Local Library Research Articles

Demystifying Ambiguous Words in Request for Proposals of Information Systems in Japan

Disagreements in interpreting words in software requirements specifications (SRSs) can lead to project failure. Various approaches to identifying and preventing ambiguous words in SRSs have been proposed. Yet, it is unclear which ambiguous words are used in the actual SRSs and to what extent they need to be modified. This paper quantitatively analyzes existing SRSs to clarify (1) how many ambiguous words are included in SRSs and (2) how many of these words require correction. This paper targets the Request for Proposals (RFPs), which describe the initial requirements of 40 systems of local governments, libraries, universities, and hospitals in Japan. Ten ambiguous Japanese words were analyzed. The result shows that “juubun” (sufficient) appeared most frequently, and 42% required correction when this word was used. The result also indicates that the number of ambiguous words varied greatly among the RFPs and that larger RFPs did not necessarily contain more ambiguous words.

A complementary approach for detecting biological signals through a semi-automated feature selection tool

IntroductionUntargeted metabolomics is often used in studies that aim to trace the metabolic profile in a broad context, with the data-dependent acquisition (DDA) mode being the most commonly used method. However, this approach has the limitation that not all detected ions are fragmented in the data acquisition process, in addition to the lack of specificity regarding the process of fragmentation of biological signals. The present work aims to extend the detection of biological signals and contribute to overcoming the fragmentation limits of the DDA mode with a dynamic procedure that combines experimental and in silico approaches.MethodsMetabolomic analysis was performed on three different species of actinomycetes using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The data obtained were preprocessed by the MZmine software and processed by the custom package RegFilter.Results and DiscussionRegFilter allowed the coverage of the entire chromatographic run and the selection of precursor ions for fragmentation that were previously missed in DDA mode. Most of the ions selected by the tool could be annotated through three levels of annotation, presenting biologically relevant candidates. In addition, the tool offers the possibility of creating local spectral libraries curated according to the user’s interests. Thus, the adoption of a dynamic analysis flow using RegFilter allowed for detection optimization and curation of potential biological signals, previously absent in the DDA mode, being a good complementary approach to the current mode of data acquisition. In addition, this workflow enables the creation and search of in-house tailored custom libraries.

Designing for Teen Mental Health: An exploration of the co-design of virtual reality in the public library setting

Teen mental health is in a state of crisis in the United States. One in three adolescents is suffering from a mental health issue and suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens ages 15–24. The demand for mental health resources far outweighs the supply suggesting creative and accessible mental health resources are needed. The public library is a community resource available to all community members and is an ideal location for providing mental health supports. Therefore, in this project, we engaged three, diverse groups of teens (n = 30) in the design and development of a virtual reality environment intended to support teen mental health. Teens from two urban (Seattle and Washington, D.C.) and one rural setting (Texas) participated in a 13-session, after school co-design program led by local library staff. Through these design sessions, we learned that (1) Teens are interested and engaged in talking about their mental health and find nature and animals relaxing and helpful. (2) Teens envision virtual reality (VR) as an environment to help them manage or avoid stress and feelings of overwhelm. (3) As designers teens enjoy active interaction and the ability to iterate on their designs. (4) VR designs by teens often included being in nature and with animals. These data suggest that virtual reality may be a successful medium and public libraries an appropriate site in which to engage teens in co-design for mental health. More importantly, such programs may offer an invitation to encourage teens to think about and discuss their own mental health.

The modified external parameter orthogonalization with removed PC2 to remove effectively the moisture effect on the spectra

In situ visible–near infrared spectroscopy holds great potential in providing information supporting field applications, decision making and management in soil science, especially combined with the information present in the archived soil spectra. However, soil moisture can drastically affect the reflectance curve and reduce prediction accuracy. The external parameter orthogonalization (EPO) can remove the moisture effect but the effect of elimination is urgently needed to be improved. Herein, firstly, we implemented EPO on 50 bootstrapped calibration datasets, which generated from the local soil spectra library, with 255 combinations of PC1 to PC8, resulting in a total of 50*255 models in PLSR and cubist, respectively. Secondly, we calculated the mean prediction results from these 255 combinations and selected the top 10 validation performance results. Thirdly, we performed correlation analysis on SOM with each segment induced by singular value decomposition on the difference of laboratory and in situ spectra to determine which PC should be removed in the modified EPO. Results revealed that top 10 prediction results with principles without PC2 and the moisture effect was mainly in PC1, and PC2 with significant correlation with SOM were removed from the EPO procedure. EPO with removing PC2 (namely Modified EPO) improved the correlation of SOM with some optional bands that directly and indirectly were associated with SOM to improve the SOM prediction accuracy. Modified EPO improved the accuracy in predicting SOM with increased R2 (9 %–44 % and 7 %–17 %) and root mean square error (1 %–9 % and 63 %–68 %) in the PLSR and Cubist model, respectively. Our study highlights the advantage of modified EPO in improving the elimination efficiency of water in spectra, and of PC analysis biplots in approximating the removed PCs.

