Library Experience Research Articles

Growing together with African health libraries: partnerships in Health Information's impact and lessons for future partnerships.

Partnerships in Health Information (Phi) was a UK charity which worked with African health librarians, and other information professionals, to improve access to high-quality information for health professionals and the public in Africa from 1992 to 2016. This research was initiated by Shane Godbolt and aims to explore the experiences of African librarians and information professionals who visited the UK and who otherwise worked in partnership with Phi, following up on a previous Phi report that had shown significant mutual learning and development benefits for the UK hosts of such visitors. Also, to derive lessons on how visits and partnerships may be improved. In March 2020, a total of 21 people who had participated in partnership activities with Phi were invited to take part in an online survey. Thirteen people completed the survey. The results from the survey indicate it was hugely beneficial to visiting information professionals from Africa, for themselves and their services, through capacity building, networking, professional and personal development and learning tangible skills. Respondents provided several ideas on how partnerships could be improved in the future, including more opportunities for networking, longer-term evaluation, enlarged programmes and increased funding. We conclude that partnerships based on Phi's long-term, flexible approach can be of great benefit and provide insights and recommendations that could help any organisation seeking to emulate the Phi model of partnership working, based on co-development between UK health libraries and those in low- to middle-income countries.

Pengaruh kompetensi dan motivasi kerja terhadap kinerja pustakawan di Perpustakaan Kabupaten Badung

Introduction. This paper focuses on competence, motivation, performance and work experience of librarians in Badung Regency Library. The paper aims to examine the role of moderation work in the library.
 Methodology. A quantitative descriptive was applied using total sampling as the sampling technique. There were 39 librarians in this study from schools, universities and district areas. Questionnaires, observations and interviews were used as data collection methods.
 Data Analysis. Data analysis technique used was Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA).
 Results and Discussion. The results showed that working experience did not moderate positively and there was no significant relationship between competence and work motivation on librarian performance. Aspects related to competency, motivation and performance of the librarians need to be increased, particularly, English skills and academic in the field of librarianship.
 Conclusion. Work experience does not affect competency and work motivation on the performance of the librarians so that the library management needs to re-evaluate the competency of the librarian.

Public librarians connecting communities to health insurance information

ABSTRACT This qualitative research study explored librarian experiences at libraries that received funding for Affordable Care Act outreach through the “Connecting You to Coverage” funding opportunity offered by the Public Library Association. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 public library funding recipients to uncover more details about providing Affordable Care Act assistance, the specific services offered at participating libraries, approaches to connecting patrons with Navigators, and undertaking social media outreach efforts. The participants in this study shared creative approaches to using funding, outlined the benefits of partnering with local organizations, described the ways in which patrons engaged with librarians for assistance, and identified their strategies for evaluating these efforts. By identifying successful outreach strategies, the ideas presented in this study provide a springboard for other librarians hoping to undertake Affordable Care Act and health insurance information outreach.

Book Review: Effective School Librarianship: Successful Professional Practices from Librarians around the World

Spotlighting school librarians from across the globe, Effective School Librarianship: Successful Professional Practices from Librarians around the World, the two-volume set collected and edited by Patrick Lo, Heather Rogers, and Dickson K.W. Chiu, introduces readers to a wide range of librarians working in rural and urban schools. The various experiences of these diverse librarians are captured through a question and answer format which highlights the challenges and opportunities they encounter. Read collectively, these interviews showcase commonalities among the profiled librarians nationally and internationally, serving as windows into the experiences of other librarians and as mirrors of shared professional values. At the same time, these conversations provide a treasure trove of inspiring narratives sure to spark rich discussions about global issues facing contemporary school librarians.

Academic Library Services during COVID-19: The Experience of CUHK Library

The author gives a brief summary of the COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong, and the precautionary health measures implemented by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and The Chinese University of Hong Kong up to the end of June 2020. The author also highlights some major service provisions by CUHK Library during this unprecedented and challenging COVID-19 period.

Applying the servicescape model to understand student experiences of a Norwegian academic library

The servicescape model from the marketing discipline was adapted to understand students' library usage and experiences of academic library as a learning space. With a qualitative and explorative approach, it was discovered that the servicescape has great influence on student users when the physical environment triggers certain responses and behaviours. Physical workspace discomfort and disturbance from other students, lead to negative cognitive perceptions, which in turn cause negative emotional responses that impact students' learning experiences. Students' behaviour and experience of the library facilities are also influenced by whether the library can accommodate their various needs throughout the study progression. Additionally, the purpose of library usage is much affected by the structure of the library and proximity to other social facilities. The findings also indicate that a workspace with effective and flexible seating solutions contribute to approach behaviour. As the model goes beyond the physical facilities alone, further understanding of various user responses triggered by the interplay between the built and social environment is gained. Such knowledge contributes to improve library facilities and for libraries to remain important as effective and relevant learning space.

