Local Library Research Articles

Evaluating the WISE (Women in the South-East) Telehealth Network: A Model of Healthcare and Health Promotion at Rural Libraries.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the WISE (Women in the South-East) Telehealth Network. A follow-up survey design was used to determine the impact of the program on access to healthcare. WISE provided preventive care to women and gender expansive people at local libraries and the Mobile Library in the rural South Carolina Lowcountry. In 1year (February 2021-2022), WISE reached 523 individuals with 151 agreeing to participate in the study. Most participants identified as white (66%) or Black (22%). A Community Health Worker provided health education, connection to telehealth services, referrals, and connected individuals with community and social services. The Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ), changes in knowledge, satisfaction with WISE, Acceptability of Intervention measure (AIM), and sociodemographic characteristics. Participants with a high telehealth usability score were significantly more likely to be under the age of 35 (OR 4.60 [95% CI 1.21-17.52]), married (OR 10.00 [95% CI 2.19-45.64]), or white (OR 4.00 [95% CI 1.06-15.08]). The intervention earned a high acceptability score 4.46 (± .61)/5.0 by helping participants obtain necessary medical care and resources, as well as meeting their educational needs. This study offers practical suggestions to expand the use of telehealth initiatives to improve health outcomes by engaging libraries in rural communities.

Mapping Geothermal Indicator Minerals Using Fusion of Target Detection Algorithms

Mineral mapping from satellite images provides valuable insights into subsurface mineral alteration for geothermal exploration. In previous studies, eight fundamental algorithms were used for mineral mapping utilizing USGS spectra, a collection of reflectance spectra containing samples of minerals, rocks, and soils created by the USGS. We used an ASD FieldSpec 4 Hi-RES NG portable spectrometer to collect spectra for analyzing ASTER images of the Coso Geothermal Field. Then, we established the ground-truth information and the spectral library by analyzing 97 samples. Samples collected from the field were analyzed using the CSIRO TSG (The Spectral Geologist of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization). Based on the mineralogy study, multiple high-purity spectra of geothermal alteration minerals were selected from collected data, including alunite, chalcedony, hematite, kaolinite, and opal. Eight mineral spectral target detection algorithms were applied to the preprocessed satellite data with a proposed local spectral library. We measured the highest overall accuracy of 87% for alunite, 95% for opal, 83% for chalcedony, 60% for hematite, and 96% for kaolinite out of these eight algorithms. Three, four, five, and eight algorithms were fused to extract mineral alteration with the obtained target detection results. The results prove that the fusion of algorithms gives better results than using individual ones. In conclusion, this paper discusses the significance of evaluating different mapping algorithms. It proposes a robust fusion approach to extract mineral maps as an indicator for geothermal exploration.

Illuminating arthropod diversity in a tropical forest: Assessing biodiversity by automatic light trapping and DNA metabarcoding

AbstractAlthough studies of insect decline have recently dominated headlines worldwide, their interpretation requires caution since for most species, we lack long‐term population baselines. In the tropics, where most insect species thrive, our knowledge is even more limited and so reliable insect assessments must originate from well‐established long‐term monitoring efforts. Combining the extensive monitoring data from the Arthropod Program of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, we compare whether known arthropod diversity can be detected through metabarcoding of bulk insect samples obtained through automatic light‐trapping. Our study detected 4402 species based on Barcode Index Numbers (BIN) and detected fine‐scale differences between wet and dry seasons and sampling localities. We further refined our analysis to indicate which families and genera explained seasonal turnover. Using samples collected in parallel, but sorted manually as part of the ongoing arthropod monitoring program, we compared these methods. Out of 538 BINs recovered through manual sorting, there was a 70% overlap with the metabarcoding data; however, it represented 30% of the total BINs detected through metabarcoding. Expecting higher detection through metabarcoding, we also compare the results with the 14 years of sampling in BCI to better understand how well the monitoring program has captured the diversity of focal groups. Our results revealed a ~50% overlap between both methods and similar total catch. Barcode Index Numbers manually detected but not recovered by metabarcoding highlight some of the limitations of molecular detection methods such as primer bias. Contrastingly, BINs detected with metabarcoding, but not recovered by the traditional monitoring scheme, highlight the importance of local and regional barcode reference libraries.

