Library Readers Research Articles

An Improved MFP-Miner Mining Algorithm and Its Application in Book Mining

With purchase of new books every year, collection of books in a library will continuously increase. As circulation data is updated every day, database of a library will also increase while minimal support degree will change due to different required correlation degree. To satisfy requirements of library readers as soon as possible with book allocation, mining result needs to be updated continually. Therefore, this thesis proposes an IM-Miner algorithm to realize synthesized update and mining of maximal frequent item sets with database and minimal support degree varying at the same time. IM-Miner algorithm makes the most of FP-Tree features and doesn’t need to generate maximal frequent candidate item sets during mining. As generation of maximal frequent item sets only occurs in FP-Tree, no scanning of transactional database is required. Experimental results showed that IM-Miner algorithm is more efficient than other algorithms.

On the history of Library of Lviv academy of veterinary medicine: Austrian and Polish periods (1881–1944)

The article describes history of creation and development of the Library of Lviv Academy of Veterinary Medicine for the period 1881–1944. The material presented is based on the works of famous professors, Academy tutors, Rector’s reports and documents of Polish authors concerning history of Lviv Veterinary Academy, veterinary science and education. The paper includes abbreviated biographies of Professor Anthony Baransky, the organizer and first curator of the Library, Professor Stanislav Krulikovsky, who 35 years guided the Library, Professors and Library curators Stanislav Niemchytsky, Adolf Gizelt, Andrzej Klisetsky, Doctor of Philosophy Ludwik Grajewski, as well as the librarians Theobald Skarzynsky, Lukash Kulchytsky, Leonidas Novitsky and Anastasia Shakhovska. Each of them made a considerable personal contribution to the development and operating of the Library. The influence of historical events on the linguistic structure of the fund and its replenishment is depicted and analyzed. The paper carefully analyzes the Library funding, which in different historical periods had its fluctuations, which influenced the acquisition of textbooks and periodicals subscription. The lack of funding in certain years substantially affected the completeness and even the abandonment of some important periodicals. During the years of economic instability, the Library was mainly funded from the sources received for library services from library readers. The article contains interesting personal information concerning the Library staff, as well as the Library exlibris. The complicacy of recollection of the historical background of Library’s formation and early years of its running is due to the limited number of documents covering period before the year 1944, especially concerning «white spots» of the period 1939–1944. The material presented is based predominantly on Polish sources, as well as on the original documents preserved in the librarian archives. Among the chief priorities of the Scientific Library of Lviv University of Veterinary Medicine is the maintenance of historical continuity, preservation of its rich and unique past, which is inextricably linked with the present. By this article its authors give tribute to the creators, curators and custodians of the Library.

Using a Native XML Database for Encoded Archival Description Search and Retrieval

This article is an attempt to develop Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology into an analytical tool for examining the relationships between the height of the bookshelves and the behavior of library readers in utilizing books within a library. The tool would contain a database to store book-use information and some GIS maps to represent bookshelves. Upon analyzing the data stored in the database, different frequencies of book use across bookshelf layers are displayed on the maps. The tool would provide a wonderful means of visualization through which analysts can quickly realize the spatial distribution of books used in a library. This article reveals that readers tend to pull books out of the bookshelf layers that are easily reachable by human eyes and hands, and thus opens some issues for librarians to reconsider the management of library collections.

An Overview of the Development of University Library in the Information Age

With the advent of the information age, the university library reader service work has gradually developed toward informatization, networking and facilitation. In a certain extent, the service level of libraries can be improved by the study of libraries’ development rules and trends in a scientific way. The study mainly analyzes the current situation of the development of university libraries in China. The University Library in the new era is bound to be a complex library of traditional libraries, digital libraries and mobile libraries. It will be the development direction of university library in the future to pay equal attention to high-tech hardware equipment and high quality extension service without losing its own characteristics.

