Training Of Library Staff Research Articles

Facilitating digital accessibility for students with disabilities into information services at Jordanian academic libraries

PurposeThis study examines the digital accessibility of information services for students with disabilities at the University of Jordan. Despite advancements in disability rights and technology, academic libraries often lag in providing fully accessible digital services.Design/methodology/approachThe mixed-methods research involved quantitative surveys from 173 students with disabilities and a qualitative interview with the head of the information application department, in addition to a focus group interview with 10 students with disabilities. Quantitative analysis included means, standard deviations and four-way ANOVA to identify significant differences in perceptions. Qualitative insights highlighted specific issues and recurring themes, revealing significant gaps in digital accessibility.FindingsThe results revealed a weak level of digital accessibility of students with disabilities to information services in academic libraries in Jordan is very low. The findings indicate a need for improvements in library infrastructure, staff training and policy development. The study also offers insights into challenges in a developing country context and provides recommendations for enhancing library inclusivity and support structures, emphasizing the importance of aligning services with international accessibility standards.Practical implicationsThe findings will primarily be beneficial for library managers to understand their library’s deficiencies and responsibility towards the local community and the enhancement of digital inclusion. This understanding will aid in planning training programs and workshops for employees on supporting students with disabilities. Additionally, it serves as a valuable resource for collaboration between libraries and educators to organize educational sessions for academic librarians in Jordan and other developing nations.Originality/valueIt serves as a valuable resource for collaboration between libraries and educators to organize educational sessions for academic librarians in Jordan and other developing nations. This research adds value to existing literature by highlighting the context in one developing country.

Advancement of Smart Academic Libraries in Northern Nigeria: Issues and Way Forward

The 21st century is known as the beginning of the knowledge age; a millennium characterized by leveraging on information to stay ahead using technology. The library occupies a critical place in the quality of information accessed and leveraged on by researchers and students. Academic libraries in Nigeria are not disconnected from this technology-based-information revolution. This study looked at advancement of smart academic libraries in Northern Nigeria: issues and way forward. Its objectives was to determine smart services available, investigate the extent of deployment, examine the underlying issues that hinder effective smart service delivery and proffer strategies for way forward in Northern university public academic libraries in Nigeria. The study adopted a review of documents and literature on smart academic libraries in Nigeria. Five public universities were purposively observed and sampled on their smart library perspective and capacity. Google-Forms-structured questionnaire was used through different online platforms. Simple percentage and frequencies were used in analyzing data collected. Findings showed that there are existing smart library services in the academic libraries of Northern Nigerian public universities but the extent of deployment of smart library services in their academic libraries is low. The research also revealed the numerous issues faced in providing smart services. The study recommended that the institution and library managements of academic libraries in Northern Nigerian public universities step up on ICT policy framework, practical deployment of smart library technologies and training of library staff for improved smart services.

Library in the Space of Social Transformations: Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Challenges of Digitalization

The purpose of the article is to reveal, in the genre of a personal interview, the opinion of the Director General of the Russian State Library, V.V. Duda, about the challenges that cultural heritage institutions face today, without which it is impossible to form the identity of the peoples of Russia. The peculiarity of the current moment lies not only in the need to perform its traditional function of collecting, preserving and making available the books and documents stored in the library, but also in modernization, taking into account the possibilities of digitalization, acceleration of traditional processes, diversity of services and increasing the level of comfort in serving users.The use of the interview method has certain advantages in the context of social transformation, as it is essentially a method of qualitative analysis of the situation. Targeted questions focus on specific areas of the library’s activities in the development of artificial intelligence, digital bibliography, the importance of constant contact and discourse between humanities scholars and IT staff. What kind of specialists should work in a library today, what should be the system of library staff training, how and what can help libraries in new territories, how to be creative but remain on the foundation of traditional values and creativity — these and other questions were echoed in V.V. Duda’s answers.It is important to emphasize the need to unite the efforts of the library community within the framework of the Russian Library Association, to increase its organizational role and project activity in solving the state task of developing the country’s intellectual capital.

