Library Collections Research Articles

Microbial Assessment in A Rare Norwegian Book Collection: A One Health Approach to Cultural Heritage.

Microbial contamination poses a threat to both the preservation of library and archival collections and the health of staff and users. This study investigated the microbial communities and potential health risks associated with the UNESCO-classified Norwegian Sea Trade Archive (NST Archive) collection exhibiting visible microbial colonization and staff health concerns. Dust samples from book surfaces and the storage environment were analysed using culturing methods, qPCR, Next Generation Sequencing, and mycotoxin, cytotoxicity, and azole resistance assays. Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Cladosporium sp. were the most common fungi identified, with some potentially toxic species like Stachybotrys sp., Toxicladosporium sp., and Aspergillus section Fumigati. Fungal resistance to azoles was not detected. Only one mycotoxin, sterigmatocystin, was found in a heavily contaminated book. Dust extracts from books exhibited moderate to high cytotoxicity on human lung cells, suggesting a potential respiratory risk. The collection had higher contamination levels compared to the storage environment, likely due to improved storage conditions. Even though overall low contamination levels were obtained, these might be underestimated due to the presence of salt (from cod preservation) that could have interfered with the analyses. This study underlines the importance of monitoring microbial communities and implementing proper storage measures to safeguard cultural heritage and staff well-being.

Collective Communication Performance Evaluation for Distributed Deep Learning Training

In distributed deep learning, the improper use of the collective communication library can lead to a decline in deep learning performance due to increased communication time. Representative collective communication libraries such as MPI, GLOO, and NCCL exhibit varying performance based on server environment and communication architecture. In this study, we investigate three key aspects to evaluate the performance of the collective communication libraries in a distributed deep learning setting in an intra-node environment. First, we conduct a comparison and analysis of collective communication library performance within common distributed deep learning architectures, such as parameter servers and ring all-reduce methods. Second, we evaluate the performance of these libraries in different environments, including various container platforms and bare metal setups, considering the scalability and flexibility advantages offered by cloud virtualization. Last, to ensure practicality, we assess the libraries’ performance in a Linux shell and within the PyTorch framework. In the cross-docker virtualization environment, NCCL shows up to 213% higher latency compared to single docker, while GLOO exhibits 36% lower latency in single docker than in cross docker, and NCCL achieves up to 345% lower execution time in all-reduce operations compared to other libraries (MPI and GLOO). These findings will inform the selection of an appropriate collective communication library for designing effective distributed deep learning environments.

Digital Projects in the Library Field of Ukraine

The purpose of the article is to identify their features, effectiveness, and problems of implementation based on a study of digital projects in the library sector of Ukraine in the early 20s of the twenty-first century. Research methods. The general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, generalisation, and information methods were applied, which made it possible to achieve the goal. The scientific novelty of the results obtained is a comprehensive study of digital projects in the library sector of Ukraine; clarification of the peculiarities of digitalisation of Ukrainian libraries in times of war; clarification of the main categories, such as digital, electronic and virtual library; introduction of information about projects from online sources into scientific circulation. Conclusions. In the current conditions of rapid development of information technologies, the principles of library space organisation, methods of library and information activities, and resource support for library collections are being rethought; libraries are striving to use all the possibilities of digitalisation in their activities. This is facilitated by digital library projects focused primarily on the digitisation of documentary heritage, the digitalisation of user service processes, and the creation of new types of libraries: digital, electronic, virtual, etc. Libraries are becoming new modern information hubs and digital education centres for users. Library projects have become especially important and widespread since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and full-scale Russian aggression. The article focuses on the joint projects of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Library Association in the development of digital literacy within the framework of the national project “Diia. Digital Education”, the projects “Digitalisation of Libraries” and “Capacity Building of Libraries – Digital Education Hubs”, etc. However, in the process of implementing the projects, there are difficulties and problems related to the digital divide, the lack of computers and special digitisation devices in a number of libraries, and the lack of qualified staff capable of working with virtual users in the new conditions of digitalisation of society, which requires the organisation of training and retraining courses. The problems of digitalisation of Ukrainian libraries of various types in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war require further research.

