Index to Library Trends Volume 38

published or submitted for publicatio

Development of an intelligent information resource model based on modern natural language processing methods

Currently, there is an avalanche-like increase in the need for automatic text processing, respectively, new effective methods and tools for processing texts in natural language are emerging. Although these methods, tools and resources are mostly presented on the internet, many of them remain inaccessible to developers, since they are not systematized, distributed in various directories or on separate sites of both humanitarian and technical orientation. All this greatly complicates their search and practical use in conducting research in computational linguistics and developing applied systems for natural text processing. This paper is aimed at solving the need described above. The paper goal is to develop model of an intelligent information resource based on modern methods of natural language processing (IIR NLP). The main goal of IIR NLP is to render convenient valuable access for specialists in the field of computational linguistics. The originality of our proposed approach is that the developed ontology of the subject area “NLP” will be used to systematize all the above knowledge, data, information resources and organize meaningful access to them, and semantic web standards and technology tools will be used as a software basis

OCUL Collaborative Futures (CF) Decolonizing Descriptions Working Group Final Report

The broad objective of the working group is to develop recommendations on how to make descriptive metadata in Omni, the Collaborative Futures (CF) shared library services platform, more accurately and respectfully reflect Indigenous Peoples, knowledges, and contexts. The following report was created by the OCUL-CF Decolonizing Descriptions Working Group and submitted to the OCUL-CF Metadata Management and Standards Committee as per its Terms of Reference. In section 1 of the report, we have included a set of recommendations organized as follows: ● Recommendations on relationship building and consultation: The Working Group recognized that without this step, this work cannot advance in a meaningful, inclusive or respectful way ● Critical evaluation of library records and description practices: The Working Group recommends broadening the scope of description practice evaluation and including OCUL member libraries beyond current CF institutions. ● Recommendations related to technical capabilities in Alma: These recommendations are intended as short-term solutions based on testing and research done by Working Group members. The intent is that consultation with Indigenous stakeholders will inform appropriate changes to terminology used in the catalogue. After the recommendations, we have included sections 2-7 providing additional details supporting how the group arrived at their conclusions

Knowledge organization

Since Svenonius analyzed the research base in bibliographic control in 1990, the intervening years have seen major shifts in the focus of information organization in academic libraries. New technologies continue to reshape the nature and content of catalogs, stretch the boundaries of classification research, and provide new alternatives for the organization of information. Research studies have rigorously analyzed the structure of the Anglo- American Cataloguing Rules using entity-relationship modeling and expanded on the bibliographic and authority relationship research to develop new data models (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records [FRBR] and Functional Requirements and Numbering of Authority Records [FRANAR]). Applied research into the information organization process has led to the development of cataloguing tools and harvesting ap- plications for bibliographic data collection and automatic record creation. A growing international perspective focused research on multilingual subject access, transliteration problems in surrogate records, and user studies to improve Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) displays for large retrieval sets resulting from federated searches. The need to organize local and remote electronic resources led to metadata research that developed general and domain-specific metadata schemes. Ongoing research in this area focuses on record structures and architectural models to enable interoperability among the various schemes and differing application platforms. Research in the area of subject access and classification is strong, covering areas such as vocabulary mapping, automatic facet construction and deconstruction for Web resources, development of expert systems for automatic classifica- tion, dynamically altered classificatory structures linked to domain-specific thesauri, crosscultural conceptual structures in classification, identification of semantic relationships for vocabulary mapped to classification systems, and the expanded use of traditional classification systems as switching languages in the global Web environment. Finally, descriptive research into library and information science (LIS) education and curricula for knowl- edge organization continues. All of this research is applicable to knowledge organization in academic and research libraries. This chapter examines this body of research in depth, describes the research methodologies employed, and identifies areas of lacunae in need of further research

Enhancing Accessibility, Diversity, and Literacy of Heritage Language Maintenance in Our Community: A Proposal for Public Libraries with a Focus on the Korean Community

