Strategic approaches to digital libraries and virtual learning environments (VLEs)

Pragmatic information strategies have important parallels with potentially effective strategies for introducing VLEs. Information strategies were marketed as tools for pursuing more efficient ways of conducting existing forms of research and teaching. Initially, e-learning platforms may well be best marketed as tools for facilitating existing forms of teaching carried out with transmission-based pedagogies

When good sites turn bad : the ethics of digital libraries and internet legislation

To examine how well internet legislation that is imposed on libraries actually works, and to suggest ways of improving regulatory control of the web with a view to helping digital library service provision

UK digital library licences and authentication systems : national versus local approaches

To examine the system of electronic library service licences and authentication in the UK, and highlight its hybrid local - national approach

eLiteracy versus information literacy at eLit2005 : what's the difference, which should we prefer?

Having successfully migrated to St. John's University, New York the previous year as eLit2004, this year's eLit conference, eLit2005[1], was held at the University of Strathclyde in June and addressed a range of challenging concepts from the electronic information environment. I have to own up to being on the local organising committee for eLit2005, so any comments about the conference on my part may lack a certain objectivity. However, the event did prove to be a success and I hope left a number of stimulating ideas to resonate with the conference delegates

Can new laws make public services better? Reflections on diversity legislation for libraries

This paper argues that government-led social legislation inspired by Victorian ideals of paternalistic law-making is still an appropriate way of intervening to promote citizenship and equity in the information society of the twenty first century. However, to do so effectively is more complex than traditional models suggest and needs ongoing and energetic participation from the LIS profession to ensure good laws are put on to the statute book

URLs in the OPAC : comparative reflections on US vs UK practice

To examine whether placing URLs into library OPACs has been an effective way of enhancing the role of the catalogue for the contemporary library user

Digital library futures : collection development or collection preservation?

This paper argues that theoretical models from non-LIS disciplines can be of practical benefit to practitioner LIS research. In the area of digitisation collection development policy, such models highlight the importance of digital library preservation issues

Writing for publication in a library journal

This paper is aimed at librarians who want to publish something in a library and information science journal but have never done so before. If you fall into this category, perhaps the first thing to be said is, good for you if you've decided to take this step. We hope that you are about to join that important group of professionals, those who can be described as 'reflective practitioners'. This means that, not only are you good at your job, but you are good at thinking about your work and analysing it for others. Which can only make you better at what you do

Common principles in managing digital libraries and managing VLEs

This paper illustrate how there are common ways of managing both digital libraries and VLEs (virtual learning environments), based on the concept-in-common of a devolved or centralised approach to their implementation and a devolved or centralised long-term management structure for their service development

Courseware in academic library user education: a literature review from the GAELS Joint Electronic Library project

The use of courseware for information skills teaching in academic libraries has been growing for a number of years. The GAELS project was required to create a set of learning materials to support Joint Electronic Library activity at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities and conducted a literature review of the subject. This review discovered a range of factors common to successful library courseware implementations, such as the need for practitioners to feel a sense of ownership of the medium, a need for courseware customization to local information environments, and an emphasis on training packages for large bodies of undergraduates. However, we also noted underdeveloped aspects worthy of further attention, such as treatment of pedagogic issues in library CAL implementations and use of hypertextual learning materials for more advanced information skills training. We suggest ways of improving library teaching practice and further areas of research