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Among the kings of Iran, Shah Abbas I, in Safavid period, is a prominent figure who is mentioned in popular tales. In the stories attributed to him, there are outstanding features that have attracted the attention of researchers due to their high frequency. The purpose of this study is to analyze the salient features contained in the stories of Shah Abbas I and to explain the origin of these features. The method of the present study was analyticaldescriptive in terms of purpose and based on library studies in terms of data collection. Visiting the library and searching through reliable sources, the authors have collected all the available stories about Shah Abbas I and then analyzed their salient features and origins. Research findings show that these characteristics are either of historical origin or originated from the imagination of the creators of the stories. Some of these characteristics are specific to Shah Abbas and others are general characteristics of kings. Feelings of the unseen voice, professional dervishes, nightlife, simplicity, wisdom and shrewdness, interest in art, gossip, fulfilling desires, solving problems, marrying the poor and accepting humiliation are some of the characteristics of this king. On the other hand, power, justice and fairness, acceptance of judgment and justice, compassion and mercy, punishment of the oppressors and forgiveness (bestowal and forgiveness, and forgiving taxes) are common features for Shah Abbas and other kings. In this article, an attempt has been made to collect the salient features contained in the stories of Shah Abbas and to analyze them based on their origin. Accordingly, the reader realizes the hidden goals of these features and becomes acquainted with their creators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the history of the fine art of decorative binding in India, Egypt, Central Asia and Europe where it was mostly prevalent during ancient and medieval times and the cross cultural influences. Early modern era too had beautiful work on binding covers. Some works have even been called 'treasure bindings' made for important people in high social positions. The book bindings are still available across libraries, museums and private collections. Great care was taken to make the binding of a revered text strong and look appealing. The ancient and medieval times craftsmen used various methods and materials like wood, leather to make the bindings and used ivory, metal and pigments for embellishment. The article briefly describes the technique of book binding and showcases some specimens of fine book covers from across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study was to examine trends and developments in budgeting and financial management of collections in university libraries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. Locally there is limited literature available on the financial management of university libraries in Pakistan. However, previously no study of this nature has been conducted. The present study aimed to close this gap through a sector wide survey through face-to-face interviews in 26 universities of the province of KPK. The fieldwork was conducted by principle author in June, 2015 with the specific objectives of investigating financial management of collections in the university libraries of KPK. The study found that no specific norms are followed by the university administration in allocating budget for libraries. The role of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in the financial management of libraries seems to be more of facilitators than decision makers. The overall analysis demonstrates that university libraries in KPK are more vulnerable to changes in future because of their reliance and dependence on expenditure allocations from parent institutions that are heavily dependent on public funding from the government. The study suggests that libraries with meager budget allocations cannot develop collections in line with the changing trends and needs of the users. Apart from it in the face of low budget allocation, there is an apprehension that instead of expanding collections, university libraries have been obsessed to maintain their old collection sizes and if weeding takes place then it would mean that collections have shrunk in size. Therefore, LIS professionals in the university libraries of KPK must be aggressive in forging connections both within their institutions and among their communities at large to recognize that financial management of collections is the only important step for effective collection development which will ultimately bring LIS professionals both satisfaction and rewards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Online Journal of Design, Art & Communication is the property of Turkish Online Journal of Design, Art & Communication and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pinellia Tuber (the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Makino [Araceae]) (PT) is a crude drug used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Japanese Kampo medicine. PT is subjected to additional processing before use in TCM because of its toxic, while the processing has not been used in Kampo medicine. The aim of this study is to clarify the reason why the differences about the processing of PT between TCM and Kampo medicine have been appeared. We investigated successive literatures published in China and in Japan from the Han dynasty to the modern age. The descriptions about the processing of PT in China had appeared since the Later Han dynasty as washing, and after that, various processing methods have been recorded, such as boiling, steaming, making cakes, and fermenting to prepare PT malt (PTM) with various drug additives. The objective of the processing for PT was not only to remove its toxicity but to change drug properties, and several kinds of processed PT had been developed to treat different types of "phlegm" in the Ming dynasty. The current Chinese Pharmacopoeia recommends the use of processed PT to avoid the toxicity, and registers unprocessed PT as well as three kinds of processed PT except for PTM which had been deleted in 2015 edition. These processing methods for PT have been established in the Qing dynasty. The oldest description in Japan was appeared in 1363, and the processing methods had been influenced by the literatures in the Song dynasty. After that, the processed PT in Japan had mainly been PTM until the 18th century. In 1738, Shuan