Library Faculty Research Articles

Redesigning for Open Educational Practices: A Faculty-Librarian Collaboration

Open educational practices (OEP) are rarely explored in LIS education, despite its alignment with many of the core values in library science. Recent scholarship on LIS pedagogy does speak to the merits of OEP, which can include open and equitable access, real-world learning experiences, and principles of social justice. However, there is little discussion about what this looks like in practice and within the LIS curriculum. This thought piece examines the practical aspect of using OEP in the LIS graduate classroom and describes the collaborative reflections of an LIS faculty member, librarian, and university librarian to prepare to implement OEP at a regional comprehensive university. This collaboration found that OEP is a good fit for the library science curriculum, but that there are important support considerations which need to be secured before implementation, such as access to participatory technology, training on intellectual property and staffing. In addition, the dynamic nature of OEP addresses some of the challenges associated with the current landscape of online learning in higher education, including delivering more engaging pedagogy, increasing student digital literacy and student involvement in the scholarly communication process.

Integrating evidence synthesis services in Zimbabwean state university libraries

This article explores how Zimbabwean state university libraries incorporate evidence synthesis services in their traditional research support services as the evidence synthesis methodology begins to gain popularity among researchers beyond the health sciences. The literature indicates that academic libraries around the world are responding to the need for evidence synthesis services. However, there is a lack of evidence concerning how libraries in Zimbabwean state university libraries have adapted to this trend. Exploratory research that involved sub-librarians and faculty librarians as participants was conducted. Purposive and self-selection sampling techniques were utilised in addition to the use of questionnaires and interviews for data gathering. The results reveal that some libraries have started offering evidence synthesis services, particularly in the disciplines of agriculture and applied sciences. The results also show that systematic and scoping reviews are evidence synthesis types commonly conducted by researchers. While the study shows that some librarians demonstrated a good understanding of evidence synthesis, most lacked practical experience and relied on self-teaching and peer-to-peer learning for skill acquisition.

Managing academic library as a multigenerational workplace: a field study of generational diversity management at Alexandria University faculty libraries

The work environment in its various variables plays a vital role in stabilizing work and raising productivity; researchers in management sciences and work behaviours have noted the role of individual variables of workers (age, educational level, years of experience) in influencing the personal characteristics and behaviours of the workers, which has drawn attention to the multigenerational work environment, where it includes a number of generational groups. Each group is characterized by different characteristics, which make it imperative for tensions in relationships and conflicts to occur unless the management of institutions pays attention to the rapid adoption of appropriate foundations and strategies for the management of those generational groups. This gave rise to the idea of the current study, which focused on the fact that the Multigenerational workplace Management is one of the most important factors affecting the functioning and productivity of the library.The aim of the study is to introduce the concept of Multigenerational workplace Management into Academic libraries in order to properly manage the various generations of their staff. The management of staff from different generations of librarians is imperative and requires a clear strategy and a vision of its application, so that libraries can make the most of their available generational diversity and build good relationships among them, thereby increasing morale and thus improving the career satisfaction of the staff, moreover increasing their performance efficiency, as well as achieving the aims of the library and the satisfaction of their users.

The libraries of Kaunas university faculties and their subunits

In this article, the work of the libraries of Kaunas University faculties up to 1940 is analyzed. Their principal task was to provide readers with scientific and educational literature. The Technical Faculty, Theological-Philosophical Faculty, Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Humanities possessed the largest libraries. Other faculties organized libraries and collections of printed materials (no more than 1000 copies) in departments, laboratories, and for studies and seminars. The acquisition funds were assigned by the State Budget. Acquisition sources included bookstores, international library loans, and gifts. The libraries of the faculties operated independently until 1940. They assisted the Central Library of Kaunas University in providing its readers with literature necessary for studies. The libraries also took part in the pedagogical and scientific work of Kaunas University.

Answering the Call for Community: Establishing a Collaborative Peer Support System for Faculty Librarians

This article explores how the creation of a community of practice among early-career librarians effectively fosters change in academic libraries. The authors distributed a survey to evaluate the needs of untenured faculty librarians at their institution and assess the best approach to address these needs. The results indicated that their library’s established model of mentorship between untenured and tenured colleagues left gaps that could be best met through the creation of a peer support group. The authors share the survey results, indicate the implications from these findings, and suggest how librarians at other institutions can implement similar communities of practice.