Environmental DNA metabarcoding in the Cape Fold aquatic ecoregion: Opportunities and challenges for eDNA uptake in an endemism hotspot

Abstract Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has the potential to significantly improve surveys of biodiversity in freshwater systems. However, this methodology is still infrequently used in global hotspots of endemic species, in part because of two major barriers to the success of eDNA metabarcoding: (1) insufficient regional taxonomic representation in public reference sequence databases; and (2) inconsistent species incidence and abundance estimates when compared to conventional surveys. We sampled eDNA and conducted visual surveys in the headwaters of two rivers in the Cape Fold aquatic ecoregion, South Africa. A reference sequence database was generated for the regional diversity of fishes to improve taxonomic classification of endemic species. We also compared the consistency of incidence data and relative abundance estimates of fishes from eDNA metabarcoding sequencing results and visual surveys (snorkel and underwater cameras) at each site sampled. Only 1% of eDNA metabarcoding reads could be classified to fish species without the supplementation of reference sequence databases for local endemic species. Once regional reference sequences were added, a total of nine species were detected and >99% reads classified. A strong positive relationship (Φ = 0.75) was observed between the patterns of detections using eDNA and visual approaches. However, eDNA metabarcoding detected more species than visual methods. In addition, the relative read frequency and abundance observed in visual surveys was significantly correlated (R2 = 0.85–0.88, p < 0.001) in the majority of the small pools surveyed. Incomplete public reference sequence databases hinder the use of eDNA metabarcoding in regions of high endemicity. Local reference sequence libraries can overcome these challenges. When appropriately implemented, eDNA metabarcoding shows promise, producing results consistent or better than the more frequently used and labour‐intensive visual surveys. Efficient survey methods like eDNA metabarcoding are urgently needed to improve aquatic monitoring efforts globally. Understanding how eDNA metabarcoding sequencing results relate to conventional survey methods is a key step in its implementation in ecoregions with high endemicity.

Identification of Two Species of the Family Sparidae for eDNA Sequences using a Representative 16SrRNA Reference Library for Omani Fish

Identification of fish species accurately is required to support efforts for conserving fishery biodiversity assessment and sustainable management. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA) was suggested for regular monitoring of species for effective management of biodiversity. In Oman, molecular reference library representing fish species from the Omani coastline can support such potential approaches. In this communication, we used a local mtDNA-16SrRNA reference library representing Sparidae fish species from the Omani coastlines to identify two Sparidae eDNA sequences (zotu24 and zotu85, from Muscat and Dhofar, respectively) from Acanthopagrus and Diplodus genera reported by a recent eDNA study from Oman. The two species are found to be Acanthopagrus berda and Diplodus cervinus and their sampling sites matches the locations range of the reference specimens. The results indicate the utility and importance for DNA markers’ reference library representing fish species from the Omani coastline to effectively sustain the marine resources using emerging technologies. Keywords: Sparidae, eDNA; 16SrRNA; Acanthopagrus berda; Diplodus cervinus; Oman.

Internal tension or external pressure? Study on the influencing factors of the diffusion of education policies for older adults in China – Based on the analysis of China’s provincial panel data from 2016 to 2023

ABSTRACT The development of education for older adults through policy measures has become an important means for governments to actively cope with population aging. Taking the number of education policies for older adults adopted in 31 provinces of China from 2016 to 2023 as an example, this study empirically analyzes the factors influencing the diffusion of education policies from dimensions of internal tension and external pressure. The results showed that the level of economic development, natural population growth rate, older adults dependency ratio, child dependency ratio, illiterate population over 15 years old, number of local libraries inside the province and the adoption of education policies for older adults in adjacent provinces significantly affected the adoption of education policies for older adults in each province. After the introduction of regional variables, it is found that there are significant differences in the adoption of education policies for older adults by provincial governments in different regions of China. The policy responsiveness of eastern provinces is the best, followed by the central, and the western is the worst. The above results indicate that provincial governments in China are not only affected by the supply level of education services for older adults and their service demand within the province, but also affected by the adoption behavior of other provinces when making decisions, which is the result of rational thinking and competitive pressure. The above results provide China’s experience for the diffusion and implementation of education policies for older adults in a wider range.