Library in the Space of Social Transformations: Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Challenges of Digitalization

The purpose of the article is to reveal, in the genre of a personal interview, the opinion of the Director General of the Russian State Library, V.V. Duda, about the challenges that cultural heritage institutions face today, without which it is impossible to form the identity of the peoples of Russia. The peculiarity of the current moment lies not only in the need to perform its traditional function of collecting, preserving and making available the books and documents stored in the library, but also in modernization, taking into account the possibilities of digitalization, acceleration of traditional processes, diversity of services and increasing the level of comfort in serving users.The use of the interview method has certain advantages in the context of social transformation, as it is essentially a method of qualitative analysis of the situation. Targeted questions focus on specific areas of the library’s activities in the development of artificial intelligence, digital bibliography, the importance of constant contact and discourse between humanities scholars and IT staff. What kind of specialists should work in a library today, what should be the system of library staff training, how and what can help libraries in new territories, how to be creative but remain on the foundation of traditional values and creativity — these and other questions were echoed in V.V. Duda’s answers.It is important to emphasize the need to unite the efforts of the library community within the framework of the Russian Library Association, to increase its organizational role and project activity in solving the state task of developing the country’s intellectual capital.

Methodological Activity of the Republican Youth Library of Tatarstan

In recent decades libraries have faced global societal and technological challenges. At the same time, the state support of Russian librarianship is increasing. Libraries have every opportunity for development, they are becoming even more in demand and modern.The Russian Government Order No. 608-r of March 13, 2021 approved the “Strategy for the Development of Librarianship in the Russian Federation until 2030”, which served as a powerful impetus for the improvement of the country’s libraries. “Strategy...” is aimed at comprehensive development of librarianship, modernization of the library system of Russia, preservation and replenishment of library collections, expansion of free and equal access of citizens to information, improvement of the quality of library staff training, introduction of information technologies. The need for scientific and methodological support of library activities is also taken into account. In 2022, the professional standard “Specialist in Library and Information Activities” was approved, which establishes unified requirements for the content and quality of professional activities of specialists in all functional areas of the library.Federal and regional libraries as focal points for other types and kinds of libraries accepted the challenge to change and revised their activities.The library network of the Republic of Tatarstan includes 1508 libraries. The state programme “Development of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan” was adopted in the region. The experience of the Republican Youth Library as a methodological and coordinating center of libraries of the Republic of Tatarstan working with youth, as well as a project office for the creation of model municipal libraries in the Republic of Tatarstan is presented.

Methodological Activity of the Republican Youth Library of Tatarstan

In recent decades libraries have faced global societal and technological challenges. At the same time, the state support of Russian librarianship is increasing. Libraries have every opportunity for development, they are becoming even more in demand and modern.The Russian Government Order No. 608-r of March 13, 2021 approved the “Strategy for the Development of Librarianship in the Russian Federation until 2030”, which served as a powerful impetus for the improvement of the country’s libraries. “Strategy...” is aimed at comprehensive development of librarianship, modernization of the library system of Russia, preservation and replenishment of library collections, expansion of free and equal access of citizens to information, improvement of the quality of library staff training, introduction of information technologies. The need for scientific and methodological support of library activities is also taken into account. In 2022, the professional standard “Specialist in Library and Information Activities” was approved, which establishes unified requirements for the content and quality of professional activities of specialists in all functional areas of the library.Federal and regional libraries as focal points for other types and kinds of libraries accepted the challenge to change and revised their activities.The library network of the Republic of Tatarstan includes 1508 libraries. The state programme “Development of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan” was adopted in the region. The experience of the Republican Youth Library as a methodological and coordinating center of libraries of the Republic of Tatarstan working with youth, as well as a project office for the creation of model municipal libraries in the Republic of Tatarstan is presented.

