Evaluating the Challenges of Materials and Digital Resources at University Libraries in Kerman

The purpose of this study is to identify challenges of digital resources in academic libraries of Kerman province. Research methodology is descriptive- survey, a questionnaire is used for gathering data. Research sample includes 41 librarians of Kerman libraries and their managers. Results show that economic challenges, in order, are:  infrastructures and equipment purchasing, printed and digital resources providing, and using license. Libraries technological challenges respectively, are: their inability to compete with printed materials in features like user friendliness and energy consumption. Information services challenges are as follow: information preservation, identification and acquisition of suitable materials and linking electronic resources to printed information resources. It seemed that Kerman libraries are faced with problems more than these, and they were not able to provide their necessary technological infrastructure for keeping and providing access to library resources yet. In addition, financial constraints of resources, and especially, digitization of printed resources made the situation very chaotic for the academic libraries

"A Lifetime of Enjoyment": User Knowledge of Best Practices for Handling and Storage of Optical Digital Media

This study describes a survey of members of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill community. Participation was solicited via the UNC-CH Mass Email System. Subjects included students at all levels from undergraduate to postdoctoral, faculty, staff, alumni, and persons with other academic affiliations. The survey was conducted to establish baseline data describing what people know about handling and storage of optical digital media (CDs and DVDs). The survey also sought to describe the vectors by which participants gained their knowledge of the topic, and to determine the extent to which libraries have played a role in user education. The data suggest that survey participants' knowledge about the topic varies widely, with answers to questions ranging from near-unanimously correct to near-unanimously incorrect. Furthermore the data suggest that libraries have played a small role in user education compared to other influences. Benefits of increased library outreach to users are implied

Impact of the web on citation and information-seeking behaviour of academics

D.Litt. et Phil.This study investigated the impact of the Web on the information-seeking and citation behaviour of Unisa academics. The research study was executed in two phases. Phase 1 consisted of a Web citation analysis and phase 2 a questionnaire. Phase 1 explored how the availability of Web information resources affected the scholarly citation behaviour of Unisa academics by determining the relationship between Web-based references and non-Web-based references in the reference lists of Unisa academics. In phase 1 it was established how frequently Web-based information resources were cited (reference lists) compared to traditional print sources. Furthermore, the variation in Web citation patterns between academics from different subject disciplines was identified. The main source of data was 20 825 citations contained in reference lists, endnotes and footnotes of 458 accredited research journal articles submitted in 2004 by Unisa to the Department of Education for subsidy purposes. The data were gathered by calculating the total number of references that appeared in the reference lists. Thereafter a citation count was done of the total number of Web references cited in the article by checking each article for references containing Web-based information resources such as URLs of webpages or websites. Collectively the reference lists consisted of 3.5% references to Web-based information resources and 96.5% to non-Web-based information resources. The findings of the 2005 citation study indicate that academics tended to rely on static, academic library, print-based resources when citing the literature, not Web-based information resources. Furthermore, academics from the five Unisa Colleges displayed different Web citation patterns. Phase 2 of the study, a questionnaire survey, provides insight into the relative significance of the open Web as an information resource and Web search engines as research tools among academics. The aim of the questionnaire was to record the preferences, usage and perceptions of the freely available open Web information resources, as compared to the academic library information resources (print and electronic). In addition, the factors that influence the choice of the academic when iv selecting the open Web or the academic library as an information resource were investigated. The entire Unisa academic staff establishment was invited via e-mail and the Unisa intranet to participate in the survey. The survey instrument consisted of 32 questions via the Web and/or print-based format. The findings reported are based on a survey of 187 Unisa academics with a response rate of 15.74%

An exploration of professionalism within the landscape of change in academic librarianship

This study focused on the research question: how do higher education academic librarians in the UK respond to changing environments and expectations whilst maintaining their professional identities within the core philosophical framework and value system? Placing the experiences and conceptions of academic librarians at the heart of the investigation, it aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the changes and challenges identified by practitioners from their perspectives. Following a traditional literature review and a purposeful literature mapping, the multi-layered contexts surrounding academic librarians were established respectively through the presentation of the major themes discussed in existing research on professionalism and the topics including their patterns researched by Library and Information Science (LIS) researchers from a purposive sample of journals. With the data from the literature mapping review being validated through a community consultation with LIS practitioners and compared against the identified trends reviewed by professional body, the triangulation of the themes provided further understanding of the professional landscape. Adopting a qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposively selected homogenous sample of three individual academic librarians, for whom the research question was directed at, to acquire their unique experiential accounts. The philosophical underpinnings of phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiography of the IPA approach have illuminated the rich microscopic detail of the narratives. Findings from the single and cross case analysis led to the development of a conceptual framework which presents how the multi-faceted professional identities are being shaped by the contextual spheres of influence of: core professional values, organisational culture and wider environments. Drawing on the knowledge of this understanding and the insight developed from the detailed examination of the wider contexts and the experiences and perspectives of practitioners, this study suggested ways forward for the future development of the LIS profession

Formation continue des personnels de bibliothèque universitaire au numérique. État des lieux et perspectives (La)

Mémoire de fin d\u27étude du diplôme de conservateur, promotion DCB 21, portant sur la formation continue des personnels de bibliothèque universitaire à l\u27heure du numérique

In-house indexing of periodical literature : a study of university libraries in Kenya

The present study investigated identification, access and usage of periodicals in university libraries in Kenya, with a view of recommending a tool for assisting users to identify information. Using questionnaires completed by 316 university library users and 27 librarians, backed with participant observations, document analysis as well as interviews, it was found that usage of periodicals was low as most users browse through periodicals to identify information, a method that is not effective. In-house indexing was investigated and found to be an effective tool in facilitating access to relevant information. The study recommends establishment of in-house indexing programs and databases in university libraries; formulation of consistent indexing policies to achieve quality indexing; and that indexing should be focused on both content and user requirements by specifying points- of- view, and study methodologies to enhance retrieval of relevant information.Information ScienceM. A. (Information Science

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography: 2007 Annunal Edition

This bibliography lists citations of English-language articles, books and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding scholarly electronic publishing efforts on the Internet. Most sources have been published from 1990 through 2007; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 1990 are also included

Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography: 2008 Annunal Edition

This bibliography lists citations of English-language articles, books and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding scholarly electronic publishing efforts on the Internet. Most sources have been published from 1990 through 2008; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 1990 are also included

The Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography: 2008 Annual Edition

The Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography: 2008 Annual Edition presents over 3,350 English-language articles, books, and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding scholarly electronic publishing efforts on the Internet. Most sources have been published from 1990 through 2008; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 1990 are also included. Where possible, links are provided to works that are freely available on the Internet, including e-prints in disciplinary archives and institutional repositories. It is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License