Offering Information Services Research Articles

Every “reader” his or her “book”

Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan, an Indian librarian, and mathematician developed the Five Laws of Librarianship in 1931. Principles drawn from these laws undergird the design and delivery of library services to date. The second law states that “every reader his or her book”. This implies that libraries should deliver services and resources which are customised for the specific needs of unique categories of their users. The degree to which academic libraries in Kenya offer appropriate services to persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly in the post-COVID-19 era, is unknown. This paper evaluates the services offered to PWDs by academic libraries in Kenya using Tangaza University College Library as a case study. Specifically, the paper assesses the preparedness of academic libraries in Kenya to meet the information needs of PWDs, identifies the services and resources offered to PWDs by academic libraries in Kenya, evaluates the usability of the services, and proposes a framework for providing information services to PWDs in academic libraries in Kenya in the post-COVID 19 era. This paper was developed using concurrent triangulated mixed methods research through which quantitative and qualitative data was collected from 11 librarians and 9 PWDs using questionnaires and interviews respectively. Due to the small number of the target population, a census was used. The findings of the study reveal that academic libraries are least prepared to offer information services and materials to PWDs. Although commendable efforts are being made, there are gaps in the conceptualization, design, and delivery of the services. There is a need for a framework to mainstream the needs of the PWDs in the bouquet of services offered by academic libraries in Kenya. The findings contribute to the discourses on the emerging role of libraries in safeguarding the information and communication rights of PWDs in Kenya and abroad in the post-COVID era. A framework to enhance information services to PWDs by academic libraries in Kenya is proposed.

What Are Public Libraries For? Culture As a Determinant of Conceptualizations of Public Library Services for Forced Migrants

ABSTRACTPublic libraries offer important services for newcomer populations, including forced migrants. They help facilitate the integration of forced migrants into the host country, increase their levels of trust within new communities, and build social capital. To date, however, the determinants of forced migrant engagement with public library services has been left unexplored. Here the impact of culture on conceptualizations of public library services, and the role of this on the adoption and use of public library services, is investigated using the Theory of information worlds. The analysis is based on data collected in semi‐structured interviews with 30 UK service gatekeepers for forced migrants. Thematic analysis identified three conceptualizations of public library services as: (1) leisure services, that (2) offer information services, (3) as part of a larger system that includes other functions such as immigration and policing. These conceptualizations impact service use and, importantly, non‐use. Further contributions of the work include the proposal that Maslow's (1943) Hierarchy of needs may serve as a moderating variable for the five societal elements of the Theory of information worlds, and practical recommendations for public library staff keen to increase forced migrant engagement with the services that they offer.

Legal regulation of the provision of information services in the field of open data

The article is devoted to the search and practical analysis of the legal regulation of the provision of information services in the field of access to public information (open data). Under informatization, the development of information society, and promotion of business and public administration transparency, there is a rethinking of the role and significance of information as a social weal and legal phenomenon. Contracts for the provision of information services are widely used both in private and public legal spheres. Access to public information is an administrative service regulated by the principle of subordination, reporting, imperativeness. At the same time, actions with publicly available information can also be the subject of civil law contracts in providing information services. In particular, many online services offer information services based on private law on the data generating and processing obtained from state registers. Data publicity has advantages for all sectors, namely: private (making better decisions through access to complete information and developing new products, services, business models, and interaction models between business and public authorities); public authorities (increasing the public services efficiency and policy development and monitoring); public (improving communication between government, business, and society, preventing corruption, involving the public in the decision-making process).

Supporting the Needs of Children through Arts and Culture: An Interview with Anabel Negrín (Librarian of El Parnaso, Uruguay Services for Children and Teenagers)

El Parnaso is an interesting cultural center in the small city of Young, which is located a bit north of Trinidad, Uruguay. This center is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the information needs of its population, and it contains a children’s library and a music library. El Parnaso hosts a wide variety of activities for children and young people, including music, origami, and even Greek language. Anabel Negrín is the librarian of El Parnaso, and she is responsible for managing the library’s resources and offers information services to users who visit. A native Youngenese, Negrín has returned to her birthplace after working in various academic libraries in Uruguay. In this interview, she introduces her library, gives an overview of various education issues in Uruguay, and provides interesting stories about her experience at El Parnaso.

