Search

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the underlying principles of knowledge processing in a new era of mass collaboration and provide an integrated guideline for organizational knowledge management (KM) based on identifying the gaps between the existing KM theories and emerging knowledge initiatives such as Web 2.0, Pro-Am, Crowdsourcing, as well as Open Innovation. Design/methodology/approach – This research mainly employs three types of research methodologies: Literature study was conducted to connect this study with conventional theories in KM and propose the main principles of Mass Collaborative Knowledge Management (MCKM). Object-oriented modeling was used for designing its interaction model. The case study method was employed to discuss the two typical practices carried out by Goldcorp Inc. as well as the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency. Findings – This paper proposes the novel KM paradigm called MCKM and also provides its main principles and the interaction model. First, it identifies the gaps between emerging practices and existing KM theories. Second, it embraces the long tails into the scope of organizational KM and extends the scope of prevailing KM studies. Third, it falls back on Pro-Ams to save the costs of and to reduce the risk to organizational KM as well. Fourth, it highlights the advantages of opening organizational internal knowledge and transforms the core beliefs in conventional KM. Finally, it classifies organizational knowledge into two types, domain knowledge and non-domain knowledge, and provides some managing policies, respectively. Practical implications – Introducing MCKM into organizational KM will not only enhance the organizational knowledge creation and sharing, but also help an organization build its open knowledge ecosystem. Originality/value – This is a paper to introduce a new direction of KM studies, which guides an organization to build an open knowledge ecosystem by implementing mass collaborations and taking advantages of the complementary advantages of men and machines in knowledge processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe a project to digitise maps at the Royal Tropical Institute, or Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT), of The Netherlands. KIT has an extensive collection of maps and nautical charts of (sub-) tropical regions, including general maps and topographical map series, city maps, thematic maps and national atlases. The collection comprises some 27,000 maps and over 1,000 atlases. Almost 12,000 maps are from the former Dutch colonies, Netherlands Indies (Indonesia), Surinam and The Netherlands Antilles. Design/methodology/approach - The paper explains how users have access to the maps via the Library's online catalogue. One of the future goals is combining the KIT collections in order to make it possible to search a map and to find accompanying documents, museum objects and photographs and to add more metadata. Findings - The paper finds that the digitised collection of maps has been used by various researchers as well as by relief workers in the aftermath of the tsunami in Indonesia. Originality/value - The innovative part of the project is the ability to search by location and to navigate through serial maps. A link with Google Earth makes it possible to compare an old map with a new satellite image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of human information behaviour and to explore the relationship between information behaviour of users and the existing approaches dominating design and evaluation of information retrieval (JR) systems and also to describe briefly new design and evaluation methods in which extensive attention is dedicated to the users and their behaviours and conditions. Design/methodology/approach - The paper takes the form of a literature review with particular concentration on the efforts made by information science researchers. Findings - The paper finds that there are four classic approaches to JR systems design: system-centred, user-centred, interactive and cognitive. Not enough research has been carried out to explore the relationship between information behaviour and information systems design to date. Contextual design and participatory design are among the new methods where users' behaviour, factors and contexts are considered more proactively than previously when designing information systems. Originality/value - The paper introduces new methods and research frameworks being investigated currently in the area of information systems design and evaluation in which considerable attention is given to the users' information behaviour and situation. The paper is also useful in gaining a broad understanding about issues explored that have not previously been presented in one publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the initiative of the University Grants Commission of India in setting up the Infonet Digital Library Consortium (The Information and Library Network) in order to provide access to scholarly communication to the academic community in India. Design/methodology/approach - The context of higher education in India and the expansion and establishment of universities under the five-year plan is given along with details of e-resources that are being provided. The usage trends of e-resources from various publishers during 2004-2007 are detailed. Findings - The paper finds that there has been a qualitative increase in overall usage, but use is also dependent on a high-bandwidth connection. Originality/value - The study provides evidence of increased use of consortial services for access to e-resources in Indian higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to share the experiences and challenges faced by the Open University Library (OUL) in using screen capture software to develop online literature search tutorials. Design/methodology/approach - A summary of information literacy support at the OUL is provided as background information to explain the decision to experiment with screen capture software with particular subjects. A detailed consideration of the design, development and implementation stages of a literature search tutorial in information and communication technology is given before a critical appraisal of the problems encountered. Findings - The paper highlights the challenges in writing and designing self-guided online learning materials in a subject context. It considers the strengths and weaknesses of the particular screen capture software used, especially with regard to accessibility. Practical implications - The paper is of