Kagawa wrote that PT should not be processed because its pharmacological effects disappeared and the toxicity of PT disappeared by preparing its decoction without processing. Then, the processing of PT has been unpopular, and the Japanese Pharmacopoeia has registered PT since 1939 without any processing. Compared to TCM, Japanese Kampo medicine has tended to avoid ideologism based on traditional knowledge and to adopt positivism. This policy has reflected the differences in the processing of PT between Kampo medicine and TCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contactless services have become a common way for public libraries to provide services. As a result, the strategy used by public libraries in China will effectively stop the spread of epidemics caused by human touch and will serve as a model for other libraries throughout the world. The primary goal of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the contactless service measures provided by large Chinese public libraries for users in the pandemic era, as well as the challenges and countermeasures for providing such services. The data for this study was obtained using a combination of website investigation, content analysis, and telephone interviews for an analytical survey study of 128 large public libraries in China. The study finds that touch-free information dissemination, remote resources use, no-touch interaction self-services, network services, online reference, and smart services without personal interactions are among the contactless services available in Chinese public libraries. Exploring the current state of contactless services in large public libraries in China will help to fill a need for empirical attention to contactless services in libraries and the public sector. Up-to-date information to assist libraries all over the world in improving their contactless services implementation and practices is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report vibrational spectra of the H2-tagged, cryogenically cooled X− · HOCl (X = Cl, Br, and I) ion–molecule complexes and analyze the resulting band patterns with electronic structure calculations and an anharmonic theoretical treatment of nuclear motions on extended potential energy surfaces. The complexes are formed by "ligand exchange" reactions of X− · (H2O)n clusters with HOCl molecules at low pressure (∼10−2 mbar) in a radio frequency ion guide. The spectra generally feature many bands in addition to the fundamentals expected at the double harmonic level. These "extra bands" appear in patterns that are similar to those displayed by the X− · HOD analogs, where they are assigned to excitations of nominally IR forbidden overtones and combination bands. The interactions driving these features include mechanical and electronic anharmonicities. Particularly intense bands are observed for the v = 0 → 2 transitions of the out-of-plane bending soft modes of the HOCl molecule relative to the ions. These involve displacements that act to break the strong H-bond to the ion, which give rise to large quadratic dependences of the electric dipoles (electronic anharmonicities) that drive the transition moments for the overtone bands. On the other hand, overtone bands arising from the intramolecular OH bending modes of HOCl are traced to mechanical anharmonic coupling with the v = 1 level of the OH stretch (Fermi resonances). These interactions are similar in strength to those reported earlier for the X− · HOD complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special collection provides a forum for discussion of the recent advances in computer-aided structural integrity and safety of structures and structural components. To ensure the integrity and safety of structures and structural components, computational tools and algorithms must consider a high number of variables that influence the assessment/analysis of engineering problems. The special collection on the computer-aided structural integrity and safety is available in the ASCE Library (https://ascelibrary.org/jpcfev/computer aided structural). [Extracted from the article]

Presenting Open Access (OA) resources alongside licensed content provides many benefits to librarians, vendors, publishers, and library patrons. However, the tools and collection development practices designed to work with traditionally acquired materials often pose challenges for freely available resources. This paper will address managing open content library collections, and offer an assessment of current delivery models and opportunities for upgrading delivery in the future, including: How to integrate open content into collection development strategies; How to improve the data around open content; How MARC record changes will impact the way users find and access open content; and How library service providers are improving the OA user experience. This paper conveys valuable, up-to-date knowledge of today's OA landscape, and outlines best practices for integrating OA content into library collection development strategies. Related needs, like configuring metadata to maximize visibility of OA content and partnering with publishers and library service providers, are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Like many health library associations, the Medical Library Association (MLA) developed competencies guiding lifelong learning and competence for medical librarians. Medical librarians should be able to develop skills in identified areas. One MLA indicator of organising resources defines expert skill as the ability to develop classification and metadata schemes for unique collections. Objectives: This manuscript reviews available curricula for selected library programmes in the United States and Canada, along with professional development and informal opportunities for skill development to identify how medical librarians, who are not experts in cataloging or metadata and not employed as cataloging or metadata librarians, can progress in competency. Methods: The authors reviewed library school and continuing education programming around metadata, along with answers from a pre‐existing informal poll regarding cataloging and metadata roles in health sciences libraries. Data were collected and examined using descriptive statistics. Discussion: Gaps and opportunities for education around organising resources are discussed, including library school courses, formal continuing education opportunities and informal learning (e.g. peer support networks, on‐the‐job learning). Conclusion: Education in