The impact and management of mis/disinformation at university libraries in Australia

Mis/disinformation has in recent political and health climates become increasingly spread through social media and the internet, drawing increased discussion on the role libraries play in countering and combating the spread of mis/disinformation. This study investigated the impact and management of mis/disinformation at university libraries in Australia through a survey of 88 library staff and interviews with 17 managers. Library staff believe they have a role in teaching skills such as critical thinking and evaluation, advocating in this space and maintaining credible, balanced and inclusive collections. Although combating mis/disinformation is a strategic priority for libraries, it is often not a priority for the institutions themselves, leading to barriers for staff who would like to devote more time and resources to teaching information literacy skills and assessing the credibility and accuracy of collections. While complaints about collection content are low and library managers’ view is that libraries should not censor materials, there is an increasing priority in Australia to address historical inaccuracies in content and build and maintain collections that are inclusive and culturally safe. Library staff in Australia would like support from national library bodies through training and resources and playing an advocacy role in national discussions around mis/disinformation

Print versus digital preferences of university students in Australia

This paper presents findings of a survey that investigated the reading preferences of university students at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia. This survey is being undertaken as part of the Academic Reading Format International Study (ARFIS), which is investigating print versus digital reading preferences in 31 countries. A total of 582 students completed the survey. Results from the survey indicate a strong preference for reading in print because of issues such as eyestrain, tactile features, better focus, and ability to highlight and take notes. Issues such as cost, usability and accessibility also impacted on students’ reading decisions

Using phenomenography to bridge the gap between research and practice: a meta-analysis of three phenomenographic studies

Introduction. The findings of three recent phenomenographic studies conducted by a practitioner-researcher team (the information literacy experiences of English as a foreign language (EFL) students, how international branch campus faculty members experience the academic library and the open access experiences of faculty members in online education) are analysed to discover what practical implications were revealed from the categories of description that can be used in practice. Method. Meta-analysis of the categories of description of three phenomenographic studies was conducted. Analysis. Categories of description were analysed iteratively in order to identify which library services and processes could be informed by the results of phenomenographic research. Results. The meta-analysis of phenomenographic results shows that there were three library services and processes: information literacy instruction, scholarly communication and evaluation of services, where research results can be applied to improve library practice. Conclusions. The phenomenographic method reveals useful results of library users’ experiences and perceptions that can be used as a guide for improving library practice across a variety of settings

Surgical Innovations for GERD: Comparing Outcomes of Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation and Nissen Fundoplication

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic upper gastrointestinal disease with both objective and subjective components. It is defined as a reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, which causes symptoms such as heartburn, regurgitation, and dysphagia. Severity of the disease is dependent on both severity of the symptoms and severity of the mucosal damage done by the reflux. While many cases of GERD can be managed with oral medication, persistent and refractory cases require surgical intervention. The purpose of this literature review is to compare the efficacy of GERD’s gold standard surgical technique, the Nissen fundoplication, with a new surgical technique, magnetic sphincter augmentation. Studies were included if they analyzed either procedure against itself or directly compared the two procedures. No specific requirements were set, but special attention was paid to the patient inclusion criteria to assess for common themes between the studies. The data available at this time indicates that in patients who qualify for both procedures, magnetic sphincter augmentation and Nissen fundoplication produce similar levels of efficacy and patient satisfaction

Multi-owned developments : a life cycle review of a developing research area

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to highlight the international significance of multi-owned developments (MODs), present an MOD life cycle conceptual model and review the range of identified peer-reviewed empirical research papers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper utilises an exploratory qualitative methodology to collate and analyse literature focusing on MODs. From the 403 research papers identified 96 peer-reviewed empirical research papers specific to MODs were examined. A MOD life cycle model has been conceptualised to facilitate a content analysis of the reviewed papers. Findings - The findings of this paper highlights the gaps in knowledge pertinent to MODs and outlines avenues for future research that argues for the need to develop a more holistic and multi-disciplinary research approach. Research limitations/implications - The research is based on reviewing published papers as identified using specific search terms. Originality/value - The paper makes an important and innovative contribution to the body of knowledge by developing a MOD life cycle model and identifying the range and scope of peer-reviewed empirical research literature published on MODs. Understanding the MOD life cycle phases and the gaps in the literature can enable academics from a multitude of disciplines to enhance this field of inquiry in order to better understand this emergent property type.No Full Tex