Implications For Library Services Research Articles

From Books to Bytes and Custodians to Navigators: Exploring Metaverse Literacy for Library Professionals

ABSTRACT This study investigates metaverse literacy among library professionals and its implications for library services. The research aims to determine the extent of technological obstacles library professionals face in acquiring metaverse literacy, assess skill gaps in this domain, identify resistance to change and gauge the perceived benefits of developing metaverse literacy. A structured questionnaire was administered to 80 library professionals from various academic institutions and libraries across India. The findings reveal that while library professionals are relatively comfortable with virtual environments, skill gaps exist in specific metaverse literacy areas. The study identifies primary reasons for hesitancy in adopting metaverse literacy, such as concerns about job security and insufficient training opportunities. It also highlights the perceived benefits, including enhanced user experiences, expanded service offerings, and fostering innovative approaches to information dissemination. The research underscores the need for collaborative efforts, ongoing professional development, user-centric approaches, and privacy considerations to embrace metaverse literacy fully. By addressing these challenges and adopting recommended strategies, libraries can position themselves as navigators in the metaverse, enriching user experiences and expanding their impact on information dissemination and knowledge creation.

Metaverse decline, growth in online videos increases: implications to libraries

Purpose This paper aims to explore the decline of the metaverse and the concurrent growth of online videos, examining their implications for libraries. It analyzes factors contributing to the metaverse decline, such as technical issues and privacy concerns, and explores the emergence and popularity of online video platforms. Design/methodology/approach This study applied the interpretive content/document analysis of literature harvested from different databases of Scopus, Web of Science and Directory of Open Access Journals. Given the shift in digital consumption patterns and their impact on libraries, the paper systematically reviews the literature to elucidate the changing landscape of digital engagement and its implications for library services and outreach efforts. Findings The paper identifies technical issues, privacy concerns and a lack of interoperability as key factors contributing to the decline of the metaverse. Conversely, the growth of online videos is driven by the emergence of platforms, increasing accessibility to high-speed internet and a diversification of content offerings. These trends reshape user preferences and behaviors, presenting both challenges and opportunities for libraries. Originality/value The decline of the metaverse and the rise of online videos underscore the importance of adaptation and innovation for libraries. To remain relevant in the digital age, libraries must transform their services to meet the demand for on-demand content and multimedia resources. The findings highlight the need for libraries to invest in digital literacy and media literacy programs, embrace emerging technologies and forge strategic partnerships with online video platforms. By adapting to changing trends and user preferences, libraries will continue to fulfill their mission of providing access to information and knowledge in the digital age.

Research Data Management Among Life Sciences Faculty: Implications for Library Service

Objective: This paper aims to inform on opportunities for librarians to assist faculty with research data management by examining practices and attitudes among life sciences faculty at a tier one research university. Methods: The authors issued a survey to estimate actual and perceived research data management needs of New York University (NYU) life sciences faculty in order to understand how the library could best contribute to the research life cycle. Results: Survey responses indicate that over half of the respondents were aware of publisher and funder mandates, and most are willing to share their data, but many indicated they do not utilize data repositories. Respondents were largely unaware of data services available through the library, but the majority were open to considering such services. Survey results largely mimic those of similar studies, in that storing data (and the subsequent ability to share it) is the most easily recognized barrier to sound data management practices. Conclusions: At NYU, as with other institutions, the library is not immediately recognized as a valuable partner in managing research output. This study suggests that faculty are largely unaware of, but are open to, existent library services, indicating that immediate outreach efforts should be aimed at promoting them.

Cummings, Merrill, and Borrelli’s Inquiry into Small Screen Use by Academic Library Users: Timing is Everything

A Review of: Cummings, J., Merrill, A., & Borrelli, S. (2010). The use of handheld mobile devices: Their impact and implications for library services. Library Hi Tech, (28)1, 22-40. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831011026670
 Abstract 
 Objective – The authors undertook this study to understand the relatively new phenomenon of handheld computing and the use of small-screen devices among academic library users. They sought to determine if users would be inclined to search the online library catalogue on their devices and, by extension, if there would be a growing demand for small-screen compatible library services.
 Design – Online and paper surveys were used with both closed and open questions. Respondents included students, faculty, and staff at Washington State University (WSU).
 Setting – Washington State University Library, Pullman, Washington, United States of America. Subjects – The survey was open to any user of the Washington State University (Pullman) Library. The 206 respondents included 126 (61.2%) undergraduates, 26 (12.6%) graduate or professional students, 32 (15.3%) WSU employees, and 15 (7.3%) faculty members. Methods – A survey was distributed both online and on paper. The online version used Surveymonkey.com and participation was solicited through various social media. It was open for three months during the Spring semester, 2007. The paper version was distributed to all library users on two days in June 2007. Eighty-four online and 122 paper responses were received.
 Main Results – Most of the respondents (58.4%) who owned a personal digital assistant (PDA) or Web-enabled cell phone (WECP) indicated that they would search the library catalogue on a small-screen device. Responses to the open question “How would you use the OPAC [online public access catalogue] if it was available on a PDA or WECP?” were mixed, both positive and negative. The positive responders noted the possible time savings associated with the availability of more information on their devices. The negative responders noted the cost of data, the annoyance of public phone use, and the complex format of the current catalogue that would not transfer to a small screen.
 Conclusion – The authors cited the growing usage trends in handheld devices, along with the willingness of current owners to use their devices, to predict an increase in usage of small screen searching. They speculated that further research should investigate how small screens would be used and what would that experience look like, rather than if patrons would use them.

