Role Of Libraries Research Articles

Characteristics Influencing Academic Librarians’ Political Skills: Keys to Organizational Effectiveness and Career Success

Academic librarians seldom view their organizations through the political frame. Yet, strong political skills are necessary for organizational effectiveness and career success. Using the Political Skills Inventory, survey data were collected in February 2020 from 260 U.S. academic librarians. Respondents scored in the average range on the PSI. Multiple linear regression revealed that length of service as a librarian, supervisory role, and structural frame score significantly influenced respondents’ PSI scores with a modest effect size. Honing their political skills will enable academic librarians to influence organizational decisions and forge new roles for librarians.

Supporting Students at a Distance

This paper looks at the experience of Union School of Theology, and specifically the library service in supporting distance students studying at undergraduate, post graduate and research level. Consideration is given to the challenges of resource provision, copyright and information literacy. The case study explores solutions developed through practice and experience, notes the benefits of structures and technologies that engage the students, and considers lessons learned from the particular model adopted. The conclusion emphasises the necessity of equivalence of student experience whether on, or off campus. Emphasis is placed on the role of librarians and teaching faculty in theological institutions as partners in the development and equipping of students as life-long learners.

Book Review: The Role of the Electronic Resources Librarian

The eight chapters covered in this text give a detailed history about how the role of electronic resource (e-resource) librarians (ERLs) has evolved over the past several decades as libraries have shifted to an online environment. It covers the challenges faced from 1992 when the ERL title was first used, to 2019 where academic libraries are still a hybrid of print and electronic materials. The book is organized into eight chapters with three appendixes. The introduction gives a brief overview on the development of ERLs and a clear synopsis of chapters, which are a nice progression of how the ERL position has developed since the 1990s; how it has been represented in organizational structures across academic libraries; how it has handled a variety of obstacles (technology, expanding skill sets, budget constraints, etc.); and how it maps to current trends in managing e-resources.

Program Evaluation of Training for Candidates for Expert-Level Librarian Roles at the National Library of Indonesia’s Training Center

This article describes a program evaluation using Kirkpatrick’s four levels model. The program evaluation was conducted by studying 24 candidates for the Expert-Level Librarian training program at the National Library of Indonesia. This research uses a quantitative method to measure the level of the participants’ satisfaction level with the training and a qualitative method is used to gain deeper information through interviews. The results shows that on reaction level, 87.5% of participants have high level of satisfaction. The learning level shows an increase from the pre-test to the post-test results. In the third level, it was found that 100% of the participants received high scores. Finally, at the result level, it is shown that 87.5% of the participants received high scores. There are recommendations regarding 1) the lack of dormitories; 2) the learning process using information technology that needs to adapt to the characteristics participants; 3) training for the lecturers before actually lecturing the participants.
 Keywords: training program evaluation, Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model, librarian, librarianship education and training

Transitioning to college: Impact of high school librarians

High schools try to help their students become college-career ready. Information literacy is part of that picture, although the role of teacher librarians is less clear. While the value of librarians within the education environment has been demonstrated, less research about the transferability between high school and higher education was evident. The research question emerged: what relationship exists between the presence of a high school teacher librarian and freshmen college students' academic success? To answer this question, this study examined five years of a large comprehensive university's freshmen data about their course load, the first semester GPA, and information about the high school from which they graduated: its Title I status and the presence of a high school librarian. The study found that the presence of a high school librarian employed at least half time is significantly correlated with college freshmen's grade point average, However, more explicit attention and support needs to be given to students in Title I schools.

The Role of Librarians on the Use of Institutional Repositories in Higher Learning Institutions in Kenya

The Role of Librarians on the Use of Institutional Repositories in Higher Learning Institutions in Kenya

The leading role of the librarian in the library - information services process

The article describes the librarian role as one of the main participants in the library-information process, his main professional and personal qualities, as well as issues of librarian speech culture and image.

What is the literacy supportive role of the school librarian in the United Kingdom?

Building students’ literacy skills is a key educative purpose of contemporary schooling. While libraries can play a key role in fostering literacy and related reading engagement in schools, more needs to be known about school librarians’ role in promoting these goals. To this end, this article seeks to identify the nature and scope of the literacy supportive role required of the school librarian in the United Kingdom. It also investigates how this aspect is situated within the broader competing role requirements of the profession. Using a hybrid approach to content analysis including both qualitative and quantitative methods, this article presents in-depth analysis of 40 recent job description documents recruiting school librarians in the United Kingdom to investigate these research aims. The vast majority of documents (92.5%) included literacy supportive roles or characteristics of a school librarian, and recurring salient components included supporting literature selection, having a broad and current knowledge of literature, promoting and modelling reading for pleasure, devising and supporting reading and literature events, promoting a whole-school reading culture, working closely with students to support reading and literacy skill development, and implementing and supporting reading programmes. This literacy supportive role was found to sit within a potentially highly complex and diverse work role which may compete with the literacy supportive role for time and resourcing in school libraries. This research suggests that the role of school librarians in the United Kingdom is both complex and evolving, and that school librarians in the United Kingdom have a valuable literacy supportive role to play in their school libraries.