Cooperation platform for distributed manufacturing

The aim of the paper is to analyse contemporary trends in distributed manufacturing (DM) research and to present a concept to develop and test some task allocation, planning and scheduling algorithms for DM network organisations. Some concepts to identify key factor criteria and reasoning policies and rules for production/manufacturing decision support system are also undertaken. And finally, an aim is to draw a proposal for a development of a prototype decision support system with necessary communication and knowledge oriented modules to be implemented in an example of dynamic, DM and logistics network structure, particularly for very popular dynamic cluster forms in Poland. The developed concept of the organization of a multi-entity DM network will enable business-effective use of the system, supporting manufacturing decision making, consulting and offering information services in the control centre (the so-called Competence Centre) by constructing virtual reality and access to services in a distributed network of cloud computing type. Integration of the whole system into one information system will enable analysis and network resource optimization of manufacturing and logistics processes, new analytical functions, reduction of delays in the manufacturing system, management of changes and risks, and visualization of the current state of the DM system.

The innovation in university libraries in pandemic times in northern Brazil

O novo cenário que estamos vivenciando tem nos chamado a repensar o papel da biblioteca como suporte educacional à universidade, pois, em uma sociedade organizada em torno das Tecnologias Digitais e Informacionais e Comunicacionais, ela deve desenvolver serviços e produtos informacionais online para atender as necessidades informacionais da comunidade usuária interna e externa, visto que as Bibliotecas Universitárias (BU) na sociedade conectada são fundamentais para a produção do conhecimento científico e também para suprir as lacunas dos sujeitos diante do universo informacional. Este novo cenário tem obrigado o fechamento das bibliotecas no Brasil nas Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior, no entanto, muitas delas vem se reinventando no oferecimento de serviços e produtos informacionais online. Este artigo trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de natureza básica utilizando o método exploratório e descritivo, com revisão bibliográfica referente à temática de inovação nas bibliotecas universitárias. O resultado de pesquisa foi coletado nos websites das bibliotecas da região norte do Brasil. O levantamento dos dados permitiu um melhor entendimento da forma como as BU da região do Brasil estão atendendo as necessidades informacionais de seus usuários no período de pandemia da COVID-19. Apesar de algumas das BUs não estarem desenvolvendo ações voltadas para a capacitação de sua comunidade acadêmica, ainda há aquelas que vem apoiando as atividades acadêmicas através de atitudes inovadoras na sociedade contemporânea, como a oferta de serviços e produtos informacionais de forma diversificada.

A wireless intelligent thermal control and management system for piglet in large-scale pig farms

Indoor temperature is a critical environmental factor for piglets that affects the health, welfare, and production efficiency of domesticated pigs. However, there are limited reports about wireless intelligent thermal control and management system for piglets in large-scale pig farms, and evaluation energy saving. This paper presents an Automatic Thermal Control and Management System (ATCMS) of micro-environment for piglets, that could provide a suitable production environment and reduce the energy consumption. ATCMS includes automatic temperature control system (ATCS), multipoint temperature management system (MTMS) and remote access. The infrared heating lamps are chosen in the ATCS for their good performance in heating rate and heating distribution. In order to meet a scientific temperature requirements of piglet growth, the suitable thermal ranges of each growth-stage (STREG) are employed as intelligent control strategies to generate an automatic and precise heating control. MTMS is responsible for communicating with ATCSs and transmitting information to database server for record based on wireless technology. Remote access offers information services for remote administrators by smart phones and clients via Internet. The experiments of ATCMS were carried out both in winter and summer at Binsheng Breeding Piggery Farm, Acheng City, Heilongjiang Province, China. Results showed that the temperature provided by ATCS had been kept in STREG of piglets during the whole winter period. When the indoor temperature during summer period were in or above STREG, heating lamps were turned off by ATCS for a long time. The energy consumption of ATCS were 63.60% in winter and 39.35% in summer with continuous heating system operation. Therefore, ATCMS could take the suitable thermal ranges of each growth-stage as an intelligent control principle to give an automatic and precise control to heating devices in order to meet a scientific temperature requirements of piglet growth.