The effect of structural retrofitting and ventilation scenarios on the indoor microclimate of a historical library: The Necip Pasa Library, Turkiye

Structural retrofitting in buildings may result in changes in the indoor microclimate. Chemical, mechanical and biological deterioration can be seen in the cultural properties as a consequence of substrates and inappropriate microclimatic conditions such as high indoor temperature, relative humidity and fluctuations of them. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of the structural retrofitting, that the building underwent, on the chemical degradation risk of the library collection based on two different ventilation scenarios. One is natural ventilation which is an existing situation since the building is free-floating. The other one implementing a mechanical ventilation system into the building. To be able to compare the microclimate that affects the library collection pre- and post-retrofitting, two models are developed in DesginBuilder and simulated for both scenarios. According to the results of the post-retrofitting model, mechanical ventilation reduced the risk of chemical degradation by 38 %, while natural ventilation did not cause any effect. Natural ventilation gives a similar output in the pre-retrofitting model as in the post-retrofitting model. Mechanical ventilation in the pre-retrofitting model achieves a 33 % reduction in chemical degradation risk. Structural retrofitting only achieves a 1 % reduction in the chemical risk level for both ventilation scenarios. Thus, its effect on the indoor microclimate is insignificant. This study shows that creating simulation models effectively assesses potential risks pre-post-structural retrofitting or any retrofitting in historical buildings. Simulations reveal that mechanical ventilation is a better choice for decreasing chemical degradation risks for the library.

Archival documents as a source of bibliographic reconstruction of Orenburg Theological Seminary Library

The author describes the bibliographic reconstruction of the library collection of Orenburg Theological Seminary suppressed in 1919 after the October Revolution. The problems of library collection reconstruction has been studied since the early 20-th century; however, with mainly the personal libraries of individual historical figures or families in the focus. Many methods of reconstruction have been developed. Their analysis examination demonstrates that the reconstruction in these cases is based on continuous looking through the collection in search of bookplates (ex libris), covers, book marks or other tags, or on searching and examining old inventories, library syllabi, and catalogs. However, when the major part of the collection is not preserved within other institutions, and the catalogs, syllabi and inventories do not exist anymore, these methods do not work. To reconstruct the library collection of Orenburg Theological Seminary with the lion’s share lost, the archival documents became almost exclusively the source of information on the library collection, namely teaching and educational reports, administration’s logbooks, bills, etc.

Yury Nikolaevich Stolyarov, Chair Head of the Moscow State Institute of Culture

The author discusses the contribution of Yury N. Stolyarov as the head of Library Collections and Catalogs Chair of the Moscow State Institute of Culture (MGIK). Lyubov Zuparova as MGIK chair professor and secretary memorizes the period of August, 1991-August, 2007, when Yury N, Stolyarov headed the MGIK Chair of Library Collections and Catalogs. The author lists the members of subject commissions “Library Collection” and “Library Catalogs”, characterizes their research and pedagogical potential. The efforts of the faculty to save the chair in the tough times of perestroika and to introduce the new, for the Institute, specialty “Documentology and Administration Document Support” are characterized. The author emphasizes the influence of the specialty on the subject scope of Y. Stolyarov’s studies. She discusses the professional development, initiatives, and faculty relationship, as well as the personal qualities of Yury Stolyarov, as the head and organizer of learning process, his role in support of the chair members’ professional development.

Yury Nikolaevich Stolyarov – an outstanding classic of the national library science

Yury Nikolaevich Stolyarov is an outstanding classic of the Russian library and information science who made an invaluable contribution into the studies of its diverse aspects. He investigated into the library theory and methodology and efficiently applied the range of research approaches, with the focus on system and multidisciplinary methodology. Y. Stolyarov has developed the scholarly discipline of library collection studies. He introduced this vector as a valid, relevant and systemic scientific knowledge, and as a scientific activities of result-oriented, self-correcting, dynamic and continuing character. In his works, Y. Stolyarov provided in-depth characteristics of library collection, criteria, and principles of selection for various document types and formats with account of user information needs. He explored the library collection development cycle in the aggregate of its basic processes, namely modelling, acquiring, organizing, and managing.

Design of Library Collection Procurement System in Bali

The process of library collection development encompasses several crucial tasks, including identification, selection, acquisition, processing, and distribution of collections to the public. This study endeavors to develop a library collection procurement application focusing on two primary functionalities: selection and procurement. The system accommodates stakeholders, including publishers, librarian profiles, system masters, and other users, while adhering to specific user and system requirements. The design methodology employed in this study leverages the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The development process follows the waterfall method, encompassing stages such as requirements analysis, design, implementation, verification, and maintenance. The resulting application features an intuitive interface for collection procurement, incorporating essential components such as login mechanisms, a comprehensive book collection database, catalog data management, procurement selection tools, recommendation algorithms, catalog selection options, and access to selected catalog data. Employing the CodeIgniter (CI) framework, the system facilitates data filtration and selection processes based on publication year, price, and language criteria. Rigorous system testing, conducted through black box testing methods, confirms the functionality and reliability of the application. This research contributes to addressing the needs of libraries lacking robust collection procurement systems, offering a sophisticated solution to streamline and automate traditionally manual processes.