PERAN AKTIF PUSTAKAWAN LAYANAN REFERENSI PERGURUAN TINGGI DALAM MENANGGAPI KEANEKARAGAMAN KEBUTUHAN INFORMASI PENGGUNA

The purpose of this research is to describe the active role of reference librarians in information dissemination. The challenges that come through from diversity of user informasion needs and advences in information technology make reference librarians move more actively. This study used a descriptive – qualitative method, which focus on research activities and actions of reference librarians off three academic libraries X, Y, and Z. The result showed that the efforts of reference services in the three academic libraries still play the role in reference table. From providing book reccomendations to being a companion & scientifict consultation. Beside that, the reference librarian has also gone out into the external scope of the library by conducting collaborative learning with other stakeholders at the parent university. Based on the role that has been carried out, to improving branding of the library, it showed the involvement of librarians to supporting the creation of organizational goals through information dissemination.

View on the Buildup of New Service Capability of National Library of China From the Point of Development Trend of Reference Work

With the change of information environment, the emergence of new technology, services, and new media, reference librarians and users have more choices in information acquisition methods, tools, and means. The reference consulting service is the most valuable part of developing collections, increasing comprehensive service ability, and revealing a library's social roles in the information age. The change in user demands has accelerated the transfer process which shifts the focus of library reference work from the literature retrieval to the individualized, information-oriented deep content mining, or metrology analysis. Improving the new service capacity to accomplish library service transformation is also an important goal of functional improvements to the National Library of China. In the coming years, the National Library of China will promote new services through improving the reading guidance, developing literature resources, innovating service methods, supporting national development strategy, strengthening the library's essentials, and promoting business cooperation.

Informatics Open Library: Innovation in Developing Electronic- Service Case Study Departemen Informatics ITS

Background of the study: Many of information resources available in the central library and Departemen Informatics of ITS, in various formats, printed, non- printed, electronic collections, and other media that require users to search for independent information, so users are faced with various search and location options.Purpose: This study aims to identify the problem of ability of library user to find the needs of information resources and Designing an integrated library information system in the Informatic Open Library application to solve user problems to find the needs of information resources. Method: This research uses qualitative approach with descriptive methods.Findings: Application development related to services and data security must continue to be done as well as analysis should be done every year by comparison with the analysis of the previous year to improve service quality at the highest level.Conclusion: Based on the results of research in the field, the implementation of the Informatic Open Library has been good, the aim of facilitating services for Siva ITS Department of Information has been achieved and provides benefits for lecturers. Librarian, education staff, students, and institutions. The role of librarians and librarian collaboration with lecturers and students is a supporting factor in the successful implementation of the Informatic Open Library application.

Data science and its relationship to library and information science: a content analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study exploring the emerging field of data science from the library and information science (LIS) perspective.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis of research publications on data science was made of papers published in the Web of Science database to identify the main themes discussed in the publications from the LIS perspective.FindingsA content analysis of 80 publications is presented. The articles belonged to the six broad categories: data science education and training; knowledge and skills of the data professional; the role of libraries and librarians in the data science movement; tools, techniques and applications of data science; data science from the knowledge management perspective; and data science from the perspective of health sciences. The category of tools, techniques and applications of data science was most addressed by the authors, followed by data science from the perspective of health sciences, data science education and training and knowledge and skills of the data professional. However, several publications fell into several categories because these topics were closely related.Research limitations/implicationsOnly publication recorded in the Web of Science database and with the term “data science” in the topic area were analyzed. Therefore, several relevant studies are not discussed in this paper that either were related to other keywords such as “e-science”, “e-research”, “data service”, “data curation”, “research data management” or “scientific data management” or were not present in the Web of Science database.Originality/valueThe paper provides the first exploration by content analysis of the field of data science from the perspective of the LIS.

Dilemas en el quehacer de las bibliotecas universitarias argentinas en torno al acceso y difusión de la literatura científica

En este ensayo nos proponemos reflexionar acerca del rol del bibliotecario universitario como agente difusor y proveedor de acceso a la información científica en Argentina. Para ello, exponemos una serie de problemáticas que se plantean en la práctica profesional y que nos generan dilemas: la tensión entre el derecho de acceso a la información y la propiedad intelectual; nuestro imaginario sobre el acceso abierto y la forma en que lo difundimos ante la comunidad académica, frente a las reglas del campo científico que deben seguir los investigadores para progresar en sus carreras; y la vinculación con los proveedores comerciales frente a nuestras convicciones acerca del camino a seguir para alcanzar la democratización del acceso al conocimiento científico. Luego de los planteos y discusiones sobre estos dilemas, trayendo al diálogo experiencias propias y de colegas, así como halladas en la literatura consultada, finalizamos recapitulando algunos aspectos para repensar nuestro rol en la academia, poniendo el foco de atención en nuestra función social.