The design of library database management system based on MySQL

Database-manage-system has become a modern management among different enterprises. The enterprises data need managed by a well-performed system. Also, the database is an essential need for a modern library. In this case, more and more people start using different way to build the system which is suitable for the enterprises. The library system has become a famous one which need a large database system to encounter the huge amount of data. In this article, it shows the usage of database-manage-system in a local library and how does the system work. Also, the introduction of the function of MySQL usage in this application. Finally, after the test of the data and running the programme in MySQL, the database-manage-system realize the function of list the book, check of availability, make reservations and store different users status. In this essay, through the test of data and the code, a database-manage-system is designed. This database-manage-system could complete basic function which contain check status, make appointments and locate books.

Virtual Maths Circles: helping young people to think like researchers

The Edinburgh Maths Circles are free sessions for families, run by staff and students from the University of Edinburgh, UK. Their main aim is encouraging children to think and behave like mathematics researchers, as they explore open-ended questions, make their own conjectures, and explain their reasoning to others. Maths Circles started in 2016 as in-person events, with an online version created in response to the outbreak of Covid-19. To spread the initiative as widely as possible across Scotland, we have been running development workshops for over four hundred teachers and educators, and we have visited local schools and libraries. The ideas and methods of Maths Circles have moved beyond our disciplinary boundaries, as other departments at the university are planning activities based on this model. In this practice case study, we illustrate the aims and philosophy of Maths Circles, the challenges we faced, and how the initiative grew over time. We describe our work with local schools/communities, and how we adapted to Covid-19 restrictions. We also share personal experiences from researchers, university students and educators who contributed to the project. We aim to encourage colleagues to adopt a similar approach in other contexts and disciplines, and we are open to cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The Suomen antropologi Ethnographic Reading Challenge

Each year just before the New Year, our hometown library—the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Library Network (Helmet 2024)—issues a curated 50-book reading challenge. To celebrate a new year, Suomen antropologi: Journal of the Finnish Anthropological Society, presents an ethnographic reading challenge in a similar style. The challenge is an outcome of one recent Friday evening when we—middle-aged neighbours and colleagues who did not know what else to do with our free time—went for a walk to our local library. Woven into this reading challenge is a bid for something more. The categories in this challenge purposely extend across broad, or ambiguous, categories, at times bordering on the downright silly. Our intention is to encourage thoughtful reading of ethnographies and other books that inspire our ethnographic imaginations.

Dynamics of dialect change in urban communities: Analysis of linguistic variation and evolution of Polish urban dialects based on data from local libraries

The relevance and necessity of the study of this topic lies in the fact that, in comparison with other lexical groups, dialectal linguistic units are peripheral and can easily be lost. The purpose of this study was to thoroughly examine and analyse the emergence and development of dialects in different regions of Poland. The study employed structural-functional and dialectical methods, the method of synthesis, logical and comparative analysis, the method of generalisation, as well as comparative, statistical, and system analysis. As a result, it was found that linguists distinguish three urban dialects of Polish: Warsaw, Poznan, and Krakow. The Warsaw dialect is the most widespread urban Polish dialect. Over the past few decades, the Warsaw dialect has undergone considerable changes. These changes can be noticed on several levels: the mazurka has disappeared, the accent and intonation have been simplified, and some terms are pronounced differently. Simple past tense forms are used more often than complex ones, and the grammar generally becomes simpler. The number of English and Russian borrowings is growing. Conventional phrases and expressions are becoming less common, while slang and colloquial terms are becoming more common. Unfortunately, Polish urban dialects are under threat of extinction. Local libraries are crucial for the preservation of dialects, as they collect resources on urban dialects and hold events to promote their use. The study is practically important, since all the theoretical provisions, conclusions, and recommendations can be used by philologists to improve their knowledge of the dialectical vocabulary of Poland