interest not only to other academic libraries, but also any organisation seeking to publish online help or learning materials for different audiences. Originality/value - This paper is the first to document the use of screen capture software for information literacy purposes in a UK academic library and distance-learning context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper seeks to provide a comparative analysis of the functionality of five web-based OPACs available in Indian academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach - Same-topic searches were carried out by three researchers on the web-based OPACs of Libsys, VTLS's iPortal, NewGenLib, Troodon, and Alice for Windows, implemented in five academic libraries in India. Their functionality was compared using criteria selected from the literature on OPAC searching. Findings - The web-based OPACs investigated offered a range of facilities for searching by author, title, control number and by keywords. Federated searching across several e-collections was limited. Originality/value -This paper should be a useful source of information to librarians who are planning to introduce web-based OPACs and also for software vendors who wish to improve the functionality of their products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of the experiences of setting up an institutional repository at Loughborough University, focusing on some of the key issues that it was necessary to consider, the choices made and the challenges overcome. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper outlines the various decision processes involved during the 12-month pilot phase. These include: choosing appropriate software: customising DSpace: implementing licences; and gathering content for the repository. Findings -- The experiences highlight some of the challenges involved in setting up an institutional repository. Originality/value -- This paper gives a direct insight into the different types of work involved in the setting up of an institutional repository and is an example of a system set up outside the boundaries of project funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To consider the findings of a recent e-resources survey at the University of Exeter Library in the context of the dominance of web search engines in academia, balanced by the development of e-library tools such as the library OPAC, OPenURL resolvers, metasearch engines, LDAP and proxy servers, and electronic resource management modules. Design/methodology/approach - Report of survey findings in the context of similar, recent research and articles. Findings - The survey confirmed the very high usage, ease of use, confident use and user satisfaction in web search engines as the predominant means of accessing academic information. The survey also reveals the considerable use, user confidence, and search success of Exeter's various e-library tools. A number of variations have been detected between user groups including part-time groups, disabled users and those who do not own personal computers. Practical implications - The paper confirms popular conceptions about how academic users access information although it clearly identifies a vital, continuing role for e-library tools which must accordingly develop and adapt to users' preferences. Originality/value - The paper draws on aspects raised by recent international surveys and research. It reveals highly-profiled survey findings in the context of the University of Exeter and a unique insight into the current use of e-library tools in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the final study in a series of six emanating from the UK JISC-funded RoMEO Project (rights metadata for open-archiving), which investigated the intellectual property rights issues relating to academic author self-archiving of research papers. It reports the results of a survey of 542 academic authors, showing the level of protection required for their open access research papers. It then describes the selection of an appropriate means of expressing those rights through metadata and the resulting choice of Creative Commons licences. Finally, it outlines proposals for communicating rights metadata via the Open Archives Initiative's Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to understand how users' perceptions of the different functions of blogs vary in educational use and personal use, and further to explore whether experience with blogs has an influence on differences in perceptions of blog functions. Design/methodology/approach – To empirically determine whether the blog functions were suitable for educational and personal use, a blog system with numerous functions was constructed for users to evaluate. In total, 48 college students were recruited to participate in the study. The participants navigated this system and then filled in a questionnaire to give their opinions on the functions of both educational blogs and personal blogs. Findings – The findings of this study indicate that of the 26 blog functions, perceptions of 20 of the functions differed significantly between educational and personal use. Moreover, the results showed that only two blog functions, backup and traffic source, were influenced by both blog experience and blog usage. Originality/value – This study distinguishes itself from the previous studies on blogging systems in its specific focus on functionality with detailed evaluation under different purposes of contexts. Practical suggestions are accordingly made for practitioners to choose when and which functions to use under different circumstances to enhance the interaction and information exchange between users in the field practice of educational blogging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to disseminate information about the Welsh Repository Network (WRN), innovative work being undertaken to build an integrated network of institutional digital repositories. A collaborative approach, in particular through the provision of centralised technical and organisational support, has demonstrated improvement in the use and curation of digital repository content across Wales. Design/methodology/approach - The vision of the WRN has been delivered using two project phases; the first establishing technical infrastructure followed by a phase focussing on user engagement, content generation and enhancement of repository interfaces. The methodologies used have involved gathering technical requirements and procurement and installation of repository solutions, including a cash injection of £4,000 per institution to purchase suitable hardware. The