Применение радиочастотных систем (RFID) в библиотечном деле (на примере Научной библиотеки Национального исследовательского Томского государственного университета)

Применение радиочастотных систем (RFID) в библиотечном деле (на примере Научной библиотеки Национального исследовательского Томского государственного университета)

Harnessing the Power of OrCam

The OrCam reader is an AI enabled device that helps sight challenged readers to access print materials. This article is a first person account of a public library's experience in employing the OrCam technology.

Science knowledge, libraries and the Internet. The interaction at the current stage

The authors address the issue of impact of the Internet on academic libraries providing information support of science research and studies. Based on the 20+–year experience of the RAS Library for Natural Sciences, they demonstrate how the Library interacts with the Internet and what impact it has got. The key Library functions are specified for the current period. The authors argue that academic libraries preserve their functions in science information support though modifying them in some way. The libraries are to accomplish the same tasks though on the basis of their extended collection comprising the virtual segment accessible online. The library collections now comprise traditional sources (printed and digital) and new ones (primarily, various databases). Still the libraries train their users (formerly interpreted as readers) to use arrays of science information now comprising digital formats. Besides, the academic libraries have been gaining new functions related to bibliometrical analyses of research and science studies of individual users and organizations being served. For certain degree, this makes the academic libraries a player in scientific communication.

The Far Eastern State Scientific library – a professional communication center

One of the system-forming elements in the library sphere are central libraries of the Russian Federation subjects (national, territorial, regional), which provide methodical maintenance of library activities in their region. The main task of methodical centers is to develop and improve methods of work performed by library specialists. The Far Eastern State Scientific Library is the methodical center for public libraries in the Khabarovsk Territory. There is a specialized division – the Department of Research and Methodical work – in its structure. In the course of scientific and methodical activities, the division is implementing information, organizational, research and pedagogical functions, so the structure of the department includes a group of methodical maintenance, a group of specialists engaged in research work, and a licensed center for additional professional training. Well-organized professional communication is the key to the successful development of the region library sector. Consideration of methodological support as an activity to organize and maintain professional communication of library professionals will reveal how effectively such communication is organized, what types, forms and channels of communication are used in the process of methodological support of the library institution activities in the region. The Library gives great attention to the communication formation at various levels (interpersonal, group, mass), and strives to use all available forms (written, spoken, visual) and channels (spoken, document, electronic) of communication. The article objective is to elucidate the Library experience of methodical support of public libraries in the Khabarovsk Territory.

Previous Experiences of University New Entrants’ School Library Usage: with Reference to Veterinary Medical Students, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

This study attempted to examine the prior school library experiences of new entrants in the field of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science and their pattern of information source usage. Data were gathered by performing a questionnaire-based survey among the study population (N=71) of all the new entrants to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science in 2020.The findings revealed that 93% of the students have been instructed by school teachers to refer additional reading material to complement classroom notes and almost all the students confirmed that they utilized the school library while studying for their GCE A/L exam. It was observed that 73% of the students had visited the school library once a week or few days a week. Regarding the availability of library facilities all the students stated that they had facilities to borrow books while 47% of them had facilities to borrow magazines too. Yet, only 32% of students reported that library catalogs were available in their school libraries. In addition, 90% of the respondents did not have computers as well as internet access in the school library. Findings further demonstrated that most of the students (98%) had borrowed books from the school library while only few students (13%) had used the catalog for information retrieval. It was interesting to note that 95% of the students perceived the need to refer additional material to complement their classroom notes. 95% of the respondents confirmed that other than the school library they gained subject-related material from tuition classes. Inevitably, all the respondents verified that they had an email account and 97% of them stated that they used social media. Moreover, 93% of students ascertained that they preferred to communicate with the library via digital media. This paper renders insight into the adequacy of prior school library usage by university new entrants which can be used as a baseline indicator in designing and planning library instructional programs for students. Library instructional programs could be planned to have more focus on areas (eg. Online catalogs, e-resources) that were revealed to be less experienced by the students.