Revitalising Public Libraries Through Digital Technologies and Social Networking Sites: The Case of Rural Libraries of Kerala, India During Covid Pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent restrictive measures such as lockdown/shutdown have gravely impacted everyday life by suspending regular activities. This unprecedented situation has also led to a potential reorganization of social practices. The distinction between social spaces such as work, education, entertainment and family became linear, and the superseding of public, private and leisure time was evident. As a vibrant public space that plays a significant role in the personal and social life of the public, libraries had to explore novel methods to continue their services and social role during the lockdown period. This paper discusses rural public libraries in Kerala, India, by exploring their modalities of work execution and program organization during the pandemic-affected lockdown period between 2020–2022. The paper seeks to find out how the rural libraries of Kerala managed to engage in their daily services, focusing on how these libraries utilized digital media technologies and social networking sites in day-to-day activities. Based on the in-depth interviews with eleven local librarians this study explains different approaches planned and executed by the libraries to reach out to their readers and how these attempts mobilized and integrated the public to respond.

Challenges and limits of teaching English as a foreign language for economic returns and employability in Algeria

This study is driven by the fact that English is welcomed everywhere for economic purposes. Algeria, like many countries, has taken several measures towards improving the English language as part of broad economic development programs. However, Algeria’s investment in English has little impact on the country's economy and individuals’ potential for employment. Research to explore the reasons behind such problems and thus provide myriad suggestions is scarce. Therefore, our primary goal in this work is to provide insights into the challenges and the existing gaps associated with the provision of English language skills as a drive for Algeria’s economic advantages. This study uses a content analysis method that relies on local academic library resources and reports from foreign consultancies and organizations, which have been conducted to identify some common features pertaining English teaching and learning situation in Algeria. The findings constructed from our analysis revealed several gaps that thwart the teaching of English as a driving force for Algeria's economic advantages due to various reasons, detailed in the research. Keywords: Economy; English; English as a foreign language; employability.

Investigating the Development Strategies for Local Ethnic Cultural Libraries—Taking Jiuyi Academy in Dafang County as an Example

Investigating the Development Strategies for Local Ethnic Cultural Libraries—Taking Jiuyi Academy in Dafang County as an Example

Developing an immersive virtual farm simulation for engaging and effective public education about the dairy industry

Growing public interest in understanding the origins and production methods of dairy products, driven by concerns related to environmental impact, local sourcing, and ethics, highlights an important trend. Nevertheless, a knowledge-trust gap persists between consumers and the dairy industry. Addressing this gap, in this paper, we developed an immersive virtual farm simulation to provide realistic on-farm experiences to the public. Within the virtual farm, users can explore various sites where dairy cows are raised and gain insights into dairy production processes using a head-mounted display (HMD). This simulation was demonstrated at local libraries, involving 48 public participants. We collected and analyzed participants’ feedback on various aspects, including usability and their overall perceptions, to assess the simulation’s effectiveness as an agricultural education tool. We investigated the impact of the virtual experience on participants’ perceived knowledge gain and their awareness of the dairy industry. The results indicate that our dairy farm simulation was positively received as an effective tool for public education. Emphasizing the potential of virtual reality (VR) simulations in agricultural education and the industry, we discuss our key findings and future plans.

K-12 trade books’ representation of earthquake safety and protective actions: A content analysis

