Digital Libraries and the Problem of Purpose

Half of Vermont Academic and Public Libraries Lack Written Confidentiality Policies Despite Directors’ Support for Principles of Patron Confidentiality

ABSTRACTIn recent years, eBook collections have been increasing at a slow but steady rate in both public and academic libraries. With the increasing eBook collections in libraries and the advancements made in information discovering services, users can now discover materials existing outside of their local library more easily. EBooks also offer the potential for quick interlibrary loan delivery. Ironically, eBook interlibrary loan has not become prevalent in libraries. Many studies have been done to explore eBook licensing and interlibrary loan in academic libraries and to offer practical solutions for eBook interlibrary lending. Few studies have been done in public libraries. This study explores the current practice of eBook interlibrary loan activities in American public libraries. Survey questionnaires were distributed to 118 randomly selected public libraries. Questions focused on current eBook interlibrary loan best practices, issues, and obstacles in American public libraries. Findings from this study indicate eBook ILL is not a priority for the surveyed public libraries, and the adoption rate of eBook ILL in public libraries is much lower than that in academic libraries.

Email Reference Transactions Reveal Unique Patterns about End-User Information Seeking Behaviour and Librarians’ Responses in Academic and Public Libraries Outside the U.S. and Canada

Digital library research has attracted much attention in the most developed, and in a number of developing, countries. While many digital library research projects are funded by government agencies and national and international bodies, some are run by specific academic and research institutions and libraries, either individually or collaboratively. While some digital library projects, such as the ELINOR project in the UK, the first two phases of the eLib (Electronic Libraries) Programme in the UK, and the first phase of DLI (Digital Library Initiative) in the US, are now over, a number of other projects are currently under way in different parts of the world. Beginning with the definitions and characteristics of digital libraries, as proposed by various researchers, this paper provides brief accounts of some major digital library projects that are currently in progress, or are just completed, in different parts of the world. There follows a review of digital library research under sixteen major headings. Literature for this review has been identified through a search on LISA CD‐ROM database, and a Dialog search on library and information science databases, and the resulting output has been supplemented by a scan of the various issues of D‐Lib Magazine and Ariadne, and the websites of various organisations and institutions engaged in digital library research. The review indicates that we have learned a lot through digital library research within a short span of time. However, a number of issues are yet to be resolved. The paper ends with an indication of the research issues that need to be addressed and resolved in the near future in order to bring the digital library from the researcher‘s laboratory to the real life environment.

Over the past decade the development of digital library activities within Asia Pacific has been steadily increasing. Through a meta-analysis of the publications and content within International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries (ICADL) and other major regional digital library conferences over the past few years, we see an increase in the level of activity in Asian digital li brary research. This reflects high continuous interest among digital library re searchers and practitioners internationally. Digital library research in the Asia Pacific is uniquely positioned to help develop digital libraries of significant cul tural heritage and indigenous knowledge and advance cross-cultural and cross-lingual digital library research.

Previous digital library research and initiatives have conceptualized and proposed several frameworks for the design, development, evaluation and interaction of digital library systems. Levy and Marshall (1996) discussed a work-oriented perspective of digital library research that is based on the work people do, and how digital libraries assist in the completion of work related tasks. Their framework highlights three crucial characteristics of digital libraries: document, technology and work (which involves research and service). Moen and McClure (1997) identified a framework of five interacting dimensions in digital library of Government Information Locator Service (GILS): policy, users, technology, contents, and standards. The evaluation framework also includes three perspectives, representing the “views” of the stakeholders in the GILS: users, agencies, and the government. Marchionini and Fox (1999) identified four dimensions of digital library development: community, technology, service and content. Saracevic and Covi (2000) presented a framework, consisting seven levels, for examining digital libraries: social, institutional, individual, interface, engineering, processing and content. Another holistic framework is presented by Fuhr et al. (2001) consisting four major dimensions, namely data/collection, system/technology, users and usage. Sandusky (2002) developed a list of six attributes in framing digital library usability research: audience, institution, access, content, services, and design and development. Soergel (2002) offered a digital library research framework consisting of three guiding principles and eleven specific themes for research and development. Gonclaves et al. (2004) introduced 5S and formalisms for Streams, Structures, Spaces, Scenarios, and Societies — as a framework for providing theoretical and practical unification of digital libraries. All these frameworks emphasize the importance of a holistic approach rather than examine digital libraries as a single view, which would be limited in their utility. However, the absence of common frameworks in the digital library development practices undermines the ability to develop and design digital library systems efficiently, to create large-scale collaborative activities, and to communicate the value of the systems to other communities. Gladney et al. (1994) wrote that the broad and deep requirements of digital libraries demand new frameworks and theories in order to understand better the complex interactions among their components. Supporting this claim, the summary report of the Joint NSF-European Union (EU) Working Groups on Future Directions of Digital 1 Libraries Research recommended that “new frameworks and theories be developed in order to