Research Support Services in Agriculture at Clemson University: Survey Results From Faculty With Implications for Library Services

ABSTRACTIn 2016, Clemson University Libraries (CUL) participated in a nationwide study conducted by Ithaka S+R to learn more about agriculture researchers' experiences and attitudes about their research. This article is the local report based on interviews with Clemson University agriculture researchers about the ways they conduct research, their publication practices, their perceptions of the scholarly communication process, and ways they use the library. A total of eight interviews were conducted at Clemson, and the transcripts were coded to reveal commonalities and differences. Implications for CUL include new directions for services, collections, and outreach, with a particular focus on off-campus research.

Mapping the literature of pediatric nursing: update and implications for library services

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify core journals and other types of literature cited in four major pediatric nursing journals and to characterize coverage of these resources in major bibliographic databases. The study was part of the ‘‘Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project’’ of the Medical Library Association’s Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section. It updates a similar analysis published in 2006 and determines whether citation patterns have changed over time.Methods: Cited references from articles published in 4 pediatric nursing journals between 2011 and 2013 were collected. Cited journal titles were ranked according to number of times cited and analyzed according to Bradford’s Law of Scattering and the 80/20 rule to identify the most frequently cited journals. Five databases were surveyed to assess the coverage of the most-often-cited journals. The most frequently cited non-journal sources were also identified.Results: Journals were the most frequently cited sources, followed by books, government documents, Internet resources, and miscellaneous resources. Most cited sources were cited within ten years of their publication, which was particularly true for government documents and Internet resources. Scopus had complete coverage of the most frequently cited journals, whereas PubMed had nearly complete coverage.Conclusions: Compared with the 2006 study, the list of top-cited journals referenced by pediatric nursing researchers has remained relatively stable, but the number of cited journal titles has increased. Book citations have declined, and Internet and government document references have increased. These findings suggest that librarians should retain subscriptions to frequently cited journal titles, provide efficient document delivery of articles from infrequently used journals, deemphasize but not eliminate books, and connect patrons with useful open-access Internet resources.

Mapping the literature of pediatric nursing: update and implications for library services

The purpose of this study was to identify core journals and other types of literature cited in four major pediatric nursing journals and to characterize coverage of these resources in major bibliographic databases. The study was part of the "Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project" of the Medical Library Association's Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section. It updates a similar analysis published in 2006 and determines whether citation patterns have changed over time. Cited references from articles published in 4 pediatric nursing journals between 2011 and 2013 were collected. Cited journal titles were ranked according to number of times cited and analyzed according to Bradford's Law of Scattering and the 80/20 rule to identify the most frequently cited journals. Five databases were surveyed to assess the coverage of the most-often-cited journals. The most frequently cited non-journal sources were also identified. Journals were the most frequently cited sources, followed by books, government documents, Internet resources, and miscellaneous resources. Most cited sources were cited within ten years of their publication, which was particularly true for government documents and Internet resources. Scopus had complete coverage of the most frequently cited journals, whereas PubMed had nearly complete coverage. Compared with the 2006 study, the list of top-cited journals referenced by pediatric nursing researchers has remained relatively stable, but the number of cited journal titles has increased. Book citations have declined, and Internet and government document references have increased. These findings suggest that librarians should retain subscriptions to frequently cited journal titles, provide efficient document delivery of articles from infrequently used journals, de-emphasize but not eliminate books, and connect patrons with useful open-access Internet resources.

Access and Use of Digital Resources: A Survey of Their Value for Faculty in Three Ghanaian Universities

AbstractThis paper is culled from a doctoral study that investigated the development and management of digital libraries in selected academic libraries in Ghana. In this article, the authors report on the value that faculty members place on access to and use of digital resources and their implications for library services in three Ghanaian universities. The survey method was used to administer a structured questionnaire to 230 faculty members. Using convenience sampling, 10% of faculty were selected from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast. Univariate and bivariate analyses were done to construct frequencies and establish relationships among respondents. Findings showed that less than half of the faculty members were aware of and used digital resources such as the online databases, institutional repositories, the library’s website and the online public access catalogue (OPAC). Nevertheless, the impact of the resources on them was very positive. The study recommended the need for university librarians to interact with faculty during orientation sessions for new faculty as well as new heads of departments. Additionally, subject librarians should work closely with departmental heads to be allocated periods for presentation on available digital resources, their usefulness for their own career enhancement and for their teaching role. The underlying implications of this study show that more advocacies are required from university libraries to enhance the use of digital resources.

