Explainable AI for colorectal cancer mortality and risk factor prediction in Korea: A nationwide cancer cohort study.

This research addresses the management bottlenecks of artificial intelligence libraries and constructs an architecture based on the "6V" model (Volume, Velocity, Variety, Veracity, Value, Variability), proposing a core framework of "four Horizontals and three Verticals". At the same time, it reveals the current situation of structural shortage of talents and proposes a "university-enterprise-government" collaborative training program, providing theoretical paradigms and practical paths for the differentiated transformation of university libraries, public libraries and professional libraries.

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of vertical bookshelf position on book circulation in public libraries. The results confirm a clear shelf position effect: materials placed at eye level for most adult users are borrowed significantly more frequently than those located on higher or lower tiers. Importantly, this effect operates independently of author popularity, indicating that even works by well-known authors are subject to positional influences. These findings underscore the importance of shelf design as a strategic factor in enhancing library circulation and user engagement.

ABSTRACT Studies on the relevance and services public libraries provide in the era of Generative AI on users’ perception is still nascent. This study uses a mixed method to explore users’ perceptions of public libraries in the Generative AI Era. The study adopts sentiment analysis, Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), and thematic content analysis to analyze data from Reddit. The results showed that 64.4% of respondents expressed positive sentiments about public libraries being relevant, and 22.2% expressed negative sentiments. Results show that reading resources, community wellness hubs, family and kids’ engagement spaces, social work services, and financial literacy are emerging areas where public libraries are relevant.

The problem statement. The value of video content for library promotion lies in its ability to stimulate user engagement and memorability. Statistics show that people spend more and more time watching videos every year. The content can be completely different: professional or amateur videos, interviews, webinar recordings, video instructions, reviews, infographics, promotional materials, etc. Public libraries of Ukraine must occupy their niche in this market and stand out among competitors, offering the user exactly the content that he seeks to consume. Therefore, library video content is a universal tool for effective communication with users, which helps librarians scale reach, build trust, strengthen their reputation, and attract an audience through emotional and creative presentation of the material. The purpose of the research is to identify the features of creating library video content; classify video content by content; identify effective strategies for its creation. The methodology. Methods of analysis and synthesis were applied, which ultimately made it possible to achieve the goal and draw well-founded conclusions. The results. The features of creating library video content were studied and effective strategies for its creation were identified. It was determined that in conditions of turbulence, digital marketing, which focuses on the creation, communication and exchange of information, should be a key element of library activities. Video marketing is an important digital marketing strategy using video content to promote its products and services. Involving libraries in creating video content is a way to ensure effective communication with modern users and provide clear answers to complex questions in crisis conditions. It was established that the main requirement for library video content is a high level of quality and informativeness. By content, library video content is classified according to the following criteria: popularization of the library itself and its areas of activity; features of library activities; civic position (public holidays); personal (dedicated to certain individuals); educational; cognitive; entertaining. An important aspect of the activities of a modern library is the establishment of personalized communication with the user. The scientific novelty. For the first time, the features of creating library video content were identified; library video content was classified by content (popularization of the library itself and its areas of activity; features of library activity; civic position (public holidays); personal (dedicated to certain individuals); educational; cognitive; entertaining); effective strategies for its creation were identified. It was found that the creation of holistic video content is possible only if a communication strategy is developed. All elements of video content should be united by one leading idea, form a single image that reflects the main concept. Conclusions. The use of video content is a powerful tool for attracting new users, improving the image of the library and positions in search engines. Holistic video content today is an effective means of promoting library services and popularizing the resource, which, when using appropriate technologies and minimal technical equipment, is available to any library. However, it is important to take into account the basic requirements for creating such a content format, to be familiar with the mechanisms of distributing video on social networks to achieve the most effective strategy. And for this, a modern librarian needs to constantly learn, increase his level of professionalism in various educational courses.

