Library Field Research Articles

How Data is Documented: An Analysis of Metadata Schemas for Research Data

The importance of metadata has long been understood by those in the fields of librarianship and research data management. Currently, there are many research data service providers that allow deposit of research data or gather metadata for research data housed elsewhere, following various metadata schemas to describe their collections. These schemas were designed to make their datasets organized, discoverable, and reusable. As data curators initially recognize the need for and begin working on metadata schemas for research data, most previous studies in this field were conducted from their perspectives. However, few of these studies discuss a schema from the perspective of data (re)users. This study aims to take a small step towards filling this gap by evaluating four influential metadata schemas in light of researchers' information-seeking behaviors for research data. This study explores the factors that affect researchers’ efforts in seeking, understanding, and evaluating (re)usable data, and examines how these factors are represented across various fields in the current metadata schemas for research data. The methodology for this study consists of three parts: a meta-analysis of relevant research on researcher’s seeking behaviors for (re)usable data, a crosswalk of the metadata schemas, and a comparison of findings from the previous stages. The findings from this study will offer insights into the development of research data metadata schema in the future, which will enhance the infrastructure for data sharing, ultimately facilitating more effective (re)use of existing data.

National Standardization in the Field of Librarianship and Bibliographic Activities: Current State and Problems of Development

National Standardization in the Field of Librarianship and Bibliographic Activities: Current State and Problems of Development

Personality Traits of Academic Librarians and Their Knowledge Acquisition and Application Behavior

Abstract This study investigated the effect of the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness) on knowledge acquisition and application by Pakistani university librarians. To increase their impact in academic institutions, it is imperative to examine how people acquire and apply knowledge within the field of librarianship. This study employed a quantitative research approach based on the survey research method. The Big Five personality inventory designed by John and Srivastava was adopted, however, measurement items related to knowledge acquisition and application behavior were developed with the help of the existing literature. The study population comprised academic librarians working in the university libraries of Pakistan, with a census sampling method used to collect data and 357 completed questionnaires received. The results indicated that extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience positively affect the university librarian’s knowledge acquisition, while neuroticism has a negative effect. The findings also revealed that extraversion and openness to experience positively affects academic librarians’ knowledge application behavior while neuroticism has a negative effective, however, conscientiousness and agreeableness personality traits were found to be insignificant predictors of the same. This study highlights the significant personality features contributing to knowledge acquisition and application behavior in academic libraries from a developing country’s perspective.

New technology in libraries work and the problems of education in the field of librarianship and bibliography

The article deals with the problem of the changing demands of education for librarianship and information work in developed capitalist countries as a result of the application of computers and changing technology of library work. There are indications that, under these conditions, education and training must be something rather different from traditional library education. The changing role of information, which becomes one of the natural resources of a country, and the rapid development of computer technology reveal new professional demands for librarians. They are becoming something like gatekeepers of information, mediators between information stored in databases and information users. As a result of this tendency, the teaching of online bibliographic searching is of great importance in the curricula of library schools all over the world. The main trends of alteration in the programs of library schools during the last 10 years are surveyed, and principal tendencies of future development in the education of librarians are revealed.

Training of information retrieval in the State university of Vilnius: some contential and technological aspects of education in the field of librarianship and bibliography

The article deals with the problem of professional education of librarians at the University of Vilnius. The changing role of information, which is becoming one of the natural resources of the country, and the rapid development of computer technology reveal new professional demands for librarians. As a result of this tendency, teaching online bibliographical searching has become of great importance in the library education curriculum. Specific conditions of development and practical needs of libraries and information services, main traits, and opportunities of higher education in Lithuania are revealed. This makes it possible to create an original conception of automated information retrieval training. The problems of information retrieval are studied in subjects such as Librarianship, Bibliography, Information Retrieval Systems, Information, and Technical Aids for Library Work, which are based on a specially created training automated information retrieval system (AIRS). Three different kinds of connections between the revealed subjects are presented in a scheme and commented upon. The choice of education technology is discussed. The main forms are various practical studies, realized on the basis of AIRS. These also help overcome the psychological barrier that arises when working with computers.

