Challenges Librarians Face Research Articles

NÂNG CAO VAI TRÒ CỦA THƯ VIỆN TRONG PHÁT TRIỂN ĐẠI HỌC TOÀN DIỆN: MỘT ĐÁNH GIÁ TỪ TIÊU CHÍ XẾP HẠNG

This study focuses on exploring and analyzing the key roles of the library for a university through university ranking index, an important determinant of the success and reputation of higher education institutions globally. By evaluating the roles, missions and services provided by the library, the study identifies specific factors by which the library can influence rankings through supporting research and publication activities. This research utilizes real-life examples from leading universities to generalize important trends, while also highlighting the opportunities and challenges libraries face in contributing to the comprehensive success of a higher education institution. Analysis of surveys and models has demonstrated that libraries not only significantly enhance the online presence index of universities but also act as a major driving force behind research and educational activities. Finally, the study suggests the need for coordination between faculties, departments, and the library, emphasizing the necessity of policies that enhance the library's impact to maximize its role. This includes establishing policies that allow the library to play a central role in supporting research and teaching. Libraries should be empowered and resourced to actively participate in the development of research projects and training programs, while also providing consulting services and support for teaching, research, and publication for faculty and students. Keywords: Library; university ranking; research support; visibility.

Assignment of Subject Headings and Classification Codes to e-books in South American University Libraries

The integration of e-books into university libraries has allowed for interesting analysis and discussions in recent years about user preferences between printed and electronic books, the difficulties and challenges librarians face in their incorporation into libraries, among other aspects. However, with this work, the main objective is to analyze the changes that are occurring in South American university libraries regarding the processes of subject heading assignment and classification codes with the massive incorporation of e-books, as well as to understand librarians’ perceptions of these changes. To achieve this, we developed and distributed a web-based questionnaire consisting of twenty-four questions to a total of 1,175 university libraries in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay, from which we received 123 responses (10.5%). Among other findings, it is concluded that indexing and classification processes are losing relevance in librarians’ activities, the quality of metadata provided by publishers does not seem to be a significant factor for librarians, and furthermore, the data obtained does not clearly indicate a paradigm shift in relation to indexing and classification processes.

A Study of Public University Libraries in Bangladesh in the Context of Collection Development through Open Access Resources

Libraries and librarians will benefit by acquiring a collection of open access information resources. The OA movement in Bangladesh is being developed to reduce the huge pressure on the library budget for subscriptions to journals. In most developed countries, university libraries view open-access materials as an important part of their collection development strategy. In this study, we examine the current state of OA resources in public university libraries in Bangladesh, collection development policies, the library authority's perspectives, the challenges libraries face in including OA resources in their collection development, and how to overcome those obstacles. Methodology: A survey and a stratified random sample technique were used in this study. A total of 276 students and 268 faculty members were surveyed. The first six public universities (in order of date of establishment) were selected. We sent out questionnaires directly to students, library personnel, librarians, and other library officials. Using library websites, journals, official records, and Google Scholar was another step. Findings: This study indicates that although open access materials may be quite useful in the growth of collections, most academic library authorities seem unconcerned about this. The utilization of open access materials in the overall collection is visible, but it is insignificant.

Librarians as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery in a digital society

This paper investigates the role of Librarians as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery in a digital society. The purpose of the study were: to ascertain the types of Library and information service delivery; to investigate Librarians’ role as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery; to find out the challenges librarians face as change agents for sustainable library and information service delivery; and to proffer solution to enhance librarians’ role as change agents towards the sustainable library and information service delivery in a digital society. The study adopts a conceptual review based on previous research. It was recommended that Librarians as change agents should re-examine and reconfigure their job roles in library and information service delivery for relevance in their field, there is a need to meet up with their multi-dimensional job roles to sustain library and information service delivery in a digital society. More so, adequate funding, training and retraining, tooling, and retooling to avoid phobia for loss of job/ insecurity should be provided for librarians/libraries to keep up with effective service delivery. The study concludes that sustainable library and information service delivery in libraries generally and for librarians in particular will enhance their multi-dimensional job roles today and tomorrow to know what has changed in a digital society.

