Impact measures for libraries and information services

PURPOSE - To demonstrate the importance of impact / outcome research in libraries. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH - The paper gives an overview of purposes and methods used in impact research and illustrates this through project experiences. FINDINGS - Various projects worldwide are trying to prove that use of library services can positively influence skills and competences, attitudes and behaviour of users. The benefits that users experience by using library services can be assessed in terms of knowledge gained, higher information literacy, higher academic or professional success, social inclusion, and increase in individual well-being. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS - The main problem of impact research is, that influences on an individual are manifold and that therefore it is difficult to trace changes and improvements back to the library. The paper shows methods that are tested and used at the present. More investigation is needed to identify methods that could be used to show a library’s overall impact or to develop measures that would permit benchmarking between institutions. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS - The paper shows practical examples of impact assessment, covering “soft” methods like surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation and quantitative methods like tests, analysis of publications, or usage data. ORIGINALITY/VALUE - The paper acquaints libraries with a topic that is not yet well known and, by showing practical examples, demonstrates how libraries can attempt to assess their impact

Effect of NaCl on Asparagus Quality, Production and Mineral Leaching

Previous research has shown that the incidence of Fusarium oxysporum and F. redolens on asparagus roots was reduced by field applications of NaCl. F. oxysporum and F. redolens are important diseases in asparagus crops causing physiological rust (brown discoloration on the harvested spears), reduced yields, smaller spears, plant losses and may be implicated in asparagus decline. Since 2001 research has been carried out in Lelystad with asparagus plants grown in large wooden containers filled with a typical asparagus replant soil to study the effect of applications of Asparagus Salt (NaCl with addition of Mg) on asparagus quality, production and mineral leaching. In 2003 and 2004 the trial was harvested for a period of 35 days each year. In 2004 spears were graded into standard sizes to identify differences between treatments and to start with an economic evaluation. In both years Asparagus Salt had a positive effect on total yield, marketable yield and number of spears. Field applications of NaCl stimulated earliness in production. The higher loss of Mg due to leaching is compensated by adding Mg to the salt. In this experiment leaching of Mn was also studied in combination with adding Mn to Asparagus Salt

A Java Reference Model of Transacted Memory for Smart Cards

Transacted Memory offers persistence, undoability and auditing. We present a Java/JML Reference Model of the Transacted Memory system on the basis of our earlier separate Z model and C implementation. We conclude that Java/JML combines the advantages of a high level specification in the JML part (based on our Z model), with a detailed implementation in the Java part (based on our C implementation)

Effect of NaCl on Asparagus Quality, Production and Mineral Leaching

Previous research has shown that the incidence of Fusarium oxysporum and F. redolens on asparagus roots was reduced by field applications of NaCl. F. oxysporum and F. redolens are important diseases in asparagus crops causing physiological rust (brown discoloration on the harvested spears), reduced yields, smaller spears, plant losses and may be implicated in asparagus decline. Since 2001 research has been carried out in Lelystad with asparagus plants grown in large wooden containers filled with a typical asparagus replant soil to study the effect of applications of Asparagus Salt (NaCl with addition of Mg) on asparagus quality, production and mineral leaching. In 2003 and 2004 the trial was harvested for a period of 35 days each year. In 2004 spears were graded into standard sizes to identify differences between treatments and to start with an economic evaluation. In both years Asparagus Salt had a positive effect on total yield, marketable yield and number of spears. Field applications of NaCl stimulated earliness in production. The higher loss of Mg due to leaching is compensated by adding Mg to the salt. In this experiment leaching of Mn was also studied in combination with adding Mn to Asparagus Salt