Readers’ Advisory: Trends and Directions in RA Education

The last two issues of the Readers’ Advisory (RA) column have featured thoughtful, though somewhat different, views of the future of services to readers in public libraries. Duncan Smith and Bill Crowley share an understanding of the value and importance of RA services, if disagreeing on the steps to ensure the continued success of those services. Here, Stephanie Anderson looks at a topic that lays the foundation for the future of RA practice: RA education.—Editor

GOODWILL OF LIBRARY USERS AND ITS IMPACT ON SERVICES: A STUDY

The paper succinctly describes the concept of goodwill, nature and value, intellectual capital resources, viewpoints of library goodwill, perspectives and User’s goodwill and its impacts on functioning of library, services and working staff. It reveals that 64.70 % goodwill generates among the users through maintaining good relations by the library staff, 64% rendering quality services, 92% leadership, promptness, and skillful policy, 84.70 by creating well behaviour with various types of readers, 47.05 % library staff should be punctual in timing with attachment and affinity in public library readers as they comes under the umbrella of grass root users. The goodwill generates 80.83 % intangible asset which invisible and 92.50 % develop publicity of library automatically. It was concluded that goodwill totally depends on the behaviour and prompt services to the users to save their times.

Investigation and analysis on the present situation of the library resources and services in medical college taking Chongqing Medical University as an example

Objective To understand the support effect of the resources and services provided by the library on the scientific research of medical postgraduates. Methods Taking 150 graduate students in Chongqing Medical University as the research object, through questionnaire survey and interview method, the characteristics of medical graduate students' selection of document resources, as well as their application of the resources and services provided by the library were investigated. Results 65% (98/150) of students chose Chinese literature as the preferred source of information, 6% (9/150) of graduate students did not borrow books at the library, 54% (81/150) of graduate students chose library website as the data retrieval entrance at the time of obtaining the preferred document, 9% (14/150) of students did not participate in the library reader training. Conclusion Library resources are still the first choice for the graduate students to obtain the literature, and the library should be improved in the aspects of resource allocation, service mode, in order to meet the needs of graduate students' scientific research. Key words: Library; Resource utilization; Graduate students; Medical college

Development of Mobile Web for the Library

The university library provides information services aimed at fulfilling learning and academic research for students and faculty members. In the age of rapidly growing Internet technology, library websites have become a gateway to knowledge and the entrance for readers to access valuable resources and services. With the advancement of mobile technology in recent years, an increasing number of library readers have started to access library resources and services through their mobile devices. The information provided through a traditional website is too complex to be browsed with a mobile device, and users may also encounter some technical limits. Websites developed for mobile devices might overcome users’ difficulties when reading heavily from traditional web pages. Mobile web helps overcome difficulties in searching for needed information and makes information more accessible. For any library, especially university libraries, developing mobile websites is becoming a necessary trend to satisfy users’ mobile needs of exploring the world of knowledge. This study provides experiences of developing a mobile web for the academic library. Users’ applications and reactions to the system are analyzed and summarized. Technological and implementation issues related to the construction of a library mobile web are discussed. Implications of the study results might provide valuable information for promoting a ubiquitous library service and information access.

From Special Subject Collections to Discipline Driven Information Provisioning

But why should readers visit libraries which have no collections to offer? In contrast to swimming baths without pools which have nothing to offer but dry-run facilities, libraries without collections might be called libraries because they allow readers to do research work due to the libraries virtual nature. Consequently, libraries without collections which “provide functionality in a potentially virtual environment” for their user communities – to specify the meaning of ‘virtual – must be seen as libraries and their collections understood as potentially or functionally existing although they cannot be seen or touched. Therefore, readers in libraries that house no collections may read and work on the potential or functional basis offered by the institution.

Boots Book-lovers' Library and the Novel: The Impact of a Circulating Library Market on Twentieth-Century Fiction

In a report for the Society of Bookmen in 1928, British publishers estimated that between a quarter and two-thirds of all the books they published went to the big four circulating libraries: Boots, W. H. Smith, Mudie's, and the Times Book Club. This article examines the literary impact of one of the largest of these, Boots Book-lovers' Library (1899–1966), which by 1935 had around four hundred libraries attached to its high-street pharmacies catering for the literary tastes of over one million subscribers a year. The article considers the impact of the Boots Book-lovers' Library on authors' practices of writing and revision and on literary marketing and censorship, focusing in particular on James Hanley's The Furys (1935) and using unpublished correspondence in the Chatto & Windus archive at the University of Reading to demonstrate how the publisher's sense of the tastes and expectations of the Boots library reader influenced the revisioning process.