current phase explores experimental approaches to stimulate engagement, embed solutions and generate content to populate the repositories. Collaboration is the overarching theme driving the approach. Findings - The WRN is now a physical entity offering complete national coverage. Vitally, the WRN is also functioning as a virtual network. The variety of technical repository solutions implemented reflect the variety of institutions with makeup, current computing infrastructure and staffing levels all influencing the chosen infrastructure. Current challenges focus on organisational aspects of engagement; culture change, strategic buy-in and policy issues have all proved significant. Originality/value - The WRN demonstrates that collaboration results in success. The model can inform and lead others considering repository matters and has provided findings of interest and value to many wider communities from repository specific, through information and research management to the information profession as whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to describe a personal recommendation service (PRS) involving an innovative hybrid recommendation method suitable for deployment in a large-scale multimedia user environment. Design/methodology/approach - The proposed hybrid method partitions content and user into segments and executes association rule mining, collaborative filtering, and contents popularity algorithms over various combinations of content partitions and user groups. The process results in recommended content for end-users based on the linear combination of candidate data sets. Findings - This study reveals that: the use of usage frequency is an effective way to analyse user's behaviour patterns and their selection of content; the partitioning of content and users into meaningful groups and the identification of optimal parameter values of constituent recommendation methods, yields successful results in the implementation; the hybrid method performs better than any constituent methods in most evaluation metrics. Practical implications - The PRS system serves as a useful reference for electronic libraries or information centres considering the development of personalised information services. Originality/value - The PRS system is designed and implemented to work efficiently in the large-scale multimedia user environment. It can also be applied to small and medium-scale environments or mobile platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the behaviour of the Egyptian scholars while accessing electronic resources through two federated search tools. The main purpose of this article is to provide guidance for federated search tool technicians and support teams about user issues, including the need for training. Design/methodology/approach - Log files were exploited to examine the behaviour of users of information retrieval systems. This study examined two log files extracted from federated search tools available to the Egyptian scholars' community for accessing electronic resources. A data mining approach was implemented to investigate user behaviour through deep analysis of these logs. Findings - Results show that: none of the available tools provide error messages for dummy queries; most of the Egyptian scholars had short queries; Boolean operators are not used in about 50 per cent of the queries; federated search tools do not provide techniques for query reformation; the optimal days for system maintenance are the non~weekend vacations; and early morning is the best time for maintenance. Practical implications - To maximise the value of the federated search tools by understanding user trends when utilising federated search tools. The study shows that more attention should be given to the search capabilities through ongoing training and awareness in order to maximise the benefit from the available resources and tools. Originality/value - The hypothetical value of the federated search tools has not been previously examined and analysed to understand user trends. e [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — To examine and discuss the features of library portals and suggest further development of these research tools. Design/methodology/approach — The two categories of library portals (horizontal or public, and vertical) were examined to establish the characteristics of some of the portal software available in the marketplace. The study involved carrying out a literature search and visiting demonstration sites. Some library sites that have implemented this software were subsequently examined in order to establish features of their sites, and to see how these sites have handled the information literacy/research process. Findings — Suggests that a well-structured subject portal should be based on the principles of the flow of scientific information, and an information literacy component should be embedded in the portal. Such a portal could assist learners to become familiar with the breadth and depth of information resources relevant to their discipline. It should also assist librarians and learning advisers to become familiar with the information literacy requirements of specific subjects and courses. In this way, libraries should achieve their objective of making the learner information-literate with minimal effort, and thus contribute positively to student learning outcomes. Practical implications — The paper is a useful source of information for librarians considering investing in one of the commercial software tools and for those embarking on the development of subject portals. A pilot version of the subject portal implemented at the University of the Witswatersrand is shown. Originality/value — The novelty in this work is the intuitive subject portal that is put forward; the elements and content of the portals are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following an overview of the historical context of copyright legislation, this paper discusses copyright within the scholarly communication process and the role of libraries in providing access to copyright materials in the digital age. The argument is made that the balance of "rights" and "exceptions" that has been maintained for 300 years needs to be reconsidered for scholarly communications, such as theses and dissertations, as well as for articles in electronic journals. This type of information is fact-based, often resulting from public funds, and is part of the intellectual heritage of academic institutions, and so is very different to creative works within the entertainment industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]