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Purpose: There are currently no effective methods for evaluating the quality of reference services despite the knowledge that reference services need to be evaluated for both quantity and quality. This paper proposes a method for evaluating the quality of reference services provided by public libraries. Methods: Since there are no effective evaluation methods in the field of library and information science, studies of service quality in other areas, including social welfare, medicine, and education, were reviewed to identify potential methods. As a result of the reviews, two common factors were found. One is that most of the evaluation methods have a hierarchical structure. These methods consist of classifying several questionnaire items into categories, or "dimensions". The other common point is that most of the methods involve questionnaires being answered by customers, service providers, and third parties. Based on these two findings, it is proposed that a questionnaire can be used as an evaluation method for measuring quality of reference services. Results: An evaluation tool for measuring quality of reference services was developed by referring to evaluation methods in other service areas. First, a focus group interview was conducted to select questionnaire items. The questionnaire, including the selected items, was then given to librarians. The "dimensions" and their related items were identified by factor analysis using the responses from the questionnaire. The measurement tool for evaluating the quality of reference services was developed using the dimensions combined with the questionnaire items. This paper can be the first step towards further studies on the evaluation of the quality of reference services which has not been discussed to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the significance of and limits to Christine S. Bruce's relational approach in information literacy education. In information literacy education, the approaches that exist in the base of education have not been discussed adequately. In this paper, we review and analyse the characteristics of three approaches to information literacy education based on Bruce's classification: the behavioral approach, the constructivist approach, and the relational approach. The analysis is based on the perspective of the human user and information use. Because understanding human beings as members of society is important to examine education, which makes human beings acquire shared knowledge in a society, and the perspective of information use is important to examine information literacy, which is ability related to information use. As a result of our comparison, we suggest that Bruce's relational approach, which combines both human sense-making and the objects, overcomes the limits of the behavioral approach and the constructivists approach. Further more, we suggest that introducing a situational approach to Bruce's relational approach overcomes the limits of the relational approach and offers a new perspective on information literacy education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the prospects for library services actively adopting the trend of administrative reform. Initially the paper takes a general view of the argument concerning "Decentralization" at the national level and "New Public Management" at the regional level in order to clarify the existence of a citizens' sector as one of the principal points at issue in both reforms. The second section gives an account of the fact that in administrative reforms after 1990s citizens are regarded not only as beneficiaries of public services, but also as suppliers. This section also explains the concept of "Governance" which explains the aforementioned fact. Where the concept of "Governance" was applied to provision of public service, various social actors including citizens' sector would be placed on an equal footing with administrations when providing public services. In conclusion, the author advocates that to apply the concept of "Governance" as one of the best options for thinking about the provision of library services, under a framework which regards the directionality of administrative reform as "from Government to Governance." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper seeks to clarify the research trend of library and information science (US) in Japan from 1970 to 2009. Methods: Of all the articles published from 1970 to 2009 in Library and Information Science and Journal of Japan Society of Library and Information Science, 826 research articles were examined. For each article, (1) authors, (2) topics, (3) research methods, and (4) the use of theories were analyzed. For (1), the number of authors of each article and the first author's affiliation and occupation were examined. Topics were classified into 14 US topics and these topics were further classified into "library science" and "information science". Empirical research methods were further divided into "data collection method" and "data analysis method". The number of research articles and the transition of the number of pages were also investigated. Results: Our findings indicate that in the US field over the last 40 years in Japan, (1) the number of authors whose affiliation is "university" has increased, (2) the number of "information science" articles has gradually decreased, and the majority of articles are now about "library science", and (3) the proportion of empirical research methods has increased. There were no major changes or distinctive trends in the topics discussed by articles. Due to the adoption of a strict peer-review system in both journals, the number of research articles decreased from the 1990s to 2000s; however, the number of articles has increased in recent years due to the increase in the number of graduate students and the enhancement of research grants in the US field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the rise of the Internet, both television and newspapers still play major roles as news, media. This paper clarifies the differences between television and newspapers as news media during the period of a general election campaign in Japan. Methods: News stories reporting on the election of The House of Representatives of Japan were analyzed using episodic or thematic news frames (Iyengar 1991). News was categorized according to the type of news and the type of frame. Results: News programs on television (NHK and five commercial broadcast stations) broadcast 172 news sto- ries during the 2009 election campaign (from 18 August 2009 to 1 September 2009). There were 386 news items in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper related to the election during the same period. The amount of coverage was large at both the beginning and the end of the election campaign. Television and newspapers showed similar tendencies. Moreover, no changes were observed between 2005 and 2009. Television news was composed of equal amounts of general news and featured news, while featured news accounted for about 80% of the news in the newspaper. On television, there were many episodic frames mainly portraying individuals involved in the election campaign. A large majority of newspaper coverage, however, dealt with theme frames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper clarifies the characteristics of theories on the strategic management of libraries in the United States, focusing on: 1) how strategic management concepts have been applied to operations or tasks in libraries, 2) the degree to which strategic management theories have an impact on them, and 3) whether library staff place a high value on the results of applying the theories. Methods: First, a set of strategic management theories to be investigated was selected from standard text- books of business administration and library management. Second, for each theory in the set, bibliography and bibliographic databases, Library Literature, LISA and LISTA, were searched in order to identify documents discussing it. Third, cases studies and bibliometric analysis were attempted based on the documents. In case studies, some actual cases of applying the theories to library management were extracted from documents, and how the theories were implemented in library operations and how they were evaluated by library staff were analyzed. On the other hand, in bibliometric analysis, the numbers of documents were counted by year, and chronological trends of popularity of the theories in libraries were empirically clarified. Results: The cases studies show that library managers in the US are particularly concerned about `planning' and `evaluation'. However, in most cases, it would have been difficult to progress from planning to practice. Also, library managers tend to select theories on administrative organization rather than those oriented toward the external environment. Although most management theories were not adequately implemented in the cases, only theories on core competence would have been accepted positively and incorporated adequately into practice in libraries. The bibliometric analysis clarified that the impact of management strategy theories is increasing each year, and new theories are being applied in library situations more quickly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: "Health literacy" is the ability to obtain and use information in order to maintain one's health and to recover from disease. Health information providers should consider health literacy an integral part of health communication. Since "Health Literacy" was one of the objectives of Healthy People 2010 in the year 2000, research in the field of health literacy has flourished in the U.S. This paper attempts to emphasize both the necessity of health literacy research and the outline contribution of library and information science to health literacy in Japan through a literature review of the expansion of health literacy research in the U.S. and its introduction to Japan. Results: There were three turning points in health literacy research in the U.S.: a readability study for documents started in the 1970s; a measurement study of individual health literacy created and implemented in the 1990s; and a health outcome study after the year 2000. These previous studies indicate that the methods and accomplishments of health literacy research are recognized primarily based on the following health literacy research models: basic literacy and knowledge; narrowly-defined health literacy; and health outcomes. The backgrounds of the health literacy researchers vary, but do include library and information science. The results of the research have been reflected in the expansion of consumer health information services. In Japan, very little health literacy research has been conducted, although a portion of the definition of health literacy has been introduced to scholars in some health-related fields. Researchers' interest in the relationship between health information and the general public including patients has grown recently. Health literacy should be recognized as one of the important research agendas in human information interaction. In addition to health sciences and education, library and information science should contribute to health literacy research in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]