Access to information during a recurring crisis: A study of university students' information behaviour during rain periods in Cambodia

The purpose of this study is to bring knowledge about student's information behaviour and access to information during rain periods and floods in Cambodia. The poster will showcase the findings of a master's study in library and information science conducted in Cambodia for two months. In this study, 15 students at university-level were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and the data were analysed with a thematic analysis method. The conclusions were that students change their information behaviour during rain periods, they communicate and share their re-sources and information with peers and that they formulate creative strategies to access information during rain periods and floods such as using social media and messaging applications to disseminate information. The conclusions led to the discussion of increased information searching techniques for students as well as a suggested practical kit for the students to use during rain periods. The proposed kit includes pocket-WIFI, power bank, rain gear and a water-resistant kit that could shield a laptop or book during travels in rain

Exploring strategies for leaders of microfinance banks in Nigeria.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore strategies microfinance bank executives use to maintain business sustainability. The concepts of microfinance banking, sustainability value, and strategic management theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Twenty executives from microfinance banks in Anambra state of Nigeria participated in semi-structured interviews. The data analysis process involved the use of Moustakas’ modified van Kaam process, which resulted in the emergence of three themes: strategic management, fear of microlending, and maintaining sustainability. The findings indicated the practice of strategic management, but indulgence in commercial activities instead of microlending to maintain business sustainability. The outcome reinforced the necessity for a strategic management focus on the expansion of microlending services, implementation of best practices, and technological input

Exploring strategies for leaders of microfinance banks in Nigeria.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore strategies microfinance bank executives use to maintain business sustainability. The concepts of microfinance banking, sustainability value, and strategic management theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Twenty executives from microfinance banks in Anambra state of Nigeria participated in semi-structured interviews. The data analysis process involved the use of Moustakas’ modified van Kaam process, which resulted in the emergence of three themes: strategic management, fear of microlending, and maintaining sustainability. The findings indicated the practice of strategic management, but indulgence in commercial activities instead of microlending to maintain business sustainability. The outcome reinforced the necessity for a strategic management focus on the expansion of microlending services, implementation of best practices, and technological input

Web-Based Sources and Services for Sustainable Development in Academic Libraries: A Longitudinal Approach

The current study presents an insight into trends, modifications and innovations that have taken place on the engineering institute library websites within a span of ten years (2011- 2021) in the provision of web-based sources and services through content analysis method. Findings reveal that the provision of various web-based sources and services have improved over time generally, though some of the services have not improved as expected even after a decade. Social media services provided by the libraries are an area of concern as not much change was observed regardless of a period of ten years. A major change was seen in the provision of research support to the researchers in the form of various pertinent and modern research tools and services that were provided by the library websites in 2021. Libraries have added a variety of web-based resources over time along with improving the provision of services and sources that were present in 2011 and including some new and in-demand services and sources. Libraries, through increased provision of web-based services, enabled advantage of doorstep delivery of library services, have curtailed the need to travel to the library resulting in the reduction of environmental pollution by efficient use of energy resources and reduction of paper waste by the provision of web-based sources thus contributing significantly to sustainable development

Information practices for sustainability: role of iSchools in achieving the UN sustainable development goals(SDGs)

In September 2015, the United Nations (UN) GeneralAssembly passed a resolution identifying 17 Sustain-able Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated tar-gets, and countries around the world agreed to achievethese by 2030. By conducting a thematic analysis offour key UN policy documents related to sustainabledevelopment, this paper argues that alongside financialand other resources, access to, and use of, appropriateinformation are essential for achieving SDGs. The paperalso reviews research on information and sustainabilityundertaken at the iSchools and the computer andhuman–computer interaction HCI communities. Giventhat the mission of iSchools is to connect people andsociety with the required information through the use ofappropriate technologies and tools, this paper arguesthat iSchools can play a key role in helping people, insti-tutions, and businesses, and thus countries around theworld achieve SDGs. The paper identifies 4 broad areasof teaching and research that can help iSchools aroundthe world prepare a trained workforce who can manage,and facilitate access to, information in specific domainsand contexts. It is also argued that cooperation and col-laborations among iSchools can promote a culture ofsustainable information practices among universitygraduates and researchers in different disciplines thatwill pave the way for achieving SDGs in every sector

Digital Cultural Heritage and Social Sustainability

This research investigated factors that were perceived to contribute to the social sustainability of cultural heritage information services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen users, guided by three broad questions: 1. Which factors they consider are important for DCH services to be socially sustainable or to achieve social sustainability? 2. What indicators they perceive from current DCH services that suggest social sustainability? 3. What they believe to be the main challenges for DCH services to achieve or maintain social sustainability? Social sustainability of DCH information services was associated with: strategy and policy, advocacy and community engagement, equity, cultural sensitivity and literacy, assessment and evaluation