Analisis Kebutuhan Hard Skill Pustakawan dalam Menunjang Transformasi Digital di Perpustakaan Universitas Gadjah Mada

This study examines the essential hard skills needed by librarians at the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Library to support digital transformation. Utilizing a qualitative approach through interviews with four faculty library heads at UGM, this research describes the skills required to meet these challenges. The findings indicate that technological skills, English proficiency, public speaking abilities, and research skills are necessary hard skills for current needs. It is crucial for university libraries to develop their librarians' expertise, including aspects of service quality, support for research and learning activities.

Preservation and popularization of the scientific, historical and cultural heritage of the university (to the 55th anniversary of the Kemerovo State Institute of Culture)

The author examines the issues of preserving and promoting the historical, scientific, and cultural heritage of the Institute of Culture. She characterizes the heritage and the main ways of its promotion (through publishing scientific and educational works, organizing library collections, building digital resources, hosting various events, loading digital content about the Institute to the Internet environment, etc.). Special attention is paid to the capability of the specialized (library) department to solve the issues of creating, promoting, and preserving the university’s heritage as the educational and research problems. Several aspects of interaction between the Library Department and the Scientific Library of Kemerovo State Institute of Culture are discussed. The main research methods applied were: bibliometric analysis of indicators of scientific output of the faculty and students, as provided by external digital information aggregators, as well as the direct analysis of departmental reports. The Institute of Culture is seen as the object of cultural heritage for educational and scientific purposes of students of the Department Faculty of Information, Library and Museum Technologies.The author concludes, in particular, that close integration of the Institute’s library and its Library Department enables to solve complex problems related to the institutional heritage. The findings of the study may be applied in other institutes and universities of culture of the Russian Federation.

Building Workplace Camaraderie Through Library Employee Programming

ABSTRACT Employees at libraries of all types are looking for ways to form and strengthen relationships between colleagues who may be physically and socially disconnected after a period of remote work or staff turnover. At East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library, some library faculty and staff formed a committee to plan monthly events to encourage community among library employees. Events have included craft and poetry workshops, music and book discussions, potlucks, and professional development sessions. Recommendations to the reader for planning similar events include considering accessibility and scheduling, drawing from local talent and resources, and experimenting with a variety of activities. The committee’s efforts have strengthened relationships among library employees, improved leadership skills for early career librarians, and inspired new outreach projects to engage the campus community.

Exploring Professional Identities in Libraries: The Impact of Credit-Bearing Courses Beyond Student Learning

In this essay, we argue in support of library-led information literacy (IL) credit courses, emphasizing the impact that developing, teaching, and managing these courses can have on the professional identity of library faculty and staff. Existing research has indicated that librarians who teach credit courses may more strongly identify as teachers than those who teach only course-integrated sessions. We expand on this research by sharing the perspective of four individuals who are involved in the design, instruction, and coordination of credit-bearing IL courses, including two faculty librarians and two staff members. By providing these differing voices, we give a unique perspective on a critical question in the field: Should libraries offer credit-bearing IL courses?

Evaluating the status of information security management in faculty libraries: a case study of Allameh Tabatabai University

ABSTRACT Aim This study aims to evaluate the status of Information Security Management in Faculty Libraries at Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran. This study is based on the standard of ISO/IEC 27,002. Method The research method is a descriptive survey. Data was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire based on the ISO/IEC standard 27,002 which includes 11 main indicators and 39 sub-components. The statistical population of this study is 45 main and middle managers of faculties’ libraries of Allameh Tabatabai University located in Tehran (Faculties of Law, Psychology and Educational Sciences, Management and Accounting, Physical Education, Literature and Foreign Languages, Communication Sciences, Economics, Social Sciences, Mathematical and Computer Sciences). Due to the limited statistical population, sampling was not performed. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, inferential, and SPSS software. Findings The average score of information security management performance in the faculty libraries of Allameh Tabatabaei University located in Tehran according to ISO/IEC27002 is above average. Examination of the average scores of performance evaluation indicators of faculty libraries of Allameh Tabatabai University showed that four indicators including Information Security Management Policy, Information Security Incident Management, Cryptography, and Security Supplier Relationships are not in a favorable situation and need attention from the relevant managers. In other indicators, the performance of faculty libraries is at the desired level. Conclusion The results show a desirable level of information security management in the faculty libraries of Allameh Tabatabai in Tehran. However, some indicators, such as Information Security Policies, Information Security Incident Management, Cryptography, and Supplier Relationships, are still weaker. Therefore, to achieve security goals some suggestions are provided.