Objective: The aim of the paper is to emphasize the importance of pre-reading skills and the implementation of activities for their development, and to analyze the offer of programs for the development of pre-reading skills and the frequency of their implementation in public libraries in northwestern Croatia. Methodology: The paper includes a theoretical part and a research part. The theoretical part of the paper refers to the role and importance of pre-reading skills in child’s development and the impact they have on the success of acquiring reading skills in later development. In addition, some of the activities that contribute to the development of pre-reading skills are presented. The research is focused on the availability, type and implementation frequency of such activities through the offered programs in public libraries in northwestern Croatia, conducted by analyzing the available programs for users listed on the websites and Facebook profiles of the mentioned libraries in the period from January 1 to June 30, 2025. Results: Most public libraries in northwestern Croatia offered their users some kind of program for the development of children’s pre-reading skills. The majority of libraries offered such programs to users only occasionally. The frequency of implementation is most often once a month for permanent programs and 1 to 5 programs in a period of six months for intermittent ones. In terms of the type of programs offered by libraries, the most common was storytime (either with or without a creative workshop part). Originality/value: The research on the availability of programs for the development of children’s pre-reading skills provides an overview of the available programs in public libraries in northwestern Croatia. The results of this research can be used for future research on the availability of this type of programs.

Aim: The aim of the research was to assess the state of library activities and provide recommendations for improvement in accordance with the Library Activity Law of Tuzla Canton and international standards. Methodology: The methodological approach is entirely innovative and the first of its kind in Tuzla Canton, and it can serve as a model for other cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This methodological approach combines: quantitative analysis (statistical data, numerical indicators), qualitative assessment (field visits, interviews), formalized documentation (minutes with recommendations), and systematic monitoring of implementation. Results: The result of the analysis of the collected data indicates significant deficiencies in the functioning of libraries, including inadequate funding, insufficient number of professional staff, and weak connectivity with modern library-information systems, as prerequisites for compliance with legal regulations. Social significance: By achieving social significance, it is expected that this work will encourage similar initiatives in other cantons, serve as reference material for policy makers, contribute to the standardization of approaches to coordinating library services in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and be cited in future library research, as the work proposes specific measures to improve the overall state of libraries and their integration into the COBISS system. Practical application: From a practical application perspective, the work proposes systemic measures through urgent, medium-term, and long-term interventions, including increasing budgetary expenditures, technological modernization, and staff strengthening. Originality: This professional paper represents the first comprehensive analysis of the state of the library network in Tuzla Canton based on professional supervision conducted in the period 2023–2024. The research covers 22 libraries of different types: nine public libraries, three special libraries, and thirteen organizational units of the University Library, as well as continuous monitoring of over 131 libraries through dossiers.

The paper presents findings of a study that evaluated the inclusion of easy-to-read materials in Croatian public libraries. Using a checklist method, catalogues of the 41 largest and smallest public libraries in each Croatian county were compared with the Bibliography of Printed Easy-to-Read Materials Published in Croatia, comprising 29 titles. The collected data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS. Findings show that only one studied library holds all titles, and nearly half of them have more than half of the titles listed in the Bibliography. Although there are some deviations, the study identified the following pattern: an increasing number of titles and copies was observed relative to county population size and library type by service area. In most cases, the largest number of copies and titles is found in the largest libraries. As the study focused only on the largest and smallest county libraries, the results are not generalizable to all Croatian public libraries. The results highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the surveyed collections regarding their coverage of easy-to-read materials and offer guidance for librarians in future collection development of this material. Given that reading difficulties, especially dyslexia, are issues that can significantly impair one’s quality of life, public libraries have the opportunity, through the acquisition and promotion of easy-to-read materials, to substantially contribute to improving the quality of life for such individuals and to raise public awareness of these issues. This is the first research that investigated the inclusion of easy-to-read materials in the collections of public libraries in Croatia.

ABSTRACT This study is based on a project in which 468 children participated in evaluating artistic prototypes designed for public libraries, with the aim of stimulating school children’s interest in reading. Our findings suggest that existing conceptual frameworks can ideally be expanded to account for the rich variety of roles that children can either actively take on or be given in design evaluations. Furthermore, we propose that design research holds an unexplored potential for designing engaging artefacts that widen the evaluators’ methodological repertoire. More specifically, these methods may both engage children in new ways and offer opportunities to conduct systematic and formal evaluations in the fuzzy back-end of design research processes.

