Library Council Research Articles

Tingkat Kepuasan Pengguna Terhadap Layanan Perpustakaan Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) Sumatera Utara Menggunakan Metode Libqual+TM

User satisfaction is closely related to and depends on the quality of library services. However, even though user satisfaction is an important aspect for library progress, there are still some libraries that do not pay enough attention to the issue of user satisfaction, especially the North Sumatra Indonesian Ulema Council Library. The aim of this research is to determine the level of user satisfaction with the library services of the Indonesian Ulema Council of North Sumatra based on the LibQUAL+TM Method. This research uses a descriptive survey research type with a quantitative approach. The data collection techniques in this research are observation and questionnaires. The results of this research show that user satisfaction with the library services of the Indonesian Ulema Council of North Sumatra is based on the Affect of Service dimension. ) with a score of -0.88, meaning that the service is considered good but does not fully meet the ideal expectations of users. Based on the Information Control dimension, the user assessment is not satisfied with the adequacy gap (AG) with a score of -0.32, meaning the user is not satisfied with the service received and the superiority gap (SG) with a score of -1.79, meaning the service is considered not good and is beyond tolerance zone or completely does not meet the ideal expectations desired by the user. Based on the Library as Place dimensions, it shows an adequacy gap (AG) with a score of 0.55, meaning the user is quite satisfied and a superiority gap (SG) with an assessment score of -0.44, meaning the service is still considered good but does not fully meet the user's ideal expectations.

Incorporating digital scholarship content in South African library and information science schools

PurposeThe library and information science (LIS) profession experienced drastic changes in its job requirements due to emerging digital scholarship trends, especially the growth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). As a result, there is a discrepancy between the job market and the LIS curriculum. This study addresses this gap by looking into incorporating digital scholarship into the LIS school curricula in South Africa. This may have implications for other contexts as well, because digital scholarship is becoming pervasive.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a constructivist paradigm using a qualitative approach and a multiple case study design. Primary data using semi-structured interviews were collected from 10 academics at LIS schools and 10 librarians from both academic and special research council libraries in South Africa.FindingsThe study revealed that LIS schools did not have content on digital scholarship such as research data management (RDM), digitisation, metadata standards, open access, institutional repositories and other related content. Stakeholders who needed to be consulted included librarians, information technology (IT) and information and communication technology (ICT) specialists, computer scientists, humanists, the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and LIS professional bodies. There were gaps and redundancies in the curriculum as far as digital scholarship was concerned. Digital scholarship presented opportunities for librarians and academics to acquire emerging jobs and to collaborate more in the digital space.Originality/valueThe article advances knowledge on the importance of incorporating digital scholarship in the LIS curriculum in South Africa. Furthermore, it provides guidance regarding stakeholders to be consulted when incorporating content into the LIS curriculum with the intention of closing the gaps and curbing or removing discrepancies between job requirements and graduates’ skills and competencies.

Information Support for Scientists and Specialists of Siberian Research Institutions in a Changing Scientific and Educational Environment

The economic, social and political transformations that took place in the country in the 21st century, including the reforms at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in 2013, significantly affected the activities of its information and library system, which is the subject of discussion at various forums of professionals. Experts are discussing the idea of the need to create a methodological association of library and information institutions, which are now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, on the formation of regional methodological associations of scientific libraries for the sustainable development of the system of information and library support for science in the country. A brief description of the regional information and library system is presented – the system of scientific libraries of institutions of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the information and library council of scientific institutions - an advisory body designed to help library services to scientists, which operated in 1958–2012, and the experience of the State Public Scientific Library of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in information and methodological support for the activities of the libraries of institutes. The directions of reconstruction of the system of interaction between libraries of scientific institutions, the activities of the emerging Siberian Association of Academic Libraries are outlined.The work of the SPSTL SB RAS – the largest scientific library in Siberia - to promote library and information resources for users of libraries of research institutions is described in detail and information is provided on the scientific and methodological support for the activities of scientific libraries carried out by the SPSTL SB RAS, which contributes to the successful implementation of the tasks of developing the scientific and information sphere.

