Library System Research Articles

Design of Adaptive RFID RC522 on IoT Platform with Different Types Passive Tag Based on Self-Service Library Management System (SSLMS)

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) refers to a wireless system comprising two components: tags and readers. The reader is a device with one or more antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals from the RFID tag. This system is available on most systems applications especially involving security systems, including house/office access systems, toll systems, and library systems. The accessing data is made stand-alone or data-based through the existing conventional RFID system on the market, especially in library systems. Also, the tag provided is only limited to the same type, either cards or stickers. From that, it will produce problems in monitoring the status of books, especially for loans or returns. At the same time, the difference in detection sensitivity will be the effect of the detection range for the types of tag used. Through this research, the development of adaptive RFID on IoT platforms with different types of passive tag library systems highly emphasized monitoring the status of books besides maximum range detection by using different types of passive tag and at the same time increasing the security by implementing the book status detection on the gate of the library. The tag sticker used can be read/written in the 13.56 MHz frequency with the High Frequency (HF) band due to its affordability and ease of implementation. RFID tags are embedded in all books and activated; it triggers the alarm system if the status return gets captured on the memory of the RFID tag. The alarm accuracy is almost 100%. The result showed that within the acceptable range of 5 cm, the RFID reader works efficiently in detecting books. It shows that the card tag gives 90% sensitivity of range detection, followed by the sticker and keychain tag at 70%, and, lastly, the transparent card tags at 40%.

ROMANIAN TOPIC MODELING – AN EVALUATION OF PROBABILISTIC VERSUS TRANSFORMER-BASED TOPIC MODELING FOR DOMAIN CATEGORIZATION

A primary challenge for digital library systems when digitizing millions of volumes is to automatically analyze and group the huge document collection by categories while identifying patterns and extracting the main themes. A common method to be leveraged on unlabeled texts is topic modeling. Given the wide range of datasets and evaluation criteria used by researchers, comparing the performance and outputs of existing unsupervised algorithms is a complex task. This paper introduces a domain-based topic modeling evaluation applied to Romanian documents. Several variants of Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) combined with dimensionality reduction techniques were compared to Transformer-based models for topic modeling. Experiments were conducted on two datasets of varying text lengths: abstracts of novels and full-text documents. Evaluations were performed against coherence and silhouette scores, while the validation considered classification and clustering tasks. Results highlighted meaningful topics extracted from both datasets.

Book Review: Making the Most of Your ILS: A User’s Guide to Evaluating and Optimizing Library Systems

The integrated library system (ILS) is the backbone of the modern library. It maintains and manages the collection’s inventory and facilitates discovery and lending of materials. With time, even well designed and configured systems can develop pain points that frustrate both the workers and patrons using these programs. Libraries may not be able to consider a new solution like a newer library services platform (LSP), so an ILS needs to be analyzed over time to ensure that it continues to perform in a reliable and efficient manner.

Association of tea and its extracts with colorectal adenomas: meta-analysis and systematic review.

There are many studies on the association of tea and its extracts with colorectal adenomas, but the results have varied. The study aims to investigate the effect of tea and its extracts on colorectal adenomas using meta analysis and systematic review. Literature was obtained through PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Chinese BioMedical Literature Service System since the establishment of the database until April 31, 2023. Search terms include adenomas, polyps, colorectal, rectal, rectum, tea, epigallocatechin, drinking and beverages. Meta-regression analysis was used to infer the source of heterogeneity. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics and Q test. The effect measures were odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Stata17.0 software was used for data processing. The findings indicated that study design (t = 0.78, P = 0.454), types of tea intake (t = 1.35, P = 0.205), occurrences (t = -0.19, P = 0.852), regions (t = 1.13, P = 0.281) and grades of adenomas (t = 0.06, P = 0.952) were statistical homogeneity. Tea and its extracts were negatively correlated with the risk of colorectal adenomas (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.66-0.98). No publication bias was found in this study (t = -0.22, P = 0.828) and the results are robust. This study suggests that tea and its extracts have a certain protective effect on colorectal adenomas, which provides scientific evidence for preventive strategies for colorectal adenomas. As for the causal relationship between tea and its extracts on colorectal adenomas, further prospective studies are needed.

