Libraries In Taiwan Research Articles

Managing Political Archives in University Libraries: From Principal-Agent Perspective

This study investigates the management of political archives within university libraries, emphasizing their pivotal role in preserving historical records. Using the National Chengchi University (NCCU) Library in Taiwan as a case study, it explores the challenges and opportunities associated with managing the Kuomintang (KMT) political archives. The study employs principal-agent theory to analyze the dynamic between the governing political party (KMT) and the university library (NCCU), proposing a conceptual framework that delineates the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of the involved stakeholders. This approach provides valuable insights into the complexities of political archival management in university libraries, offering a deeper understanding of the unique dynamics within these institutions.

Information Literacy Education in University Libraries: A Comparative Study in Taiwan and South Korea

ABSTRACTThis study aims to compare the information literacy education practices of university libraries in Taiwan and South Korea using the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (ACRL, 2016). The result shows that while Taiwanese institutions demonstrate comprehensive coverage across all six frames, South Korean university libraries lack some frames. The identified gaps will be analyzed thoroughly with ongoing research. This research will contribute to understand the shortcomings in the information literacy education provided by university libraries and suggest how we can further research and improve in the future.

Bridging Cultural Divides: The Role of Public Libraries in Taiwan in Enhancing Cultural Capital and Promoting Social Inclusion

ABSTRACT Drawing on cultural capital theory, this study investigates the activities of the National Taiwan Library (NTL) to understand how public libraries promote social inclusion by providing access to cultural resources that enhance individual and community cultural capital. The research examines how NTL contributes to the accumulation of cultural capital through its collections, programs, and services tailored to diverse groups. The findings highlight the transformative potential of public libraries in addressing societal inequalities by empowering individuals with the knowledge and cultural competence needed for active participation in society. The study underscores the importance of public libraries in bridging cultural divides and fostering a more inclusive community through strategic cultural capital development.

Corporatization of Public Libraries in Taiwan: Stakeholder Theory Perspective

ABSTRACT This study explores the transition of public libraries to administrative corporations through the lens of stakeholder theory. It positions public libraries as pivotal institutions harboring extensive collections vital for fostering educational and cultural growth. Focusing on the Kaohsiung Public Library in Taiwan as a case study, this research highlights successful tactics adopted during its shift toward administrative corporatization. Such a transformation aligns with the strategic objectives of governments, stakeholders, and communities at large. By applying stakeholder theory, the study investigates the broader societal contributions of administratively corporatized public libraries, their role in advancing public library services amidst organizational changes, and their capacity to augment the distinctiveness of urban landscapes.

From Community Engagement to Community Resilience: The Evolving Role of Public Libraries

ABSTRACT This study examines the role of public libraries in promoting community resilience and sustainability during times of crisis. It fills a research gap by investigating the relationship between library services, community engagement, and long-term resilience within the context of disaster recovery. Through a comprehensive analysis of literature and a case study of Kaohsiung Public Library in Taiwan, the study establishes a robust association between libraries and community resilience. The study emphasizes the importance of public libraries as agents of community resilience and advocates for a comprehensive approach to address community needs during crises.

Operation, development, opportunities and challenges of a human library in Taiwan

PurposeHuman libraries are special libraries that give access to real persons known as “human books.” Readers “check out” human books by attending reading sessions organized by the human library. The majority of previous studies focus on reporting the achievement of human libraries, especially on reducing prejudice and promoting social inclusion. There is a dearth of research to investigate how a human library serves and interacts with society. In this regard, this study aims at examining the operation, development, opportunities and challenges of the New Taipei City Human Library (NTCHL), the first and largest human library in Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a triangulation methodology to collect and analyze a multitude of data. Participatory observation intends to understand the operation of the NTCHL. In-depth interview is conducted to collect the opinions of the staff of the NTCHL to identify the challenges and opportunities of the human library. Content analysis on relevant documents is performed to review the development and performance of the NTCHL.FindingsResults indicate that the NTCHL has successfully developed a good collection of human books. The NTCHL not only provides an alternative channel of learning, but also helps build connections between community members. The number of book loans and readers has substantially increased since NTCHL' inception, indicating an increasing demand for human library services in Taiwan. While the NTCHL strives for providing readers with better and diversified services, the issues of limited involvement and commitment of human books, heavy workload and the difficulty to establish a good collection of human books need to be addressed.Research limitations/implicationsThis study investigates a human library in Taiwan, but human libraries in different places are different in some aspects because those human libraries' social contexts are different. Future studies are recommended to compare the similarities and differences between different human libraries systematically. Furthermore, this study identifies the benefits of the human library but human library's effectiveness is not quantified and evaluated. Future studies may conduct quantitative assessments to fill the research gap.Practical implicationsHuman libraries must strive for providing better and diversified services to readers, but there are implications for workload and administration. The experience of the NTCHL may cast light on the future development of human libraries in Taiwan and other countries around the world.Social implicationsThis study shows that the NTCHL has brought a couple of benefits to the society of Taiwan. First, the NTCHL provides readers with an alternative experience of reading. This is an effective way to transmit informal or tacit knowledge. Second, building connections between community members was another benefit of the NTCHL. As modern people are becoming more accustomed to virtual life on the internet which suppresses interpersonal communication, the NTCHL represents an effective platform for communication and sharing of interpersonal experiences.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study is the use of triangulation methodology to investigate the operation, development, opportunities and challenges of the first and largest human library in Taiwan. The findings of this study may cast light on the future development of human libraries in Taiwan and other countries.