Library collections/materials: An overview

The library's collection is a repository of historical accomplishments that have been preserved for the benefit of current and future generations. The arrangement of the records will make the extent of the library's collection much more apparent. While the majority of documents have been digitized and come with appealing new features, rural, semirural, and urban areas in our nation are yet to be digitized. Information and media are now more accessible and compatible with digital libraries than ever before in the 21st century. This article provides an overview of library collections and materials. It covers the types of materials commonly found in libraries, including books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and electronic resources. The article also discusses the importance of collection development policies and the role of librarians in selecting, acquiring, and maintaining library materials. Additionally, the article explores the challenges libraries face in managing their collections, such as limited space, budget constraints, and changing user needs. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of emerging trends in library collections and materials, such as open access publishing and digital libraries.

The provision of smart service at academic libraries and associated challenges

Technological advancement has forced academic libraries to change their traditional services by adopting emerging technologies to respond to the changing information needs of their users, who are now more technologically inclined and prefer remote and timely access to scholarly information. Smart technologies are the recent trend in academic libraries. Smart technologies have the potential to enhance academic library services provision and also support the distance learning environment, especially now as higher education embraces online and distance learning. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the level of implementation of smart services at academic libraries and the challenges they face in developing and/or providing smart services. A questionnaire was developed to collect the required data from library staff ( N = 340) at academic libraries in Jordan, where (246) responded and completed the questionnaire. The results indicate a moderate level of implementation of smart services at academic libraries in Jordan ( M = 3.12). The result also shows that the challenges facing the libraries to implement and offer smart services was also moderate ( M = 3.57). Resistance to change was the main challenge libraries face in their attempt to embrace smart technology to offer smart services. Also, privacy and confidentiality appeared to be one of the top rated challenges libraries have to deal with when planning for smart services deployment. Moreover, financial-related issues, such as poor infrastructure and staff training were among the main challenges librarians face to develop/offer smart services. Most importantly, challenges negatively affect the level of smart services at academic libraries in Jordan. This paper provides insights for academic librarians and decision-makers in planning for the provision of smart services at their libraries. It highlights the main challenges that might hinder the implementation and provision of smart services.

Who is blocking access to PubMed? Educational ‘Escape Room’ for medical residents

Teaching students how to conduct bibliographic searches in health sciences' databases is essential training. One of the challenges librarians face is how to motivate students during classroom learning. In this article, two hospital libraries, in Spain, used Escape rooms as a method of bringing creativity, teamwork, communication and critical thinking into bibliographic search instruction. Escape rooms are a series of puzzles that must be solved to exit the game. This article explores the methods used for integrating escape rooms into training programmes and evaluates the results. Escape Rooms are a useful tool that can be integrated into residents' training to support their instruction on bibliographic searches. This kind of learning stablishes competences like logical thinking and deductive approaching. These aspects aid participants to make their own decision and to develop social and intellectual skills.

Book Review: Library Licensing: A Manual for Busy Librarians

One of the many challenges librarians face is reviewing and negotiating licensing agreements. Halaychik and Reagan discuss these challenges in Library Licensing: A Manual for Busy Librarians. The scope of this book is much broader than the title seems to indicate, covering not only license-related topics regarding electronic resources in its six chapters, but also information on contract management software, Integrated Library Systems (ILS) and maintenance, and services agreements. For this reason, the book can feel unfocused at times. Chapter 1 briefly introduces basic information about contracts, while chapters 2 through 6 give a broad overview of the mechanics of a contract (including common clauses within contracts) and information concerning organizing, managing, and administering contracts, with examples of checklists and contracts in chapter 5 and subsequent appendixes.

Developing a Freely Accessible/Open Access Resource Management Policy at Duke University Libraries: A Case Study

Freely accessible and open access resources present unique challenges for librarians working with electronic resources. Due to the fact that many of these resources lack high-quality metadata or the technical support provided by traditional publishers, making them discoverable and maintaining access over time can be tricky. Creating a policy allows for a systematic approach to the management of freely accessible/open access (OA) resources, alleviating problems surrounding lack of staff time or expertise. Many of these resources are already important parts of collections and will only continue to grow in importance. Freely accessible/OA resources allow for a more diverse representation of content, both by subject and format type, and allow a wider array of authors to have their work appear in library collections. This case study will provide a review of freely accessible/OA policies in other libraries, describe why these resources are important to add to our collections, discuss challenges libraries face with managing these resources, and explain how Duke University Libraries is addressing some of these challenges through the development of a policy.