Proliferation of social media in academic libraries: use of WhatsApp as a platform for providing library services

PurposeThis study investigated the use of WhatsApp as the platform for providing services at Mzuzu University Library in Malawi.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with five librarians that were either working or had worked at the reference desk for a period of not less than six months. Furthermore, the researchers did a content analysis of WhatsApp posts from the two tablet computers deployed at the reference desk. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, while the quantitative data were analysed using scientific calculators.FindingsFindings revealed that WhatsApp has successfully been used to provide a number of user and reference services to students and staff. Notwithstanding this, a number of technical, human resource and service-related factors were discovered to be affecting the delivery of services and hence need to be addressed. It is therefore recommended that library management should take steps to address these challenges to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.Practical implicationsWhatsApp is one of the most popular social media applications that is deployed by many people including organisations at minimal cost in many countries. This makes it an ideal platform for offering information services to library clients on campus and remote places around the clock. Consequently, this could lead to increased usage of resources and services resulting in greater satisfaction among users.Originality/valueStudies focussing on the use of WhatsApp for academic purposes in Malawi abound in the literature. However, this is the first study focussing on the use of WhatsApp for providing library reference services to be undertaken not only at Mzuzu University Library but the entire academic library sector in Malawi.

Women Voters' Access to Political Information during the 2013 Kenyan General Election in Kakamega County

Information is considered an important resource for women’s political participation. However, little is known about women’s access to election-related information in Kenya. Anchored on the uses and gratifications theory (UGT), this research examined women voters’ access to political information during the 2013 Kenyan general election in Kakamega County. This study adopted a descriptive survey in which data was collected from 372 women voters using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The results revealed that women voters mainly accessed political information via radio and interpersonal sources comprising family members and friends as they were in close proximity with them. Major constraints to women’s political information access were the following: inadequate and expensive media devices and power supply, limited time, and low education and interest in seeking political information. This paper provides insight into women’s access to various sources of political information and this is essential in identifying appropriate channels for reaching out to them in counties in Kenya. Women voters’ low levels of education and Media and Information Literacy (MIL) have implications for information providers. They should use both mediated and non-mediated sources of political information, and offer information services and MIL programmes tailored to women. This study provides directions for future research on political information seeking behaviour within the discipline of library and information science (LIS) by incorporating UGT from media studies.

Providing Information through Smart Platforms: An Applied Study on Academic Libraries in Saudi Universities

Information services using smart platforms have become one of the demands of this era since the much of information centres' users prefer using them for their speed and simplicity, capacity and efficiency in collecting vast amounts of information that meets the user's needs. Smartphones have spread out globally in a dramatic form, which means that libraries and information centres are now facing tremendous challenges to meet the needs of its users.
 This study aims at highlighting the efforts of the Library Information Services Specialists' of providing information services by the use of smart platforms that have been applied in Saudi Academic Libraries and Centres, which have delivered the said services. The main requirements for offering information services via smart platforms in the academic libraries and Information Centers were considered the subject of the study (Saudi academic Library and Resource centres at Saudi Universities). However, the significance of the study relies on empowering the researchers and students to have the means of free access to the research, studies, and all sources of digital information via their smartphones.
 The study consists of two parts, applied and theoretical fields in its methodology. The implementation of the applied research involved conducting a survey among the information services providers at the Saudi academic Libraries and Resource centres at Saudi Universities. Several users of the said libraries have conducted well-planned interviews with 156 information professionals and researchers to identify their views, insights, and opinions on the benefits of offering information services via smart platforms. The theoretical part took from the resources’, references and websites that discussed the aforementioned topic. Also addressed were its obstacles facing the said services in the era of information technology as the study sought to find out the answer.

Utilization of Information Disseminated through Mobile Telephones by Farmers in Tamil Nadu

Farmers need dynamic information relating to agriculture and rural development. Reuters Market Light (RML) offers information services via mobile phone-based Short Message Service (SMS) primarily aimed at satisfying the information needs of farmers. The study was carried out in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu state. The results revealed that three-fourths of the respondents had medium degree of RML information utilization behaviour and farm size had a negative and significant relationship with RML information utilization behavior.