The cultural mediation in the school library and the infoeducator librarian

Ao longo do tempo, a biblioteca escolar tem modificado o seu perfil, abrindo as portas para a mediação cultural ao tentar deixar para trás o estigma de lugar silencioso e cobrando uma nova atuação do bibliotecário escolar. Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar o caminho trilhado pela biblioteca escolar no Brasil a fim de refletir sobre sua atual configuração como um espaço de mediação cultural e o papel do bibliotecário infoeducador no contexto atual desses espaços, por meio de uma pesquisa exploratória de caráter bibliográfico e documental e de uma revisão diacrônica do conceito de biblioteca escolar. Como resultados podemos afirmar que o papel fundamental da biblioteca escolar na formação de seus usuários por meio de uma prática que vá além do suporte à sala de aula e do incentivo à leitura, como também a necessidade de profissionais capacitados para tal.

The response of clinical medical librarians to the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world with a large part of the population in lockdown for months. Given the need medical teams have for information, clinical medical librarians have played an important role in searching for the best scientific evidence. The objective of this paper is to describe the role of librarians in Brazil during the pandemic in public and private hospital libraries and in the Health Technology Assessment Service. This is a case study report of the work of clinical medical librarians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper is drawing on experience from three clinical medical librarians acting in the private hospital, philanthropic hospital and Health Technology Assessment Service in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The report describes the activities of clinical librarians in providing clinicians with information on how to care for patients with COVID-19. In Brazil clinical medical librarians play an important role in supporting medical teams by identifying reliable sources of information and assisting with research.

Digital Repository Training: Role of the Professional Librarian in Technical Services Interest Group Midwinter 2020 Report

The ALCTS’s Role of the Professional Librarian in Technical Services Interest Group (RPLTS IG) hosted three presentations at the ALA’s 2020 Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, PA. The well attended ...

A Foot in Both Worlds: Current Roles and Challenges of Academic Online Learning Librarians

This qualitative study explores how online learning is defined at academic libraries in the U.S. and examines the current roles and challenges of online learning librarians. Findings from in-depth interviews reveal that approaches to online learning in academic libraries vary in terms of audience and instructional strategies, and that online learning librarians perform several roles within the institution and often face challenges related to those roles. These findings suggest that while academic libraries have defined their approaches to online learning, the functional role of the online learning librarian should be clearly delineated and leveraged to support sustainable online learning initiatives at the institution. Based on these findings, the authors make recommendations for librarians and library administrators to support this evolving area of librarianship.

Student Engagement in Improving Access to Taught Course Content at LSE Library: practicalities and Pitfalls

As in other academic libraries, LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) Library does not meet student expectations for access to core readings despite increasing provision. We used user experience research to gather evidence of student experience, behaviours, and preferences for taught course content with the aim of making improvements. We found that convenience is the deciding factor for students in choosing what and how to read due the necessity of keeping up with weekly reading. They prefer PDF journal articles due to their structure and functionality and dislike e-books. This suggests that for book chapters we should offer accessible scans where possible while advocating for improved e-book functionality and licencing. Our research underlines the role of liaison librarians in encouraging appropriate use of reading lists so that they scaffold rather than spoon-feed, as students appreciate well-structured and signposted reading lists, but approach their reading instrumentally. Our next step is to engage with teaching staff.

Academic library's leadership and stakeholder involvement in research data services

AbstractIn the last decade, academic libraries have made progress in establishing themselves as hubs and leaders for research data services on campus. The importance of collaborating with a range of institutional stakeholders, such as the research or information technology office, as well as external partners in developing and delivering research data policy, services, and infrastructure, has been well‐documented. However, there is less evidence as to how libraries play a crucial role in leadership, whether other stakeholders’ involvement actually makes a difference and if so, how they make a difference. As such, the goal of this study is to explore the academic library's leadership role in research data services and how collaboration and partnership with stakeholders and interested parties might impact the maturity of the research data services the library provides. The secondary analysis of the existing survey data found that libraries offer more mature services when they take a primary responsibility in developing the services. It also found internal stakeholders’ and external partners’ involvement leads to more mature services in the selected activities.

Spanish libraries in COVID-19 pandemic period

This article discusses the effective operations of Spanish libraries in association with the Spanish Federation of Societies of Archivist, Librarians, Documentarists and Museologists (FESABID) and the information resources, provided by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) to support libraries around the world during the pandemic. The author highlights the role of Spanish librarians in their struggle with fake news, which constitute a menace for Spanish citizens’ life and safety. The article evaluates the “eBiblio” online loan service’ work experience, launched by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Spain in collaboration with Spanish libraries in 2002. The article considers the information specialists’ experience in the development of the State Protocol of the Ministry of Health in Spain regarding the libraries reopening after the pandemic. The article considers the IFLA Library Map of the World as the main tool for getting reliable library statistics in pandemic. The author attempts to comprehend the role of a library as an institution of culture in the post-pandemic era.