Meaningful learning resources for earthquake safety and survival have become an increasingly important topic among geoscientists, especially educators and researchers. Various members of the public, especially K-12 (ages 5–18) learners, continue to depend on scientific trade books available at their local public and school libraries for information about earthquake concepts. To our knowledge, no research has empirically examined how trade books represent earthquake safety and survival actions. In this research, we combine an iterative qualitative inductive and deductive analysis to explore the representation of earthquake safety and protective actions in 50 trade books. We categorize these actions into time-based practices related to preparedness before an earthquake, protective actions during an earthquake, and recovery after an earthquake. These trade books emphasize preparedness by means of building earthquake-resistant structures and urban planning, and efforts toward community resilience and keeping home supplies. The recommended personal protective action during an earthquake in the United States (“Drop, Cover, and Hold On”) is emphasized in the majority of the trade books, as well as other protective actions related to emotional actions and current technological automated actions such as earthquake early warning systems. Finally, the books highlight actions such as damage evaluation and support as ways to recover after an earthquake. Our findings highlight the issues between accepted earthquake safety and survival actions and the limited and/or inaccurate knowledge represented in some trade books. We provide interpretations of how presentation of limited or inaccurate information may increase confusion about appropriate protective actions. The inclusion of accepted and recommended protective actions in future trade books and the use of earthquake drills in public libraries as a supplement for trade book users may improve understanding and implementation of appropriate actions. We further demonstrate the potential of trade book contents in fostering earthquake education through library-community partnerships.

Evolution of strategic issues: a 20-year analysis of public library planning in South Korea

This study delves into the strategic issues faced by public libraries in South Korea spanning the period from 2003 to 2022. An extensive examination of 176 strategic planning documents from 17 local governments resulted in the selection and analysis of 75 documents using a strategic planning analysis model. The findings reveal that issues such as staff/training, collaboration/networks, information literacy, digital libraries, physical space, and collection emerged as major concerns in the strategic planning of public libraries in Korea. An analysis of the top issues' distribution over five-year intervals showed that staff/training issues consistently held a high rank over the 20-year period, underscoring their enduring strategic importance. Conversely, collection-related issues started with a low rank between 2003 and 2007 but consistently rose in significance from 2008 to 2022, becoming crucial strategic considerations for public libraries. Notably, these trends align closely with the direction set by the Comprehensive Library Advancement Plan at the national level for each period. The study underscores how the national-level development plan for libraries significantly influences the detailed strategic planning directions of local public libraries.

The Engaging Communities of Hispanics for Aging Research (ECHAR) Network: Denver Hispanic/Latino Bootcamp Translation

AbstractBackgroundHispanic/Latino (H/L) individuals have higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) yet are less likely to be diagnosed with ADRD and engage in ADRD research. Almost 30% of the population is H/L in Denver, Colorado. We carried out the Boot Camp Translation (BCT) process with our local H/L community to increase awareness of medical issues and enhance the uptake of evidence‐based interventions.MethodDuring the BCT process, participants learn about a medical issue, share their personal expertise and knowledge, and create locally relevant, culturally informed health messages and plans for message dissemination. The Denver H/L BCT on ADRD was conducted over a series of virtual meetings led by two University of Colorado academic co‐facilitators and a real‐time Spanish interpreterResult16 H/L individuals with a broad array of lived experience participated in the Denver H/L BCT on ADRD. The group met over a period of 8 months. Four dominant themes emerged: 1) Awareness of ADRD; 2) Brain health; 3) ADRD risk reduction; and 4) Exclusion of H/Ls in the ADRD health care and research. The target audience for these messages included H/L middle age and older adults and undocumented individuals in Denver. The group worked with a local designer to create flyers and t‐shirts displaying the messages, which were disseminated through local mercados, churches, and libraries. After the project, 12 of the 16 members agreed to serve on a community advisory board (CAB) to help guide future community‐academic partnership work.ConclusionBCT is an effective approach to engaging H/L individuals in ADRD research. The Denver H/L BCT successfully conducted the BCT using virtual meetings and a live interpreter. The partnership developed during the BCT led to the formation of a CAB, which will provide infrastructure for sustainable community engaged ADRD work.

Hyper-diversity in Sampling Strategy for Reader Response Studies in an Urban Context.