Early literacy and family engagement: A cross-country analysis of caregivers’ perceptions of the public library's role in the digital age in Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam

This study aims to explore caregivers’ perceptions of the public library's role in supporting early literacy and family engagement in the digital age in Asia. Family engagement is important from birth through young adulthood, and public libraries matter for family engagement. However, this topic has been little explored in Asian countries. Structured interviews were conducted with librarians, followed by a survey approach to understand what caregivers of five- to 12-year-old children think about the scope of family engagement practices in public libraries in Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam. In total, 454 valid questionnaires were collected. Findings show that caregivers value the importance of public libraries’ role in promoting family engagement in the digital age in Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam. In order to reap the rewards of family engagement practices, public libraries are suggested to build relationships with families through proactively understanding families’ interests and needs, involving families in the library decision-making process, and engaging families in both print-based and digital literacy programmes.

Policy Development for Public Libraries in Taiwan: From the Perspectives of Library Practitioners and Experts

Policy Development for Public Libraries in Taiwan: From the Perspectives of Library Practitioners and Experts

Exploring the implementation of artificial intelligence applications among academic libraries in Taiwan

PurposeThis study explored the different artificial intelligence (AI) applications used in academic libraries and the key factors and impediments related to their implementation.Design/methodology/approachThe author applied quantitative research methods in the form of a questionnaire, using both open and closed questions. A total of 472 valid questionnaires were received from academic librarians.FindingsThe author sought responses from librarians who had implemented AI applications and those who had not, identifying the types of AI applications implemented, key factors relating to their implementation, and impediments to promoting AI. Gaps were identified between the level of support for AI applications and the negative effect of the impediments. Furthermore, the more extensive the individual and organizational knowledge activities performed by the librarians and libraries held, the more positive the attitude was librarians' attitude toward AI applications in their libraries. However, librarians recognized that AI applications are inevitable, but indicated that the difficulties of in execution have hampered the adoption of AI.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample data were collected in Taiwan; therefore, the data may only represent the views of Taiwanese academic librarians on AI applications. The results of this study may not apply to librarians worldwide; however, they may provide a useful reference.Practical implicationsThe results revealed the top four AI applications that libraries would most likely implement in the near future. Therefore, AI application developers and suppliers can prioritize the promotion of these products for to academic libraries. This study revealed that funding and costs related to AI implementation were discovered to be key factors relating to implementing AI applications. Some impediments to the implementation of AI applications relate to technological problems. Several librarians suggested that managers should invest more resources at an early stage rather than reducing cutting back on human resources initially. Although worries regarding privacy and ethics were mentioned expressed by some respondents, most academic librarians did not regard these to be major concerns.Originality/valueThis study provides the perspectives of librarians who have implemented AI applications and of those who have not. In addition, it explores the advantages and disadvantages of AI applications, and the level of support for and impact of AI applications and promotions. This study also included a gap analysis. Moreover, individual and organizational knowledge activity scales were adopted to examine AI awareness and the perceptions of academic librarians.

DeaR-Shiny: An Interactive Web App for Data Envelopment Analysis

In this paper, we describe an interactive web application (deaR-shiny) to measure efficiency and productivity using data envelopment analysis (DEA). deaR-shiny aims to fill the gap that currently exists in the availability of online DEA software offering practitioners and researchers free access to a very wide variety of DEA models (both conventional and fuzzy models). We illustrate how to use the web app by replicating the main results obtained by Carlucci, Cirà and Coccorese in 2018, who investigate the efficiency and economic sustainability of Italian regional airport by using two conventional DEA models, and the results given by Kao and Liu in their papers published in 2000 and 2003, who calculate the efficiency scores of university libraries in Taiwan by using a fuzzy DEA model because they treat missing data as fuzzy numbers.