Third-Party Tracking in Online Public Library Environments in the United States and Canada: A Statistical Analysis

A Review of:Gardner, G. J. (2021). Aiding and abetting: Third-party tracking and (in)secure connections in public libraries. The Serials Librarian, 81(1), 69–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2021.1943105 Objective – To determine through statistical data collection the frequency of tracking by third parties in online public library environments along with the visibility and ease of discovery of online library policies and disclosures related to third-party tracking in particular and data privacy in general. Design – Online evaluation of public library websites. Setting – English-language public libraries in the United States and Canada. Subjects – 178 public library websites (133 in the United States and 45 in Canada). The libraries included in the study were intentionally selected for their membership in either the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) or the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) in the Unites States, since these libraries have some of the largest systems membership serving predominantly urban and suburban communities in both countries. The included Canadian libraries serve nearly 41% of the population in that country while the included libraries in the United States are positioned to serve 28% percent of the total population. The author notes that “These percentage figures serve as hypothetical, upper-bound estimates of the population affected by third-party tracking since not every member of these communities actually uses their local public library” (Gardner, 2021, p.72). Methods – In addition to evaluating the public library catalog and website in general with regards to third-party tracking and data privacy, 10 common content sources (databases) available at all of the included libraries were also included in the examination. Two browser add-ons designed to detect third-party tracking, Ghostery and Disconnect, were used in the study due to their popularity and incorporation into previous similar studies. In addition to third-party tracking the author executed word searches on library homepages using Ctrl-F for words commonly used to denote privacy or terms of use statements. No qualitative analysis was performed to determine if information shared regarding third-party tracking was accurate, and subpages were not examined. The data collection period lasted a total of three months beginning in March 2017 and running through May 2017. Main Results – The data gathered between March and May of 2017 clearly indicates a general disregard among most sampled public libraries regarding the protection of patron data gathered by third-party tracking. Of Canadian libraries included in the sample 89% (40) enabled third-party tracking, while libraries in the United States allowed it at a rate of 87% (116). Both Ghostery and Disconnect revealed an almost identical number of incidences of third-party tracking in library catalogs and in the 10 popular public library databases examined in the study. Certain OPACS were associated with higher tracking counts as were certain library databases. Libraries were found to be lax when it came to providing a link on the homepage potentially informing users of the presence of third-party tracking. Of the 156 total libraries with third-party tracking in their online catalogs, 69 (44%) included a homepage link while the rest did not. The author notes that the presence of a link was all that was examined, and not specific language used to disclose the level of third-party tracking or data privacy. In total, 8 of the 10 common content sources allowed third-party tracking. All 10 provided a link to either privacy or terms of service statements on their landing pages. Conclusion – Although patron privacy is an issue addressed in the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics (American Library Association, 2021), the author concludes that “Together with previous research on usage of privacy-enhancing tools in public libraries, these results suggest that public libraries are accessories to third-party tracking on a large scale” (Gardner, 2021, p.69).

Reference in urban public libraries: current trends and future implications

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to get a baseline understanding of the state of reference services in urban public libraries in the United States.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers surveyed all members of the Urban Libraries Council, a network of public library systems in urban centers across the country. The survey asked about their reference services, including how reference is offered, volume and types of questions and staff responsibilities. Participants were also asked how reference has changed in the past 5–10 years and what changes they anticipate in the future.FindingsThis study found that the vast majority of urban public libraries still maintain a physical reference desk, but most also offer reference services in other formats as well. Most libraries have seen numbers of reference questions decline. Reference staff members are engaged in instruction, programming and community outreach as well. Looking ahead, some libraries expect reference questions to continue to decline and demand for virtual services to increase.Practical implicationsDirectors and reference staff of public libraries, especially those in urban and suburban settings, will find these results useful for benchmarking against their own experiences and for planning for future changes.Originality/valueWhile discussions of changes in reference service and volumes of reference questions are plentiful, as are predictions of how these declines will impact reference services, there is little current research on the actual state of those services. This study fills a gap in the literature by providing a baseline overview of the reference services in urban public libraries.