Early strategies of researching readers turned scholars to hermeneutic shortcuts like Iser’s ‘implied’ or Fish’s ‘informed’ reader. However, these shortcuts cannot be seen as studying ‘actual’ readers. One approach to studying actual readers has been turning to empirical methods. However, even though the institutions that do these types of research are located in culturally complex cities, the process of participant selection in empirical studies often does not take the city’s make-up into account. Therefore, this article aims to present a participant sampling strategy for empirical reader response research with Antwerp as the location for a study of urban readers in a European context. Opting for a qualitative approach and thus a purposeful sampling strategy and taking the hyper-diverse nature of major cities into account, we suggest using social milieu rather than traditional descriptive markers by recruiting from different neighbourhoods. This as neighbourhoods have their own culture and play an important role in a person’s identity. Turning to local libraries for participant recruitment means a step towards studying actual readers and will lead to a deeper insight into the effects of texts on readers. Moreover, apart from obtaining a richer variety of idiosyncratic responses, this can also result in a deeper understanding of (sub)cultural responses to narratives.

Cloud Computing: a tool for effective records and information management system in Nigerian academic libraries

Academic libraries, as part of their traditional responsibility, engage in the collection and generation of data and records with a various degree of sensitivity and usefulness. This study examined the importance of library record and advocates for the implementation of cloud computing technology as a viable alternative to other mode of record storage. Cloud computing as a record management tool will help preserve the myriad of records generated from the daily activities of libraries. The paper also identified the danger of paper or electronic method of information storage. It argued that information stored in this format is susceptible to loss by theft, fire or computer viruses, hard drive collapse as well as the destruction of local library internet server due to poor maintenance culture on the part of the personnel. Apart from the data backup function, remote accessibility of these record is another key consideration for cloud computing utility in library record management. In view of the vast potential, especially in the area of its elastic storage capability, it is highly recommended for all academic libraries in the country. However, it is observed that the cost of data and irregular power supply are some of the challenges facing its adoption in Nigeria, as along with the vulnerability to cyber-attacks which may lead to a partial or total loss of record. In these regards, it is further recommended that cloud computing, as a service platform, is adopted as a backup platform rather than a sole tool for record and data management in academic libraries.

Manuscript Treasures from Najaf in Carl Brockelmann’s Geschichte der arabischen Litteratur

Abstract In the 1890s, Carl Brockelmann (d. 1956) embarked on a mission to compile single-handedly a bibliography of the entire extant Muslim literary tradition in the Arabic language. Though the task proved impossible to accomplish in full, the supplement volumes (published in 1937, 1938, and 1942) and the second edition (published in 1943 and 1949) that eventually replaced the original Geschichte der arabischen Litteratur (GAL) remain an indispensable tool for Arabists and Islamicists today, especially for the mid-fifth/eleventh century and later. Little is known about how Brockelmann went about his work in the decades between the publication of the original GAL and the late 1930s and 1940s, when he was preparing the supplements and the second edition. Access to the relevant primary and secondary material proved challenging and variable over the course of Brockelmann’s career. The difficulties he encountered in consulting the relevant materials were partly alleviated by the support he received from colleagues, especially Hellmut Ritter (d. 1971), who was based in Istanbul and had access to the rich manuscript holdings of the local libraries. However, the importance of Ritter’s contributions to Brockelmann’s work goes beyond these manuscripts. For example, Ritter provided Brockelmann with two documents concerning the manuscript treasures of Najaf: a letter he had received in March 1936 from a young scholar in Najaf, ʿ⁠Alī al-Khāqānī (d. 1400/1979 or 1980), in which the latter described a selection of locally held manuscripts, and a handwritten catalogue by one Najafābādī. Eventually Brockelmann also had access to the first two volumes of Āghā Buzurg al-Ṭihrānī’s (d. 1389/1970) al-Dharīʿ⁠a ilā taṣānīf al-Shīʿ⁠a, his third important source for the manuscripts of Najaf. The present study analyses Brockelmann’s usage of these three sources.