Customization of KOHA Integrated Library System (ILS) Interface for Better Usability

This study describes the usability of KOHA Integrated Library System (ILS).KOHA is an integrated library system widely used in Nepal. The main objective of this paper is to compare the usability of KOHA ILS before and after the customization of the interface. For this, five military libraries in Nepal have been purposively surveyed which are currently using customized version of KOHA ILS. The questionnaire was developed to address the eight usability matrices. The study found that all of the military libraries surveyed have been using KOHA ILS. Before customization and update to the latest version of KOHA the librarians and the users were unable to utilize the full features of the software. It is also found that the customization of interfaces has improved the usability of KOHA ILS. Hence it is concluded that the customization of interface is required for the better usability.

Characterizing gender stereotypes in popular fiction: A machine learning approach

Gender representation portrayed in popular mass media is known to reflect and reinforce societal gender stereotypes. This research uses two methods of natural language processing–Word2Vec and bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) model–to analyze gender representation in popular fiction and quantify gender bias with gender bias score. Word2Vec, which represents the words in vectorized format, can capture implicit human gender bias with the geometry relationship between word vectors. BERT, a newer pre-trained deep learning model, is specialized in understanding words in the larger context it appears in. The research will compare the results obtained from Word2Vec and BERT. With book check out records from the Seattle Public Library checkout dataset–an ongoing open source dataset from the public library system of Seattle, WA–the research aims to identify evolutionary trends of gender bias in popular fiction and analyze consumer preferences regarding gender representation.

Antipsychotic Drugs: The Antithesis to Neurorehabilitation in Models of Pre-Clinical Traumatic Brain Injury.

Sixty-nine million traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are reported worldwide each year, and, of those, close to 3 million occur in the United States. In addition to neurobehavioral and cognitive deficits, TBI induces other maladaptive behaviors, such as agitation and aggression, which must be managed for safe, accurate assessment and effective treatment of the patient. The use of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) in TBI is supported by some expert guidelines, which suggests that they are an important part of the pharmacological armamentarium to be used in the management of agitation. Despite the advantages of APDs after TBI, there are significant disadvantages that may not be fully appreciated clinically during decision making because of the lack of a readily available updated compendium. Hence, the aim of this review is to integrate the existing findings and present the current state of APD use in pre-clinical models of TBI. The studies discussed were identified through PubMed and the University of Pittsburgh Library System search strategies and reveal that APDs, particularly those with dopamine2 (D2) receptor antagonism, generally impair the recovery process in rodents of both sexes and, in some instances, attenuate the potential benefits of neurorehabilitation. We believe that the compilation of findings represented by this exhaustive review of pre-clinical TBI + APD models can serve as a convenient source for guiding informed decisions by critical care clinicians and physiatrists contemplating APD use for patients exhibiting agitation.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ РАЗРАБОТКИ НОВЫХ ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫХ АНТИСЕПТИЧЕСКИХ СРЕДСТВ НА ОСНОВЕ УСНИНОВОЙ КИСЛОТЫ

Introduction. Environment changing not least because of human activities determines the appearance of modified microorganisms. Many pathogens have enhanced their pathogenic properties. Their increasing drug resistance represents quite a serious problem. Among potentially efficient antiseptic substances, usnic acid and its derivatives are greatly emphasized on. Aim of our study was to conduct a narrative review of the prospects for the practical (pharmaceutical) use of usnic acid as an antiseptic. Research Materials. To perform the literature analysis, we used sources from international databases, such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, as well as from the domestic library system, eLibrary. Results. Usnic acid is found in large amounts in various lichen species. It has quite a broad spectrum of antimicrobial action. Its anti-inflammatory effects and enhancement of tissue regeneration wasproven both experimentally and clinically. The operation of usnic acid and its derivatives is determined by inhibiting the synthesis of ribonucleic acid and breaking the deoxyribonucleic acid replication. Moreover, it has a cytotoxic effect and destroys the membranes of microorganisms. In pharmaceutical industry, usnic acid is produced in many forms, such as powders, capsules, antiseptic gels, creams, and protective tapes. They are used in combined treatment of infectious diseases, in general therapy, in post-burn wound healing procedures, and in dentistry. We have concluded that lichens are very promising as raw materials for isolating usnic acid. It is necessary to search for new highly efficient methods to manufacture and use it in various farmaceutical forms.