English

Traditional models of libraries offering information services are not working for current generation of students. Thecurrent generation of library users can be termed as‘digital natives’. These digital natives have grown up in an environment surrounded by rapidly evolving technologies. This means that today’s academic library users think about technology and information differently than previous generations, and expect instant access to information. They can also be called ‘netGen’ users. With this kind of environment and expectations, academic libraries need to evolve by changing to offer user-oriented services and following users into their social spaces by allowing users to participate in the creation of content, keeping the users constantly updated and building services based on their feedback. To achieve this, libraries need to incorporate web 2.0 tools in the way they provide services. Some of the tools to take advantage of include creation of blogs, wikis, flickr, youtube, facebook, RSS feeds, socialbookmarks, microblogs, mashups and slideshare among others. Another obvious change noted today and especially in Kenya is the development of university campuses all over the country. For most of these campuses, one will find small rooms as libraries; with minimal resources and a few staff members. This is a challenge and library 2.0 being a combination of both physical and virtual spaces and services can offer solution to such campuses. In addition, many universities are offering distance learning and evening programmes to cater for the working class people who want to advance their careers. Do they have to come all the way to visit the library to get information for their studies? No. Library 2.0 is their way out and therefore academic libraries have to invest in these tools, in addition to off-campus access to e-resources. This paper will discuss library 2.0 as the new model of information provision to library users and especially in the academic world. The library 2.0 tools and technologies will be discussed and how they can be applied in an academic library. Keywords: Library 2.0, Web 2.0, academic libraries, library service models, information services.

Investigations about new methods of library marketing in Chinese “985” Project Universities

Purpose – Under the new technological environment, academic libraries meet an extremely intense competition in offering information services, and marketing becomes an important means to attain the goal of their sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to get an overview of library marketing in Chinese “985” Project Universities, the authors undertook a survey on each library of “985” Project Universities released on the web site of Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. And then the authors identified some successful practices based on the survey. Design/methodology/approach – First, the content of each web site, along with the individual hyperlinks and categories that every library web site has, were browsed to check the availability of the categories. Second, the search function of each library was explored using terms like “blog,” “video” and “tutorial” to retrieve information about services. Third, the Google search engine was used to retrieve information from Renren, microblog and YouTube accounts combining with the name of each library. And then the authors consult reference librarians about marketing methods and tools applied in their libraries with real-time online reference services. Findings – This paper suggests that 29 libraries are exploiting video marketing, which is the most widely used marketing methods, accounting for 74.36 percent. Mobile library marketing and microblog marketing are another two major application among the 39 “985” Project Universities libraries in China, respectively, accounting for 69.23 and 58.97 percent. Originality/value – The paper reveals that there are some deficiencies lying in the marketing of these libraries: characteristic resources in really simple syndication (RSS) are insufficient, video themes turn to be traditional and plain, network media marketing is relatively uncommon, and mobile library marketing is limited to mobile messaging services. It may fill in the gap of better understanding the relationship between the traditional information services and modern services from users’ perspective. It is instructive for libraries to systematically summarize success or failure experience of other library marketing, and keep an innovative concept and global vision.

Canadian Healthcare Practitioners’ Access to Evidence Based Information is Inequitable

Objective – To determine what services and resources are available to health professionals through national Canadian and Alberta based health professional associations and licensing colleges and if those resources and services are being used. Also, to assess the associations’ perceptions of what resources and services Canadian health professionals actually need and if those needs are being met, membership satisfaction with the resources and services provided, and challenges the associations have with providing resources and services.
 
 Design – Structured telephone interview.
 
 Setting – Health professional associations and licensing colleges in Canada.
 
 Subjects – 23 health professional associations: 9 Alberta-based associations and 14 national-level professional associations and licensing colleges. 
 
 Methods – A librarian, communications officer, or another individual in a comparable position at each association was invited via email to participate in the study. Individuals willing to participate in the interview were emailed the interview questions in advance. Telephone interviews were conducted in July and August of 2009. For those who did not respond to the email request or who did not wish to participate in the interviews, information was collected from the association’s website. 
 
 Main Results – Of the 23 contacted associations 12 agreed to be interviewed: less than 50% response rate. Data was collected from websites of seven associations that either declined to be interviewed or did not respond to the authors’ email request. Data were unavailable for four associations due to data being in members only sections of the websites. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. 
 