PREDIKSI JUMLAH PENGUNJUNG PERPUSTAKAAN MENGGUNAKAN DOUBLE EXPONENTIAL SMOOTHING

The library is an information center that needs to be managed effectively. The large number of library visitors reflects the efforts made to increase student literacy. This research aims to predict the number of visitors to the Faculty of Science and Technology Library, Jambi University using the Double Exponential Smoothing Holt method which is predicted by giving smoothing values ​​to a series of previous observations with parameter values ​​α=0.775 and β= 0.367. The data used in this research is secondary data obtained from daily data from the Jambi University Faculty of Science and Technology library, totaling 125 data. Predictions show that the number of visitors in the next 5 periods is expected to increase by 48 visitors. The forecast accuracy value from data on the number of visitors to the Jambi University Faculty of Science and Technology library uses a MAPE (Mean Absolute Precentage Error) value of 18.878%, meaning the forecasting model is in the good category.

Organizational Behavior and New Librarians

Learning about organizational culture and behavior sets the foundation to navigate an institution as a new employee. In the following column, two faculty librarians from SUNY Geneseo share their experiences as new faculty and their reflections on organizational behavior, exploring how concepts from that field helped them to learn about their new institution and to grow as librarians.

Publication of pediatric theses defended at the Tunis Faculty of Medicine: A 15-year study.

The valorisation of thesis through its publication is necessary to enhance its visibility. Few data exist concerning the characteristics of theses defended at the Tunis faculty of medicine. Examine the publication rate of pediatric theses and identify factors associated with an increased publication rate. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive bibliometric study of pediatric theses defended at the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis over 15 years, from 2006 to 2020. Theses were retrieved from the catalog of the faculty library. Publications had been searched in databases "Pub Med ", and "Google Scholar" until December2021. The study involved 235 pediatric theses. Sixty-eight theses were published, representing 29% of the total. The main topics of published theses were neonatology (16%) and hematology (15%). The language of publication was French and English in 55% and 45% of cases, respectively. All publications in Q1 and Q2 journals were written in English. The only independent factor predicting publication of theses was the very honourable mention with congratulations of the jury and proposal for the thesis prize (p=0,007). Additional assessments will be necessary to identify the obstacles to the publication of theses.

A Conversation: The Exodus of Faculty Librarians of Color from the California State University System

A Conversation: The Exodus of Faculty Librarians of Color from the California State University System

Changing student privacy responsibilities and governance needs: Views from faculty, instructional designers, and academic librarians

Changing student privacy responsibilities and governance needs: Views from faculty, instructional designers, and academic librarians

Collection quality analysis at the Animal Husbandry Library, Universitas Padjadjaran

The library has the quality in the service in the collection of the library. Enhancing library service quality is paramount to ensure users derive greater satisfaction and value. The Faculty of Animal Husbandry Library, Universitas Padjadjaran, has special collection in the animal husbandry science can access students, lecturer, and staff. The purposes this research knew the collection quality analysis at the Animal Husbandry Library, Universitas Padjadjaran, with analyse of the physical and digital library collections’ at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry Library, Universitas Padjadjaran. The research method used a descriptive quantitative methodology using a survey with 132 participating respondents. The participants comprised students enrolled in the faculty, represented by every academic year, from incoming students to those in their final year. The study procedure encompassed problem identification, questionnaire design, participant selection, questionnaire distribution, and survey data handling. The collected survey data were analyzed descriptively and graphically displayed for simplicity in data interpretation. The survey questions were categorized into four evaluative themes: collection diversity, collection completeness, collection currentness, and collection condition. The outcomes indicated consistent satisfaction from the respondents regarding the evaluated areas. Several recommendations were proposed regarding the physical collection of rare books in sub-optimal conditions. In conclusion, users express satisfaction with the diversity, completeness, timeliness, and condition of both physical and digital collections in the Animal Husbandry Faculty Library, Universitas Padjadjaran. Regular assessment of user satisfaction is necessary as a roadmap for augmenting the quality of library services.