A Review of:
 Albarillo, F. (2018). Super-diversity and foreign-born students in academic libraries: A survey study. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 18(1), 59-91. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2018.0004
 Abstract
 Objective – To evaluate the relationship between academic and public library usage and various characteristics of foreign-born students.
 Design – Survey questionnaire.
 Setting – Medium-sized public liberal arts college in the northeastern United States.
 Subjects – 123 foreign-born students enrolled at the institution in fall 2014.
 Methods – The researcher emailed a five-part survey to participants who indicated on a screening survey that they were foreign-born students currently enrolled at the college. Of the participants emailed, 94 completed the survey. The survey used a super-diversity lens to assess academic and public library use by foreign-born students in relationship to multiple variables, including student status, race and ethnicity, immigration status, first-generation student status, gender, age, age of arrival in the United States (US), years living in the US, and ZIP Code (used to approximate median income based on the US Census Bureau’s 2014 American Community Survey). Respondents reported frequency of use on a Likert-type scale of 1=Never to 6=Always. The author adapted items from the In Library Use Survey Instrument (University of Washington Libraries, 2011). Usage types included: computer, Wi-Fi, staff assistance, electronic resources, physical resources, printing/scanning/photocopying, program attendance, and physical space. Independent sample t-tests were used to evaluate mean differences in reported library usage based on demographic variables. The author used Somers’ d statistical tests to explore the relationship between library use and age, age on arrival in the US, years lived in the US, and median income. The survey asked participants to describe both academic and public libraries in five words. To show term frequency, the author used word clouds as a visualization technique.
 Main Results – The study reported on the results of the library use survey section. Overall, foreign-born students used college libraries more frequently than public libraries. The author reported on findings that were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.5), focusing on those with mean differences ≥ 0.5. Key findings included: undergraduate students used public libraries and Wi-Fi/e-resources onsite at college libraries more often than graduate students; first-generation students gathered at the library with friends more frequently; no significant difference was reported in library resource use by gender; and non-white students used the college library more frequently as a study space and for printing. The author was surprised no significant differences in usage were found between participants with permanent vs. temporary immigration status. Somers’ d associations showed an inverse relationship between age and Wi-Fi use and age of arrival in the United States and likelihood of eating in the library. Overall, both library types were positively described in open-ended responses as places with social and academic value.
 Conclusion – The author suggested the concept of super-diversity equips librarians with a more inclusive approach to studying library user perspectives and behaviors. The author used survey data and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Standards (2012) to highlight library service considerations for foreign-born students. Examples of suggested service improvements included supporting printing in Unicode non-English fonts, cultivating a diverse library staff, and providing culturally appropriate library orientations and outreach. The author recommended that more research with foreign-born students was needed to assess culturally appropriate areas for eating and socializing, unique information needs, and expectations and awareness of library services. The author suggested first-generation students’ use of the library for socializing and non-white students’ higher use of libraries for studying as two areas for further qualitative study. The author also suggested creating services and partnerships between public and academic libraries could support foreign-born students, even recommending cross-training of library staff.