organising resources should be created throughout the educational journey of librarianship. Continuing educational opportunities in organising resources should be created by professional organisations that expect competency in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Oriental Scientific Research / E-Sarkiyat Ilmi Arastirmalar Dergisi is the property of Journal of Oriental Scientific Research / e-Sarkiyat Ilmi Arastirmalar Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the Fall 2017 semester, staff at the Hudson County Community College (HCCC), Library began to notice that many books listed as available in the catalog were often not being found on the shelves when patrons attempted to retrieve them. This situation puzzled library leadership because HCCC had recently conducted an inventory and removed all missing items from its holdings. To determine the cause of this discrepancy, HCCC staff decided to sample the library's collection to determine if books were available at the expected locations. From this, the library found that a high percentage of its books were not present where they were expected to be. In response, library staff implemented a variety of changes to HCCC's shelving and access services operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore how the Semantic Web technologies effect the digital library collections and what are the challenges faced by digital collections in Semantic Web environment. The present study is based on substantial literature review on the impact of Semantic Web technologies on digital collections of libraries. The search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Google Scholar were used to find the relevant literature for the study. Online databases such as Pro Quest, Science Direct, Emerald, and JSTORE were also used to find the relevant literature of the study. Databases of Library Sciences Library and Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) and Library Information Science Abstracts (LISA) were also used to find the relevant literature of the study. Library, linked data technologies, Semantic Web, digital library and digital collections were the main keywords which were used to find the relevant literature for the study. The evolution of linked data technologies and Semantic Web has changed the traditional role of the libraries. Traditional libraries are converting into digital libraries and digital libraries are in a struggle to publish their resources and on the Web using XML based metadata standards. With the publication of digital collections of libraries on Semantic Web, users could be capable to get their required quality information of libraries round-the-clock. It has improved the Web visibility of the digital collections of the libraries. Digital collections of libraries are being exploited by search engines to make their web appearance more credible and authentic. It has decreased the storage cost of the libraries and has reduced the chances of duplication of resources on the Web. Different digital libraries such as Europeana, Digital Public Library of Americana, Library of Congress, National Library of France, National Library of Spain, and The British Library have been connecting and publishing their digital collections on the Web for wider community usage. There are also some challenges to implement Semantic Web technologies in digital libraries such as copy-rights and legal issues, privacy concerns of libraries, MARC based records of the libraries, reluctance of libraries to adopt it, requirement of technical infrastructure, technical disparity between libraries metadata standards and Web-based standards, complex technologies of linked data such as RDF, RDF/XML, OWL, SPARQL etc. This is the first study of its kind to find the impact of Semantic Web technologies on digital collections of libraries. It will guide policy and decision makers to facilitate the libraries to make their metadata and digital collections available on Semantic Web for wider community usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the global workforce, presenting unprecedented challenges to managers and practitioners of strategic human resource management. Pandemic-influenced changes in the employment relationship highlighting the need for adaptation in order to facilitate a return to pre-pandemic conditions. Crises such as this can have a detrimental effect on employees' psychological contract, which in turn can hinder the organization's ability to thrive in the post-COVID-19 era and impede the development of high commitment levels in the aftermath of the crisis. Emotional intelligence plays an increasingly vital role in effectively navigating the crisis and providing support to employees, while also facilitating the reconstruction of the psychological contract. Therefore, this study aims to explain the role of emotional intelligence of strategic human resource management practitioners on affective organizational commitment and the possible mediating effect of the psychological contract in that relationship. A quantitative study took place in February 2023 among 286 HR directors, HR managers, and HR officers in higher education institutions in Georgia. Partial Least Squares for Structural Equation Modelling was applied for data analysis. The results revealed that the emotional intelligence of strategic human resource management practitioners has a positive impact on the psychological contract and the affective organizational commitment. This study supports the idea that emotional intelligence can transform strategic human resource management practitioners into individuals who engage in people-orientated activities. These activities aim to effectively acquire, utilize, and retain employees within an organization. The study also suggests that emotional intelligence can provide solutions to maintain high employee commitment during times of crisis and in the aftermath of unprecedented situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The NYU Clinical & Translational Science Institute, in collaboration with a number of community-engaged initiatives, developed a training for community health workers (CHWs) to enhance health literacy about clinical research. This innovative research training provides CHWs with a basic level of competency in clinical research to convey the importance of research to communities and better advocate for their health needs. CHWs are an underutilized resource to engage diverse populations in clinical research. The training also addresses the need to expand and