Open source repositories: Implications for libraries

Software that is accepted as “Open source” should comply with 10 conditions which are itinerated in the paper. The paper subsequently describes the application of open source initiatives in the digital library context. Three open source digital library initiatives developed by the Digital Library Research Group at the Faculty of Computer Science and information Technology, University of Malaya are highlighted. These are; (a) MyManuskrip: digital library of Malay manuscripts; (b) MyAIS : Digital library of Malaysian scholarly journals and conference proceedings; and (d) DSpace@Um: a digital library of dissertations, theses and final year project reports. Other “free” systems such as EJUM: electronic journal of university of Malaya is also described to highlight the slight difference between open source and being free. The paper also describes the libraries involved in the initiatives and the changing eco-system which libraries must accept to embrace the open source culture

A Constitutional Case for Extending the Due Process Clause to Asylum Seekers: Revisiting the Entry Fiction After \u3ci\u3eBoumediene\u3c/i\u3e

In the last two decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has actively grappled with balancing the interests of immigrant detainees and the federal government in the context of prolonged immigration detention by reconciling the statutory framework with constitutional guarantees of due process. The Court has focused on how prolonged detention without an opportunity for an individualized custody determination poses a serious constitutional threat to an alien’s liberty interest. The Court’s jurisprudence has focused, however, on aliens who have effected an entry into the United States. The constitutional entitlements of nonresidents who are detained upon presenting themselves at the border have so far been excluded from this new immigration narrative and continue to be governed by a more than halfcentury-old precedent establishing the “entry fiction” and acceding to the plenary power of the Executive. This Note focuses on a discrete category of aliens, namely nonresident arriving aliens seeking asylum who are detained pursuant to section 235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). These aliens stand on a different legal footing than other categories of aliens detained under the INA because they are subject to the entry fiction doctrine, which has manifest ramifications for not only their legal status but also the degree of constitutional protections they are entitled to. This Note discusses how developments in the extraterritorial application of the Constitution inform the entry fiction doctrine in the context of extending procedural protections to asylum seekers detained upon entry into the United States. This Note shows how the functional approach to extraterritoriality articulated in Boumediene v. Bush alters the legal landscape and affords an opportunity to extend due process protections to nonresident arriving aliens. Cognizant of the limitations imposed by the plenary power doctrine, this Note does not argue for extending the complete panoply of procedural protections to section 1225(b) detainees; instead it focuses on how a discrete remedy— bond hearings—would help alleviate the procedural deficiencies in the statutorily prescribed procedure. In so doing, this Note departs from the approach that has currently been adopted by lower courts by positing that recent Supreme Court precedent provides a very strong constitutional basis for extending procedural protections to section 1225(b) detainees, and it would be remiss to rely solely on Clark v. Martinez-inspired constitutional avoidance arguments

Channels of published research communication used by Malaysian authors in computer science and information technology

Analyse 389 records retrieved from Inspec (1990-1999), Compendex (1987-1999) and IEL (IEE/IEEE Electronic library)(1987-1999). The records comprised 159 journal articles, 229 conference papers and 1 monograph chapter. The subject coverage was computer science and information technology. The yearly output of Malaysian publications indicated a gentle upward trend. The highest contributions was 87 published in 1997. The channels used to publish differ slightly from the norm for scientists. Conference papers were preferred to journal articles. The spread of conference papers used to publish indicate three zonal distributions; the nucleus, moderate and low productivity in the ratio of 19 : 41 : 88, leading to a clustering index of 2.15. This shows that Malaysian conference contributions were concentrated in a few proceedings. No clear core journals can be identified for the journal articles and contributions were distributed in a wide variety of journal titles. Malaysian Journal of Computer Science published the highest number of journal articles. More than 83 of the articles were published in journals from the UK, USA, the Netherlands and Malaysia

Characterisation of ionospheric TEC variations over the equatorial and polar regions during solar cycle 24

The TEC variations in the equatorial and polar region are known to be high compared to the mid latitude region. Investigation on ionospheric TEC at individual regions has been carried out by many studies but the investigation between these regions simultaneously is still lacking. TEC values from Libreville (NKLG), Gabon (0.4162°N, 9.4673°E), and Ny-Alesund (NYA1), Norway (78.9235°N, 11.9099°E), each representing equatorial and polar station, respectively, are obtained for the year 2009, 2011, and 2013 to observe their TEC behaviors. The diurnal and seasonal variations of TEC and geomagnetic effects on TEC variations are analyzed for both stations. Besides, the rate of TEC change, K, is obtained to relate the TEC variations between these locations simultaneously. The pseudo-TEC measurement measured by dual frequency GPS which can be obtained from IGS server, is used to calculate vertical TEC. The ranges of maximum diurnal TEC at NKLG and NYA1 station is 23-114 TECU and 8-55 TECU, respectively. The seasonal TEC peak at both stations encountered the highest TEC at equinoctial months and the lowest value at solstitial months. However, in 2009, the seasonal TEC showed the highest and lowest TEC peak, both at equinoctial months at NYA1 station. During geomagnetic days, the enhancement percentages of TEC are found on 22 July 2009 and 17 March 2013 at NKLG station, and 22 July 2009 and 25 October 2011 at NYA1 station. The decrement percentage of TEC observed on 25 October 2011 and 17 March 2013 at NKLG and NYA1 station, respectively. The rate of TEC change shows a same definite pattern over all the years. It can be concluded that the hourly maximum TEC values at NKLG station fell within 0.4-1.9 times larger than that NYA1 station. This study helps to have more understanding of the unique characteristics at the equatorial and polar ionosphere

Exploring library anxiety among Sudanese university students

Library anxiety is one of the psychological barriers that encounter students when they are performing a library task. This study explores library anxiety among 51 Sudanese university students using diary method for data collection. The finding indicates that library anxiety among Sudanese university students are manifested into five dimensions, namely; (a) Negative perceptions towards library environment, (b) Negative perceptions towards peer students, (c) Negative perceptions towards library staff, (d) Negative perceptions towards library services, and (e) Psychological barriers. Details of statements under the dimensions highlight the issues that are unique and not covered by previous studies in library anxiety