Perceptions, preferences of scholarly publishing in Open Access journals

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to know the various factors librarians consider while selecting Open Access (OA) journal for publication and to identify the challenges librarians face with OA journal publishing.Design/methodology/approachOnline questionnaire was designed to collect data from 402 academic librarians in 87 universities in Africa using SurveyMonkey software.FindingsThe study found that academic librarians are aware of the “green” and “gold” routes but not familiar with the “diamond” route. The study revealed that a large number of the academic librarians have published only one paper in OA journals, followed by those who have not published any paper in OA journals. The study also revealed that reputation of journal and impact factor of journal were seen as very important among the factors that inform them of choosing OA. The majority of the respondents agreed that author fees, and lack of stable internet connectivity are the major barriers to publishing in OA journals.Practical implicationsThe study recommends that academic libraries in institutions of higher learning in Africa should organize seminars periodically on the need for their librarians to research and publish in OA journals.Social implicationsIdentifying factors involved in author decisions to publish in OA journals will help illuminate issues that may encourage or discourage author support of OA publishing models. Further understanding of these issues can assist the efforts to improve author perceptions of and confidence in OA publications.Originality/valueIt is believed that this study of African librarians publishing in OA journals is the first study in the region.

Understanding the Language of Information Literacy

Understanding the language of information literacy is necessary for the effective use of library resources. The results of a recent study indicate that undergraduate students lack such an understanding, and the authors recommend that librarians, working with faculty, reassess information literacy terms. This article examines what is involved in reassessing these terms by drawing on several ideas from the philosophy of language, which provides a foundation for grasping the semantic challenges librarians face in educating users. Any reassessment of information literacy terms should recognize their ordinary and specialized use and aim for the holistic expression of core concepts, however complex they may be.

Perceptions, preferences of scholarly publishing in open access routes

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to know the various factors librarians consider while selecting open access (OA) journal for publication, and to know the challenges librarians face with OA journal publishing.Design/methodology/approachOnline questionnaire was designed to collect data using SurveyMonkey software from 335 academic librarians in 57 institutions (Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education) in Nigeria.FindingsThe findings of the study revealed that majority of the academic librarians are aware of the gold and green publishing routes, while the majority of academic librarians are not aware of the diamond publishing route. The study also revealed that when considering where to publish, reputation and impact factor of journal were rated as very important among the factors that inform their choice of OA. The study further revealed that academic librarians have little or no knowledge about the existence of institutional repositories in their institutions, and only a few actual use institutional repositories and ResearchGate to self-archive their publications. The majority of the academic librarians agreed that author fees (Article Processing Charges) and low impact factor of journal are barriers to publishing in OA journals. Training on OA publishing is recommended for librarians to increase their knowledge and confidence to discuss OA with faculty members in future.Practical implicationsKnowledge of authors’ attitude toward OA publishing models will help OA advocates focus on the factors that are meaningful that are raised in this study.Originality/valueThe study is an original research work that investigated academic librarians’ perception and engagement with OA publishing as they lead the OA campaign in their institutions.

Creating a culture of philanthropy

Purpose With the retirement of the External Relations Director in early 2014, the Marriott Library’s new Dean used this opportunity to move library fundraising in a new direction. This paper aims to examine one approach to institutionalizing philanthropy to increase its effectiveness and creates a plan for implementation. Design/methodology/approach Changing the position expectations and hiring a new Development Director to lead the change has proven beneficial to the library staff and donors. The new Development Director and Dean are changing the culture of development at the Marriott Library by not only working closely with library faculty and staff but also through making them partners in all aspects of development work. Findings Although the new program has only been in place for a little more than a year, positive outcomes are already emerging. These include a more engaged staff, better served donors and an increase in donations to the library including, a multi-million dollar gift for a major renovation as well as a US$3.5 m gift of rare materials. Originality/value While there has been a lot of research on development, little of it focuses specifically on the assets and challenges libraries face within the context of large universities. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of library fundraising and offers a model of how libraries can leverage their staff and central role within the university.