In contrast to the U.S. emphasis on producing English monolinguals, the needs of world language fluency and education have become more evident than ever as society becomes more globalized and potential bilinguals and even multilinguals are transformed to important human resources. However, even now, linguistically diverse communities often experience significant heritage language loss after immigrating to the U.S. due to the still long-held undervaluation of heritage languages and the push for rapid assimilation to the new society. Research has revealed the many benefits and advantages of heritage language development and maintenance, but unfortunately, the formal education system in the U.S. has not been able to provide sufficient heritage language education. For this reason, this research focused on the potential role of public libraries to find an efficient supplement to help promote heritage language maintenance and development by using the children’s Korean collections and Korean heritage language population as a representative case. Based on public libraries’ well-established infrastructure, well-placed locations within communities, and professionally accumulated know-how for sourcing, cataloging, and managing resources, local public libraries can make an impactful difference in the Korean community. It is hoped that this proposal can provide useful and practical plans to assist public libraries in supporting the maintenance of language and culture for Korean heritage children, and further, be used as a framework to enhance the collections for other linguistically diverse communities as well

INNOVATION FOR SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION: DIGITAL LITERACY AND THE NATIONAL READING CAMPAIGN

This study attempts to describe the history of how the Norwegian language policy in the Nordic Council and The European Global Language Policy at the European Commission are implemented in The National Library Strategy 2020-2023 in Norway and its relevance across Intercultural Communication. Innovation for a democratic Language Technology infrastructure aims to participate in quality education for Literacy, prioritizing Universal Design Development on children's inclusion for social development and a sustainable future. The Research field based on Hermeneutics, Epistemology, Ethics and methodology, are a main foundation for Universal design . (Areskoug Josefsson, Haarr, K. H., Eriksen, S. S., & Brossard Børhaug, F. 2022) Norway holds the chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 20221 and also the chairmanship of the Network for Nordic Language Committees.2 In this connection, the focus on challenges concerning minority children inclusion in schools, libraries, and intercultural language centers3 , and how the development and use of language technology can contribute to supporting the Nordic countries' language policies and digital plans is a priority. (Regjeringen; sprakteknologi og de nordiske sprakene, 2022) The National Library, through the Council of language in Norway, has initiated a discussion based on the debate between digital transition and languages policies: “In today's language technology landscape, school children and teachers experience that software and writing support offered by the major international technology giants in the school does not reflect the official spelling of the local languages. Today, it is impossible to include adopted spelling standards in internationally advanced writing tools. The language norms conveyed by the big technology giants thus appear as competitors to the official spelling. The companies also do not allow locally developed language technology for small languages (e.g., Greenlandic, Sami, Norwegian, Nynorsk) to be offered as a local adaptation to the children and young people who receive their education in these languages". (Wetås. Å, Språkrådet 4.04.2022)

Community building, multiculturalism and the suburban public library

This research investigates the role of public libraries in building communities and cross-cultural citizenship through provision of equitable information resources and services to English as Additional Language (EAL) speakers, particularly in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. The rapidly changing demographic profile of Western Australia is producing an ever increasing diversity of people who need to access information in order to thrive in their new community. However, access to these information services pose challenges to users who lack competency in language, computer and general literacy, while the increasing diversity in the local population creates widely divergent competencies in information seeking skills among library clients. Diversity, which has become evident in many contemporary communities, unveils a wide range of information seeking skills, which varies from individuals who are illiterate (often from an agrarian background) and others who are highly educated with substantial English language and computer skills. In this research, the concept of equity in the provision of library services for EAL speakers was investigated by reviewing the library environment in Perth, Western Australia from the perspective of library staff and EAL clients. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants from across various EAL backgrounds as to their knowledge, understanding and current usage of library services. The interview sessions identified the extent of user acceptance of these services and the factors which indicated levels of perceived equity of these library services. The findings from the responses of the public library staff and EAL speakers revealed a complex and diverse local library environment. The public library system, in Western Australia traditionally modelled to serve English language clientele, is yet to fully recognise the presence of the multicultural clientele in its library service provision. Thus, the shift in public library perspectives towards service provision for diverse ethnic groups is evident in isolation but not in adherence to a transparent, consistent government policy which filters down to the local libraries as a guide for normal practices. The EAL speakers’ responses revealed a dire need for English language and computer skills education for some ethnic groups, in order to facilitate their public library access. The findings revealed that some of the EAL groups are unaware of the public library system, its intrinsic value or its culture including that the services are free and offered in a democratic and safe space. Some of the EAL groups also distrust government entities and figures of authority per se as officials symbolise maltreatment of their families and ethnic groups in their countries of origin. Reliance on natives from their own communities, revealed within the interview data, has led to an emergence of bonding social capital tendencies and limited integration with the host culture. The public library is strategically located to draw diverse individuals from its local suburb and contribute towards community building strategies and integration in Western Australia. Having located gaps between library service provision and library service needs, this research developed a model for possible future strategic directions for public libraries in Western Australia