Typically, library budgeting uses incremental funding increases that tend to simply evolve budgets from the previous year without consideration of evolving patron needs, technology changes, or programmatic needs of equity and access. This article looks backwards on the construct of incremental budgeting and forward to the possibility of using Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) as a prospective planning approach for public and academic libraries. Zero-based budgeting requires departments to begin from scratch with each budget period, requiring each proposed expense to be justified in relation to the institution’s strategic priorities, demonstrate value delivery in services, and model measurable impacts. The research examines the practice of zero-based budgeting in higher education libraries with a review of several controlled simulations and by observation of institutional examples from different universities. The result of the analysis yielded four additional benefits- more transparency of the budget process; termination of unneeded budget lines; enhanced correlation between budget lines and legitimate user needs; and accelerated institutional response to unanticipated mid-year changes in budgeting. The modifications to the zero-based budget plan prototype provide discrete cost centres with a footprint around an institution's mission, uses multi-dimensional criteria to justify each expense, and adapts user-impact scoring techniques that align with, and in every case reside in the original strategic plans of the institution. Interviews with key budget stakeholders and electronically administered surveys provide qualitative perspectives that suggest considerable increases in confidence about budget sustainability, a stronger culture of stewardship, and broader participation from an increasingly diverse pool of constituents in deliberative budget discussions. Together, these perspectives re-frame zero-based budgeting as more than just a tool for controlling costs; they frame it as a forward-looking framework that distributes services equitably, manages pilot projects, and ensures the sustainability of library service in the long term. This emphasizes a new forward orientation of adaptive budget processes that can respond quickly to emerging community priorities, an ability that is grounded in empirical proof-of-concept and co-developed by a robust, continuously engaged, diverse network of stakeholders. Here, ZBB is a reasonable, future-proof strategy that can allow libraries to work within tight budgetary constraints, while continuing to develop and deliver services that have a meaningful, quantifiable social impact.

The digitization of library services has remarkably enhanced access to knowledge and information, as well as management. Nonetheless, this change has also introduced multi-layered cybersecurity issues that put the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of library information systems at risk. This paper proposes a comprehensive method for modeling cybersecurity risks specific to libraries, targeting threats, security gaps, and the impact of cyber incidents. The study employs a tiered risk assessment model, which categorizes risks into technological, organizational, and user-based domains. The model employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches for risk level assessment using methods such as threat index matrices, attack surface analysis, and various scoring on the probability-impact scale. Common vulnerabilities, such as excessive permissive access control, the absence of access restriction protocols, obsolete software, and inadequate user knowledge, are examined through case studies on academic and public libraries. The mitigation strategies proposed in this research are designed to comply with international cybersecurity standards, enhance resilience and mastery in incident response, and strategically address biases in cybersecurity policies and resource allocation frameworks for decision-makers. With the developed model, the frameworks help sustain the protection of digital resources and the continuous delivery of library services.

Libraries are now expected to operate sustainably through energy efficiency, resource and energy use, and environmental stewardship in both buildings and service delivery. This paper presents a holistic framework of sustainability indicators developed for library facility management. It identifies key indicators across five areas of energy consumption, water use, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), waste management, and sustainable procurement of products. The research examines the current state of sustainability in public and academic libraries, and how sustainability performance is influenced by digital disruption, green building certification (LEED, BREEAM), and user behaviours. The sustainability indicators are examined through mixed methods that include a survey, facility audit, and performance dashboard to provide an evidence-based approach to improve sustainability. The findings demonstrate that while many libraries express interest in achieving energy efficiencies, few measure or integrate clear sustainability indicators into the daily management of their operations. A sustainability scorecard was developed with alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and offers timely recommendations to decision-makers and library facilities managers as a way forward. The work creates a space to continue the discussion and action for libraries to continue their advancement towards sustainable libraries and would encourage library facilities to approach operational conversations and strategies using data to identify informed, evidence, and metric-based sustainability and facility decision-making that seeks a reasonable balance between environmental concerns, user comfort, and the resilience and adaptability of operations.