 Resources and services provided by the associations and licensing colleges range from none to reference services provided by a librarian and access to licensed databases. 
 
 None of the three licensing colleges or the two provincial associations interviewed maintains usage statistics or surveys their members. Nor do they grant access to licensed databases or offer information services, such as having a librarian or other information professional available to answer reference questions or to perform mediated literature searches. The two provincial associations and the three licensing colleges interviewed do supply information pertinent to health professionals, for example insurance information and funding. 
 
 Seven national associations were interviewed: two permit access to databases developed by that association and three grant access to licensed databases such as Medline. All seven national associations provide access to journals (four of the seven only provide access to their own association’s journal) and five offer information services. Four maintain usage statistics and five survey their members. 
 
 Of the seven associations not interviewed, none grant access to licensed databases and one permits access to databases developed by that association. Five provide access to their own association’s journal and one provides book loans. Only one offers information services. Cost and the priority to provide resources to staff over members are barriers when trying to provide association members’ services and resources. 
 
 Conclusion – Health professionals’ access to health information varies depending on the professional’s area of specialization, location in Canada, and particular association memberships. There is no consistency as to what health information is available to all health professionals in Canada, specifically Alberta. The majority of the associations do not provide resources and services, nor do they survey members to assess their usage, desires, needs, or satisfaction with resources and services. Usage rates are low for the associations that do track resource and service usage. 
 
 A resource list of freely available online health information should be generated to mitigate existing disparities without accruing additional cost factors. Also, a partnership between hospital and academic libraries with various associations is needed to promote the usage of licensed and freely available resources accessible at institutions. 
 
 This study has several limitations. The low response rate and excluding associations and licensing colleges in other provinces make this an incomplete assessment of all associations which provide resources and services to health professionals in Canada, specifically Alberta. To compensate for this deficit, the authors had collected information from seven associations’ websites; however, because much of the needed information was within members-only pages, some data may be missing. Due to the study’s limitations, further research is needed to better assess health professionals’ information needs and barriers to their use of available resources and services.

Recommendation System for Information Services Adapted, Over Terrestrial Digital Television

The development of digital television in Colombia has grown in last years, specially the digital terrestrial television (DTT), which is an essential part to the projects of National Minister of ICT, thanks to the big distribution and use of the television network and Internet in the country. This article explains how joining different technologies like social networks, information adaptation and DTT, to get an application that offers information services to users, based on their data, preferences, inclinations, use and interaction with others users and groups inside the network.

Libraries' response to the crisis: measures to mitigate its impact

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present the initiatives that libraries and information services should take from the standpoint of management or services in times of economic crisis or recession such as the one currently occurring. When budget cuts, downsizing and cuts in equipment are continuous, it is important to reflect on the path that each library should take to overcome the crisis while providing users the services they require.Design/methodology/approachThere are projects internationally, including, inter alia, Pulman and Calimera, which highlight the supportive role of lifelong training, of both formal and informal education and of the libraries' contribution to social and economic development. They even claim that along with archives and museums, libraries should collaborate in developing a strong local economy by supporting local businesses and industry in different ways (offering information services, stimulating the acquisition of basic skills and providing career guidance). Logically, the public library is not the only – and may not even be the principal agent or the one most associated with this problem – which can address job insecurity, economic hardship and people's need for training. However, in the author's view it can have a significant and active role, in coordination with other agents, and it is important to take advantage of its potential: its collections, the training of its staff members, its familiarity with the everyday life of towns and cities, its openness to everyone without any preconditions, etc.FindingsIn recent years some libraries have seen their financial resources reduced, or have remained stagnant in face of an increased demand for service. A first consideration in this context, which might be very hard but is unavoidable when faced with such a reality, is the need to rethink which services to keep and which to reduce or cancel if there is insufficient funding. At times it is necessary to choose what to do without.Originality/valuePublic libraries are increasingly becoming more of a social space where all people can go for information, learning and culture, regardless of their age, level, training or background. The library as a resource, which in many cases is public, and which enables individuals to enjoy their right to information should be defended to the fullest in times such as these. Also, to the greatest extent possible, libraries should be used in a compensatory manner, targeting people with fewer resources who are in need of skills that enable them to return to the workplace or reduce the consequences of lack of income.