Applications of metaverse-related technologies in the services of US urban libraries

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the applications of metaverse-related technologies in US urban libraries, explore excellent cases of US urban libraries' practices in using metaverse-related technologies to serve patrons and try to find the factor that may affect the application of metaverse-related technologies in libraries at this stage.Design/methodology/approachTo gather information about how and whether libraries use metaverse-related technologies such as three-dimensional (3D) technology, radio frequency identification (RFID), virtual reality augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in their services. Firstly, the authors visit 150 US urban library websites that are members of the Urban Libraries Council. Secondly, the authors calculate the proportion of services provided by urban libraries that use metaverse-related technologies and introduce outstanding cases. Lastly, the authors discuss the factors that influence the application of metaverse-related technologies in urban libraries in the United States based on data published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.FindingsMetaverse-related technologies have been widely used in US urban libraries, but there are differences in the popularity of the applications of different technologies. In all, 84% of libraries use 3D technology, mainly in 3D printing services and 3D model building services; 76% of libraries use virtual and augmented reality technologies in their services, mainly concentrated in head-mounted VR device experiences, AR device experiences, virtual tours and virtual exhibitions; 62% of libraries use Internet of things (IoT) technology, mainly in self-checkout machines and book location services. However, AI technologies are less used in libraries, with 28% of libraries mentioning the applications of AI in their services, mainly focusing on intelligent search, virtual assistants and robot librarians. In addition, this study finds that library operating expenditures and population served do not affect the application of metaverse-related technologies in libraries.Originality/valueThis paper provides updated statistical data on the use of metaverse-related technologies in US urban libraries and aims to help library managers understand the overall applications and best practices. With this as an inspiration, they could formulate corresponding development plans to better serve their communities with metaverse-related technologies.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies of the Library Information Science School’s Graduates on Digital Scholarship in South Africa

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has presented a paradigm shift in a paradigm in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS). The profession necessitates digital scholarship knowledge, skills, and competencies. Academic and special research council libraries have introduced numerous functions and activities related to digital scholarship, to accommodate the demands of the 4IR. Thus, librarians who practice in these types of libraries and others are called on to revisit their related knowledge, skills and competencies. Most librarians who have been trained by LIS schools received their qualifications before the advent of the digital scholarship activities which now form part of their profession. This has created some uncertainty as far as digital scholarship job requirements are concerned. This paper forms part of a doctoral study that aimed to explore the education and training of South Africa’s LIS professionals in digital scholarship, specifically those now serving in academic and special research council libraries. The study adopted an interpretive paradigm using a qualitative approach. A multiple case study design was used, employing semi-structured interviews as data-collection tool to interview ten digital scholarship librarians and their directors from six libraries in South Africa. The researcher sought to determine to what extent digital knowledge, skills and competences, and digital scholarship units and activities were part of their job requirements. The study concluded that LIS digital scholarship librarians should acquire digital scholarship knowledge, skills and competencies through formal education, training courses, workshops and on-the-job training. LIS schools should develop short learning courses to assist librarians in gaining the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies, while parent organizations should establish the relevant infrastructure and provide funding for training.

Perceptions of employers in South Africa on library and information science graduates’ skills, knowledge and competencies on digital scholarship

The Library and Information Science (LIS) profession is ever evolving partly as a result of the effects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. For instance, new job requirements on digital scholarship have been noted across the LIS profession, especially in the academic and special research council libraries. Based on these changes, employers of LIS graduates expect that LIS graduates from LIS schools possess digital scholarship knowledge and skills as part of their exit attributes. This paper explores the perceptions of employers of LIS graduates on digital scholarship education. A construct from the Gap Service Quality Model was used as the conceptual framework of the study. The paper followed the interpretive philosophical perspective, through employing a qualitative approach to achieve the aim of the study. A multiple case study design using semi-structured interviews was conducted with directors of both academic and special research council libraries. Five directors were selected purposively as their libraries seemed to be on the forefront of digital scholarship initiatives. It was revealed that employers expected LIS qualifications to have content on digital scholarship. The study discovered that employers of digital scholarship librarians expected them to possess knowledge, skills, and competencies on digital scholarship-related activities. The other expectation was that graduates were supposed to be able to navigate digital scholarship activities at a basic level. Employers of digital scholarship librarians also expected graduates to be familiar with research data management and the ecosystem of digital publications. The survey also highlighted certain difficulties LIS employers had when hiring a LIS graduate. The study recommended that LIS schools should recurriculate to include content on digital scholarship. It was also recommended that LIS schools should have short courses on digital scholarship to cater for practising librarians. Librarians must be involved in lifelong learning in order to understand digital scholarship.

