructure and educational efforts. | ||
| C.I. Ugwu | April 2008 | |
| A study of the effect of some personal characteristics on the use of information sources by social science researchers was conducted at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Forty lecturers were surveyed using a questionnaire. Three hypotheses were evaluated through the analysis of variance and F-statistic. Multiple comparison of item means as well as group means was conducted using Scheffé's test. The results show that position and education are good predictors of information use while professional experience has little power in explaining variations in information source use. The findings of the study support the notion that information source use is a result of complex set of interactions among variables. The examination of the interaction of some of the variables such as education, position, and experience provides insight in understanding the factors that influence the use of information sources. | ||
| Ima-M. P. Usoro | April 2008 | |
| This research examined the influence of the management variable of organizing on availability of information sources in the four Federal University Libraries in the south-south zone of Nigeria. The sample consisted of all academic librarians in the university libraries under study. One null hypothesis was formulated and tested. The instrument used to collect data for this study was a validated questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using percentages, chi-square, and contingency correlation co-efficient. The result revealed that the management variable of organizing influenced availability of information sources in the university libraries since the calculated chi-square was greater than the critical chi-square. | ||
| M. Doraswamy | April 2008 | |
| This paper investigates books borrowed by final-year students of computer science and engineering at Velagapudi Ramakrishan Siddhartha Engineering College Library during 2004–05. The analysis shows the number of books used, authorship patterns, age of collection, country-wide distribution of books used, type of publisher, ranked list of publishers, and ranked list of most frequently-used titles. Conclusions are derived from each point of analysis. | ||
| S. O. Popoola | April 2008 | |
| This article investigates the effects of the use of information sources and services on the research output of social scientists in the Nigerian federal government-owned universities. Simple cluster sampling with equal allocation method was used for sample selection. A self-developed questionnaire with a reliability coefficient (α = 0.78) was used for data gathering on 315 social scientists, of which 281 responded. The study found no significant difference between male and female use of information sources in social science research. The mean number of journals read on a regular basis by the respondents is seven. They occasionally use electronic information services in support of their research activities. There are significant main effects of the use of information sources and services on the research output of the respondents. It is recommended that the respondents should endeavour to use electronic information services; their institutional libraries should acquire current information materials in support of research and teaching; and both information sources and services be used in their teaching and research. | ||
| Sumeer Gul Samina Khan |
Growth and Development of Oriental Libraries in India (html) | April 2008 |
| India is a vast repository of different cultures, both because it was invaded by a number of foreign countries and peoples, and because of its contacts with people from the East. The languages from those Eastern countries are part of Indian literature. The literature in those Eastern languages created India 's Oriental libraries. This article traces the history of those libraries, which contain the literature pertaining to Oriental studies and languages. "Oriental" in this context refers to the ancient Near East, including India, Persia (Iran), and ancient Arabia, among other places, and the languages and literatures of those places and peoples. | ||
| David C. Kupfer | April 2008 | |
This report considers four issues; the validity of an American canon; whether public libraries have a mandate to support it; whether the canon is supported in national One Book clubs; and the implications of support. A measurable appreciation of our literary heritage is found by comparing bestsellers with classics in One Book projects for adult discussion. In this program, supervised by the Library of Congress Center for the Book, libraries have selected venerated American authors three times as frequently as those with the greatest current sales. In the 21st century, patrons will continue to find a stimulating non-traditional study of the national canon through group reading. |
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| Eileen McElrath | Free Websites of Value for Humanities Students and Faculty Researchers (html) | April 2008 |
| Studies show that faculty members, particularly those in social sciences, arts, and humanities, question the accuracy, reliability and sufficiency of web resources for research. Undergraduate students, on the other hand, report that the web provides them information that they use to complete assignments. The purpose of this study is to find free web sites of value for humanities researchers and librarians. The study uses a content analysis of the annotated lists of librarian-evaluated free websites published in Reference & User Services Quarterly from 1999 to 2005 to determine the ones of value for humanities researchers. Findings to date include approximately 20 websites of value for humanities researchers. | ||
| Elaine Peterson | Parallel Systems: The Coexistence of Subject Cataloging and Folksonomy (html) | April 2008 |
| Catalogers have always had to balance adherence to cataloging rules and authority files with creating cataloging that is current and relevant to users. That dilemma has been complicated in new ways because of user demands in the world of Web 2.0. Standardized cataloging is crucial for communication between computer systems, but patrons now have an expectation of social interaction on the Internet, as evidenced by the popularity of folksonomy. After a description of traditional subject cataloging and folksonomy, this article discusses several institutions where subject cataloging is still used, but where patron interaction is also encouraged. User-generated tags can coexist with controlled vocabulary such as subject headings. | ||