Electronic Scientific Information in Estonia: Cooperation and State Financing of Academic Libraries

The widespread use of information and communication technology, the ease and speed of information delivery, and the increasing availability and limitless diffusion of information have given reason to talk about the integration of the library into the information society. The Internet era has created entirely new possibilities for publishing scientific information and creating access to it. Libraries are essential institutions of the public sector in creating online content as well as in offering information services. While the working equipment has changed in the electronic environment, the content of the work—buying and mediating information—remains the same. Universities need libraries that have long-term experience in systematizing and mediating information. Easy, unconstrained, and widespread accessibility are key issues in achieving a knowledge-based society.

Assessing the Need for More Incentives to Stimulate Next Generation Network Investment

Incumbent carriers often vilify the regulatory process as a drain on efficiency and an unnecessary burden in light of robust marketplace competition. Some claim that regulation creates disincentives for investing in expensive next generation networks (“NGNs”), and even accepting subsidies for broadband development if the carrier must provide access to competitors. Without fully assessing the necessity to do so legislators, regulators and judges have accepted the premise that government must create incentives for NGN investment. Incumbent carriers in particular have seized upon the concept of uncertainty as a justification for refraining from making necessary infrastructure investments, despite the onset of declining revenues and market shares in core services. In the worst case scenario, incumbent carriers secure unwarranted and premature deregulation, despite an ongoing need for governments to guard against anti-competitive practices and to promote sustainable competition. Governments also risk providing direct financial subsidies, or creating a regulatory mechanism for indirect subsidies, to stimulate infrastructure investment when no such catalyst is necessary in light of competitive necessity. Once a subsidy mechanism is in place, government may not easily “wean” carriers off such artificial compensation. In rare instances government may find some key carriers unwilling to accept subsidies and in turn disinclined to pursue expedited NGN development, as is currently occurring in the U.S., because incumbent carriers do not want to provide interconnection and access to competitors, a legal duty these carriers must bear when operating as common carrier providers of telecommunications networks, but which does not apply when these carriers offer information services which include broadband.This paper will examine how incumbent carriers in the United States have gamed the incentive creation process for maximum market distortion and competitive advantage. The paper suggests that the U.S. government has rewarded incumbents with artificially lower risk, insulation from competition, and partial underwriting of technology projects that these carriers would have to undertake unilaterally. The paper also examines the FCC’s recently released National Broadband Plan with an eye toward assessing whether the Commission has properly balanced incentive creation with competitive necessity. The paper provides recommendations on how governments can calibrate the incentive creation process for maximum consumer benefit instead of individual carrier gain.

Collaborative Information Literacy by Government

Information literate governments are able to utilize information widely and effectively. Governments based on democratic principles share ‘empowering information’ with the citizens via upto-date services and publications. Comprehensive literacy by government covers information retrieval, assessment, interpreting, organizing, producing, distributing and sharing processes and skills. Information literacy by government can be assessed by asking: How do governments read their environment? How accessible, usable and readable are government information assets? In Finland governmental information is widely available. Various information professionals offer information services also for decision-making. However, there is a lot to be done. The new tasks emphasize the usability and architecture of information and the sharing of knowledge concerning information. The aim of Collaborative Information Literacy is to change the role of the information professionals.

A survey of UK clinical librarianship: February 2004

This article will describe a survey carried out in February 2004, the aim of which was to summarize the form and content of clinical librarian (CL) and other similar outreach information services to UK health professionals in the acute (secondary or tertiary) sector. (i) To survey the activities and views of UK information professionals offering information services involving the librarians' presence in the clinical setting, (ii) to develop a tool to explore critical aspects of this form of information work, (iii) to create a contacts database for UK CLs, to be made available on the Internet. All known information specialists/librarians offering CL or similar services were surveyed. The semi-structured questionnaire was piloted. Respondents were asked to consider their activity over a period of 4 weeks. Twenty-six people responded to the invitation to take part and met the inclusion criteria. A summary of a 'typical' clinical librarian revealed by this survey is given, with a major conclusion that there is a very mixed picture of activity. Opinion on how far CLs should go in fully appraising search results is uncertain. The survey suggests reasons for this and the developments that may influence change are discussed. Recommendations for future research and development are offered.