Focusing upstream: supporting scholarly communication by academics

This article discusses the broad and complex funder open access (OA) policy environment in the UK and describes some of the challenges libraries face in providing frictionless services to support academic compliance. It offers a view on the actions of publishers in this policy environment, as well as outlining how strategic discussions have moved beyond the library to include the whole institution. Finally, it outlines the work being undertaken at Imperial College London to develop a new OA policy and licence which could support academics and institutions with compliance and HEFCE Research Excellence Framework eligibility in a single step.

Health Information and Health Literacy: Public Library Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities

ABSTRACTThis study investigated 18 libraries in two public library systems in Oklahoma to find out how they are addressing health literacy and facilitating access to consumer health information; how library staff members view their roles and responsibilities relative to health information and health literacy; what challenges libraries face; and what strategies are being used. Staff members recognized several challenges to providing health information and to developing programs, including staff and patron difficulties with reference interviews, and patron lack of awareness of library resources. Staff members often had only a partial understanding of health literacy, and were unaware of system strategies to address health literacy or provision of health information.

Colleges of Education Librarians in Nigeria: An Investigation into the Self-Perception of ICT-Related Information Literacy Skills

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the level of ICT related IL skills of librarians in COE libraries and to know some challenges librarians face in acquiring IL skills. Descriptive survey method was adopted using questionnaire.The study covered professionals and para-professional librarians in federal, state and private Colleges of Education libraries in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones of Nigeria. The findings revealed that the librarians rated their information literacy skills to be average. A correlation of the overall assessment of the librarians’ IL skills with variables such as institution, gender, years of experience and qualifications revealed differences among the librarians. The study also revealed that the librarians acquired their IL skills through different channels such as friends and colleagues, self-practice, workshops, conferences and seminars, and through on the job training. Only a few indicated that they acquired their IL skills through library schools. Lack of training, irregular power supply, poor Internet connectivity, inadequate facilities (computers), and lack of time were identified as some of the challenges to acquire IL skills.

Understanding the Relationship Between the Librarian and the Academic

This article presents the findings of a small study that examined the relationship between academic librarians and their academic colleagues in a number of institutions in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. There is an abundance of literature outlining how librarians should collaborate with their academic colleagues but less emphasis on what librarians are doing in practice. This research explores the collaborative aspect of this relationship with a focus on information literacy training. Research findings look at factors which encourage and inhibit collaboration and challenges librarians face in achieving successful collaboration.

Collaboration: The Strategic Core of 21 Century Library Strategies

This review addresses the fundamental change that libraries need to make in order to stay viable in the 21st century. As the title indicates, in the strategy for how libraries collaborate, leaders must consider modern methods of engaging the constituents it serves to increase the value proposition of the library. This study identifies the current library framework and the challenges libraries face to improve collaboration in leadership, relationships, advocacy, services, planning, and more.

Electronic books: a call for effective business models

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assert that, in an effort to more effectively match users' needs to purchases and extend the buying power of library budgets for e‐books, libraries should use a profiled purchase on demand option to supplement their current practices.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews usage patterns for print and e‐books, business models for e‐books and comments on the benefits of using a patron‐driven acquisitions model.FindingsCirculation of the print collection is slowly declining, with only 20 per cent of the collection circulating in 2009. Large purchased collections of e‐books statistics are roughly the same but those purchased through Patron‐Driven Acquisitions are assured use.Originality/valueThe discussion of current business models for e‐books illustrates some challenges libraries face in transitioning from print to electronic. Patron‐driven models allow libraries to help users at point of need and manage scarce resources.

Are They Learning? Are We? Learning Outcomes and the Academic Library

Since the 1990s, the assessment of learning outcomes in academic libraries has accelerated rapidly, and librarians have come to recognize the necessity of articulating and assessing student learning outcomes. Initially, librarians developed tools and instruments to assess information literacy student learning outcomes. Now, academic librarians are moving to a larger scale assessment approach: the articulation and demonstration of library impact on institutions of higher education. This article considers six questions relevant to the assessment challenges librarians face in coming years: (1) How committed are librarians to student learning? (2) What do librarians want students to learn? (3) How do librarians document student learning? (4) How committed are librarians to their own learning? (5) What do librarians need to learn? (6) How can librarians document their own learning?