| Enemute Basil Iwhiwhu | Information Repackaging and Library Services: A Challenge to Information Professionals in Nigeria (html) | April 2008 |
| This study examines information packaging and re-packaging in library services. The survey research design was used for the study with a questionnaire as instrument for data collection. Forty professional staff available in academic and research libraries were surveyed. The study reveals that while the concept of information repackaging is not new, a majority of library staff are not adequately informed about it. Libraries in Nigeria can take a marketing approach to consider the potential for products and services. Repackaging information could increase user satisfaction, be a source of revenue, and help libraries achieve their goals. | ||
| Saroj Das P.J. Pathak |
Facilitating Scientific Research with Library Services: A Case Study of the IPR Library (html) | April 2008 |
| Research libraries have always played an important role in scientific developments. The Institute for Plasma Physics (IPR) and its library exemplify that important relationship. This paper describes the role played by the IPR library in the organizational research process. | ||
| Uduak U. Enang | March 2008 | |
| This study sought to determine the extent to which Nigerian publishers use the International Standard Bibliographic Descriptions (ISBD) in Nigerian published books. Publishers and documentary evidence were used for the study. Two hundred and fifty publishers and one thousand books were used as sample for the study. The instruments used for the study were a standardized checklist of the book and a questionnaire. One null hypothesis was formulated and tested. The data collected were analysed using percentages and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The study found out that use of ISBD significantly influences quality book publishing and affects the process of retrieving information easily. The study concluded that lack of essential ISBD elements by Nigerian publishers creates problems for cataloguers, documentalists, and library users, and has a significant relationship to the quality of book publishing. | ||
| Dr. M. Madhusudhan | March 2008 | |
| Indian universities are facing issues such as budget cuts, increased publication costs, and money devaluation,and coping with ever-increasing information requirements of readers. There is an urgent need for the libraries and information centers to provide better library and information services. Libraries and librarians in Indian universities are forced to adopt marketing tools to become more competent and alert. This paper describes the marketing of library services and products with particular reference to Goa University Library. There is discussion of marketing concepts, on the investigation of potential markets, planning, targeted services to accurate market segments, and identification of competitive advantages. | ||
| Krishna Kumar Akhtar Hussain Neetu Singh |
March 2008 | |
| This study surveyed the collections of the technical Institute libraries. The vast majority of collections are English language material (93.33%), followed by Hindi (16.67%). Most of the institutions in the population do not have substantial library collections in any format. The libraries of the technical institutes in the population serve faculty, research scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates. The budget for library materials is variable in the population. Some have no special library allocation. Most of the institutions devote their budget to the purchase of science and engineering material. Two-thirds of the institutions in the population offer the B. Tech. degree to undergraduates, while 80 percent offer the MCA at the graduate level. Eighty percent of respondents stated that their institutions were fully computerized. More than half the institutions are part of Delnet. | ||
| Anthonia E. Omehia Boma B. Obi Henry Itohowo Okon |
Student Characteristics and Use of Library Services in the University of Uyo (html) |
March 2008 |
| The study investigated students' characteristics and their use of library services in the University of Uyo. Students' academic discipline, year of study, and socio-economic status were considered. The results of a structured questionnaire, returned by 528 students (81%) were subjected to t-test analysis, ANOVA, and multiple classification analysis (MCA) at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The findings revealed that students' academic discipline with 59%, year of study with 51%, and socio-economic status with 64% affected their use of library services. | ||
| Karl Bridges | March 2008 | |
| With the advent of Web 2.0, libraries began not only developing innovative technology, but also new economic paradigms for library services. The present economic situation for libraries is unsustainable. Libraries, as a practical matter, cannot pay attention to everything, to every node, to every leaf on the tree of knowledge. Through creation of multiple points of interaction with users the result is an increase in the level of attention paid by the user compared to the static nature of Web 1.0 technologies which were mostly passive in regards to the users.Web 2.0 also represents an attempt to deal with the issue of scarcity of library resources by making the users partners with the librarians in the creation and development of content. | ||
| Michael A. Weber Robert K. Flatley |
What Do Students Want?: A Focus Group Study of Students at a Mid-Sized Public University (html) | March 2008 |
| Presents the findings of a focus group study to determine how students find information and what role they see the library playing on campus. Results indicated that relied heavily on the Internet for their information needs but felt the played a vital role. | ||
| Megan Fitzgibbons | Implications of Hypertext Theory for the Reading , Organization, and Retrieval of Information (html) |
March 2008 |