First-generation College Students, Academic Libraries, and Social Reproduction

First-generation college students (FGCS) are an increasingly significant population at institutions of higher education in the United States. While only one aspect of college student identity, first-generation students collectively enter higher education without parent(s) who have obtained, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree. As such, FGCS tap into wider networks for advice and support in making the transition to college. In this way, tapping into one’s social capital can contribute to college access, persistence, and success in the field of higher education. These terms – capital and field – are core concepts, along with habitus, that comprise Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical apparatus.
 This dissertation applies Bourdieu’s concepts of capital, habitus, and field to first-generation college students’ attitudes, perceptions, and use of academic libraries within the general library system of a large, public, historically White university. The critical qualitative study adapts Phil Carspecken’s (1996) 5-stage framework for conducting critical qualitative research and Bourdieu’s (Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992) recommendations for conducting a study of field. The resulting analytical framework includes inductive and deductive coding, meaning field and reconstructive horizon analysis, and an analysis of system relations. Findings can inform academic library practice and are also applicable to higher education more generally, e.g., via early intervention for FGCS. Three primary themes emerged during the data analysis process: (1) perceptions of academic libraries as anxiety-inducing spaces, (2) perceptions of libraries as sites of assurance and comfort; and (3) the relationship between students’ capital composition and their perceptions and use of academic libraries.

Power and Controversy: A Study of Material Challenges in the U.S. Public Libraries

Librarians and a small group of community representatives are responsible for public library governance in the U.S. Librarians and a board of trustees appointed by a local government collaborate to make key decisions for public libraries, while other members of the community have less influence over the governance of public libraries with limited methods, such as letters and public comments in board meetings. However, what should community members and library staff do if there are conflicting opinions about public library services within their community? Sometimes these kinds of dissents initiate a public controversy that involves a series of disagreement events among actors in public spaces. Each actor, such as boards of trustees, library staff, local government officials, community members, and patrons, participates in a controversy with asymmetrical power, which eventually affects the development and end of controversy. This case study investigates material challenges, which have been the most controversial issue in current U.S. public library history, in order to examine public library governance through controversies in which various actors exercise their power. A series of material challenges in a public library system in Louisiana are being examined based on their board minutes, local council minutes, news articles, social media posts, along with interviews with key actors. This study contributes to the understanding of public library governance and material controversies embedded in communities that shape public libraries.

PATENT SEARCH METHODOLOGY IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING COMPETITIVE INVENTIONS

The article examines the patent search technique in the process of creating competitive inventions. Regulatory documents regulating patent law, the main definitions of patent science, which are designed to familiarize beginners and student youth engaged in scientific work related to innovative inventive activity, are given.The article also highlights the issue of the inventor’s inventive activity, examines the stages of search activity in the process of creating competitive inventions. The principles of classification of inventions in accordance with the International Patent Classification of Inventions by means of the information and library system Web IRBIS are considered.Thus, inventions are classified according to thematic headings by class, which makes it possible to organize descriptions of inventions and distribute them according to technical solutions.The article also provides a method of searching for patent information of different countries by means of information and search systems and the Ukrainian information and search system SIS (special information system) UKRNOIVI (Ukrainian national office of intellectual property of innovations), which allows inventors to monitor the status of paperwork for their applications for inventions. Patent search and patent research based on modern information and search systems for patents by means of the Internet allows to prevent borrowing and plagiarism in compliance with the law “On the Protection of Rights to Inventions and Utility Models”.The described method of patent search during the creation of inventions gives the inventor a significant saving of working time spent on patent search, allows the use of modern means of information and communication technologies in the process of creating competitive inventions.
 Keywords: patent search; patent purity; patent research; information search system; national patent databases; industrial property; patents; inventions; utility models.

De-contextual communication: Factors influencing usage intentions of metaverse technology in digital library services

This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the usage intentions of metaverse technology in digital library services within higher learning institutions, using the unified system information theory. To achieve this, an online survey was conducted among university staff and students, utilizing a link-scale measurement. Various factors affecting the usage intention of metaverse technology in library services were computed through transformation models such as UTAUT, DM, ISS, and TTF. Subsequently, the model parameters were empirically tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to identify the significant factors influencing the usage intention of metaverse technology. The results of the study reveal that users' intentions to use metaverse technology in digital library systems are influenced by perceptions of system use, perceived interaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Notably, these influences vary depending on the user's intended task. These findings provide valuable insights into the factors that affect the adoption and usage intentions of metaverse technology in the context of digital library services in higher learning institutions. This research contributes to enhancing understanding and guiding future strategies for leveraging metaverse technology effectively in educational environments.