Exploration and Practice of Self-Service in University Library - Case Study of Beijing University of Agriculture Library

With a variety of new technology application in the library, the library reader self-service library user services has become the main development trends. In this paper, taking the library of Beijing University of Agriculture as an example, for self-circulation / renewal / reservation services, self-copy / print / scan services, self-reading services, audiovisual on-demand self-service, self-seat management services were analyzed and exploraed.

Development Research of University Library Reader Function Based on Information Technology

In the current information era, the channels of peoples access to information have increasingly shown the trend of diversity and the selection range of information we are facing also has become more broad. As the information storeroom of literature materials and library information, libraries are shouldering the major responsibilities of providing general readers with comprehensive and accurate information of teaching and scientific researches, and they should be adhering to people-oriented concept, change readers concepts, and provide excellent and efficient service to meet knowledge demands of readers to the greatest extent.

Users’ opinion about the Slovenian mobile libraries

AbstractIn the beginning of 2000, an inquiry was carried out among the readers in all mobile libraries in Slovenia. Fourteen questions were asked in order to find out what the read ers thought of our work and how important were mobile libraries to them. The inquiry was planned as part of the main topic of the 10th meeting of Slovene mobile libraries, i.e. the Survey of the Effectiveness of Mobile Libraries in Slovenia. The inquiry included more than 13% of the active readers all over Slovenia. Percentages of the respondents, in regard to gender and status, reflect the structure of the readers. Respondents’ answers were very similar in all mobile libraries. The results showed that the readers were satisfied with the service, the attitude and the qualification of the employees and they were pleased with the selection and presentation of materials. In future, they would like to have access to more audio and video materials. The two main reasons for attending mobile libraries are: remoteness of stationary libraries and the selection of the materials. For them, mobile libraries are often the only means available for borrowing books. The most important result of the inquiry was in the fact that the materials and the services offered by mobile libraries were used by more people (130% more) than the recorded number of active members.

Research on the Prediction Method for Library Reader Flow Based on Evolutionary Neural Network

It is an important work for modern libraries to predict reader flow. With the help of reader flow, library staff can grasp the change regulation of readers, allocate tasks rationally and take steps ahead of time in high-risk period. Because of reader flows typical non-linear characteristics, evolutionary neural network technology is introduced in this research so as to improve the accuracy of reader flow prediction. A prediction method for library reader flow based on evolutionary neural network is proposed. Genetic algorithm is used to optimize and design BP neural network firstly, then evolutionary neural network is used to predict reader flow. The experimental results show that evolutionary neural network is an effective tool for us to predict library reader flow. We can realize an accurate prediction for library reader flow by this method.

A Knowledge Rule Mining Method for the Evaluation of Library Readers Satisfaction Rate

The readers satisfaction rate is an important index of library service quality. Evaluation of library readers satisfaction rate depends on knowledge rules to a large extent. In this study, the synthesized evaluation index system of readers satisfaction rate was established firstly. Then, a method for mining the evaluation knowledge rules of readers satisfaction rate based on an improved genetic algorithm was proposed. In the algorithm, new knowledge rules were generated by selection operator, dual crossover operator and dual mutation operator. Knowledge rules were evaluated by their accuracy, coverage and reliability, and they were evaluated by linear combination method. Experimental results show that this method for mining knowledge rules is valid. It is helpful for us to evaluate library readers satisfaction rate fairly and objectively.