Evaluating features of mobile phone technology needed to access library services in Mount Kenya University library in Kenya

With library automation already done in all libraries in mount Kenya university, installed library management system, provision of e-book reader (kindles) and user and library staff training all provide ample platform for use of library materials via mobile phone devices. Since the introduction of Kindles and use of MPT to access and utilize library services in MKU libraries, no study has been done to determine the effectiveness of this technology. Therefore, this study and its recommendation come handy in order to improve library service delivery using MPT. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of mobile phone technology in accessing library information materials at Mount Kenya University. The target population was 39452 where a sample of 395 was selected. In this study, questionnaires were used to collect data. Four campuses were purposively sampled due to their established library automation and library management system providing the platform that can support library access via Mobile Phone Technology. Data collected through questionnaires was cleaned, edited, coded before it was entered into the statistical software for analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for analyzing the collected data. Based on research findings, it could be right to say that despite challenges of power outages, internet instability and other factors identified above, mobile phone devices have required features to support access to reference services, checking in/out, indexing and abstracting, conducting current awareness to users, doing selective dissemination of information, executing interlibrary loaning and providing special services to special people.

Academic Library: A Managerial Review

This paper Academic Library: A Managerial Review explores management of academic libraries. The paper looks at academic library as an information center established in tertiary institution to support the mission of their parent institutions, which has to do with teaching, learning and research with the available information resources. The paper further defines academic library management as an efficient utilization of library resources to achieve the organizations objective and also as a process of getting things done through an individual, a group or people, to accomplish set targets. The paper looks at an academic library management and states that the extent, to which the academic library is able to perform effectively, depends so much on its managerial competence. This paper discusses also the origin of academic library, library management in terms of its functions such as staffing, organizational structure, funding, collection development and challenges among others. The paper concludes with recommendations that funding library, training of library staff, and equipping the organization with modern facilities with the managerial competence of librarian will help for smooth functioning of library.

Application of Social Media Threads in College Libraries

The development of information technology has brought significant changes in various sectors, including university libraries. Social media, as one of the information technology innovations, has become an effective tool in expanding access and improving library services. This research focuses on the application of social media "threads" as a strategy to increase the effectiveness of college libraries in providing services and connecting with users.This research uses a qualitative approach with case studies of several university libraries that have actively implemented social media "threads". Data was collected through interviews with library staff, observation of user behavior, and analysis of social media content. The research results show that the application of social media "threads" has provided real benefits in increasing access to information, facilitating communication between libraries and users, and promoting library services effectively.Additionally, this research also identified challenges faced in implementing social media "threads," including time management, expanding the user base, and the need for library staff training. The results of this research provide valuable insight for university libraries in developing strategies for utilizing social media "threads" to improve services and interactions with users.

Emerging Technologies and Security of Library Resources at Bayelsa State Library Board

This study investigates the application of emerging technologies in the security of library resources at Bayelsa State Library Board (BYSLB). The loss of rare intellectually stimulating and information-rich resources due to ineffective security methods at the Bayelsa State Library Board resulted in this study. Two objectives and two research questions guided the study, and two research hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study was carried out using correlation research designs, with a population of 24, comprising professionals, paraprofessionals, and supporting staff. A census sampling technique was used to select all the respondents. A questionnaire was used for data collection and a total of 24 copies were administered, but only 21 copies were found valid for analysis. The data was analysed using the mean score and standard deviation for research questions and the Pearson product-moment correlation to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that the application of emerging technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), barcode, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) were not fully adapted. There is a significant relationship between RFID/barcode and CCTV technologies and the security of library resources at BYSLB. The study concluded that librarians should strive to adopt technological applications for securing public library resources. They should organise orientation programmes to educate users on the importance of safeguarding library resources. The study recommended, among others, funding from the government and private sectors, training of library staff as security specialists who will conduct risk assessment, and disaster preparedness towards library resources.