Challenges of e-library in developing countries higher educational institutions

Higher educational institutions in developing countries around the globe have come under rigorous criticism in the current era due to the poor quality of their products. Presently, there is an urgent need for higher education institutions in developing countries to catch up with innovations in teaching, learning, and research practices in developed economies. This paper explores the objectives, Information resources, basic requirements for accessing electronic library resources, advantages and disadvantages of E-library as well as the role of the use of Electronic Library in Higher Educational Institutions in Developing Countries. It also so examines the challenges associated with the use of electronic Libraries in higher educational Institutions in Developing Countries. These include the unstable power supply, Inability of vendors to supply the needed hardware, Change of contents, Lack of Digitization, Unified agreement, Economy, Network infrastructure, and Operational hours among others. It highlights the fact that electronic libraries are vital for efficient teaching, research, and learning in higher educational institutions of developing countries in the 21st century and as a result are a main concern. On the other hand, the paper stresses that to address the Challenges Associated with the Use of Electronic Library in Higher Educational Institutions in Developing Countries, the government at all levels should collaborate in funding libraries and make them more open to researchers’ needs in the country, the e-library should be equipped by employing professionals in the field of librarianship with ICT technical know-how that can give quality contributions to national development in spheres of life, among others.

O Ryszardzie Przelaskowskim (1903-1971) z powodu 50. rocznicy jego śmierci

The commencement of a series of lectures in 2022 under the name “Konarski Lecture” as well as the reedition of the Polish-English version of Kazimierz Konarski’s textbook “Modern Polish Archival Science and its Purpose” raise the question about the continuation of commemorating prominent Polish archivists. One of the figures worth paying attention to is Ryszard Przelaskowski (1903-1971), the author of “Schedule of Internal Work in Modern Archives” (1935), which was translated into English already in 1940. Ryszard Przelaskowski’s transition in 1939 from working in the archive to working in the library resulted in a change in his research interests. Przelaskowski left a series of essays in the field of librarianship in which he pointed out the connections and similarities between archival science, library science and museology as information sciences. The author of this article, in a dissertation published in 2010, drew attention to Przelaskowski’s pioneering approach in this area. Later, in-depth studies by Klaudia Leśniewska (Jędrzejewska) and Monika Cołbecka confirmed this thesis. The author postulates the need to develop a comprehensive scientific monograph of Ryszard Przelaskowski’s scientific and professional activity. This is particularly important in the era of a renewed sense of fundamental unity among archives, libraries and museums, as well as the need to include this unity in scientific theory.

Structured abstract generator (SAG) model: analysis of IMRAD structure of articles and its effect on extractive summarization

An abstract is the most crucial element that may convince readers to read the complete text of a scientific publication. However, studies show that in terms of organization, readability, and style, abstracts are also among the most troublesome parts of the pertinent manuscript. The ultimate goal of this article is to produce better understandable abstracts with automatic methods that will contribute to scientific communication in Turkish. We propose a summarization system based on extractive techniques combining general features that have been shown to be beneficial for Turkish. To construct the data set for this aim, a sample of 421 peer-reviewed Turkish articles in the field of librarianship and information science was developed. First, the structure of the full-texts, and their readability in comparison with author abstracts, were examined for text quality evaluation. A content-based evaluation of the system outputs was then carried out. System outputs, in cases of using and ignoring structural features of full-texts, were compared. Structured outputs outperformed classical outputs in terms of content and text quality. Each output group has better readability levels than their original abstracts. Additionally, it was discovered that higher-quality outputs are correlated with more structured full-texts, highlighting the importance of structural writing. Finally, it was determined that our system can facilitate the scholarly communication process as an auxiliary tool for authors and editors. Findings also indicate the significance of structural writing for better scholarly communication.

The Survey of Professional Development Practices for the Emerging Trends among Academic and Research Librarians in Lagos State

The field of librarianship is undergoing profound transformation in response to the digital revolution and evolving user needs. Developing knowledge and skills is therefore essential to remain relevant and effective. The study investigated the professional development practices for adaptation to the emerging technologies and trends among academic and research librarians (ARLs) in Lagos state. It also determined the sources of their professional development strategies and sponsors, and the training need of the academic and research librarians. Descriptive statistics of frequency and simple percentages were used to analyse the data collected. The study revealed that librarians are aware of the emerging trends, they are committed to their professional development through self-sponsored and also have challenges facing them. It was recommended that librarians should be encouraged to be more committed to their profession development, the library should be involved in generating funds to support professional development to alleviate the problem of fund scarcity.