Advokasi akses terbuka di Indonesia dan implikasinya terhadap sustainabilitas repositori institusi: studi pada empat perguruan tinggi di Surabaya, Jawa Timur

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggali karakteristik penting advokasi akses terbuka (open access/OA) di perguruan tinggi di Surabaya, Jawa Timur dan dampaknya terhadap keberlanjutan open access institutional repository (OAIR). Peneliti melakukan wawancara in-depth semi terstruktur untuk mengetahui perspektif partisipan mengenai upaya advokasi OA dan implikasinya terhadap keberlanjutan repositori di institusinya masing-masing. Untuk menganalisis hasil wawancara, peneliti menggunakan metode analisis tematik. Berdasarkan hasil temuan, ada tiga karakteristik utama advokasi OA, yaitu: upaya advokasi merupakan kombinasi antara pendekatan top-down dan bottom-up; pesan-pesan advokasi memuat manfaat OA secara lebih luas; dan penggunaan layanan pendukung (library support services) dalam proses pengembangan koleksi repositori, termasuk di dalamnya adalah deposit termediasi oleh petugas dan sesi pelatihan repositori. Tiga faktor tersebut berkontribusi dalam membantu pemustaka menghemat sumber daya dan waktu ketika mengakses koleksi terbaru; membantu perpustakaan memperoleh dukungan dana; dan meningkatkan citra publik perguruan tinggi. Hambatan utama dalam upaya advokasi OA adalah miskonsepsi terhadap gerakan OA. Berdasarkan temuan-temuan tersebut, empat repositori perguruan tinggi yang menjadi obyek penelitian ini masih berada pada level sustainabilitas rendah ke medium. Perlu adanya upaya advokasi yang lebih efektif, antara lain dengan memperkuat kerjasama antara pustakawan dan staf pengajar dalam prosesnya

Access and impact barriers to academic publications : a global study of thesis and dissertation embargo policies

Parts of the current study’s findings were presented at the 17th International Conference on Open Repositories (6th - 9th June 2022, Denver, Colorado, USA).PURPOSE : Many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) allow students or their advisors to restrict access to theses/dissertations (TDs) by applying embargoes. This study aims to identify why Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) allow embargoes. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : One hundred HEIs were randomly selected, representing seven geographic regions. The authors imported policies/guidelines for embargoing TDs into MAXQDA software and coded the qualitative data. FINDINGS : Among the 100 studied HEIs, 43 HEIs (43%) have policies/guidelines on the web for embargoing TDs, most of which are from North America. For the majority of HEIs, embargoes are a voluntary option for students/advisors. Content analysis of the 32 embargo policies showed that embargo reasons (18 key reasons) can be categorized into six broad themes (commercialization, publication, ethical issues, funding contracts/agreements, security and safety, and miscellaneous). RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS : In this study, only those policies are reviewed that are available, discoverable and accessible on HEIs' websites. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : Highlighting the detrimental effect of not managing stipulations towards embargoes clearly, the findings could be useful for national/institutional policymakers and administrators of research departments, academic libraries, institutional repositories and graduate offices. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This is the first study to investigate rationales for TDs embargo practices. It creates awareness of how embargoes are managed and reflected in policy. Ultimately, it recommends further interrogation on how embargoes influence the principle of openness to scholarship.https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/1468-4527hj2024Information ScienceNon

A novel framework for user-centered research data management

Recent Open Data policies have led to a large-scale demand for research data repositories. Research data repositories are expected to function as an important instrument for research data preservation as well as for research collaboration and dissemination, helping to realize the advantages that motivated those policies. Existing research data management (RDM) systems and infrastructure, of which research data repositories form an important component, are currently inadequate to support and further this vision. Research data are complex compound objects, and their use, and also the mode of interacting with them, differs considerably from those of manuscript documents (e.g. research publications). This research proposes a holistic framework for RDM system design that expressly takes into account the needs of system users as well as the peculiar requirements of research data, to develop well-functioning systems. It demonstrates the development process of a simple prototype of a user-centered, data-conscious RDM system, called DataFinder, from the earliest stages of requirements gathering to requirements analyses, design, development, and evaluation. Importance is given as much to the final deliverable (i.e. DataFinder) as to the process of attaining it, since a substantial part of the research preceded the former, and the findings garnered along the way will likely prove useful for purposes of which system design forms only one