Rubbish Printmaking

Rubber stamping, Tetra Pak print and kitchen sink lithography were some of the open-ended, exploratory processes, my inquisitiveness thrived upon during the printmaking MA at the University of the West of England. My curiosity always brought me back to exploring such techniques and material with no established orthodoxy or long tradition.
 On reflection, I believe the root of my practice was in part a response to the illustration/art history context in which I was first introduced to print. Art and technology were aligned; print was a commercial means to reproduce imagery. Slides of the technical accomplishments of master printmakers were projected each week, although inspiring they were also rather intimidating (how could we teenage students ever amount to such heights!) The philosophy of the Bauhaus-inspired books written by Peter Green, and published by Batsford, I found at the local library were more appealing and the printmaking within more attainable by comparison.
 During my MA second year along came Covid 19 and the lockdown. My printing practice was ideally suited to this new environment. I worked without a printing press, using pasta machines, spoons and rolling pins. Plastic 4-litre bottles instead of copper plates, cereal packets and coffee cups for collagraph print. Each outcome sparked further experiments.
 Whilst these experiments seemed outside the world of traditional print, they were, I reflected, informed by it. To create clear, readable print impressions I needed specific inks and paper. It required a knowledge of printing pressure in the pasta machine press for instance. Drypoint tools were purchased to create effective marks. There was a reciprocal relationship, in exploring print this way, it helped me to understand, and imbed traditional forms of printmaking. This alternative unorthodox form of print was my gateway into fully understanding and appreciating the field of printmaking.

Echolocation call characterization of insectivorous bats from caves and karst areas in southern Luzon Island, Philippines

Bats are excellent bioindicators and are increasingly used to assess ecosystem health and monitor changes in the environment. Due to increased awareness of the potential transmission of pathogens from bats to humans and recognizing the limitations of traditional bat sampling methods, the use of of non-invasive sampling techniques such as bat recorders were recommended for field-based monitoring studies. In the Philippines, however, bat bioacoustics is still a growing field, and the scarcity of acoustic data hinders the use of echolocation calls to conduct accurate inventories and population monitoring of echolocating bats. Here, we recorded and characterized echolocation calls of insectivorous bats from caves and karst areas located in southern Luzon Island, Philippines. In addition, we compared our results with other studies performed within and outside the country to identify possible regional and local variation in acoustic characters for some species. A total of 441 echolocation calls were recorded from six bat families: Hipposideridae (five species), Rhinolophidae (five species), Vespertilionidae (three species), Miniopteridae (two species), Megadermatidae (one species), and Emballonuridae (one species). Discriminant function analyses (DFA) with leave-one-out cross validation correctly classified bats emitting calls dominated with a constant frequency (CF) component (rhinolophids and hipposiderids) with >97% success and those producing frequency modulated (FM) calls (Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae) with 88.9% success. We report echolocation calls for Philippine population of two species (Megaderma spasma and Hipposideros lekaguli) for the first time. Moreover, we present geographical variations in call frequencies for some species by comparing previously reported acoustic data elsewhere across the species’ range. This underscores the importance of establishing a readily accessible and comprehensive local reference library of echolocation calls which would serve as a valuable resource for examining taxonomic identities of echolocating bats, particularly those whose calls exhibit biogeographic variations.

Understanding Libraries as Part of the Rural Active Living Environment: Evidence From a Content Analysis of Library Facebook Posts Made in Summer 2022.

As both public health and public libraries continue to evolve, there are opportunities for collaboration focused on building policies, systems, and environments that support communities making healthy choices easy choices. Given the health disparities related to physical inactivity, such as diabetes and heart disease in rural America, public libraries within rural communities are emerging as important settings for health promotion and disease prevention. This study sought to better understand how rural libraries promote physical activity opportunities on Facebook. Based on a content analysis of Facebook posts of a random sample of 118 libraries made during the Summer of 2022, 47 of the 118 had at least one post related to physical activity and 42 had multiple posts. The most frequent offering was events or classes; libraries also supported physical activity by lending equipment and making changes to the built environment. This study provides evidence that some rural libraries are offering physical activity opportunities through community health partnerships, particularly for youth and families. Considering this evidence, public health professionals are encouraged to collaborate with local libraries to promote physical activity and advance rural health equity. Researchers are invited to continue to develop the evidence base around promoting physical activity with rural libraries.