Arkady V. Sokolov – a scholar, senior colleague, friend and unique personality

The article is a tribute to Arkady Vasilyevich Sokolov, Russian scientist, professor, Doctor of Science in pedagogy, researcher in the field of librarianship, informatics and social communications theory. Beside the professional relations, there was friendship of many years between Sokolov and the author. The author follows the main stages of Sokolov’s biography and his academic career, discusses his professional interests, namely informatics, bibliography, library science, metatheory of social communications, theory of sociocultural activities, teaching of bibliosphere and bibliologos, and library intelligentsia. He also reviews several publications by Arkady Sokolov.The author remembers A. V. Sokolov’s participation in RNPLS&T’s conferences, i.e. “Crimea” conference (world forum), “LIBCOM” international conference, and “BiblioPiter” conference. A. V. Sokolov contributed a lot to the Scientific and Technical Libraries journal as a member of editorial board, permanent author and reviewer. He made his fair share of contribution to the RNPLS&T joint monograph “E-librarianship”, unfortunately, only the introduction was written, which the author cites.

Entrepreneurship skills and marketing library services as correlates of job creation among undergraduates at Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, Nigeria

This study investigated the correlation between entrepreneurship skills, marketing library services, and job creation among undergraduates at Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, Nigeria. Entrepreneurship skills and marketing library services are crucial for job creation among undergraduates; enhancing employability, self-reliance, fostering innovation, and driving economic growth. The study employed descriptive research design, using a self- structured questionnaire for data collection. The population comprised 347 final year library and information science (LIS) undergraduates, with a sample size of 181 with a response rate of 153(84.5%) for data analysis. The findings revealed a highly significant and positive association between entrepreneurship skills and job creation opportunities among the final year undergraduates, with a coefficient (B) for entrepreneurship skills of 0.609 and a standard error of 0.026. Additionally, there is a highly significant and positive relationship between marketing library services and job creation opportunities. Customer service skills and leadership skills had the highest mean values of 3.03 and 3.00, respectively. Respondents indicated strong marketing skills in communication and customer service, with mean scores of 3.63 and 3.44, respectively. Furthermore, the study established strong job opportunities in the fields of librarianship and education and training, each with a mean score of 3.73. The study concluded that entrepreneurship skills and marketing library services are crucial determinants of job creation among final-year LIS undergraduates. It recommended that the university should integrate more extensive entrepreneurship and marketing courses into the LIS curriculum, focusing on practical applications such as customer service and communication skills.

The Results of the All-Russian Competition of Scientifi c Papers on Library Science, Bibliography and Bibliology — 2023

On 28 November 2023, within the framework of the All–Russian meeting of heads of federal and central regional libraries of Russia, the winners of the next All– Russian competition of scientifi c papers on library science, bibliography and book studies were solemnly awarded. On behalf of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the competition was organized by the Russian National Library and co-organized by the Russian State Library with the support of the Russian Library Association. The competition is one of the main tools for assessing the effectiveness of scientifi c activity in the fi eld of librarianship. The competition contributes to the support and development of science in librarianship within the framework of the “Strategy for the development of librarianship in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030” and meets the objectives set by the President of the Russian Federation in the “Fundamentals of State Cultural Policy” in the fi eld of development of research of social and humanitarian nature.

Digital Knowledge, Skills and Application among Librarians and Library Staff of MUNPARLAS Library Association, Incorporated

Objective. The study aimed to identify and assess a level of digital knowledge, a level of digital skills, and a level of digital application of the librarians and library staff who are members of MUNPARLAS Library Association, Inc. Methods. Descriptive-correlational research design was used in this study to provide static pictures of situations as well as to establish the relationship between different variables. The respondents of this study are 60 Librarians and Library Personnel who are members of MUNPARLAS Library Association, Inc. Results. Findings revealed that the respondents' level of digital knowledge was very high, with an average weighted mean of 3.39. The respondents' level of digital skills was also very high, with an average weighted mean of 3.25. Additionally, the respondents' level of digital application was very high, with an average weighted mean of 3.52. There was a significant relationship between the respondents' digital knowledge and digital skills, as indicated by a p-value of 0.000, which was lower than the Pearson r-value of 0.812. Similarly, there was a significant relationship between the respondents' digital skills and digital application, with a p-value of 0.000, lower than the Pearson r-value of 0.712. Lastly, there was also a significant relationship between the respondents' digital knowledge and digital application, with a p-value of 0.000, lower than the Pearson r-value of 0.649. Therefore, it is necessary to propose an action plan to sustain the digital knowledge, skills, and application among librarians and library staff at MLAI. Conclusions. The findings of this study underscore the importance of digital literacy in the field of librarianship. MLAI should continue to prioritize the cultivation of digital knowledge, skills, and application among its staff to adapt to the evolving needs of its users and to stay ahead in the digital age.