Interlibrary Loan Article Use and User GPA: Findings and Implications for Library Services

A recent institutional study at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay investigated the academic achievement of interlibrary loan (ILL) users as compared to non-ILL users. While this study provided important local insight into ILL use and the demographics of ILL users (class rank, major), it uncovered a rather minor overall GPA difference,.20 GPA points, between ILL users and non-ILL users. However, within these data was an interesting subset that once thoroughly investigated, provided rich details about ILL article use, the users who rely on ILL for articles, and the GPA differences between users across the spectrum of ILL article use. The resulting analysis compares users who use ILL for a large number of articles, those who use ILL for a medium number of articles, those who use ILL for a small number of articles, and those who do not use ILL. Takeaways from the data presented should provide libraries and practitioners with a greater understanding of ILL article use, its role in user information-seeking behaviors, its correlational effect on student academic achievement, and for whom—ILL article users—libraries are incurring the high cost of articles through ILL.

Hypertext and its implications for library services.

The dissertation's main intention was to give librarians a clear introduction to the hypertext concept. Rarely do methods of information retrieval arise that have a potential for revolutionizing the way in which people work with information in as many ways as hypertext has.

Personal information management practices of students and its implications for library services

PurposeThe aim of this study is to investigate the personal information management (PIM) practices of students and its implications for library services at the University of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThis was a survey research, and questionnaires were administered to 150 students across their various programs of study. Questionnaire design was based on the literature reviewed and research objectives.FindingsResults showed that, format, skills, size of collection, memory, and habits accounted for diverse PIM practices among students. Among the major drawbacks were inadequate skills, information fragmentation, inappropriate habits, and imperfect memory. These aspects when improved, would enhance the effectiveness of students' PIM practices tremendously.Research limitations/implicationsThe study adopted the PIM framework developed by James and Teevan and focused on the core activities of PIM namely: keeping, organizing and re‐finding. In order to provide a fair rounded picture of the PIM situation of students, it is expected that subsequent studies would cover the remaining variables notably‐ information maintenance; selection and implementation of a scheme; managing privacy and the flow of information; matters of security; measurement and evaluation; and making sense of things.Practical implicationsThe study concludes that, through comprehensive information literacy training programmes offered by libraries; student‐oriented PIM researches; the formation of PIM clubs spearheaded by librarians and supported by university administrators, benevolent organizations and individuals, the PIM practices of students can be made better. PIM efforts should aim at shaping, improving, integrating and supporting students' PIM habits, skills, personal information collections and memories respectively.Originality/valuePIM practices of students is among the least explored topics in the field of library and information studies in Ghana. This research would not only create awareness about PIM practices, but would also draw attention to the efforts that can be made to improve PIM practices of students in Ghana.

デジタル・リソースへの利用者の期待と大学図書館サービスにとっての意味 コロンビア大学の経験から

デジタル・リソースへの利用者の期待と大学図書館サービスにとっての意味 コロンビア大学の経験から

Publishing Practices of NIH-Funded Faculty at MIT.

Faculty and researchers who receive substantial funding from NIH were interviewed about their publication practices. Qualitative data was collected from interviews of eleven faculty members and one researcher representing six academic departments who received NIH funding. Interview responses were analyzed to identify a representative publication workflow and common themes related to the publication process. The goals of this study were to inform librarians about faculty publication practices; to learn how faculty are affected by and responding to NIH publication policy changes; and to inform planning and discussion about new services to support NIH compliance in addition to general faculty publishing. Major themes from the interviews included consistency in publishing workflows, but variety in authorship patterns and in data management practices. Significant points of pain for authors included difficulty finding quality reviewers, frustrating submission processes, and discomfort about the implications of publication agreements. Some authors found the NIH submission requirement to be burdensome, but most assumed their publishers were taking care of this process for them. Implications for library services are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of handheld mobile devices: their impact and implications for library services

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to carry out a survey in order to better understand the nature of handheld mobile computing use by academic library users and to determine whether there is a significant demand for using the library services with these small screen devices.Design/methodology/approachA survey is created to measure whether people want to access an OPAC with a small screen. Additionally, through open‐ended questions, the survey attempts to gain a broader understanding of handheld mobile computing's impact on, and implications for, the services provided by academic libraries.FindingsA total of 58.4 percent of respondents who own a web‐enabled handheld device indicate that they would use small screen devices, such as PDAs or web‐enabled cell phones to search a library OPAC.Originality/valueThe increasing prevalence of handheld mobile computing devices such as PDAs and web‐enabled cell phones warrants investigation as to its impact on libraries. This study examines an academic library user population and the potential demand for using the library's catalog with handheld mobile computing devices