U.S.-born, Québec-educated Wilfrid Beaulieu founded the newspaper, Le Travailleur , in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1931. He went on to publish the French-language newspaper for nearly five decades. When Le Travailleur ceased publication in 1978, the year before Beaulieu’s death, it was the last remaining Franco-American weekly newspaper in the United States. This article traces the evolution of this French-language newspaper over nearly half a century to shed light on the struggles of an ethnic press in the United States. To do so, it taps into Wilfrid Beaulieu’s records, donated by his widow to the Boston Public Library, to provide rare insight into a Franco-American newspaper business. While many French-language newspapers in the U.S.A. were short-lived, this article demonstrates how one French-language newspaper was able to survive for five decades in New England.

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores the views of public library workers in Alabama regarding intellectual freedom and censorship. Through an analysis of 156 survey responses, the research highlights the specific challenges these workers encounter amid political pressures that affect information access and censorship in the state. This article represents the first part of a larger, three-part study examining various aspects of intellectual freedom and the experiences of library workers in Alabama.

A Review of: Cho, Y., Coward, C., Lackner, J., Windleharth, T. W., & Lee, J. H. (2023). The use of an escape room as an immersive learning environment for building resilience to misinformation. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 57(2), 524-538. https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006231208027 Objective – To evaluate the efficacy of game-based learning as a tool to teach misinformation recognition strategies, with an additional focus on cognitive bias, emotion, and attitudes related to misinformation. The authors also explore librarians’ responses to the use of the game as library educational programming to identify strengths and areas of concern in the game design process. Design – Mixed-methods user study combining participant survey data with inductive and deductive coding of qualitative data extracted from video recordings and open-ended questions. Setting – Washington State public libraries, primarily city and suburban locations. Subjects – 80 public library patrons and 6 public librarians in gameplay; 50 patrons additionally completed the optional survey. Methods – For this exploratory study, authors designed a misinformation escape room game based on interviews with librarians, college student input, and escape room developer collaboration. The authors recruited and trained public librarians to host the game and facilitate follow-up discussions, then recruited 80 participants via communication channels chosen by the public librarians, including newsletters, websites, and social media. The game was run 17 times across six locations. Game participation and discussions were recorded and transcribed. Following the game, participants were asked to complete a survey that included quantitative and qualitative responses, and librarians participated in a focus group after completing all of their game sessions. Researchers then coded the responses with both predefined and emergent codes. Main Results – Researchers found that participants were exposed to new misinformation techniques during the game, especially deepfake images and videos. Participants stated in the follow-up discussion that the use of misinformation created a sense of vulnerability, and they reflected on their individual responsibility regarding the spread of misinformation, including that once misinformation is shared, it cannot truly be unshared. As a result of the game, many participants highlighted the need for greater caution and critical thinking when engaging with information. Participants appreciated that the game was both fun and cooperative while affirming that it improved their awareness of misinformation techniques. Conclusion – The combination of immersive experience, collaborative play, and the post-game discussion led to better awareness of modern misinformation techniques and a willingness to reflect on the experience of engaging in misinformation. The post-game debrief is particularly important as it allows participants to form connections between the game and real-world misinformation experiences. Further research could pursue more conclusive evidence regarding patterns in misinformation experiences, or a longitudinal study could explore the game’s long-term effects on participants’ attitudes and behaviors.

A Review of: Merga, M. K., & Mat Roni, S. (2025). School library professionals' perceptions of students' digital information literacy. Journal of Library Administration, 65(4), 397–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2025.2475701 Objective – To explore school library professionals' perceptions of their students' digital information literacy (DIL) knowledge, skills, and learning opportunities across multi-country contexts. Design – Cross-sectional survey questionnaire. Setting – School library professionals (SLPs) working in 63 countries. Four public libraries in Norway: The Northern and central-Eastern regions (2), and Oslo (2). Subjects – 971 SPLs responded to the survey, of which 801 (82.5%) were included in the analysis as they indicated they were knowledgeable about their students’ DIL. Methods – Data was collected via an online Qualtrics-hosted survey from July 12 to August 29, 2024. This analysis focused on one block of questions within a larger international survey of SLPs (Merga & Mat Roni, 2025, p. 401). The DIL measurement included 12 Likert-scale items determining access to technology, DIL education provision, and students' DIL skills. The researchers conducted partial correlation tests and regression analyses, controlling for country income level. A three-step mediation analysis with Sobel test examined the role of school libraries in DIL instruction. The survey instrument underwent cognitive piloting with diverse international SLPs to ensure cross-contextual validity. Main Results – The findings revealed that although technological infrastructure was nearly universal (95.1% reported majority internet access at country level), and DIL instruction was reportedly integrated across all schooling years in most schools (75.8%), fewer than half of SLPs perceived DIL development as a priority at their schools, with even fewer (48.8%) noting it was prioritized at the national level. The respondents perceived students' DIL skills as low, with only 43.7% of SLPs agreeing that students have strong DIL skills for their age. Even fewer SLPs believed students possessed sound strategies for evaluating online information credibility (34.2%) or expertise (27.8%). The data revealed a moderate positive correlation (r = .56, p < .001) between DIL instruction and perceived student DIL skills. Conclusion – While many respondents reported that technological infrastructure was widely available, the authors emphasize that global internet access remains uneven, with only 57% of the population reliably connected. Findings should therefore be interpreted with these disparities in mind. The authors recommend greater prioritization of DIL instruction in schools. They also suggest an increased utilization of SLPs (and school libraries) who possess unique qualifications for DIL education but remain underutilized in 35% of contexts.