diversify the clinical research workforce--integrating CHWs into research teams and connecting underserved populations with research opportunities to enhance quality of care. Methods: Structured individual interviews and focus group sessions were held with CHWs as well as clinical research faculty and staff to identify knowledge gaps in clinical research and identify best practices for educating community members on research. Using the Joint Task Force (JTF) for Clinical Trial Competency framework, an online course was developed consisting of 28 modules offered asynchronously for internal and external audiences. Topics include the fundamentals of clinical research, scientific concepts and research design, research ethics, study management, clinical study operations, communications, and teamwork, as well as the importance of diversity and equity in research and the barriers to participation. Results: Learning was evaluated using multiple choice questions after each module to ensure the fundamental level of knowledge was obtained. A separate survey, completed at the conclusion of the course, evaluated the quality of training. Discussion: The course aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of CHWs to help promote greater understanding of clinical research within the communities they serve, including the risks and benefits of clinical research and opportunities for participation. As members of the research team, community stakeholders can help design interventions tailored to the unique needs, culture, and context of their communities. In addition, this research training equips trainees with skills to engage the community actively, involving them in the research process and ensuring community priorities are represented in research through more community engaged processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptome studies disentangle functional mechanisms of gene expression regulation and may elucidate the underlying biology of disease processes. However, the types of tissues currently collected typically assay a single post-mortem timepoint or are limited to investigating cell types found in blood. Noninvasive tissues may improve disease-relevant discovery by enabling more complex longitudinal study designs, by capturing different and potentially more applicable cell types, and by increasing sample sizes due to reduced collection costs and possible higher enrollment from vulnerable populations. Here, we develop methods for sampling noninvasive biospecimens, investigate their performance across commercial and in-house library preparations, characterize their biology, and assess the feasibility of using noninvasive tissues in a multitude of transcriptomic applications. We collected buccal swabs, hair follicles, saliva, and urine cell pellets from 19 individuals over three to four timepoints, for a total of 300 unique biological samples, which we then prepared with replicates across three library preparations, for a final tally of 472 transcriptomes. Of the four tissues we studied, we found hair follicles and urine cell pellets to be most promising due to the consistency of sample quality, the cell types and expression profiles we observed, and their performance in disease-relevant applications. This is the first study to thoroughly delineate biological and technical features of noninvasive samples and demonstrate their use in a wide array of transcriptomic and clinical analyses. We anticipate future use of these biospecimens will facilitate discovery and development of clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Teaching behavior is a key indicator for analyzing the cognitive factors of teachers. Cognitive factors affect teachers' behavior. The use of technology rebuilds teachers' didactical processes and their cognition in teaching mathematics. Methods: This study examined classroom behavior from the perspective of teacher conception and chose the dynamic geometry software (DGS) to analyze how teacher conception affects their daily work by comparing four Chinese mathematics teachers with varying teaching and technology experiences. Results: The results suggested that these teachers were aware of the value of the DGS in teaching and learning mathematics. Discussion: Although it is still difficult for teachers to move away from the teachercentered method, some have begun to use the DGS to create new learning situations with which students are not familiar to improve their mathematical skills. Further research is needed to obtain more evidence and generalized conclusions for other situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Development finance is vital for low- and middle-income countries to enhance their sustainability agendas, as it provides essential funding necessary to close domestic financing gaps, including in the energy sector. Coal is still a vital power source for the energy sectors in the Western Balkans (i.e., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The energy sector is a critical component in the five countries' pursuit to decarbonize (i.e., follow the net zero pathways) due to its central role as a primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and a critical enabler of sustainability transition. This article presents a mapping exercise of development finance for five Western Balkan countries' energy sectors. The study conducted a scoping literature review and detailed analysis of the five countries' energy sector-related development finance flows from 2008 to 2020. This aimed to provide insights into the development finance flows for renewable and non-renewable energy sources in five Western Balkan countries. Results: The scoping literature review indicated a significant gap in knowledge about the effects and effectiveness of development finance in the Western Balkans. Data analysis identified US$3.2 billion in energy development finance in the examined countries. The disbursement ratios were above the global average of 63%. Serbia received the highest proportion of the total funding, while Montenegro obtained the highest funding per capita. The data analysis did not establish a connection between adopting the Paris Agreement in 2016 and increasing development finance flows for renewable energy projects. Around one-third of the disbursed development finance was invested in projects for energy supply using non-renewable sources. Official Development Aid loans represented 37% (US$1.2 billion) of the total funding, contributing to the increase in indebtedness in the five countries. European-based