Social impact and return on investment from cultural heritage institutions: An application to public libraries in Colombia

Evaluation of cultural heritage organisations and the returns on the resources they are provided with is becoming increasingly important, not only because of the economic efficiency implications but also vis-à-vis measuring their performance in terms of social policy and public governance. The present study seeks to estimate the social impact of libraries, as heritage representative institutions, from the case of the Medellin Public Library System (Spanish acronym – SBPM) in Colombia. This network of libraries is made up of 26 units that – in addition to traditional functions involving loans and custody – offer activities geared towards personal development and the enhancement of the community. The proposed method entails a combination of direct observation indicators together with other indirect or subjective indicators aimed at gauging social impact, applying two different yet complementary techniques; social return on investment (SROI), and contingent valuation (CV). The indicators obtained evidence different results when including subjective valuations in the calculations based on direct observations and financial returns, in line with the differences between the notions of price and value. Based on the findings to emerge, we show that public libraries are socially viable institutions and that they contribute towards the subjective well-being of their users, thereby legitimizing the public investment made to ensure their existence and functioning in the areas where they are located.

A multi-system comparison of forecast flooding extent using a scale-selective approach

Abstract Fluvial flood forecasting systems increasingly couple river discharge to a flood map library or a real-time hydrodynamic model to provide forecast flood maps to humanitarian agencies. The forecast flood maps can be linked to potential impacts to inform forecast-based financing schemes. We investigate a new application of scale-selective verification by evaluating three flood forecasting systems. Two simulation library systems, Flood Foresight (30 m) and GloFAS Rapid Flood Mapping (1,000 m) and one hydrodynamically modelled system, the Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) Super Model (300 m), all made predictions of flooding extent at different spatial scales (grid lengths, in brackets) for the Jamuna River flood, Bangladesh, July 2020. The flood maps are validated against synthetic-aperture-radar-derived observations of flooding using a scale-selective approach that can compare directly across different spatial scales. At short forecast lead times, the Super Model outperforms the other systems. Near to the Bangladesh border, the trans-boundary benefits of the two global systems are evident. We find that scale-selective methods can quantify the skill of systems operating at different spatial scales so that the benefits and limitations can be evaluated. Multi-system comparison of flood maps is important for improving impact-based forecasts and ensuring funds and response activities are appropriately targeted.

Public Librarians Hold Critical and Evolving Role as Community Facilitators of Government Information

A Review of: Zhu, X., Winberry, J., McBee, K., Cowell, E., & Headrick, J. S. (2022). Serving the community with trustworthy government information and data: What can we learn from the public librarians? Public Library Quarterly, 41(6), 574–595. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2021.1994312 Objective – To understand public librarians’ experiences in addressing their communities’ government information and data needs. Design – Semi-structured interviews. Setting – 4 public county library systems in 2 southern states in the United States in early 2019, prior to onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Subjects – 31 public service librarians, recruited through a combination of theoretical and convenience sampling strategies. Methods – The researchers conducted individual interviews, ranging between 30 and 60 minutes, with each participant. Interview recordings were transcribed and processed through the qualitative data software NVivo, using a grounded theory approach with open inductive coding followed by thematic analysis. Main Results – Six major findings were identified through thematic coding, including variability and complexity of reference questions, diversity in patron demographics, need for advanced knowledge of the local community context, preparedness of librarians to provide reference consultation for government information, balance between information and interpretation, and trust issues related to government sources. Challenges related to digital literacy level was a shared factor across multiple themes, as patrons’ government information needs are increasingly impacted by their ability to access web, mobile, and computer technologies, navigate online resources, and interpret bureaucratic vocabulary. Some librarians also expressed their own eroding trust towards the validity of government sources, such as climate change information from the Environmental Protection Agency under the Trump administration. Conclusion – A majority of the findings were consistent with past literature, including the breadth and depth of varying government informational needs of public library patrons and the trust patrons have for their public libraries and librarians. Researchers also noted limited initiatives by public libraries to proactively educate patrons about open data or misinformation and recommended that libraries and library science educators better prepare current and future librarians for their role as government information mediators.

Formation of Libraries in Uzbekistan as a Part of the USSR Library System

Being a traditional institution of culture, knowledge preservation and transfer, a relatively stable form of organizing social life, ensuring strength of ties and relationships within a society, in the context of its systemic transformations, developing digitalization of resources and communications, the library has the potential, the implementation of which can determine new models of action. In this regard, it becomes important to develop a model for adapting the activities of libraries in the region to the modern system of communications. For to elaborate a specific strategy, it is important to comprehend the development of library and information systems in the context of the historical and cultural development.The libraries of Uzbekistan served as the research object of the paper. The process of their systematic formation in this region started in 1918. The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, which entered the USSR, was created in October 24, 1924. Since that time, there began active creation of mass, special scientific, university and scientific technological libraries. The policy of mass library centralization carried out in the USSR in the 1970s–1980s contributed to the centralized collection acquisition, improvement of library services for different population segments, and raising the library personnel qualification. The library system was formed in the republic, which was systematically supported by the state.The article object is, basing on previously published and new information obtained from statistical collections and documents of state archives, which were not examined by specialists, to concretize concepts about forming and developing libraries in Uzbekistan as a part of the USSR library system for to determine future regularities and trends in the republican library and information system development.