Information-seeking behavior of basic science researchers: implications for library services

This study examined the information-seeking behaviors of basic science researchers to inform the development of customized library services. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of basic science researchers employed at a university medical school. The basic science researchers used a variety of information resources ranging from popular Internet search engines to highly technical databases. They generally relied on basic keyword searching, using the simplest interface of a database or search engine. They were highly collegial, interacting primarily with coworkers in their laboratories and colleagues employed at other institutions. They made little use of traditional library services and instead performed many traditional library functions internally. Although the basic science researchers expressed a positive attitude toward the library, they did not view its resources or services as integral to their work. To maximize their use by researchers, library resources must be accessible via departmental websites. Use of library services may be increased by cultivating relationships with key departmental administrative personnel. Despite their self-sufficiency, subjects expressed a desire for centralized information about ongoing research on campus and shared resources, suggesting a role for the library in creating and managing an institutional repository.

Understanding the Information Needs of Academic Scholars in Agricultural and Biological Sciences

This study investigates the information needs of faculty and graduate students in agricultural and biological sciences. Qualitative research methods, interviews and focus groups, were used to examine what types of information these scholars need for their research, teaching and learning, how they seek that information, and perceptions. The implications for library service are discussed.

Web Citation by Graduate Students: A Comparison of Print and Electronic Theses

This article reports on the Web citation behavior of print and electronic thesis authors at Iowa State and Virginia Tech from 1997 to 2003. Citations from print theses were compared with those submitted as an electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD). This study suggests that students who are required to publish their theses digitally exhibit citation behavior that is no different from students who produce their theses in print. Web citations accounted for 2.2 percent of citations in print theses and 5.4 percent of citations in ETDs. Persistence of Web citations was uniformly poor. The implications for library services and future research directions are discussed.

Copyright law in the European Union, with special reference to Germany

PurposeTo provide information about how changes to the Copyright Law in the European Union have far‐reaching implications for library services; and in particular to illustrate this by showing how library organizations in Germany have reacted to German legal implementation in such a way that they continue to provide services which their users have come to expect of them.Design/methodology/approachThe mandates of the Copyright Law in the European Union are examined and the problems and positions of the various interest groups in amending the German Copyright Law are presented.FindingsThe presentation shows that German library organizations are striving to help create a legal framework in which the interests of the rightholders, the providers of services for users and the endusers are balanced. With the increased development of electronic means of storage and duplication and the uncertainty of what the future will bring, the fears of loss by the rightholders have created an atmosphere of mistrust, which makes it difficult to create legislation acceptable to all parties.Research limitations/implicationsThe current status of the Copyright Law in Germany is in a state of flux. Depending on the final version of the Law, not only German libraries, but libraries all over the world may find themselves faced with restrictions in international inter‐library loan and thereby be faced with the need to reassess how and if they will be able to offer all the services they have in the past.Practical implicationsAny changes to Copyright Law have far‐reaching effects on the flow of information. Since libraries play an important role as intermediaries between endusers and rightholders, it is imperative that they are aware of the ramifications of any changes to these laws.Originality/valueThe paper examines the background for the current status of the Copyright Law in Germany, presents the positions of the various interest groups, indicates how the flow of information may be affected by any changes and makes a plea for a reasonable solution which will be acceptable to all parties involved.

Multitasking information behavior and information task switching: an exploratory study

Recent studies show that humans engage in multitasking information behaviors, often in libraries, as they seek and search for information on more than one information task. Multitasking information behaviors may consist of library search and use behaviors, or database or Web search sessions on multiple information tasks. However, few human information behavior models of seeking, searching or use, or library use models, include considerations of multitasking information behavior. This paper reports results from a case study exploring multitasking information behavior by an information seeker in a public library using diary, observation and interview data collection techniques. The information seeker sought information on four unrelated personal information tasks during two public library visits. Findings include a taxonomy of information behaviors; a sequential flowchart of the information seeker's complex and iterative processes, including multitasking information behavior, electronic searches, physical library searches, serendipitous browsing, and successive searches; and that the information seeker engaged in a process of 17 information task switches over two library visits. A model of information multitasking and information task switching is presented. Implications for library services and bibliographic instruction are also discussed.

A Library Instruction Survey for Transfer Students: Implications for Library Services

Transfer students represent an increasingly important group in four-year schools. To date, only limited information on the research abilities and library needs of this group has been reported. A survey of information needs and skills of incoming transfer students at Western Washington University (WWU) showed that while many reported some familiarity with standard library resources, over half requested some form of library instruction.