Politics and Children's Books: Evidence From School Library Collections

The recent spike in book challenges has put school libraries at the center of heated political debates. I investigate the relationship between local politics and school library collections using data on books with controversial content from a sample of 6,631 public school libraries. Libraries in conservative areas have fewer titles with LGBTQ, race/racism, or abortion content and more Christian fiction and discontinued Dr. Seuss books. This is true even though most libraries have at least some controversial content. State laws that restrict curricular content are negatively related to access to some LGBTQ and race/racism titles. Finally, I present short-term evidence that book challenges in the 2021–22 school year are associated with decreases in the acquisition of new LGBTQ materials.

ILead with an EDI Lens

ABSTRACT This conceptual paper introduces the joint San José State University, School of Information and Simmons University, School of Library and Information Science, IMLS grant planning project: iLead: Preparing Tomorrow’s Library Leaders. During 2023–24, the grant team project members are designing an asynchronous online program where library employees may earn micro-credentials. The online program focuses on developing leadership skills with an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens. Contributions from national, state, and local library partners during the development of this curriculum will assist in applying for a future IMLS implementation grant. For more information on iLead: https://www.ileadedi.org/.

Exploring the Enigma of Maristans in Muslim-Ruled Kashmir.

Kashmir's oldest Neolithic settlement dates back to 3000 BC. It stood as the centre of Buddhism and Hinduism for centuries, till the arrival of Islam in thirteenth century. Although Muslims ruled Kashmir under different empires for about four centuries and ever since there has always been a significant Muslim populace in Kashmir with or without Muslim rule, yet the literature about the history of health care in Kashmir and particularly the history about Muslim contributions to healthcare is sparingly limited. This paper aims at a) historical contextualization of healthcare in Kashmir, b) finding Muslim rulers` contributions if any to the healthcare system and c) exploring places of healing 'shafa-khanas' in Kashmir. In order to achieve these objectives, the methods used were data collection through locating key historical resources, by searching local libraries and bookshops and searching online academic databases, thereafter, subjecting the collected data to thematic analysis. Three themes emerged during data analysis, which corresponds to the objectives of this paper, these are a) 'Historical context of healthcare in Kashmir', b) 'Muslim contributions to healthcare in Kashmir' and c) 'Places of healing 'Shafa-khanas' in Kashmir'. The analysis shows that healthcare during Muslim rule was integrative, progressive, robust, indigenous, specialized, and efficient/accommodative. We conclude that though 'shafa-khanas' existed in medieval Kashmir, there is however not much literature available.

Urban hyperspectral reference data availability and reuse: State‐of‐the‐practice review

AbstractHyperspectral remote sensing is currently underutilized in urban environments due to significant barriers concerning the existence, availability, and quality of urban hyperspectral reference spectra. This paper exposes these barriers by identifying, cataloging, and characterizing the contents of 23 spectral libraries, developing metrics to assess compliance with the Principles of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability (FAIR), and evaluating existing resources using these criteria. Only 2931 urban spectral records were found within the 4 Global Spectral Libraries (0.61% of 476,592 published spectra). Within a further 19 Local Urban Spectral Libraries, 3862 additional urban spectra were found, but only 1662 (43%) were accessible without restriction. Content analysis revealed insufficient representation of urban material heterogeneity, imbalanced categories, and limited library interoperability, all of which further hinder effective data utilization. In response, this paper proposes a 14‐category metadataset, with specific considerations to overcome environmentally induced and inherent, intra‐material variability. In addition, material‐based spectral groupings and data resampling to common hyperspectral equipment specifications are recommended. These measures aim to enhance the utility of urban spectral libraries by improving FAIR compliance, thereby contributing to a more cohesive and enduring framework for hyperspectral reference data.

Exploring the Nexus: Homeschooling and Library Engagement in Connecticut

ABSTRACT In the dynamic landscape of education, homeschooling continues to offer a compelling alternative to traditional schooling. Homeschool numbers surged through the pandemic and have not decreased to pre-pandemic levels. This study examines the shared connections between homeschooled families in Connecticut and local public libraries by looking at how home educators use library resources and participate in library programming; and examining how Connecticut libraries perceive and respond to the diverse needs of homeschooling communities. Based on 2 Connecticut statewide surveys, one sent to public librarians and another to homeschoolers, the study sought to identify areas of strengths, weaknesses and disconnects in the homeschool community and public library relationships in Connecticut. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and reviewed to identify potential improvements to the evolving role of libraries in supporting alternative education pathways, and the potential for an infusion of public library support from the homeschool community.