Yury Nikolaevich Stolyarov, the classic of the library science

The author summarizes the outstanding contribution made by Yury N. Stolyarov to the library and information science. She characterizes theoretical, methodological and organizational aspects of the library collection studies as presented in Stolarov’s monographs, textbooks and manuals, and their applications in the practice of public libraries.

Current issue of preservation of collections of archives, libraries and museums as cultural institutions under martial law

Current issue of preservation of collections of archives, libraries and museums as cultural institutions under martial law

What secondary research evidence exists on the effects of forest management after disturbances: a systematic map protocol

BackgroundForest disturbances are projected to increase in intensity and frequency in the upcoming decades. The projected change in disturbance regimes is expected to alter the provision of ecosystem services and affect biodiversity. Both are critical for forest ecosystems to provide livelihoods for human societies. Forest management after natural disturbances shapes successional pathways of forest ecosystems. Therefore, the management of post-disturbance sites deserves critical attention to avoid negative effects of management interventions on ecosystem services and biodiversity. The two most common management interventions after natural disturbances are salvage logging (comparator: no salvage logging) and tree planting (comparator: natural regeneration). This planned systematic map of reviews aims to aggregate the existing evidence syntheses on the implications of common forest management interventions after natural disturbances on successional trajectories with regard to selected ecosystem services and biodiversity. Evidence-based post-disturbance management is highly relevant for protected area management as well as for the management of commercial forests.MethodsWe will systematically search the databases Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and the Forest Science Collection of the CABI Digital Library for reviews and meta-analyses (after 2003). We will apply eligibility criteria for review selection and assess the evidence synthesis validity of selected reviews using the most recent version of CEESAT (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Synthesis Assessment Tool). The results will be displayed in topic subgroups in summary of scope and summary of findings tables.

‘Counting fry under a waterfall’: the history, development, and current use of the Small Press Collections at University College London

ABSTRACT University College London Special Collections holds the Small Press Collections consisting of the Little Magazines, Alternative Presses, and Poetry Store of poetry pamphlets, artist’s books, and other text bearing print objects. This essay outlines the history and growth of the collections, founded by Geoffrey Soar in 1964, and starts by exploring the networks essential to the development of a large collection of international, independently published literary and visual art material. I draw on fifteen years’ experience as Collection Manager to examine the challenges of acquiring, cataloguing, and managing non-mainstream, self-published, ephemeral material in an institutional context and facilitating access for researchers. It considers selected comparable collections in the UK and the US and the difficulties in aligning institutional holdings and practices. The notions of materiality and obsolescence in the context of library collections are considered in relation to mimeographed and other format little magazines and small press publications. It concludes with examples of object-based learning scenarios that reactivate the material in a teaching and research context.

Analysis Of Increasing Lubricating Oil Temperature In Ship Diesel Generators

Abstract Auxiliary aircraft is a vital part of a ship that is needed as a power plant or generator. In order to avoid more heat, lubricating oil is needed in the form of a chemical substance, in the form of a liquid given between two moving objects to reduce friction, as a protective layer separating the two surfaces in contact. This is due to the operation of the diesel generator which occurs continuously and can cause friction and erosion of the moving parts. So that friction causes changes in material structure which over time can cause heat. However, this condition makes the lubricating oil temperature increase every hour. This qualitative research uses Primary and secondary data collection methods, with observation (field survey), interviews and library research. Based on the results of the analysis, the cause of the increase in lubricating oil temperature is due to the condition of the electromotor of the seawater cooling pump through the bypass faucet not according to the desired pressure, pump bearings have wear and pump gears, then the heat absorption of the L.O Cooler shelf is not optimal due to blockages in the capillary pipes. That the increase in the temperature of the diesel generator lubricating oil above 700 C and the pressure of 2 kg/cm2 during the machinist’s duty hours 00.00-04.00 LT is caused by the diesel generator auxiliary motor having an ineffective Lo Cooler heat absorption capacity, sea water cooling pressure that is less than normal and the presence of pipe connections that leak cooling pipes

Digital twin prevalence in the medical caring fields: A bibliomatrics study and visualization analysis through CiteSpace

Abstract Objectives: We conducted academic research utilizing the visualization tool CiteSpace to explore the direct relationship between digital twin technology and medical care. Methods: We collected data from the Web Of Science Core Collection, PubMed ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Wiley Online Library databases from 2010 to 2023, displayed visualization analysis of countries, institutions, and co-occurring keywords, clusters, citation bursts, and timelines, also calculated nodes, edges, centrality, modularity, and silhouette through CiteSpace 5.75r version. Results: The data incorporated 1109 studies, graphed the yearly publication number from 2010 to 2023, and showed a steady increase trend. The tree map displayed the top 10 prominent study subjects; the first one was “Health Care Science Service.” The top 3 countries were the United States, Germany, and England, and the top one institution was Harvard Medical School. The top 5 keywords were “digital health,” “care,” “technology,” “digital twin,” and “telemedicine.” The rank 3 clusters were “Digital Health Applications,” “Digital Twin,” and “Machine Learning.” We also displayed the visualization analysis of citation bursts and timelines. Conclusions: Digital twins have welcomed a popular development in strong countries and top-tier institutions and have a tight connection with mobile health and artificial intelligence. It has been widely used in clinical trials, like surgical operation and rehabilitation discipline, to predict patient treatment outcomes, and estimate potential complications; we should facilitate digital twins in clinical practice conversion and application and try to tackle the problems from privacy concerns and economic challenges.