The Behaviour of Activating of Information Tools of Shura Council Members in The Sultanate of Oman and Facilitating The Challenges That Facing Them

The study of the behaviour of activating of information tools of Shura Council members in the Sultanate of Oman and facilitating challenges facing them adopted the qualitative approach to achieve its goals through semi-structured interviews with the Council members of the 9th term (2019-2023). It consists of a sample study of twenty-eight members representing 32.5% of the student community. This study aims to investigate how to facilitate search tools of information of Members of Shura Council in Sultanate of Oman and the challenges facing them. The result showed that members of the Shura council were looking for information for parliamentary work and they used multiple tools and methods to obtain the information needed for their parliamentary work. It was also revealed that the members of the Shura council was keen to use the information in debates, officials' interviews, and media interviews. The study presented a set of recommendations for improving the information of the work in the Shura council and the work to adopt a law for the right of freedom of information, and activating the role of the Oman Council Library to serve parliamentary work.

Enhancing scholarly access: Research 4 life resources utilization at the nepal health research council library

Enhancing scholarly access: Research 4 life resources utilization at the nepal health research council library

Census of Female Public Library Directors Is on the Decline

ABSTRACT This exploratory study examines the gender parity of public library directors. While there has been considerable research on the role of women library leaders in academic libraries through the 1990s, little is known about the gender parity of public library directors. The membership of the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) serves as the sample size for this study. Gender parity of public library directors reached its zenith in 1999 with 65% of public library directors being women. A little over twenty years later, that number declined to 57.82%, a reduction of about seven percent. This study demonstrates the gender parity of public library directors has not been met.

The prominence of Danzig Academic Gymnasium as a cornerstone of scientific developments in Gdańsk

The Danzig Academic Gymnasium (1558–1817) was one of the first Protestant schools at the college level in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It became one of the most famous educational institutions in Europe of the 16–18th centuries. For almost 260 years, it attracted one of the best professors and students of the era. We concentrate on the achievements in science, the role of the City Council Library in the academic life in and outside of the Gymnasium, and highlight the activities of the Danzig Naturalist Society. In this survey, we feature important representatives of the scientific disciplines present in the Gymnasium, both faculty and their students, as well as Gdańsk scientists in general. We outline the lasting impact of the Danzig Academic Gymnasium on the intellectual life in Gdańsk, the Pomerania region, and some intellectual circles in Europe.

New Appointments to Depository Library Council

GODORT welcomes the newest Depository Library Council members, who will serve from June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2025.

COMPARATIVE AND TEXTOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE SCIENTIFIC-CRITICAL TEXT OF THE WORK WITH THE AUTOGRAPH “RASHAHOT” (TEHRAN EDITION, 1977)

This article is dedicated to the study of the text of the work “Rashahot ain al-hayat” (Drops from the Fountain of Life) written by Fakhruddin Ali Safi Koshifi Hiravi (d. 939/1532-1533). In the article, the oldest copies of this work are kept in Tashkent manuscript funds - State Literary Museum named after Alisher Navoi of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan “Rashahot”.manuscript. №33/II, Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan “Rashahot”. manuscript №10147, Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, “Rashahot”. Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan manuscript.№5418 ҳамда “Rashahot”. National Manuscripts Department of Tehran Library Council #8201 (26458) inv. digital) features of manuscripts are discussed. The article also includes the texts of these ancient manuscript copies of “Rashahot” and the Tehran edition of the work (“Rashahot”. Scientific and critical text. Tehran, 1977. Prepared for publication - AA. Mu’iyniyan.) text is compared with each other and the State Literary Museum “Rashahot” named after Alisher Navoi of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. manuscript. It is firmly concluded that the text of copy #33/II is the perfect, most reliable text of the work "Rashahot ain al-hayat" (Drops from the Fountain of Life).