Formation of a Document Fund in the Languages of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East

The main mission of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is the formation of the documentary heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. The document fund in the languages of the indigenous peoples of the North of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) was formed from publications in five languages: Even, Evenki, Yukagir, Chukchi and Dolgan. The main principle by which the library fund was completed was an exhaustive collection of all published documents. The history of the book fund in the languages of the peoples of the North is divided into five chronological periods. The first period (1812—1917) is associated with the activities of the Russian Orthodox mission. The second (1918—1960) includes the creation of the Committee of the North (1924), the opening of the library (1925) and the beginning of the introduction of universal primary education in Yakutia. At that time, the People’s Commissariat of Education of the Yakut ASSR published and distributed the first ABC books for adults. The third period (1961—1990) was marked by the problem of publishing literature in the languages of the Evens, Yukagirs and Chukchi. In total, 3—5 books were published in the Even language per year, literature in other languages of the peoples of the North was not published. Languages were on the verge of extinction, there were no necessary conditions for their preservation. The fourth period (1991—2020) is associated with the completely destroyed book supply system in the early 1990s, the beginning of the commercialization of publishing. In 1990, the library was returned to the national status, which played a positive role in the formation of national and local history documents. The modern stage of the development of the book fund in the languages of the peoples of the North began in 2021, when the “Strategy for the Development of Librarianship in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030” was adopted, which fixed the main tasks, directions and measures of state policy in the field of librarianship. In July 2022 The Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has approved the “Strategy for the Development of Librarianship in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) for the period up to 2032”, which defines the main tasks for the formation of a depository storage fund for documents in the languages of all indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. As of January 1, 2023, the document fund in the languages of the peoples of the North numbered 2,659 copies. Work continues to preserve the documentary heritage of the small peoples of the North. The electronic library of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is being developed, and the digital project “Knigakan: about the Arctic and the indigenous peoples of the North” is being implemented as part of it. The digital library of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East “Knigakan” currently has 2,760 digitized documents that are in great demand among readers. The electronic publishing house of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) plans to publish books in all languages of the small peoples of the North, including endangered languages, and preserve them for future generations. The long-term task is to create a depository storage fund for documents in the languages of all indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. This project should intensify efforts to preserve and ensure free access to the documentary heritage of indigenous minorities, the development of linguistic and cultural diversity of the peoples of Russia.

Calibrating Librarian Soft Skills with the Organizational Performance: A Transformation of Digital University Library

The rapid development of information and communication technology has affected various fields, including the university library. The challenges of the digital world and IT developments have resulted in all areas of library work using information technology such us verifying students’ thesis at the university repository, entry book borrowings, registering library members, updating information on the library website, checking the barcode attendance in each given service at the library and many others. Nowadays, the university librarians have become digital librarians as people who involve in the Information and Communication Technology setting equipped with digital skills by implementing technology in libraries. Furthermore, librarians must acquire the updated skills in order to work efficiently in a digital library to fulfill the qualified librarian of digital librarianship.The implementation of digital libraries requires librarians who are competent not only in soft skill but also hard skill in the field of librarianship and technology. Regarding with soft skills, there are in the form of communication skills (especially in english), leadership, team work, decision making, integrity. This study conducts qualitative method by investigating the soft skills that librarians must possess to manage libraries digitally. The data gathered in this study was secondary data which cover journals, textbooks, government regulations and other literature. The data and method triangulations are conducted to confirm the validity of this research

Metaliteracy advocacy: The need for libraries to engage users in the Metaverse

The emergence of the metaverse is a notable trend in the field of librarianship that comes with it the capability to facilitate virtual interactions, stimulate engagement, and offer participatory experiences for both librarians and library users. This article delves into the potential applications of the metaverse within libraries. To explore this subject, the researchers conducted a systematic literature review, collecting secondary data that aligns with the study’s objectives. The findings emphasize the significance of developing metaliteracy among librarians and library users in the context of the metaverse. Metaliteracy encompasses a diverse set of skills that are essential for thriving in the digital age. Nevertheless, it also presents challenges, such as rapid technological advancements and disparities in accessibility. In response to these challenges, libraries and librarians must adapt by harnessing the power of metaliteracy to unlock the metaverse's potential fully. The article proposes that libraries should provide ongoing training and support for digital librarians and library users to ensure the relevance of their metaliteracy skills. Furthermore, libraries should actively foster collaborative partnerships with entities within the metaverse, including virtual museums and galleries. This collaborative approach enriches the pool of information and resources available to library users, ultimately enhancing their overall experience.