The political crisis of autumn-winter 1993 on the pages of the newspaper "Muromsky Krai"

The article is devoted to the reflection of the political crisis of the end of 1993 in the provincial periodical of Murom, Vladimir region. The author refers to the journalistic articles of the local newspaper "Muromsky Krai" from September 23, when the first information about the events in Moscow was published, to December 23, when the results of the December 12 vote were published in the newspaper. Information about the situation on the ground in conditions of severe crisis and political instability, brought to the peak of tension in the autumn of 1993, is able to tell the mood in society and the position of municipal authorities, as well as reveal the role of the media and journalists, in particular, in localizing and resolving conflicts of interest both within the government and between the government and society at the local level. The research is based on the principles of objectivity and historicism. In addition, historical, systematic and chronological methods allowed us to reveal the question posed to the author about the reflection of the political crisis of the end of 1993 in the Murom newspaper. The source base of the study was the issues of the local socio-political newspaper "Muromsky Krai". To solve the scientific problem, the author applied to the municipal archive of Murom and the local library. The journalists of the local newspaper paid great attention to the political vicissitudes and the participation of citizens in resolving the political confrontation. The author of the study studied this layer of materials in detail and came to the conclusion that urban journalists, with their very peaceful position, contributed to maintaining calm among the Muromites during an extremely difficult period of Russian history. At the same time, citizens, having shown awareness, preferred another way of interacting with the authorities to strikes and mass rallies – participation in the elections on December 12, the results of which showed dissatisfaction with the policy of the central authorities.

Libraries Are Resilience Hubs

Problem, research strategy, and findings We explored the contributions of local public libraries to community resilience in the face of economic hardships, extreme weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic using a survey of 415 library directors distributed through state library listservs in 13 Midwestern states, community-level census and presidential elections data, and library-specific data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services annual Public Libraries Survey. We found that public libraries provide invaluable resilience-boosting community services. They help patrons find jobs and access social services, often with one-on-one support. They act as daytime shelters during extreme heat and cold events, which is particularly important for unhoused and underhoused individuals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they innovated to provide delocalized services and information access, such as installing WiFi hotspots. The provision of these essential resilience-boosting services is largely independent from library resources and community contexts and appear grounded in librarians’ ethos. Our research was limited to Midwestern public libraries and thus results are not generalizable to other regions, private, academic, and specialized libraries. We did not explore the possible relationships between local political majorities that could affect local government funding and priorities and local libraries’ funding sources, levels, and services. Takeaways for practice Beyond collections and information access, public libraries provide many services relevant to community and economic development and to disaster response. In addition, local public libraries act as resilience hubs in the face of economic stressors and extreme weather events, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic, and are ready, flexible, adaptable, and willing to support patrons in times of need. Planners seeking to enhance community resilience can work with their local public libraries to build disaster preparedness and response capacity.

Healthy Me, Healthy Planet: Evaluation of a pilot planetary health library program

AbstractIssue AddressedThe Healthy Me, Healthy Planet program was an evidence‐informed pilot program conducted by a local libraries to promote the health co‐benefits of action on climate change.BackgroundAn impact evaluation of the Healthy Me, Healthy Planet program was conducted using a mixed methods research design including pre‐, during, and post‐program surveys and online focus groups.MethodsThe evaluation included 136 participants aged 18+ years who were able to understand and communicate in English or simplified Chinese language. Descriptive analyses of the survey data were integrated with thematic analyses of focus group (N = 2) data to generate key themes.ResultsKey impacts included individual and organisational capacity building, personal and social well‐being, and pro‐environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. Impacts on program participants included increased confidence, motivation, positive feelings, and personal well‐being after taking part in the Healthy Me, Healthy Planet program. Participants reported enhanced social connections, mental well‐being, and environmental benefits such as engaging within the community on environmental issues and feeling inspired to make sustainable lifestyle changes.ConclusionLibraries play a key role in promoting the health of people and planet in the community because they are a trusted, safe, and supportive community setting, a curator of credible and reliable evidence‐based information on health and planetary topics and a local and free provider for skills and literacy development.So WhatThe evaluation of the pilot suggests that participants improved their capacity to practice sustainable living and it is recommended that this program be expanded to other library settings to enhance community connection and support local planetary health initiatives.