Developing Lesson Plans for Teaching Spatial Data Management in Academic Libraries through a Lens of Popular Culture

ABSTRACT Understanding data management in spatial data science is fundamentally important when ensuring a project’s data is appropriately collected, analyzed, stored, and communicated. However, these concepts are often introduced to learners through compliance (i.e., we do this because we are required to or it is the right thing to do), and as a result can mean learning experiences around spatial data management are viewed less than enthusiastically. Academic libraries are places where engaging learning experiences around spatial data management can be explored and implemented through unique pedagogical techniques. For example, activities teaching spatial data management in academic libraries through a popular culture lens can make these topics more approachable and reduce learning barriers. In this paper, I present three lesson plans for academic librarians which approach teaching spatial data management through popular culture. The following concepts are represented: (1) understanding spatial metadata through Dungeons & Dragons; (2) learning to write good documentation through drawing Pokémon; and (3) developing good file naming habits with 1980s album covers. Alongside the lesson plans, I provide a narrative outlining why popular culture pedagogy is a useful technique to spatial data management education to increase the inclusivity and engagement around geospatial learning experiences in academic libraries.

Scientific Research Work in the Central Libraries of the Russian Federation: Legal Basis, Organization Forms and Key Problems

The purpose of this article is to identify organizational problems of conducting scientific research work (R&D) by the regional libraries and the possibility of applying the experience of national libraries in the organization of science, taking into account the requirements for scientific research institutions. The article analyzes the legal and organizational grounds for conducting scientific research work by libraries and the experience of national libraries of Russia. The author indicates that the role of leading scientific institutions in the library sphere is assigned to the National Library of Russia and The Russian State Library.The article presents comprehensive analysis of the state of research activities of the central libraries of the subjects of the Russian Federation (CL of RF subjects) on the basis of reflection of this work in the normative legal acts of regional level, governing library operations, and in the regulations of the libraries. Specialized scientific research divisions are studied based on the action plans, public reports, etc. Conducting scientific research in library is one of the determinative types of library activities. The results of studies of central libraries are recognized both at the regional and federal levels and proved by the winners of the All-Russian competition of scientific works on library science, bibliography and book science, the All-Russian competition “The best professional book of the year”, the All-Russian competition “Library analytics”, the All-Russian competition of library innovation and others.The author notes that the identified scientific potential of the CL of the RF subjects is not fully used. The paper concludes that there is insufficient attention to this area of activity from federal authorities and libraries — to the methodical and coordination centres of federal level. The article outlines the prospects and directions for solving the issue of validity and significance of scientific research conducted by regional libraries. The author points out the need for methodological support by national libraries.

Own Video Content of Libraries: Trends and Prospects for Use

Changing of media consumption in the digital age is the object of focus attention of both Russian and foreign researchers. Modern cultural studies note the increasing role of video content in the media environment. Taking into account current trends, libraries more often create their own video materials to implement various goals and objectives. Thus, creation of own video content is rapidly becoming an integral part of the work of modern library. However, despite some established experience of libraries in this area, there is still not enough research of general and theoretical nature on the content, guidelines and prospects for the development of activities related to the creation and use of library video content, and there is no its classification.The purpose of this work is to conduct analysis of the video content in libraries, identify the most common materials, as well as to determine the prospects for using this tool to reach their own goals. The article discusses definitions of the term “video content”. The author presents the main types of videos produced by libraries, their characteristics and features. Special attention is paid to video projects of libraries in Russia. The article reveals the experience of the Astrakhan Library for Youth named after B. Shakhovsky in using its own video content. The paper discusses the issue of classification of video materials produced by libraries. The author proposes the following classification of library videos: video review, virtual book exhibition, webinar (online seminar or web conference), interview, humorous video, webcast, event announcement, video report and booktrailer. The author indicates the main reasons hindering the demand for library video content among the wide range of Internet users and gives the rationale for the necessity and importance of this type of activity and proposes possible prospects for using own video content of libraries. Thanks to its presence, the library ceases to be a closed institution storing knowledge within itself that produces positive impact on its image. Using means of communication that are understandable to a person of visual culture, it changes stereotypes and demonstrates its modern capabilities.

Museum of the History of Kazan University and the Kazan University Nikolay Lobachevskii Scientific Library Experience in Cooperation in 2017–2019 Years

The Museum is located in the heart of the main building of KFU. This room has changed its purpose many times: after the October revolution it was used as a gym, in wartime it was a hostel for evacuated employees of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, later it served as a reading room of the Scientific library. Lobachevsky. The opening of the Museum was dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Kazan state University in 1979. The Museum is dedicated to the two-century history of the emergence, formation and development of Kazan University – from Imperial to Federal. The main section of the exhibition tells about scientific schools, outstanding researchers and discoveries that brought the Kazan University and its scientists worldwide fame. Much attention is paid to the famous students and graduates of the University: statesmen, scientists, culture, literature and art, sports. Among them, S. T. Aksakov, N. And. Lobachevsky, I. M. Simonov, A. M. Butlerov, L. N. Tolstoy, V. I. Ulyanov-Lenin, E. K. Zavoisky, A. E. Arbuzov, and others. The exhibition shows the role of advanced scientists and democratically minded Kazan students in the social and political life of Russia XIX-early XX centuries.in each section of the exhibition you can see the relics of the past and the present, which witnessed many events in the history of the University and the country. In addition to the main exhibition, the Museum includes a memorial complex: the Imperial hall and lecture hall of the faculty of law with the interior of the late XIX – early XX centuries, where as a students listened to lectures L. Tolstoy, V. Ulyanov and others.The report is devoted to the areas of cooperation between the Museum of History of Kazan University and the KFU Nikolay Lobachevsky Scientific Library in 2017-2019 years such as exhibition, cultural and educational activities to preserve and promote the university’s heritage.