PurposeThis paper aims to draw a roadmap for the presence of Iranian academic libraries in the cloud infrastructure.Design/methodology/approachThis research attends an applied-development one that is a part of developmental research due to its conceptual expansion, foresight and roadmap for the presence of cloud-based academic libraries and finally, becoming cloud libraries. Because of providing a roadmap template, the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library is applied research. Because of providing a roadmap template, academic digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming a cloud library is one of the applied research areas. The statistical population of this research includes all Iranian digital academic libraries. There were 64 digital libraries out of which 59 libraries participated in completing the questionnaire.FindingsPreliminary results from used Delphi method’s first round which was considered by 59 experts were identified typically and descriptive after appropriate component classification and editing. After identifying these factors, each of the roadmap levels in the third stage and the degree of relevance approved by the experts were reviewed and the most critical and relevant factors were identified as key components of the roadmap for the presence of cloud-based academic libraries and becoming cloud libraries. At this stage, they were selected as 24 factors, including seven factors for the first layer, eight factors for the second layer and nine factors for the third layer.Originality/valueBy introducing a roadmap for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud context, they will promote more and better interaction between academic libraries to offer services to users anytime and anywhere.

SELF-e 101: A Lesson for Academic Libraries in Connecting Self-Published Authors and Readers

Purpose – Although user needs assessment is an intrinsic element of service quality delivery in digital libraries (DLs), not much has been written on this topic in the context of African universities. This is understandable as academic digital libraries in Africa are rather nascent. Even so, the most frequently-used needs assessment methods do not directly involve the users. This study aims to assess priority setting by academic library administrators and the needs of patrons of digital collections of a public university library in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis of official university documents and interviews with digital library patrons at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana were carried out between September, 2011 and January, 2012. Five research questions were asked: what are the current conditions of the UCC digital library project, the user communities and their needs, what are the priorities set by the university administrators and library leaders at the UCC and the state of technological readiness in place and what are needed by the UCCDL. Also, what is the extent of collaboration by interested parties in the UCCDL? Findings – Three general digital library user communities were identified, that is, UCCDL staff- this community was composed of experts in both digital library systems and content, characterized as heavy users of the existing systems, as knowledgeable about articulated (formalized) user needs, and able to devote short (usually less than two hours) amounts of time to individual's needs. Next, are scholars and other visitors to the UCCDL – this community was characterized as having high levels of domain expertise and knowledge of library systems. They are also able to devote large but specific amounts of time (days or weeks) to their individual information needs. Visitors/Prospective users- this community was characterized as having varied levels of domain expertise and low levels of library systems knowledge. They are able to devote only short periods of time to their information needs or explorations. These user communities are influenced by diverse preferences, experiences, and knowledge structures. Practical implications – Academic libraries are increasingly advocating local user studies as a way to provide the digital library services that are relevant to the culture and user population of the academic institution. Replicating digital library user studies at the local level can provide information for improving existing services or developing new ones. Originality/value – In African public universities, there is little earlier research on digital library user needs assessments or DL priority-setting by academic library administrators.

Digital libraries play an essential role in supporting higher educations research. Therefore, Indonesia's academic libraries require digital library research support services and strategies to adopt such services quickly. Strategy design is carried out in three stages: a literature review using guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) to determine indicators of research support services; a digital library survey to find out the implemented research support services in the top nine digital academic libraries in Indonesia; and gap analysis to establish strategies using the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. The investigation shows Indonesian academic libraries have adopted few research support services. Libraries in implementing research support services experienced various obstacles. The recommended organization strategy focuses on research support services and partnerships with university research units. Regarding technology, academic libraries require developing a prototype of a digital library with research support service features. As for the environmental area, libraries need to assess user expectations for digital library research support services. Further research is required to validate the relationship between factors in an adoption model. A further study is conducted to develop a prototype of digital library research support services.

