University Library Research Articles

Exploring the High-quality Development Path of Academic Libraries in the Perspective of Digital Literacy

In the new era, academic libraries are shouldering new missions and responsibilities for the progress of science and technology. Exploring the issues related to the high-quality development of academic libraries will play a crucial role in fully implementing the strategic planning to develop future academic libraries and to enhance their value and influence. In the digital intelligence era, digital literacy education has become a new growth point of the library’s social education function. This paper explains the connotation of digital literacy and the components of high-quality development of libraries. On basis of the problems and solution strategies of college libraries existing in the construction of talent teams and resources, the path of high-quality development of college libraries is rationally designed in the current paper. It is believed that digital literacy would empower the high-quality development of college libraries and significantly promote the construction of smart libraries.

The ethics of artificial intelligence use in university libraries in Zimbabwe

The ethics of artificial intelligence use in university libraries in Zimbabwe

Toxicity in 3D: XRF Analysis for the Presence of Heavy Metals in a Historical Stereograph Collection at Queen’s University Library, Canada

ABSTRACT This study employs non-destructive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy to identify the presence of potentially harmful heavy metals in a collection of nineteenth century stereographs housed at W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Stereographs were extremely popular forms of entertainment and education in the Victorian era. As a result, they are common in archives, libraries, galleries, museums, and personal collections alike. This article provides an introduction to the history of stereographs, a background on their production, and pXRF analysis into the composition of pigments present on the stereograph mounts. Sixty-nine stereographs were selected for pXRF analysis, dating between 1852 and 1940, with the majority of the stereographs dating prior to 1895. Many of these cards are brightly coloured in greens, oranges, yellows, and pinks. Research revealed that arsenic-based pigment was common among all green stereograph cards analysed, lead-based pigment was common among all orange stereograph cards analysed, and lead- and chromium-based pigments were common among all the yellow cards analysed. However, additional analytical techniques need to be employed for definitive pigment identifications. This study demonstrates that hazardous pigments from the nineteenth century extend beyond wallpapers, books, and textiles and are likely to be pervasive in many heritage workplaces. This research highlights the importance of educating staff who work with archival collections. Understanding the scope of toxic pigments in archival collections is critical to ensuring proper handling, storage, and mitigation strategies to protect both the health of individuals and the integrity of these historically significant artifacts.

Fostering innovation in smart library services: An in-depth exploration of empowered capabilities and dynamic strategies among university librarians in Pakistan

Purpose The need to implement innovative smart services in libraries is becoming more widely recognized. This paper investigates the current status of innovation in smart library services, how university librarians can support innovation in library services through their capacities and dynamic strategies, the implications that innovative initiatives have on overall effectiveness, and the challenges that university librarians perceive. Methodology A mixed-method approach was employed in this study. In the qualitative method, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 chief librarians of university libraries and 150 university library professionals made up the sample for the quantitative investigation from throughout Pakistan. Findings The provision of smart services is clearly in the plans for the growth of university libraries in Pakistan, and the majority of university librarians also discuss the challenges in implementing innovations and provide solutions to these problems. The study uncovers significant barriers to adopting innovative library services, such as the fear of job displacement due to technology and financial constraints. However, it underscores the potential of focused training, AI, and IoT technologies to enhance library services. Originality These advancements can boost user engagement and operational efficiency and are crucial for aligning library services with global educational and sustainability goals. The research stresses the need for strategic planning and investment in financing and infrastructure, advocating that these measures can enhance educational outcomes and reduce information access disparities, thereby benefiting the entire community.

The impact of the learning university library model on organizational performance in Guangxi, China from the perspective of smart library

In the era of smart transformation, this study examines the impact of the learning university library model on university library performance, with the smart library serving as a mediating factor. Drawing on theories of smart libraries, learning organizations, and organizational performance, the research focuses on leaders and department heads of university libraries in Guangxi. A questionnaire survey conducted in 2024 yielded 437 valid responses. Utilizing statistical software, the study constructed a structural equation model (SEM) for analysis. The findings reveal that the smart library serves as a key mediator, significantly enhancing the positive influence of the learning university library model on university library performance. Learning and technology emerged as primary drivers of performance improvement, while resource, personnel, and organizational factors also played crucial roles. This study not only contributes to the interdisciplinary field of smart library and learning organization theory but also offers theoretical insights and practical guidance for the smart development of university libraries in Guangxi, which is strategically important for promoting the sustainable development of library services.