Libraries in lockdown – the experience of Innerpeffray Library, Scotland

Lara Haggerty is Keeper of Books at Scotland’s first free public lending library, the Library of Innerpeffray. A library of national significance, in a very rural location, Innerpeffray is now a museum that relies on volunteers for its day-to-day operation and visitors for income. Lara describes a library in lockdown from a different perspective.

Library collections and services during Covid-19: Qatar National Library experience

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic made a tragic impact on the entire world throughout the economy, education, businesses, health, jobs and so on. In order to survive this disease, and to minimise the losses, most of the businesses and educational institutions switched to the virtual and offered online services with the help of technology. This article describes how Qatar National Library embraced the situation and what it offered in terms of collections, services and support.

ACTIVITIES OF THE INNOVATIVE PROJECT “TREASURES OF THE NATION” BY THE SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY OF THE KYIV NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF CULTURE AND ARTS

The purpose of the article is to provide review and analysis of the results of the innovative arts and cultural project “Treasures of the Nation” by the Scientific Library of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. The project is to popularize the intangible cultural heritage of Ukraine, already protected by UNESCO and promoted to the Representative List. The research methodology involves the use of a historical and analytical approach to collect and analyse primary data; the content analysis of purposes, objectives and results; prognostic method to summarise and conceptualise the significance and role of the project in the study and facilitation of the intangible cultural heritage of Ukraine. The scientific novelty consists in keeping students and experts, who research the intangible cultural heritage, informed on the Scientific Library experience in implementing the “Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage”; about the structure of the e-resource “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ukraine”, its information and bibliographic content. Conclusions. The project objectives and activities during 2014–2019 are considered. The backgrounds for the implementation of the project and its purposes are highlighted, the main one is the popularization of Ukrainian elements included by UNESCO in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The main attention in the article is focused on the results through three parallel activities: informational, bibliographic, and educational. The role of the project in the development of communication between scientific institutions of different countries involved in the preservation of cultural heritage is disclosed. We are talking about the joint organization of the International Research-to-Practice Conference- Festival “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ukraine as a Modern Tourism Resource: Experience, Practice, Innovation” by the Faculty of Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Business of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts and the Scientific Library. The main objectives of the conference is a comprehensive scientific review of the current state of the elements of the intangible cultural heritage as a national tourist resource in Ukraine and foreign countries.

RFID-technologies: Promoting from scientific to municipal libraries

Promoting global information space means intensive automation of the library and information industry. The traditional technologies of information sto­rage, search, selection and user delivery do not meet library users’ needs, do not match the volume information flow and jeopardize the role of libraries as а n intermediate in the “information — user” cumulative process. Since the late 20 th century the computer-aided technologies have been being introduced which can be illustrated with the technology of bar-coding of libraries’ document collections. The authors examine the RFID technology as an option to expand bar-coding functionality. They define the main stages of RFID-technology applications in the libraries and information agencies, e. g. large scientific libraries and university libraries, municipal libraries, etc. The authors discuss the issues of implementing RFID-technologies in community libraries based on the experience of the model library in the town of Blizhniaya Igumenka, Belogorod Region. Today, the automated systems are seen not only as an instrument of technological modernization of the libraries but as one of the important factors of social transformation of community libraries. The authors emphasize that beside the technological innovations, in particular those related to RFID, the significant social effect is observed in building comfortable user environment, efficient time management in library’s educational activities, building the library’s social image of modern hi-tech agency.

Learning from data reuse: successful and failed experiences in a large public research university library

This paper illustrates a large research university library experience in reusing the data for research collected both within and outside of the library to demonstrate data reuse practice. The purpose of the paper is to 1) demonstrate when and how data are reused in a large public research university library, 2) share tips on what to consider when reusing data, and 3) share challenges and lessons learned from data reuse experiences. This paper presents five proposed opportunities for data reuse conducted by three researchers at the institution’s library which resulted in three successful instances of data reuses and two failed data reuses. Learning from successful and failed experiences is critical to understand what works and what does not work in order to identify best practices for data reuse. This paper will be helpful for librarians who intend to reuse data for publication.