Role of Public Libraries in Empowering Communities Against Misinformation in Pakistan. A Phenomenological Inquiry

Public libraries play a central role in promoting community development and exchange of knowledge especially in the urban centers like Islamabad and Rawalpindi. They offer free and fair access to a wide range of informational, educational and cultural resources that form the basis of lifelong learning, improvements in literacy, research and participation in civic affairs. The main questions of the current investigation include: (i) to investigate the role of the public libraries in the development of the community; (ii) to consider the possibility of the libraries in terms of sharing knowledge; and (iii) to define the obstacles that limit the efficiency of the library. Quantitative research design was utilized and 60 respondents were sampled and included in the study that included library users and staff who were sampled in the twin cities selected and sampled among libraries. Literacy promotion, community engagement, ICT infrastructure and knowledge exchange activities were some of the indicators interrogated in the structured questionnaire. Results show that the public libraries play an important role in the promotion of literacy, intellectual growth, and empowerment of the community. However, the shortcomings of ICT facilities, digital resources, and professional training that hinder the ability of the libraries to serve the community in the best way are also revealed in the study. The article highlights the importance of public libraries as learning centers, social inclusion agents and vehicles of dissemination of knowledge in urban areas of Pakistan. The authors suggest improvements of digital infrastructure, increase of financial assistance, introduction of employee training programs, and carrying out community-educational campaigns that helps to maximize the socio-educational advantages of the libraries. The results explain why the existence of public libraries is important in strengthening the educational, cultural, and social in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Augmented Reality has been widely investigated as an educational technology that overlays digital content such as 3D models, animations, audio narration, and interactive quizzes onto physical media. Most existing studies on augmented reality books focus on formal education (schools, classrooms, and STEM learning). Only a small number examine how augmented reality books influence learning, engagement, or knowledge recall among public library users, especially younger children and casual readers. While Design Thinking is often used to create prototypes, few studies use its Testing phase to systematically evaluate learning effectiveness through repeated measurement. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an augmented reality book in enhancing students’ knowledge recall and understanding of key places of interest. A set of questionnaires is being used to measure change in knowledge recall and understanding to the augmented reality experience. This study employed a quantitative research design to explore the effectiveness of an augmented reality book using a pre-test and post-test design. 70 participants in this study represented a broad spectrum of library users, supporting the inclusiveness of the study sample. Findings from pre-test and post-test results showed a significant increase in students’ post-test scores, indicating improved knowledge recall and understanding. The positive gain score and paired t-test results further confirmed that the augmented reality book enhanced learning performance.

ABSTRACT This study assesses the contribution of Harare Municipal Public Libraries (HMPL) to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on education, reduced inequalities, and sustainable communities. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research included a quantitative questionnaire of library users and qualitative interviews with staff. Findings highlight libraries’ vital role in achieving SDGs, although participants expressed dissatisfaction with information literacy and technology support. HMPL faces challenges such as financial constraints and inadequate ICT infrastructure. Despite these issues, HMPL libraries provide safe spaces for knowledge access and cultural engagement, with recommendations for increased funding and improved visibility on the Council’s website.