“Individual status” of the characters from the Oirat monument “The Tale of the Nectar Teaching”

For the first time, this article has presented the experience of describing the internal and external features of the characters in the Oirat monument “The Tale of the Nectar Teaching” from the point of view of their individual qualities, based on the well-known work “The System of Characters of the Russian Fairy Tale” (2001) by the Russian folklorist E. S. Novik. The analysis is based on three unpublished copies of the monument, stored in the Scientific Library of the Oriental Faculty of St. Petersburg State University, the Manuscript Fund of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the State Archives of the Republic of Tatarstan. Lexicographic works and dictionaries were used as additional materials for interpreting the names of the Buddhist characters. As a result of the analysis, we have come to the conclusion that for the intra-plot functioning of the characters, it is important to take into account not only the role they play in the given plot (episode), but also the individual characteristics they are endowed with, since they correspond to those actions (conflict situations) in which the characters take part. The individual features of the character not only determine the nature of the plot, but they can also change in the course of its development, since each character is a bundle of characteristics that can easily disintegrate or be completed. We believe that the results obtained will serve as the basis for further research into the family, class and local states of the characters in the Oirat monument “The Legend of the Nectar Teaching.”

Об этике буддиста-мирянина (на материале ойратского перевода «Сутры о плоде»)

The article examines the manuscript Calm D 16 in Oirat «clear letter» «Ači üreyin sudur» («Cause and Effect Sūtra») from the manuscript collection of the Library of the Oriental Faculty of St. Petersburg State University. This sutra refers to Buddhist apocryphal (non-canonical) writings, which in some traditions of Tibetan literature were considered to be the untrue «word of the Buddha», and therefore were not always included in the Buddhist canon. Despite the fact that it was translated from Chinese, in Tibetan and Mongolian translations it entered the Kagyur (Ganjur), and was obviously used by Buddhist priests for didactic purposes to educate the lay community. According to the content, the sutra is a conversation between the Buddha and the disciple Ananda, which explains the consequences of good and evil deeds, which are built into a certain system of ethical norms for a lay Buddhist. Positive actions include cultivating compassion, practicing the six paramitas, making offerings to Buddhist temples, stupas, the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), as well as to the Teacher and parents, reading aloud, rewriting, contributing to rewriting and reflecting on the Mahayana sutras. Negative actions in the sutra are actions that lead to suffering of living beings: inflicting pain, intimidation, hunting, theft, murder, etc., showing disrespect towards the Three Jewels, the Teacher, the sacred texts of the sutras, the monastic sangha. A comparison of the Oirat translation with the Tibetan and Mongolian canonical versions as part of the Kagyur (Ganjur) shows that the Oirat text is based on either another Tibetan version or an independent revision different from the canonical Mongolian text.

Could Ernest Boyer’s Foundational Perspective of the Scholarship of Teaching Help Save Faculty Librarians?

Could Ernest Boyer’s Foundational Perspective of the Scholarship of Teaching Help Save Faculty Librarians?

Flourishing School Library Faculty Members: Understanding Academic Workload

Faculty members engage in research, teaching, service, and administration and are expected to excel in all areas to be awarded tenure and promotion. There is a disconnect between expectations and realities for school library faculty members in terms of teaching, research, service and administration. Consistent with previous research, school library faculty members work long hours. Individual goals, discretionary power, and collective good come into conflict in different ways at different stages of a career. This study also provides a starting point for others interested in examining and comparing academic work in different disciplines. Potential and current school library faculty may use the findings to inform career decisions, e.g., entry to the profession, career progression, and mentorship.