Reading in Public Libraries: Space, Reading Activities, and User Profiles

This single case research was developed within a public library in Porto, Portugal, Biblioteca Municipal Almeida Garrett. Its main objective was to understand how public library readers interact with space, the Internet technology, and reading resources, and how these interactions shape the representations of what a public library is. This case was chosen because the library has a recent and renowned building, high reader use levels, and Internet access. The design of user profiles was an intermediate step, and then a partial result in the process of understanding provision and appropriation of technology, space, and reading resources (all media and supports) in a specific context. The construction of these profiles is presented and discussed in this paper. A qualitative, single case study was designed according to Burawoy’s Extended Case Method, departing from the framework of several theories – Feenberg and Bakardjieva’s approach to Internet uses, Lefèbvre and Certeau’s approach on space – and some library users and studies of Internet user profiles – by Rodrigues, Bakardjieva, and by other authors. A theoretical, diversified sample was constructed. User profiles were designed as a way of depicting common reading practices by grouping readers’ characteristics according to Internet, space, and bibliographical resource usage. Along with this usage, social demographics, motivations, meanings, and feelings were enquired about to construct a thick narrative. Observation of all forms of reading practices, in-depth interviews, informal conversations, children’s drawings, photography, and an architectural and social analysis of the building were used. The library has diversified uses, tied to present-day everyday life conditions, and its space and management style are flexible enough to allow for different user appropriations. As to the general reading atmosphere, high satisfaction was reported, and the most appreciated features of social and architectural space were signaled by readers. User profiles reflect diversified usage modes, diverse relations to space, to Internet and bibliographic resources, and to other users. Both the theoretical framework and the selected methodology proved fruitful for the intended purpose. These readers’ profiles may provide a tool to understand and manage public library services, given the adequate fittingness. The same may be said about readers’ evaluation of space, in general, or, specifically, about space appropriations, and, above all, about the production of stimulating reading atmospheres

Investigation on the Social Network Service (SNS) of University Library Websites

Libraries have always played important roles in information provision services. In particular, university libraries have become a major source for teachers and students to acquire important information. University libraries use websites as the media for information dissemination and the tools for extended services, thereby ensuring more extensive and comprehensive circulation of information that transcends time and space. Library websites provide community services that users can make the most direct and active contacts with libraries through the community platforms. Library information, on the other hand, can enhance user interactions with librarians through the website community services. Targeting the 148 university library websites, a survey was conducted in this paper to understand how the libraries cope with the Internet era, and give a focus to and enhance the library website services and readers’ effectiveness of use. The survey also allows one to gain an insight into the current social network services; SNS provided by the university libraries. In addition to the weblog (blog), micro-blogging community services, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Plurk have also been added in recent years. Regardless of which community platform the library uses, it hopes to strengthen the exchanges of messages between readers, thus achieving more interactive library services and enabling the user and librarian to establish close community relationships.

ENGLISH

The automated library’s readers’ desk management system is a modern innovation that is expected to help in the circulation registration of processed books and register users. The existing library management system processes in most institutions of higher learning in the developing countries is not fast enough and it is mainly manually processed. This paper presents a library readers’ desk management system with the use of fingerprint biometric and barcode technology to the activities of a library’s readers’ services. The proposed system is capable of reducing the time spent and errors associated with identification and verification of users and library books as well as charging-in and charging-out of books to library patrons. http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/djlit.32.6.2849

E-books and the Use of E-book Readers in Academic Libraries: Results of an Online Survey

E-books and the Use of E-book Readers in Academic Libraries: Results of an Online Survey

E‐books and readers in public libraries: literature review and case study

PurposeThis paper aims to provide an overview of current research on the use of e‐books and e‐book readers as they gain popularity in libraries.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a literature review and a case study of a public library which has a Kindle lending program. An e‐book case study is examined, highlighting a mid‐sized public library which implemented a Kindle e‐book lending program. The article includes a follow‐up discussion as to how libraries are including digital content in their collections, and changing the way they do business to accommodate the new technologies that people are increasingly asking for. The paper also gives tools for librarians looking to start their own e‐book lending program, and provide additional information on what resources are currently available.FindingsOne conclusion can be made. E‐books will not be going away any time soon. The Kindle lending program at the library has been extremely successful and well received by patronsResearch limitations/implicationsBecause of this very small case study approach, the research results may not be generalizable.Originality/valueThis research trend is new, and has not had much study. It gives a wide variety of opportunity for pilot studies, and subsequent ones.