Bridging the health information gap among undergraduate university students: The role of academic libraries.

Although university students are young and seem generally healthy, they do have health information needs that affect their academic work. Some university healthcare services and academic libraries collaborated during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide health information to students. The study explored the health information gap among undergraduate students in universities in Ghana. The study involved 382 students from the University of Cape Coast, the University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, including nine librarians and six university health professionals. Respondents for the study were chosen using stratified sampling and purposeful sampling techniques. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide were used to collect the data. The study revealed limited access to health information for undergraduate students. Male and female students had similar high priorities (personal hygiene, disease prevention, healthy living, mental health) but reproductive health information was mostly a priority for female students. Inadequate access to health information among undergraduate students may pose a threat to avoidable health risks and academic productivity. Based on the findings, a functional Collaborative Health Information Model for Academic Libraries and University Healthcare Systems is proposed to address undergraduate students' health information needs.

User requirements for research data management services in Myanmar university libraries: A case study of the University of Yangon Library

University libraries in Myanmar are developing research data management services (RDMS) to support and boost the country's research and development. This paper reports on a research study that aims to identify and understand user requirements for RDMS. The University of Yangon Library (UYL) was selected as the research case, and 40 faculty members, research students, and library workers were approached and interviewed. The analysis of interview data adopted a thematic approach and used two analytic tools: coding for tagging and interpreting data; and concept map for visualising and demonstrating the progress of analysis. The analysis discerned 12 RDMS requirements in four theoretical themes: research data management planning, research data collection, research data processing and analysis, and research data preservation and sharing. Moreover, the analysis indicated that, to support the development of RDMS, libraries should enact three different roles, namely, participative role, educational and consultative role, and facilitative role. Also, practical implications were drawn from the analysis and suggested a three-stage action plan for RDMS development at the case library. Although this study focuses on libraries in Myanmar universities, the findings provide useful insights and implications for university libraries in other countries.

“I Hate Writing Letters!”: Social Portrait of Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas in His Correspondence

The article purports to introduce the social background of the famous Lithuanian poet Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas, outlining his main social connections. Having surveyed the corpus of his correspondence, the author interprets the map of the social relationships maintained by the poet, attempting to establish the ways by which these letters could (and did) make impact on his literary creativity. The surveyed materials include egodocuments written from 1910 till 1967 and stored at the Lithuanian Archives of Literature and Art, Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum in Kaunas, the manuscript collection of the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, and the Vilnius University Library. The considerable amount of letters could be classified according to certain criteria: the addressees (family members, relatives, colleagues, classmates, strangers, editors and translators) and contents (businesslike, aimed at maintaining the relationships, egocentric, esthetical). The types of the addressees also shape the structure of the article, since this study is oriented at social analysis rather than at a historical survey.Letters enabling to establish bidirectional relationships functioned at that time as the most common form of communication, as well as means of learning the news and gaining emotional support. V. Mykolaitis-Putinas rarely initiated the correspondence himself; however, he felt obliged to answer the letters that he received, at least those from his acquaintances. Among the most interesting letters are those written by the admirers who were usually unrelated to the poet. These people expressed their admiration of the poet’s work, suggested translating it, sent their own creative attempts, and sometimes also criticized (albeit rarely and mostly anonymously). Why did these people write this, especially bearing in mind that in the Soviet period, when many in the occupied Lithuania did not dare discuss certain topics in writing and were even afraid to talk about them with family members? Some letters were received from abroad, or from places of deportation, but these were mostly attempts to establish businesslike connections or to seek help. The problems described in the letters left their mark in V. Mykolaitis-Putinas’ introspection, as testified by his diary from the later period (1961–1967). However, the diary is more open and literary, and much more frequently engages with metaphysical problems than the letters.