bilateral and multilateral development finance providers were the most important actors in the five examined countries. Conclusions: The amount of the disbursed development finance was insufficient to cover a significant percentage of the needs of the surveyed countries. Although carbon-intensive energy infrastructure received considerable funding, the total amount of disbursed energy development finance ranged between 0.15 and 0.62% of the average gross domestic product for the analyzed countries during the study period. Based on the research findings, we recommend that development finance providers and recipient countries pay greater attention to planning for strategic funding disbursement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected those who face historical and ongoing marginalization. In centering pandemic experience of recent immigrant women in the accommodation and food services sector in Canada, we examine how their precarious work translated to experiences of work precarity and wellbeing. This paper illuminates how pre-existing and ongoing marginalization are reproduced during a health crisis for those at the intersection of gender, race, migration, and labour inequities. Using semi-structured interviews and systematic analysis using the Work Precarity Framework, we found that the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing socio-economic marginalization and resulted in unique experiences of work precarity. The latter was experienced as precarity of work (unpredictable work hours and job or employment insecurity), precarity from work (inadequate incomes), and precarity at work (physical, psychological, and relational unsafety). Work precarity stood out as a social determinant of health in relation to its outcome of degraded mental health and wellbeing. Recognizing the role of policies in producing, reproducing, and distributing precarity, we recommend policy directions to reduce social inequities in pandemic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrobiology studies are a top priority in answering one of the most fundamental questions in planetary science: Is there life beyond Earth? Saturn's icy moon Enceladus is a prime target in the search for life in our solar system, identified by NASA as the second-highest priority site for a flagship mission in the next decade. The orbital sampling technique of impact ionization mass spectrometry indicated the presence of complex organics in the small icy plume particles ejected by Enceladus encountered previously by Cassini. However, high interaction velocities caused ambiguity as to the origin and identity of the organics. Laboratory validation of this technique is needed to show that biosignature molecules can survive an impact at hypervelocity speeds for detection. Here, we present results on the hypervelocity impact of organic-laden submicron ice grains for in situ mass spectrometric characterization with the first technique to accurately replicate this plume sampling scenario: the Hypervelocity Ice Grain Impact Mass Spectrometer. Our results show good agreement with Cassini data at comparable compositions. We show that amino acids entrained in ice grains can be detected intact after impact at speeds up to 4.2 km/s and that salt reduces their detectability, validating the predictions from other model systems. Our results provide a benchmark for this orbital sampling method to successfully detect signs of life and for the interpretation of past and future data. This work has implications not only for a potential Enceladus mission but also for the forthcoming Europa Clipper mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the majority of online book retailers utilize their own recommendation engines to suggest books to their customers. Nonetheless, the majority of the times, the books that are suggested to users are irrelevant. This system aims to create a new strategy by utilizing the content-based filtering capability. This technique will result in a more refined and useful recommendation for the user. For testing reasons, a webbased prototype will be developed, and the system will be taught by feeding it data. Users will benefit from our recommendation system by having easier access to library materials and reduced resource waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cartographica is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

On a chance meeting in 1819, Samuel Taylor Coleridge told John Keats about his theory of "double touch." This hypothesis is key to the famous accounts in which each poet mythologizes the other. In his writings on double touch, Coleridge surmises that we engage with our world simultaneously by sensory perception and an energetic connection derived from Mesmerism. Disruption to either aspect of double touch results in the pathological state of "single touch," symptoms of which can include hallucination. Coleridge developed his theory in dialogue with physician and author John Ferriar. Each theorized that ghost-sightings occur when the mind articulates disease as strong imagery and each used literature, particularly Shakespeare's Hamlet (1603), as a source of evidence for psychological speculations. Coleridge's double- touch theory pervades his notebooks and his lectures on drama, and his verbal account provided Keats with a new means to explore the supernatural in narrative verse. Hence, double touch receives its most significant literary treatment in Keats's compositions over the weeks following his conversation with Coleridge. In particular, "La Belle Dame sans Merci" (1819) proceeds from an initial impulse to parody Coleridge to a serious exploration of double touch. Conversely, Coleridge's claim to have foretold Keats's death is influenced by double-touch theory and "La Belle Dame sans Merci." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library discovery platforms, which provide searchable user interfaces as their front-facing layer, aggregate tremendous amounts of metadata from multiple data streams describing a wide variety of print and electronic resources. Complicating the matter further, resources may differ in availability or delivery time depending not only on their media but also upon the source of the data stream describing them. How should libraries structure end users' options for searching discovery platforms in light of the many options available? This study used a nonexperimental design and quantitative methods to analyze users' revealed preferences for query type in twenty-four academic libraries in a data set containing metadata, sans queries, for over 64 million searches. Libraries studied were all located in California, used the same discovery layer software, and served similar user and faculty constituencies; however, the number of query types and pre-filtering options available differed between institutions. Results show that, when users were presented with the choice between search options, most conducted simple, more broad searches rather than complex and specific searches. When search options were highly constrained by the default choice architecture, but complex searches were possible, few users opted out of the default simple search. Implications for usability of discovery layers and the motivations of librarians in choice architecture are nontrivial and are discussed. The desires of librarians and "power user" faculty must be balanced with the fact that most users are novices and users of all abilities are largely habituated to commercial search products which emphasize post-search results filtering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, book exchanges, most prominently those registered with the Little Free Library® network, have attracted the interest of researchers and media alike. Very little is known about what types of books are available in these book exchanges and how their collections compare to those in public libraries. To address this gap in knowledge, we selected a random sample of 42 Little Free Libraries across eight Seattle neighborhoods to inventory their contents. We interviewed the stewards about their stocking and weeding practices. Our inventory shows that most of the books available in Little Free Libraries are children's, mystery, suspense, self-help/health, and scifi/fantasy books published in the last 10–30 years. Neighborhoods in our sample ranged in socioeconomic and racial diversity measures, but there were no significant differences in LFL contents related to those measures. We also compared our inventory to the collections of nearby public library branches and found Little Free Libraries offer a complementary rather than competitive selection scenario: books in LFLs are generally older, with a lesser proportion of children's books and higher proportion of fiction books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equity of information access regardless of age, gender, origin or background is a guiding principle in library-related policies. It is generally considered that public libraries were founded in order to alleviate social injustice. Their use has enabled individual free access to information, stimulating an informed citizenship and aiding social inclusion. A lack of access to information in rural areas has been recognised as an urgent need which should be tackled globally. The purpose of this study is to examine whether children's mobile libraries in remote rural areas of Taiwan enhance social impact as an exemplar for similar regions globally. The design of the study adopted a qualitative strategy with generalised findings in order to capitalise on the exploratory, open-ended nature of social inclusion-related issues. It sought to understand how participants perceived the social impact of mobile libraries on children in rural areas, based on their lived experiences. Purposive sampling identified 23 participants from six public library authorities using the criteria of places visited, frequency and longevity of that service. Qualitative interviews with participants were audio recorded, transcribed and in some cases translated. Coding emerged from the analysis of sample interviews and qualitative content analysis was used. Four areas of social impact were identified: Reading development, community connection, social space, equality of opportunity. It was found that mobile libraries have a social impact on children in rural areas, enabling equity of information access and enhancing reading motivations. The children felt valued allowing them to contribute as members of society. No previous research has examined the lived experience of children in rural Taiwan. Different cultural expectations means that assumptions made from research conducted in the UK or America may not apply. This research has filled the gap of validated information about children's library services, rural mobile libraries and their social impact in non-western countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copepods are the most abundant metazoans on Earth, driving cycles of key elements in aquatic systems, most prominently carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). One key factor determining nutrient cycling is copepod somatic stoichiometry, which can reflect ecological strategy. We conducted a systematic review that updates the seminal work of Båmstedt (1986) by summarizing the effects of latitude, habitat, life history stage, and taxonomy on C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios of field‐collected copepods. We found that differences among copepod families accounted for the greatest variation, with the Rhincalanidae and Diaptomidae being particularly C‐rich, while the Calanidae were more N‐ and P‐rich. Copepod C:N was higher in inland waters compared with animals from marine environments in both copepodites and adult females, matching the higher C content of seston in many inland freshwaters. For both copepodites and adult females, mid‐latitude animals had higher C:N and C:P than high‐latitude animals, which matched predictions based on the availability of nutrients or adaptation to cold environments. More data must be gathered to fill gaps in our knowledge of copepod stoichiometry, focusing particularly on younger life stages, non‐calanoids, low and high latitudes, the southern hemisphere, and estuarine and some inland water habitats, including large lakes. Such information will help better parameterize models of aquatic ecosystems and improve our understanding of how copepods influence consumer‐driven nutrient cycling and food web dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bearing witness is a means for trauma survivors to give voice to lived experience. Bearing witness has been used in national and international commissions, inquiries, and tribunals to hear directly from survivors of abuse and trauma. This scoping review examines the documented research on the experience of survivors of trauma bearing witness. In 2021, six electronic data bases were searched—EBSCO, Informit, CINHAL, Clarivate, ProQuest, and Sage—and a search of the gray literature, revealed 