From Poison Books to “Bibliotoxicology”: Highlighting Hazards in Paper-Based Library Collections

From Poison Books to “Bibliotoxicology”: Highlighting Hazards in Paper-Based Library Collections

Utilization of Library Collections to Meet User Needs In The Diplomacy Library

Utilization of Library Collections to Meet User Needs In The Diplomacy Library

Sustainable Futures for Comics Collecting

ABSTRACT Using survey data collected in 2023, this study explores issues around comics collections in academic libraries. In addition to gaining an understanding of the origins of several major academic library collections and current resource support for these collections and associated services, the study looks at the extent to which institutions are implementing measures for the long-term sustainability and preservation of these collections. The researchers found that the historic indifference to comics in an academic setting has resulted in the creation of hodgepodge collections with inconsistent approaches to collection development, staffing, outreach, and long-term growth. Considering the increased acceptance of comics in such settings, Flota, Thacker, and Larsen suggest that it is past time for institutions to be more intentional in planning and sustaining comics collections and services in academic libraries.

Reversible male contraception by targeted inhibition of serine/threonine kinase 33.

Men or mice with homozygous serine/threonine kinase 33 (STK33) mutations are sterile owing to defective sperm morphology and motility. To chemically evaluate STK33 for male contraception with STK33-specific inhibitors, we screened our multibillion-compound collection of DNA-encoded chemical libraries, uncovered potent STK33-specific inhibitors, determined the STK33 kinase domain structure bound with a truncated hit CDD-2211, and generated an optimized hit CDD-2807 that demonstrates nanomolar cellular potency (half-maximal inhibitory concentration = 9.2 nanomolar) and favorable metabolic stability. In mice, CDD-2807 exhibited no toxicity, efficiently crossed the blood-testis barrier, did not accumulate in brain, and induced a reversible contraceptive effect that phenocopied genetic STK33 perturbations without altering testis size. Thus, STK33 is a chemically validated, nonhormonal contraceptive target, and CDD-2807 is an effective tool compound.

Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization among children in U.S. foster care: Recommendations to challenge the status quo based on a scoping review

Prior work has examined racial and ethnic disparities in the access to and utilization of healthcare services. However, evidence across studies is mixed, making it challenging to precisely identify where the racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization are amongst children in foster care, and which race and ethnicity groups are most impacted by such disparities. As such, the purpose of the current study was to conduct a scoping review to synthesize evidence on the topic of racial and ethnic disparities in the physical and mental or behavioral healthcare utilization for children in the U.S. foster care system (PROSPERO ID: CRD42021272072). Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Of the 414 studies identified, 23 met inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed journal article, published between 1991 and 2023, written in English, examined healthcare access or utilization of children in the U.S. foster care system as outcomes, included and disaggregated results by children’s race and ethnicity, conducted quantitative analysis, and was observational in study design. In the physical healthcare utilization domain, Black children were less likely to utilize routine and preventative check-ups and more likely to utilize medical services for treating chronic illnesses such as asthma, compared to White children. In the mental or behavioral healthcare utilization domain, Black and Hispanic/Latine children were less likely to utilize both inpatient and outpatient mental health services, compared to White children. Furthermore, notable variations were observed by specific service types and continuity of services over time. Implications include additional research and education about racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization amongst children in foster care, as well as implementing regulations and oversights that mandate racial equity in the child welfare and healthcare service pathways.

Avram Iancu’s Will and Legacy: Unknown Legal Documents (1850–1877) in the Rațiu Collection of the Lucian Blaga Central University Library in Cluj-Napoca

Our article presents the little known so-called Rațiu collection of documents from the years 1850– 1877 regarding the death of the Romanian hero Avram Iancu. The documents were donated in 2015 by Indrei Rațiu to the Lucian Blaga Central University Library in Cluj-Napoca. They are valuable legal historical documents regarding the testaments of Avram Iancu (1824–1872) and of his father, Alesandru Iancu (1797–1855), as well as their trials for succession. The documents were written mostly in the Romanian language with Cyrillic and Latin letters, but inserts and documents in German and Hungarian were also added.