Continuing professional development strategies for digital transformation among academic librarians in Africa: A systematic review

This study aimed to review evidence on the continuing professional development (CPD) strategies that have been implemented for academic librarians and the CPD strategies that have enabled the implementation of digital transformation within academic libraries in Africa. A literature search in six databases was performed, which included Academic Search Premier (searched through EbscoHost), Emerald, Eric (searched through EbscoHost), Proquest Thesis, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A total of 3716 studies were retrieved from the six databases and exported into EndNote Referencing Manager. After removing duplicates and screening, 60 records were retained. Subsequently, full-text reading was done, and 15 records did not meet the criteria thereby leaving 45 records that were included in the review. The findings showed that the CPD strategies implemented in academic libraries included mentorship, availing librarians with protected time to engage in learning, and collaborating with external environments among others. However, academic libraries in Africa are yet to embrace the need to recruit a staff specifically designed for CPD activities, many do not have allocations within their budgets for Librarians’ training, and have no library staff training policies, The review established that few studies had reported on the CPD strategies that had led to the implementation of digital transformation in Africa. This included collaboration, attending short courses, and mentorship. Libraries need to designate staff in charge of librarians’ CPD activities, develop librarians’ training policies, and allocate funds for librarians’ training within their budgets.

Customer care in selected academic libraries in Ghana

This article reflects on a study done on the state of customer care in five selected academic libraries in Ghana. The study examined the prevailing customer care programmes – the policies, structures, practices, and the effects of customer care on the use of library products and services. Based on a pragmatic assumption, the researchers adopted a mixed-method research approach and a survey design with a sample of 3153 respondents which comprised three strata: students, faculty and library staff from the five selected academic libraries in Ghana. Data was largely collected with questionnaires and interviews were used to gather information from university librarians/heads of customer service. A document review instrument was used to confirm information provided by the respondents. The findings revealed that all five academic libraries had some form of customer care programmes. The article also established that customer care programmes contributed greatly to the improvement of skills, knowledge, experiences, and service performance of the academic library staff, which influenced the patronage of library products and services. However, the researchers identified inadequate financial resources, lack of written customer care policies, shortfalls in the customer care practices and training programmes as some of the challenges facing the implementation of customer care initiatives in academic libraries in Ghana. The article recommends developing written customer service policies and programmes specific to the provision of excellent customer services in academic libraries, adequate funding for regular customer service training of library staff and effective application of modern technology to enhance customer care in academic libraries.

Sharing the Joy of Music: A Music Cataloger’s Guide to Training Library Staff with Limited Music Expertise

ABSTRACT Countless academic libraries are unable to commit staff time to handle the multiple workflows required by a music library, such as ordering, procurement, and cataloging. Music librarians often rely on support from staff in other departments with limited musical backgrounds. Drawing from resources offered by the central library, a University of Tennessee music cataloger created guidelines for training non-musical library staff in identifying various musical formats. The training was meant to improve the workflow of music materials from acquisitions, cataloging, and processing departments. The training focused on illustrating the differences between a variety of commonly found musical score formats. The goal was to increase staff effectiveness and reduce errors in ordering and processing music materials. Ultimately, the training enabled library staff to identify best options and apply sound judgment when fulfilling order requests. These guidelines included illustrations with examples of different formats with cover images, title pages, music notation pages, and a brief bibliographic description of MARC fields 100, 245, 240, 250 and 300. By evaluating bibliographic records from WorldCat and showing physical examples of various musical manifestations, non-musical library staff were able to contribute more effectively to the operations of the music library. Furthermore, during the process of training and following up with staff, it became clear that the need for basic music training was greater than initially perceived and that numerous other units within the library needed this training. This paper offers guidelines for music library training from both the University of Tennessee and the music library literature.

STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN ACADEMIA: EXPERIENCES OF AN ACADEMIC LIBRARY

Training and development of library staff are very important in this digital era and so deserve the necessary attention. The survey research design was used in this study. A population of 33 library staff of the University understudy was used. No sampling technique was employed in the study. The main findings of the study were as follows: staff had been exposed to different training programs, training programs delivered for the staff were insufficient, staff were satisfied with the in-service training provided, training and development programs had positively influenced library staff to carry out their routine roles well, both junior staff and para-professionals and some senior members did not have chance to take part in any Ghana Library Association training and development programs. Additionally, majority of the staff endorsed training for all categories of staff in the library. Few staff had benefited from study leave with pay while majority were eager to pursue further studies in Information Studies through sandwich programme. Consequently, the following recommendations were made; constant staff training, Heads of Department and Sections should be involved in the selection of their staff for training programs while junior staff should be encouraged to further their education

Revolutionizing library access: exploring the potential of virtual positioning systems

PurposeThis study aims to explore the potential of virtual positioning systems (VPSs) in revolutionising library access. It examines the benefits and challenges associated with implementing VPSs.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes a comprehensive approach by analysing library users’ current challenges in accessing physical resources and services within traditional library settings. It analyses the benefits of VPSs in enhancing library access, considering factors such as improved navigation, accessibility for personalised recommendations, virtual tours and interactive experiences. The study also examines the implications of implementing VPSs regarding library resource management, staff training and infrastructure requirements.FindingsThe findings reveal that VPS has the potential to address various challenges faced by library users, such as limited availability of resources, inconvenient locations and inadequate access for individuals with special needs. VPS offers improved navigation, enhanced accessibility, personalised recommendations, virtual tours and interactive experiences. Implementing VPSs requires robust technological infrastructure, user adoption, privacy considerations and system maintenance. Libraries must invest in hardware, network infrastructure, staff training and data protection measures.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the ongoing discourse surrounding the transformation of libraries and the assimilation of emergent technologies. It highlights the potential of VPSs in revolutionising library access. By embracing the latent potential of VPSs, libraries can transcend physical boundaries, enhance user experiences and ensure seamless access to a wealth of resources in a digitised world.

Digital information security management policy in academic libraries: A systematic review (2010–2022)

Digital information security management (DISM) is considered an important tool to ensure the privacy and protection of data and resources in an electronic environment. The purpose of this research is to look into the applications of DISM policies in terms of practices and implementation in academic libraries. It also identifies the challenges faced by academic libraries in applying these DISM practices regarding policy. A systematic literature review was conducted to achieve the objectives of the study. The data were collected from well-known different databases, that is, Library Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA), Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA), IEEE Xplore, Emerald Insight, ACM Digital Library, Scopus, Sage journals, Taylor & Francis, ProQuest, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar. It followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to choose relevant articles with keyword searching. Some academic libraries have developed DISM policies on data protection, data backup, information security (IS) systems, the development of hardware and software, the training of library staff, data protection from malware and social engineering, and data security and privacy. A few libraries have developed a mechanism to protect and secure users’ sensitive data from hackers, viruses, malware and social engineering. Findings indicated that both organisations and users trust libraries due to their strict privacy and data security policies. However, some academic libraries did not adopt and implement DISM policies in their organisations, even though they had written DISM policies. Libraries have been facing issues with the DISM policy on data security and privacy, data backup, IS systems, hardware and software upgrades and technical support of library staff. They also face budgetary challenges and a lack of readiness among librarians to adopt emerging tools and technology such as DISM. Library professionals faced challenges in developing and implementing the DISM policy. For data security and privacy, stakeholders, administrators and library professionals must promote the DISM policy culture in academics. This study is beneficial for library professionals, policymakers, administrators and management to make DISM policies and implement them in their organisation or libraries to secure sensitive, personal data and resources. This article is the first review of DISM policy in academic libraries of its kind and would be useful for information professionals, stakeholders and administrators.