Foreign Open Access Journals in the Field of Librarianship: Opportunities for Publishing Research Results

Open access journals are widespread, including the field of library science. The purpose of the article is, basing on the results of the analysis of foreign journals on library science topics, to prepare a list of journals for potential publishing Russian scientists’ articles in them.The selection of journals was carried out on the platforms Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Dimensions, Lens.org and Scimago Journal & Country Rank. Non-thematic journals were eliminated from the initial sample of journals; the remained ones were analyzed according to the following parameters: reflection of journal data on major world open access resources, indexing in international databases (Web of Science and Scopus), quartile (Q1 и Q2 from Scimago Journal & Country Rank), as well as open access models, price policy and availability of an open license.In addition, the studied journals were checked for presence/absence in the “black” lists of journals. Based on these data, the general “portrait” of library open access journals was compiled and the list of recommended foreign open access journals for publishing the Russian scientists’ results of research was marked out.The study embraced 220 open access journals.The results indicated the Directory of Open Access Journals (57, 7 %) as the main platform for journal selection. About 64 % of journals were free of charge for authors with publishers (universities or associations) covering the costs of publishing articles themselves. “Diamond” (about 63.5% of journals) and “Green” (about 43, 5 % of journals) were identified as the dominant open access models, indexed in Web of Science and Scopus – about 60 % of open access journals.The study also revealed the problem of correct reflection of open access journals on the platforms (discrepancy of topic, type of the document, etc.). The list of 12 highly rated journals that library scientists could use when searching for information and publishing their research results in the open information space was compiled, and analyzed for publications of Russian authors in them over the past 5 years (2018–2023).

Миссия просвещения (о деятельности бесплатных библиотек Пермской губернии на рубеже XIX–XX вв.)

Based on the report on the activities of free public libraries in the Perm province, the article examines the activities of public libraries that existed in Russia in the late XIX — early XX centuries. The growth in the number of people’s libraries did not lead to a noticeable increase in their activity indicators. It is concluded that the initiatives of zemstvo figures in the regions contributed to the opening of many zemstvo libraries. This era is characterized by the rise of the social movement in the field of librarianship. The main driving force was the zemstvos and city dumas, which took on the burden of maintaining public and public libraries opened in Russia and in the Perm province, which functioned with the aim of educating urban and rural residents.

“Rumyantsev Readings — 2023”: Diversity of Research Formats and Practices

The Russian State Library hosted the annual International Scientific and Practical Conference “Rumyantsev Readings” on 18—20 April 2023. The event was organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Russian State Library and the Library Assembly of Eurasia. This conference has been held for more than 40 years, and it covers the wide range of topics which invariably attracts a large number of specialists from different regions of Russia and other countries. In 2023 it was attended by representatives of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. 282 people were present in person; 2,102 connections were recorded during the broadcasting of the sessions.The conference topics covered a wide range of issues on the theory and practice of library science, bibliography science and book science. Among its main directions: the history of libraries, as well as pages of life and activities of people associated with them, disclosure of book depository funds, research of collections and individual copies of manuscript and printed monuments, multifaceted activities of modern libraries. One of the main goals of the conference is to expand intercultural interaction and co-operation between cultural, educational and scientific institutions. Within the framework of the Rumyantsev Readings, the work of the sections, which have been traditional for many years, as well as timed to the dates and events of 2023, was organized. This year, special emphasis was placed on the topics “Enlightening and Educational Mission of Libraries (for the Year of Teacher and Mentor in Russia)” and “The Role of Libraries in Preserving and Developing Intercultural Communication (for the Year of Russian as a Language of Interethnic Communication in the Commonwealth of Independent States)”. In addition to the plenary session, the conference program included 12 sections, round tables and special events. By the beginning of the conference, a collection of its materials was published in three parts, including 160 articles by 174 authors.The Rumyantsev Readings continue to be a popular scientific and practical event among library professionals and representatives of other educational, scientific and cultural institutions, contributing to the development of scientific research, as well as to the development of the library’s research in the field of librarianship.

Methods of organizing library scientific research

This article provides detailed information about the scientific methodology of librarianship, general scientific and special scientific methods of librarianship, methods of organizing organizational structures for research in the field of librarianship.