Purpose– The overarching aim of this paper is to initiate a new conceptualisation of digital cultural heritage libraries' design and development that emphasises a holistic understanding of a digital cultural heritage as part of information ecology and of the activities taking place between and amongst the various elements of the ecology that are governed by social, cultural, political, economical, and technical affordances and constraints.Design/methodology/approach– A research framework is developed based on viewpoints, reviews of existing literature and concepts of information ecology and activity theory.Findings– The conceptual framework comprises of a set of dimensions: content; context; connectivity; consideration; collaboration; construction; confidence and continuity. These dimensions are indicative of the kinds of issues and questions that could be considered in transitioning a digital cultural heritage library into a system that is dynamic, and one which evolves within the stakeholders' socio-cultural contexts. The issues and questions highlighted and outlined under the dimensions may be used to help one to situate their digital cultural heritage in the space and environment it operates in, to discover which direction to take to transition the digital cultural heritage library and to safely navigate the journey for the transitioning. The dimensions may also signal the elements needing ongoing consideration as the digital cultural heritage library evolves on its journey within the ecologies concerned.Practical implications– These dimensions are indicative of the kinds of issues and questions that could be considered in transitioning a digital cultural heritage library into a system that is dynamic and one which evolves within the stakeholders' socio-cultural contexts. The issues and questions highlighted and outlined under the dimensions may be used to help one to situate their digital cultural heritage in the space and environment it operates in, to discover which direction to take to transition the digital cultural heritage library and to safely navigate the journey for the transitioning. The dimensions may also signal the elements needing ongoing consideration as the digital cultural heritage library evolves on its journey within the ecologies concerned.Originality/value– This research presents concepts from information ecology and activity theory that could be incorporated in digital library research, design and development.

Job satisfaction and work values: Investigating sources of job satisfaction with respect to information professionals

This article reports on patterns of links from and to the Web sites of 100 U.S. academic and public libraries with regard to the originating and targeted URL domain categories. Libraries, grouped into small and large by their collection size, were found to have numbers of inlinks proportional to their size, but public libraries, and particularly the smaller ones, hosted relatively fewer outlinks. While public libraries link largely to and attract links mainly from the .com and .org domains and U.S. regional sites, academic libraries link to a variety of domains, including .edu, .com, .org, and some overseas sites. Academic libraries also draw inlinks mainly from .edu and .com sites. The results reveal that there is little interaction between public libraries in the United States and U.S. universities, and this calls attention to the need for more collaboration between the two types of organizations.

A review of: 
 
 McNicol, Sarah. “Is Research an Untapped Resource in the Library and Information Profession?” Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 36.3 (September 2004):119-26. 
 
 Objective – To scope the range, nature and challenges of present, planned and future research by practitioners within libraries in the British Isles.
 
 Design – A series of survey questionnaires sent by mail. 
 
 Setting – Public, academic, health, special and school libraries of the British Isles.
 
 Subjects – A total of 2384 questionnaires were sent out and 334 responses were received. 62 academic libraries, 83 health libraries, 78 public libraries, 63 school libraries and 48 special libraries participated in the study. 
 
 Methods – This study was undertaken in 2003 by a research team at the University of Central England. Survey questionnaires were sent by mail to library directors in all public library authorities, academic libraries, health libraries and special libraries in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In addition, questionnaires were sent to the librarians in all state and independent schools within a sample of nine local education authorities.
 
 Each participant was asked to identify past and future research issues of interest and the barriers to research practice within their library. Research was defined to include work on both externally funded and in-house projects and examples of the types of activities that this might include were provided.
 
 Main results – Half the respondents reported that they had been involved in some form of research in the past two years, with the lowest level of involvement from school libraries and the highest in public libraries. Generally, only the library directly involved in conducting the research made use of the findings and a gap in the dissemination of results was identified across sectors. User surveys were the most common form of research undertaken across libraries and slightly fewer respondents intended to carry out research in the coming twelve months than had in the past (the area most commonly mentioned was user surveys). Information and communications technology (ICT) was an area of planned future research in all libraries, as were user needs and user behaviour. The most frequently cited barriers to research activity across all sectors were lack of time and financial resources. Staff skills and the lack of focus on practical problems to solve were indicated as a barrier in health, public and academic libraries.
 
 Libraries reported a range of common uses for the research findings including: informing strategic and service planning; providing benchmarking data and measuring the effectiveness of services; identification of marketing and public relations opportunities; discovery of staff training needs; and use of the results to demonstrate the value of libraries to funding bodies.
 
 Conclusion – This study provides insight into practitioner-focused areas of research interest and possible areas for future investigation. As the author reports in her conclusion, the survey results cannot be considered representative of the wider population. 
 
 Since research interests often overlap, a sector wide or cross-sectoral research approach should be considered to allow library staff to identify and resolve common problems. Wide dissemination of research results within the practitioner community would be of benefit to all. Greater communication between practitioner and information science communities is also encouraged, as these communities’ work is mutually beneficial.