1,201 references for studies between 1990 and 2021. After applying the Arksey and O'Malley framework, 21 studies that met inclusion criteria were identified. The inclusion criteria focused on studies where survivors expressed their views on bearing witness to trauma in official processes inclusive of public or private testimony, verbal or written. These studies utilized a range of methodologies and designs that represented the perspectives of 3,192 survivors of trauma who had borne witness. Analysis of the studies resulted in key findings under four themes: healing versus re-traumatization, support and safety of survivors, engaging and involving survivors, and culture and context. The literature indicates that bearing witness is a critical means to give voice to survivors of trauma and to provide them with acknowledgment; however, the literature is inconclusive regarding the impact of bearing witness on survivors. More research is required to better understand how survivors can best benefit and be supported by processes of bearing witness, and not be harmed or re-traumatized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many nations administer national forest inventory programs for unbiased estimation of forest attributes over broad spatial and temporal extents. However, management and conservation decisions often demand reliable estimates for finer spatiotemporal domains. In the western US, wildfire activity is expanding and postfire regeneration must contend with a warmer, drier climate. We evaluate the potential of K nearest neighbor (KNN) strategies for estimation of stocking across postfire measurements of Forest Inventory & Analysis plots in 11 western US states, and subsequently for model-assisted (MA) estimation of stocking over domains defined by aggregations of burned areas within individual states and 4-year periods. In particular, we develop and evaluate a form of constrained KNN that allows for unbiased MA domain estimation under simple random sampling by drawing only on measurements external to a domain of interest. KNN strategies based on geographically, radiometrically, and climatically proximate measurements are found to provide more accurate estimates of stocking at the plot level than domain means. Applying the selected external KNN strategy also reduced standard errors of MA domain estimates by 16% over direct domain estimators, but bias correction introduces substantial variability over synthetic estimates. Further applications of the external constraint imposed on KNN are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the analysis of scientific and pedagogical approaches to news literacy, two fundamentally different areas of research have been identified: practice-oriented and comprehensive. The origins, essence, subject field, and crucial concepts of library and information approach to news literacy are elaborated. The institutionalization patterns of news literacy within the framework of library and information activities have been identified and discussed. The experience of designing an educational discipline on the analysis of news is characterized, and original analytical technology for deconstructing news messages is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 has had a devastating impact on various aspects of society, including the research landscape. Limited access to archives in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus has made it difficult for scholars from the West to conduct research in these regions, and cooperation with colleagues in Russia is currently risky. However, there are still possibilities for remote research and alternative research focuses, such as studying other countries in the post-Soviet space. Scholars can also explore archives and libraries in Finland and the Baltic states for valuable research materials. The article discusses the availability of research materials on late imperial Russia, particularly focusing on the accessibility of digitized sources. The author highlights major research libraries in London, such as the British Library and the archives of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London, which hold collections of late imperial newspapers and books. The internet has also made more materials available, including digitized books, newspapers, journals, and archival materials. The author suggests that while some source materials have limitations, combining different sources can provide a fuller understanding of historical questions. The article also raises ethical considerations in engaging with research on Russia, particularly in light of the country's invasion of Ukraine. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Loneliness and social isolation are currently among the most challenging social issues. Given their detrimental impact on physical and mental health, identifying feasible and sustainable interventions to alleviate them is highly important. Friendly visiting, a befriending intervention whereby older persons are matched with someone who visits them on a regular basis, seems promising. However, it is unclear if face‐to‐face (F2F) friendly visiting by a volunteer (FVV) is effective at reducing loneliness or social isolation, or both. Objectives: To assess the effect of F2F FVV on feelings of loneliness, social isolation (primary outcomes) and wellbeing (i.e., life satisfaction, depressive symptom experiencing and mental health; secondary outcomes) in older adults. Search Methods: We searched six electronic databases up until 11 August 2021. We also consulted 15 other resources, including grey literature sources and websites of organizations devoted to loneliness and ageing, between 25 October and 29 November 2021. Selection Criteria: We included experimental and observational studies that quantitatively measured the effect of F2F FVV, compared to no friendly visiting, on at least one of following outcomes in older adults (≥60 years of age): loneliness, social isolation or wellbeing. Data Collection and Analysis: Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction and synthesis, risk of bias and GRADE assessment. If outcomes were measured multiple times, we extracted data for one short‐term (≤1 month after the intervention had ended), one intermediate‐term (>1 and ≤6 months), and one long‐term time point (>6 months). Data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non‐RCTs were presented and synthesized separately. Synthesis was done using vote counting based on the direction of effect. Main Results: Nine RCTs and four