Manuscript and Archival Sources Related to the Life and Work of the Philomaths in the Collections of the Vilnius University Library

Manuscript and Archival Sources Related to the Life and Work of the Philomaths in the Collections of the Vilnius University Library

A Study on Facilities and Usage of Web OPAC in University Libraries in Tamilnadu

A Study on Facilities and Usage of Web OPAC in University Libraries in Tamilnadu

The availability of Kaizen methodology requirements for continuous improvement in Al-Azhar University libraries

The availability of Kaizen methodology requirements for continuous improvement in Al-Azhar University libraries

Research on the Transformation of the Management and Operation Model of University Libraries in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Research on the Transformation of the Management and Operation Model of University Libraries in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Sustainable University Libraries, role and dynamics they assume in Higher Educations Institutions nowadays

Sustainable University Libraries, role and dynamics they assume in Higher Educations Institutions nowadays

Research on Precision Management Strategy of College Libraries under the Background of Big Data

Research on Precision Management Strategy of College Libraries under the Background of Big Data

Management of digital resources in Government college libraries of Madhya Pradesh: A study

Management of digital resources in Government college libraries of Madhya Pradesh: A study

On the Upcoming Catalogue of Old Hungarian Books from the Collections of the Transylvanian Museum Society and the University Library of Cluj

On the Upcoming Catalogue of Old Hungarian Books from the Collections of the Transylvanian Museum Society and the University Library of Cluj

A Study on the Linkage of National University Libraries through Cooperative System

A Study on the Linkage of National University Libraries through Cooperative System

ANALISIS TEORI RESEPSI TENTANG REPRESENTASI PERPUSTAKAAN PERGURUAN TINGGI PADA VIDEO PERESMIAN GEDUNG PUSAT INFORMASI DAN PERPUSTAKAAN UNIVERSITAS NEGERI PADANG

The development of technology and digitalization has encouraged various institutions, including university libraries, to utilize digital platforms such as YouTube as promotional tools. This study analyzes the representation of the Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP) library in the promotional video titled "Peresmian Gedung Pusat Informasi dan Perpustakaan Universitas Negeri Padang" (Inauguration of the Information and Library Center Building of Universitas Negeri Padang) uploaded on the UNP TV YouTube channel. Using a qualitative approach, the research applies reception analysis based on Stuart Hall's encoding-decoding theory. The findings indicate that the video represents the library as a place for studying and discussion, a quiet space, with stereotypical depictions of librarians, a collection limited to books, and a sense of suspicion toward library users. The researcher concludes that this representation fails to reflect the functions of a modern library, which should also encompass social spaces, digital collections, and a friendly relationship with users. The researcher adopts a negotiated and oppositional stance on certain elements of the video, particularly regarding the portrayal of librarians, the library atmosphere, and the featured collection. The study concludes that promotional videos for libraries should reflect inclusivity, trust, and modernity to project a positive institutional image and attract more library users.

Romanian University Website Survey Regarding the Evaluation of Informational and Documentary Resources Provided to Students

The universities website has become an established tool, serving as an interface between an organization and its audience. For university websites, they act as portals for information and communication with students, facilitating educational and research objectives while promoting the institution’s image. Based on this perspective, the authors conducted a strategic monitoring/documentation process, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyze the vast textual content from the websites of 101 universities in Romania. Data collection occurred from January 2021 to March 2022. These websites were monitored and analyzed comparatively for quality based on Minerva EU principles, which serve as the analytical standard, utilizing predefined categories: identification, relevance, maintenance, accessibility, user orientation, responsiveness, multilingualism, and interoperability. Additionally, the study assesses whether the websites provide useful information for students’ specific activities, including accessible informational and documentary resources within the university library’s digital environment. The results indicate that state universities (54 in total, both civilian and military) are the most relevant. They continually enhance their websites to serve as a vital access point for specific informational resources, including administrative, educational, documentary, and cultural resources.

The Freimann Square in Frankfurt am Main: Honoring Therese and Aron Freimann

This essay describes the lifelong achievements of Therese and Aron Freimann and the naming of the public square adjacent to the Frankfurt University Library after the couple. Therese Freimann (1882–1965) was a social activist whose initiatives benefited the residents of Frankfurt am Main and later New York City. Aron Freimann (1871–1948) was a renowned Wissenschaft des Judentums scholar and bibliographer whose work enabled and advanced the development of modern Jewish studies. His 1932 Judaica Catalogue of the Frankfurt Library collection played a key role in the survival of the collection during the Nazi era.