Библиотечное образование в контексте цифровизации

Improving modern library education is impossible without understanding the essential changes taking place with the library in the context of the digitalization of modern society. The purpose of the article is to study the influence of the processes of digitalization of library and information activities on the professional training of library specialists. During the study, an analysis was made of the legal framework, publications in the professional press, websites of higher education institutions, foreign projects broadcasting scientific information about the digitalization of librarianship. It is shown that digitalization affects the development of all major areas of library activities, the introduction of digital technologies leads to significant changes in the forms and methods of library services. The domestic and foreign experience of acquiring and improving digital competence in the framework of formal and non-formal education is considered. The generalization of the studied material made it possible to identify and characterize the main digitalization trends that affect library practice and the training of library staff.

Provision of Library Services and Utilization of Resources by Undergraduate Students in Federal University Libraries, South-South Nigeria

This study was carried out to establish relationships between library services and utilization of resources by undergraduates in the above geo-political regions. Correlational research design was used while an instrument titled ‘Library Services and Utilization of Resources by Undergraduate Students (LSURUSQ)’ was used for data collection. The population was 2910 registered users in Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences (2018/2019 session). The sample size was 400 determined by Taro Yamene statistical formula. The instrument was validated and its reliability confirmed using Cronbach Alpha Reliability Testing Technique. Three (3) research questions were answered and three (3) hypotheses tested. The findings revealed that utilization of library resources in these six institutions is considerably high and commendable. Effective utilization is recorded because of high quality of services carried out in these libraries. Findings from the study showed that there is a significant relationship between provision of circulation services and the utilization of resources by undergraduates in federal university libraries in South-South geo-political region of Nigeria (P=0.0008; p<0.05); there is significant relationship between provision of reference services and the utilization of resources by undergraduates in federal university libraries in South-South geo-political region Nigeria (P=0.026; p<0.05), amongst others. The study concluded that library services are very important for high quality of teaching and learning in higher institutions. The analyses showed a positive response from respondents concerning the services in the six university libraries. The study recommended training and retraining of library staff for more efficient services. It also recommended provision of more conducive working environment to enable the library staff discharge their duties more appropriately.

Peningkatan Kemampuan Otomasi Perpustakaan bagi Pustakawan Madrasah di Provinsi Riau

The madrasa library is a unit that supports learning and teaching activities, for that the library needs to provide various services that can be utilized by students and teachers. Based on the identification of problems with partners, there are several findings, namely; misunderstanding about library automation, lack of trained library staff, lack of support from the leadership, data input. Regarding the problems faced by partners, the team offers solutions to help solve these problems. The solution offered is in the form of technical guidance related to the implementation of library automation for madrasa librarians in Riau Province. The implementation of this service activity is packaged using a technical guidance approach. The activity was delivered using lecture methods, interactive discussions and practice. the results of the activities that have been carried out that all planned targets are achieved properly and in accordance with the program proposal. This activity received a positive response from partners and participants, seen from the enthusiasm of the participants in participating in the technical guidance activities. Furthermore, there was an increase in participants' understanding and skills in using Inlislite and SLiMS library application software. This indicator can be seen from the results of the pretest and posttest evaluations. While the main output of this activity is scientific articles that have been sent to online journals and the additional output is publication in online mass media.

Assessment of Training and Development of Library Staff in Federal University Libraries in Nigeria

The study assessed the training and development strategies employed in federal university libraries. The survey method was adopted for this study using questionnaire as instrument for data collection. The stratified random sampling technique was used to come up with the six federal universities selected from each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The responses were analysed descriptively using frequency distribution and percentages table, while the inferential statistics were analysed using ANOVA. The result of the study showed that the training strategies most employed by the federal university libraries are on-the job training and skills training. It is recommended that federal university libraries should adopt best practices, by encouraging university library staff to go for training outside the university or abroad to acquire technical skills which can increase their technical abilities and improve their job related competencies