| Hypertext, the creation of links within or among texts in a digital environment, is the basis on which documents are transmitted electronically. This paper explores implications of hypertext theory for how users read, seek, and understand information. Hypertext does not necessarily change reading cognition, but its nodal structure affects readers' interactions with texts on a conceptual level. From a broader perspective, hypertext applications create and organize networks of literature that can be retrieved on a multiplicity of levels. Hypertext and its connecting properties allow 1) information seekers to accomplish their tasks in a digital environment, and 2) information professionals to fulfill long-held goals for organizing and disseminating information. | ||
| Mohan Ramaswamy Tara Baillargeon Charlene N. Simser |
March 2008 | |
| The Internet has significantly changed the ways in which information is provided, particularly in libraries. Libraries are buying increasing numbers of electronic reference (e-Reference) materials which are buried in the catalog or on web pages, not to be easily found by the user. Unlike print reference books, e-Reference books are not found on libraries’ reference shelves and, therefore, are underused. Libraries face the dilemma of how to make e-Reference books more accessible to patrons. Kansas State University Libraries are addressing this challenge by using the powerful metadata behind OPAC records to create browsable e-Reference lists. These lists are also published as RSS feeds which can be pushed to users. This article describes the low tech approach used by subject librarians and catalogers to make e-Reference books more accessible to patrons. | ||
| Modupe A. Akewukereke Samuel Olukayode Ibitoye |
March 2008 | |
| The Johari Window is a tool for improving organizational communication. It contains four quadrants, which represent how individuals are known to themselves and others. Using this tool can reveal more about librarians' self-image and can lead to stronger organizations and better service. | ||
| S. Sivaraj Dr. S. Mohammed Esmail Dr. M. Kanakaraj |
March 2008 | |
| The pattern of engineering education and research is changing in response to new methods, techniques, and applications of technology. Engineering colleges are in constant need of information about developments in science and technology. In today's environment , it is impossible for any library to stand alone. No library can singlehandedly obtain all the material that is needed or requested. Engineering libraries must share resources and organize cooperative services. Advances in information technology offer methods of networking and resource sharing among the geographically dispersed and remotely located library and information centres. This paper discusses ways that engineering colleges can share resources in the networked information environment, as well as proposing a network design called Tamil Nadu Engineering College Libraries Network (TECLIBNET). | ||
| Kristina Jung | Self-Creation and Communal-Creation: A Philosophy of Reference Service (html) |
March 2008 |
| Academic library reference service is vital to students. In the academic setting, reference service is closely tied to library instruction. Library instruction provides learning tools for the search for information. The academic library reinforces this idea by providing different channels for reference service, including the collection, the librarian, and instruction. Reference service can also be a part of open-ended semiosis for both the individual and the community. The academic library fosters relationships that create meaning through both self-creation and communal-creation. | ||
| Zahid Ashraf Wani | March 2008 | |
| This paper is an overview of public library development in India from ancient times to the present day. It describes initiatives undertaken by private foundations and by local, state, and central government, and details the particular characteristics of Indian society and their relationship to library and information systems. | ||
| Stephanie Willen Brown | February 2008 | |
| The reference librarian's task is to translate the patron's question into one that can be answered with the library's resources. The first element of that task is to know what the patron wants; the second is to know what resources the library has and how to use them. Reference librarians must learn continuously throughout their careers, both because new resources become available, but also because patrons present questions requiring new resources. This article will focus on how to determine what kind of information the patron needs through the reference interview. | ||
| Maziar Amirhosseini | February 2008 | |
| This article looks at the logical relationships between the categories that have led to the development of the thesaurus, including the historical origins of thesaurus construction. The research uses the dialectical, logical relationships of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Each step in the dialectic of thesaurus creation includes subjective and objective thought as part of the thesis and antithesis, resolved by the more absolute thinking of the synthesis. | ||
| Ahmed Mohammed | February 2008 | |
| This study looks at the impact of Book Aid International (BAI) on the development of libraries in Kano State, Nigeria. The study population is eighteen libraries that are benefiting from the BAI program. A questionnaire was used to obtain data. The respondents strongly believe that BAI is beneficial, and that it has improved library collections and services. Recommendations for programme donors and the beneficiaries are included. | ||
| Amanze Onyebochi Unagha | February 2008 | |
| This paper examines the ways school libraries can provide services for the successful implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) in Nigeria. After tracing the origin and objectives of UBE, it discusses the concept of school libraries and their role in education. Library services are crucial to the success of UBE in Nigeria. They include library space in all schools, extension services, adequate and relevant information sources, recreational reading material, library work and study rooms, and resource-sharing between school libraries and public libraries. | ||
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