Induction of binding sites for RecA aptamers by differentiated-competition capillary Electrophoresis-SELEX

The binding site-oriented SELEX strategy is an effective way to promote the functional evolution of aptamers. Here we report a novel aptamer screening strategy (Differentiated-competition Capillary Electrophoresis-SELEX), which enables candidate aptamers to be directionally induced to bind to different active sites of RecA. In this strategy, we introduce two competing binding factors into the “binding - dissociation” dynamic equilibrium system of RecA and ssDNA libraries. Due to the completely different binding mechanism of the competitive factor and the ssDNA library, it exerts different interference on the binding of RecA and the ssDNA library, which directed the binding site of aptamer candidates during the SELEX process. Multifunctional aptamers with high affinity and specificity were found to inhibit RecA activity by binding to different active sites. In conclusion, the SELEX method developed in our current study have identified a variety of biologically functional aptamers with relatively well-defined binding sites that regulate RecA protein activity, which has potential applications and future prospects for accurate screening of biological functional aptamers.

The Perceptions of Supervisors of Library Social Work Interns: Challenges and Recommendations

ABSTRACT Though the number of public libraries that host student interns is increasing around the world, there is a paucity of research about the experience of supervisors in these placements. This study addresses that absence through qualitative interviews with fourteen individuals with experience supervising library-based social work students. An iterative data analysis elucidated four challenges connected to their roles: (1) philosophical differences between libraries and social work; (2) navigating structural/bureaucracy issues in the library system; (3) managing ethical considerations in students’ work; and (4) negotiating the lack of precedence of the library/social work collaborative. Participants further identified specific tactics they took and/or recommended in response to these challenges. The study concludes with recommendations made by the authors based on the study and the research literature.

“Neighborhood Library Modernization”: Public Library Development and Racial Inequality in Milwaukee during the 1960s

ABSTRACT By the early 1960s, the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL), Richard Krug (head librarian of MPL), and Milwaukee mayor Henry Maier and his administration became major partners in expanding the reach of branch libraries across its urban neighborhoods. MPL grew from thirteen isolated libraries to nine connected branch libraries through the coordinated branch library system by 1972. This paper analyzes the history of library expansion in Milwaukee during the 1960s. Goals of community engagement, partnership, and citywide circulation guided the development of branch library construction. However, the creation of these branch libraries in Milwaukee was interconnected with the existence of racial inequality and changing racial demographics in the social, political, and economic context of the African American population in the city. Site and budget decisions made in this context had long-term consequences for the nine new branch libraries in Milwaukee.

Multiplexed experimental strategies for fragment library screening against challenging drug targets using SPR biosensors

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor methods are ideally suited for fragment-based lead discovery. However, generally applicable experimental procedures and detailed protocols are lacking, especially for structurally or physico-chemically challenging targets or when tool compounds are not available. Success depends on accounting for the features of both the target and the chemical library, purposely designing screening experiments for identification and validation of hits with desired specificity and mode-of-action, and availability of orthogonal methods capable of confirming fragment hits. The range of targets and libraries amenable to an SPR biosensor-based approach for identifying hits is considerably expanded by adopting multiplexed strategies, using multiple complementary surfaces or experimental conditions. Here we illustrate principles and multiplexed approaches for using flow-based SPR biosensor systems for screening fragment libraries of different sizes (90 and 1056 compounds) against a selection of challenging targets. It shows strategies for the identification of fragments interacting with 1) large and structurally dynamic targets, represented by acetyl choline binding protein (AChBP), a Cys-loop receptor ligand gated ion channel homologue, 2) targets in multi protein complexes, represented by lysine demethylase 1 and a corepressor (LSD1/CoREST), 3) structurally variable or unstable targets, represented by farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS), 4) targets containing intrinsically disordered regions, represented by protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), and 5) aggregation-prone proteins, represented by an engineered form of human tau (tau K18M). Practical considerations and procedures accounting for the characteristics of the proteins and libraries, and that increase robustness, sensitivity, throughput and versatility are highlighted. The study shows that the challenges for addressing these types of targets is not identification of potentially useful fragments per se, but establishing methods for their validation and evolution into leads.