Offline Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for Deep Annotation of the Fecal Metabolome Following Fecal Microbiota Transplantation.

Biological interpretation of untargeted LC-MS-based metabolomics data depends on accurate compound identification, but current techniques fall short of identifying most features that can be detected. The human fecal metabolome is complex, variable, incompletely annotated, and serves as an ideal matrix to evaluate novel compound identification methods. We devised an experimental strategy for compound annotation using multidimensional chromatography and semiautomated feature alignment and applied these methods to study the fecal metabolome in the context of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for recurrent C.difficile infection. Pooled fecal samples were fractionated using semipreparative liquid chromatography and analyzed by an orthogonal LC-MS/MS method. The resulting spectra were searched against commercial, public, and local spectral libraries, and annotations were vetted using retention time alignment and prediction. Multidimensional chromatography yielded more than a 2-fold improvement in identified compounds compared to conventional LC-MS/MS and successfully identified several rare and previously unreported compounds, including novel fatty-acid conjugated bile acid species. Using an automated software-based feature alignment strategy, most metabolites identified by the new approach could be matched to features that were detected but not identified in single-dimensional LC-MS/MS data. Overall, our approach represents a powerful strategy to enhance compound identification and biological insight from untargeted metabolomics data.

Data Aggregation by Web Scraping using Python

The standard data examination are based on the root and effect relationship, formed a model tiny assessment, abstract and quantitative assessment, the level headedness approach of making extrapolation assessment. The Web Scraper's scheming morals and methodology are compared, it clarifies about the working of how the scrubber is planned. The strategy of it is distributed into three pieces: the web scrubber draws the ideal connections from web, and afterward the information is removed to get the information from the source joins lastly stowing that information into a CSV record. The Python language is carried out for the completing. Thusly, connecting every one of these with the ethical information of libraries and working skill, One can have a satisfactory Scraper in our grasp to produce the ideal outcome. Because of a gigantic local area and library assets for Python and the impeccableness of coding stylish of python language, it is generally proper one for Scraping wanted information from the ideal site.

On the Construction and Development of Local Literature in College Libraries in Ethnic Areas

Libraries of colleges and universities in ethnic minority areas play an important role in serving ethnic minority students. However, with the times in the context of continuous development, there are many problems in the construction of local literature in the libraries of colleges and universities in ethnic minority areas, which need to be strengthened urgently. In this paper, through the investigation and analysis of the current situation of the construction of the Kangba Literature Library in the library of Sichuan Institute for Nationalities, the countermeasures to strengthen the construction of the local literature library in the libraries of colleges and universities in ethnic minority areas are put forward. Hopefully, it can be beneficial to the construction of Kamba Literature Library in the libraries of colleges and universities in minority areas. At the same time, it is also hoped that the relevant departments can pay attention to this problem and take practical and effective measures to promote the development of the construction of literature libraries in college libraries in ethnic minority areas.

The Returns to Public Library Investment

Local governments spend over $12 billion annually funding the operation of 15,427 public libraries in the United States, yet we know little about their effects. We use data describing the near universe of public libraries to show that public library capital investment increases library visits, children’s attendance at library events, and children’s circulation by an average of 5–15 percent in the years following investment. Increases in library use translate into improved test scores in nearby school districts: a $200 or greater per student capital investment in local public libraries increases reading test scores by 0. 01–0.04 standard deviations in subsequent years. (JEL G31, H75, I21, L86)

Analysis of library resources and services in developing confidence for language use

Reading is a form of social activity that connects the readers to transformational learning. Library resources offer an opportunity to build competence in language use. In essence, the library resources can impact how students perceived reading as a channel to academic success, which in turn—develops a lifelong learner. This study was an exploratory study that analyzed how library resources and services develop confidence in language use. Eight (8) college students were purposively selected for one-on-one interview. The data gathered were narrative from college students on how they utilized resources from their local library. The findings suggested that college students considered their local library as a reliable site to search for information. In-depth analysis showed that students were confident in language use because their resources were reliable and accurate. Language use covered mostly phonological and morphological aspects of language, including lexicons, writing styles, and writing formats. Librarians had the role of encouraging the students to read contents from the library and assisting them in utilizing in-print and online contents. Library assistance enabled the students to build their ideas into meaningful developmental contents. This study provided an angle for language confidence, language success, and language competence. These components of language learning were essential in predicting the linguistic capacity of students.