Marketing Strategies of Tuku Vocational High School’s (TKVS) Library in Taiwan

Traditionally, rather than using books in the library, a typical Asian student preferred reading and studying from textbooks in order to pass the college entrance examination. Likewise, this trend was the same in the small suburban town in Taiwan like Tuku with the area is 46 square kilometer, its population of 32,000 people, and 70% of its population is farmers. Due to its agriculture background, there are only two libraries to service its residents. One is the public high school’s library that belongs to Tuku Vocational High School that has approximately about 28 classes and 1000 students while the other is Tuku’s public library. Owing to the textbooks edition from one tomany, the exam content has changed a lot from the past to the present. In order to master the examination, multiple facets of literacy should be mastered. Because of this, library should be gaining popularity than before. In contrary, this was not the case. Library books were seldom checked out according to the electronic tracking system for library books. From three years ago, the average of books checked out was below 15 per day. That average has steady climbing to about 120 with the maximum around 370. Recently, by conducting an open-end questionnaires and chatting with its students, it was found that some marketing strategies are needed to educate them the importance of utilizing the books in the library as the primary source of mastering multi-facets of literacy instead of textbooks.

Effects on Reader Services of Applying Blogs in High School Libraries in Taiwan

The aim of this study is to explore high school library blogs in terms of its construction, purposes, contents and influences to reader services in Taiwan. Ten highly- represented high school library blogs were chosen and compared by using content analysis and interview methods. The findings suggested that the majority of the blog content in high school libraries focus on promoting reading activities. Second, the purposes of constructing library blog are to announce library-related news, provide students a reading environment, and to coordinate with teachers’ instructional activities. Third, the most distinctive influence of library blog in terms of reader services is the extension of communication channel and simplification of announcement procedure. Fourth, more than half of the high school library blogs have reached their expected goals on reader services. Finally, most of the high school libraries are intended to continuingly maintain their blogs toward multiple services direction. Based on above findings, the study has reached the conclusion that the construction of blog is indeed helpful to enhance library reader services. However, the support of school authorities is the key factor on whether the application of blog can be successful to high school libraries.

Promotion of On-Line Reading Competition of Tuku Vocational High School's Library in Taiwan

An on-line reading competition is a great way to enhance the knowledge management and a method to attract student’s interest in utilizing the books as their primary source to master the multi-facets of literacy and to prepare for their examinations. The purpose of this paper will show what measures will be taken to promote on-line reading competition.

Modern and Contemporary Taiwanese Philosophy

The topic of this special issue deals with the development of a certain stream of the Chinese philosophical tradition. Yet this philosophy did not originate in mainland China, and thus in some supposedly logical “centre” of Chinese culture, but on its alleged “periphery”, namely on the beautiful island of Taiwan. One of the incentives for our decision to compile an issue of Asian Studies which is devoted entirely to the philosophical developments in Taiwan was an international conference, entitled Taiwanese Philosophy and the Preservation of the Confucian Tradition. This interesting academic meeting was organized in October 2019 in Ljubljana by the Center for Chinese Studies at the National Central Library in Taiwan in cooperation with the East Asian Research Library (EARL) and the Department of Asian Studies at University of Ljubljana.

Ultramorphological Characteristics of Falsogastrallus sauteri Pic (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) and a New Species of Cephalonomia Westwood (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae): A Book-Boring Beetle and Its Natural Enemy in Taiwan.

Libraries are invaluable resources, documenting significant events that have shaped human history. However, the preservation of old books is severely threatened by insects commonly referred to as bookworms. In this study, a sample of infested books in a historic library in Taiwan was randomly selected and examined. An anobiid book-boring beetle, Falsogastrallus sauteri Pic, 1914 (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) was identified as the major bookworm species present. To facilitate its identification, both adults and larvae of F. sauteri are redescribed, with emphasis on its ultramorphological characteristics as revealed by scanning electronic microscopy. Furthermore, an undescribed parasitoid wasp in the Bethylidae was discovered in the frass, holes and tunnels created by F. sauteri. The new species, Cephalonomia formosiensis sp. nov. is described, and we suggest that it probably uses F. sauteri as host.

Is there the Pareto principle in public library circulation? A case study of one public library in Taiwan

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule is currently an important and popular management rule applied to marketing and customer relationship management (CRM). The rule indicates that the vital few causes inputs or efforts bringing the most results, outputs, or rewards. Analyzing circulation data to understand the usage status of library collections can help libraries comprehend their patrons’ behaviour. However, little research has been done to analyse circulation data of public libraries to reveal patrons’ usage behaviours. This paper aimed to analyse the circulation data generated by a municipality public library in Taiwan to gauge if the Pareto Principle manifested in this context. Subsequently, using bibliomining analysis, this research further identified vital patrons and their characteristics, as well as book-borrowed distributions to help analyse patrons' book borrowing behaviour to improve the efficiency of library management and library marketing as well as CRM. The circulation data of the public library follows the Pareto Principle, approximating to the 80/20 rule. Findings showed that when the accumulative percentage of patron is 24.7 percent, the accumulative percentage of borrowed books is 75.3 percent. The vital few patrons borrow the majority of the collections. This paper is the first study to reveal that the Pareto Principle could be found in circulation data of a public library in Taiwan. It could help libraries identify vital patrons and major collections, and improve the efficiency of their management and marketing activities in future. For other types of libraries, it would be interesting for us to explore the existence of the Pareto Principle further.