Designing a Media Literacy Training Programme for Public Library Staff in Ireland: Preliminary Results and Observations of a University-Public Library Collaboration

ABSTRACT While research on media literacy education has focused on varying professional sectors, the role of public libraries in supporting media literacy has yet to be fully explored. This article reports on a university-public library collaboration between University College Dublin, the Libraries Development unit of the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), Meath County Council Libraries and Meta (formerly Facebook). This collaborative partnership sought to develop and pilot a cutting-edge curriculum, incorporating a creative and flexible approach to media literacy training for public library staff. This article details the partnership between the university and the stakeholders toward the common goals of assessing the media literacy training needs of public library staff, and piloting an online professional development course to address these needs. The paper makes several observations on the university-public library collaboration, and proposes that such strategic partnerships might be a key intervention in delivering media literacy education training to the public library sector more broadly.

Toward Empathetic Digital Repositories: An Interview with Diego Pino Navarro

Diego Pino Navarro is a systems architect and open source software developer from Chile. He is the Assistant Director for Digital Strategy at the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) where he manages the digital services team. Diego is also the Lead Architect of Archipelago Commons, an open source digital library software for cultural heritage materials.

Services for Preschool Children in School Libraries: A Call to Action

The quality of learning environments and interactions in the first years of life set the stage for school success and have lasting impacts on mental and physical health and wellbeing across the lifespan, and even life expectancy (Wong, Odom, Hume, Cox, Fettig, et al, 2014; Reynolds et al., 2011). Libraries are positioned to provide rich learning opportunities for young children and their caregivers (Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2013, 2015; Urban Libraries Council, 2007). Library programs for young children, offered in nearly all public libraries in the United States support school readiness and educate parents about meaningful ways to interact with their children (Becker, 2012; Burger & Landerholm, 1991; Cahill, Joo, & Campana, 2019; Campana et al., 2016; de Vries, 2008; McKechnie, 2006; Mills et al., 2018; Smardo, 1984; Williams, 1998), but it is unclear what, if any, programs are offered for young children and their families through school libraries.

Development of Tribal Libraries Role of Kerala State Library Council (KSLC)

Development of Tribal Libraries Role of Kerala State Library Council (KSLC)

Aiding and Abetting: Third-Party Tracking and (In)secure Connections in Public Libraries

ABSTRACT Patron privacy, as articulated in the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics, is a longstanding concern for librarians. In online environments, the possibility of tracking by third parties, usage of HTTPS/TLS to provide secure connections, and easy disclosure of a site’s privacy policies all have implications for user privacy. This paper presents new empirical evidence about these issues and discusses their ethical implications. Data about the incidence of third-party tracking, usage of HTTPS by default, and easy discoverability of a privacy policy or terms of service (TOS) were collected for public libraries across Canada and the United States. The sample consisted of 178 public libraries; members of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council and Urban Libraries Council. Several common commercial databases (e.g. OverDrive) were also examined using the same criteria. Results show that only 12% of libraries were devoid of third-party tracking, with Google Analytics being the most common third-party tracker. While libraries may support HTTPS under certain circumstances, it was found that a majority of libraries serve neither their websites nor their online catalogs (OPACs) HTTPS by default. Regarding disclosure of possible tracking, it was found that 58% of libraries did not link to a TOS or privacy policy from their homepage. Together with previous research on the usage of privacy-enhancing tools in public libraries, these results suggest that public libraries are accessories to third-party tracking on a large scale. Implications of this fact in light of library professional ethics are discussed.

News from the Field

MSU Libraries acquire Borges materials KSU open textbook program fundraising MIT Press launches open access collection of Architecture, Urban Studies titles GPO names new Depository Library Council members World Methodist Museum collections move to SMU