A qualitative study of barriers to innovation in academic libraries in Taiwan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore innovation barriers in academic libraries. Through analysis of barriers to innovation, the authors can further elucidate the nature of innovation in academic library settings, which can help remove factors that hamper innovation.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative case study to explore the innovation processes for two academic libraries, this study includes interviews with 28 interviewees, from senior leadership positions to practical librarians, to analyze the barriers to innovation they have experienced.FindingsBuilding on a literature review, this study proposes a barrier to innovation framework for academic libraries. The qualitative findings identified two specific barrier types that academic libraries face, environmental and organizational barriers, identifying 19 barrier factors that intertwine to yield seven dimensions across the two levels of analysis. It is advised that library leadership team should both encourage innovative behaviors and eliminate the innovation barriers to enhance library innovation capacities.Originality/valueThe insights from this study can help the library managers of academic libraries to develop preemptive actions for dealing with various barrier scenarios, and thereby enhance possibilities of successful innovations.

Statistical evaluation of disinfection performance of chlorine dioxide and WAHW in improving indoor air quality of university library

A statistical investigation is performed into the effectiveness of two disinfectants (gaseous ClO2 and weak acid hypochlorous water) in improving the indoor air quality in the reading room and study carrels of a university library in Taiwan. For each disinfectant, three different treatment modes are considered, namely a single-daily disinfection mode (SM), a twice-daily disinfection mode (TM), and a regular disinfection mode (RM). The results show that both disinfectants reduce the bacteria and fungi concentrations within the experimental areas. For the study carrel, with a relatively small and confined area, the weak acid hypochlorous water twice-daily disinfection mode (WTM) outperforms the ClO2 twice-daily disinfection mode (CTM). In the reading room, no significant difference is observed in the disinfection performance of the two disinfectants due to the large and semi-closed nature of the room. An extreme negative correlation is found among the airflow velocity, the residual bacteria and fungi concentrations. Hence, it is inferred that a higher air velocity is beneficial in spreading the disinfectant within the indoor space and improving the disinfection efficiency as a result.

Adult mediation of preschool children’s use of mobile technologies in public libraries in Taiwan: A socio-cultural perspective

This study explores characteristics of caregivers’ mediating behaviours for supporting preschool children’s emergent literacy development mediated by mobile technologies (i.e. laptops, tablets and smart phones). Design-based research in the action research framing was used to examine the process of adult-child interaction and communication in nine Involve Me workshops at five public libraries between 2013 and 2014 in Taiwan. A deductive-inductive thematic analysis identified examples to illustrate main forms of caregivers’ mediating behaviours: ‘focusing’, ‘affecting’, ‘expanding’, ‘encouraging’ and ‘regulating behaviour’. This study embraces the role of media mentorship in libraries, but acknowledges such a role demands training for library practitioners in order to effectively support children’s and families’ literary needs in the digital age.

Integrating ISSM into TAM to enhance digital library services

PurposeThis study aims to propose a new model by incorporating information system success model (ISSM) into technology acceptance model (TAM) with an “attitude toward using” as the connection variable. The new model is then adopted to analyse and investigate empirical data and develop relevant factors, which affect the personal usage behaviour and net benefits for National Central Library in Taiwan to enhance digital library services. The research results can benefit future establishment and design of library information system or improvement of website service procedures.Design/methodology/approachThis study selected National Central Library Taiwan Digital Meta-Library as the research theme, and used stratified convenience sampling to perform interviews in various colleges and universities in the southern Taiwan. A total of 264 valid questionnaires were returned, and this study used structural equation modelling (SEM) to perform analyses.FindingsThe results reveal that attitude toward using is significantly and positively affected by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and user satisfaction. However, service quality of information system and personal net benefits do not have a significant and positive effect on attitude toward using, while they have an indirect and significant effect on attitude toward using through user satisfaction. Based on the results above, “user satisfaction” is the critical factor affecting the attitude toward using. Therefore, to strengthen users’ positive attitude toward using, the factor of user satisfaction is a key for enhancing digital library service.Originality/valueThis study constructed the “New Technology Information Assessment Model” as the reference for improving practical assessment. Moreover, this study also proposed the suggestions concerning digital library information services.