non‐RCTs, conducted primarily in the United States and involving a total of 470 older adults (mean or median ages: 72–83 years), were included. All studies were limited in size (20–88 participants each). Programmes lasted 6–12 weeks and mostly involved weekly visits by undergraduate students to community‐dwelling older adults. Visits consisted mainly of casual conversation, but sometimes involved gameplaying and TV‐watching. All studies had major shortcomings in design and execution. The current evidence about the effect of F2F FVV on loneliness in older adults is very uncertain, both in the short (one RCT in 88, and one non‐RCT in 35 participants) and intermediate term (one RCT in 86 participants) (both very low‐certainty evidence). The same goes for the effects on social isolation, again both in the short (one RCT in 88, and two non‐RCTs in 46 participants) and intermediate term (two non‐RCTs in 99 participants) (both very low‐certainty evidence). Similarly, there is a lot of uncertainty about the effect of F2F FVV on outcomes related to wellbeing (all very low‐certainty evidence). Authors' Conclusions: Due to the very low‐certainty evidence, we are unsure about the effectiveness of F2F FVV with regard to improving loneliness, social isolation, or wellbeing in older adults. Decision‐makers considering implementing FVV should take into account this uncertainty. More and larger high‐quality studies that are better designed and executed, and preferably conducted in various settings, are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of promoting peer support to reduce depression, anxiety and stress among migrant construction workers in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach: This longitudinal study drew participants from migrant workers of various nationalities in the construction sector in Singapore. Baseline data pertaining to depression, anxiety and stress was established using the DASS-21 questionnaire, and salient covariates such as demographic factors and work environment factors recorded using suitable questionnaires. Intervention was training of participants on peer support techniques, supplemented by episodic support by trained counsellors. At the end of 6 months, DASS-21 was again deployed to obtain the post-results. Comparison of baseline with post-results data was performed to evaluate effectiveness of the peer support intervention. Findings: Statistically significant reduction was observed in measures of all the three parameters studied, namely, depression, anxiety and stress. A decrease of 3.3 (95% CI:2.3 to 4.3) points in mean depression score, a decrease of 2.6 (95% CI: 1.6 to 3.7) points in mean anxiety score and a decrease of 2.7 (with 95% CI: 1.6 to 4.0) points in mean stress scores on the DASS-21 scale were recorded. Conclusions: Peer support is effective in improving mental health of migrant workers in the construction sector in Singapore. This intervention should be considered among other measures to improve their welfare. Originality/value: This is the first paper that talks about the mental health of migrant workers pre-COVID and hence would be a strong paper for the future comparative studies for pre-and post-COVID periods. This is the first paper that addresses the benefits of peer-support among migrant workers to improve their mental wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's world storing a large amount of data, large datasets, handling data in various forms is a challenging task. Data is getting produced rapidly with major small sized files. Hadoop is the solution for the big data problem except few limitations. This method is suggested to provide a better one for small file sizes in terms of storage, access effectiveness, and time. In contrast to the current methods, such as HDFS sequence files, HAR, and NHAR, a revolutionary strategy called VFS-HDFS architecture is created with the goal of optimizing small-sized files access problems. In HDFS When a user requests any file, the client will communicate to NameNode and NameNode will revert in the form of metadata of the file. The metadata contains the information about the blocks and locations. When the client gets this metadata information of a particular file, it communicates with the DataNodes and accesses the data sequentially. In the proposed work caching is introduced to store all the files. When a user requests for an existing file, the data will be retrieved from the cache itself preventing revisiting the NameNode followed by the DataNodes, which reduces the time improving access efficiency. Classification is used to classify the files as per their category and Bucket per category file table holds the metadata of the individual category wise container. The existing HDFS architecture has been wrapped with a virtual file system layer in the proposed development. However, the research is done without changing the HFDS architecture. Using this proposed system, better results are obtained in terms of access efficiency of small sized files in HDFS. A case study is performed on the British Library datasets on.txt and.rtf files. The proposed system can be used to enhance the library if the catalogue is categorized as per their category in a container reducing the storage, improving the access efficiency at the cost of memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the domain of Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) institutions, creative and innovative tools and methodologies for content delivery and user engagement have recently gained international attention. New methods have been proposed to publish digital collections as datasets amenable to computational use. Standardised benchmarks can be useful to broaden the scope of machine-actionable collections and to promote cultural and linguistic diversity. In this article, we propose a methodology to select datasets for computationally driven research applied to Spanish text corpora. This work seeks to encourage Spanish and Latin American institutions to publish machine-actionable collections based on best practices and avoiding common mistakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a strong connection between cities and literature; they inhabit and shape each other. Sociologists have studied the relationship between them, looking at how literary meaning is developed and how it shapes urban and social milieus. While there is a large body of poetry-based research, newspaper poetry remains largely unexplored in the United States. Drawing on discourse and content analysis of a new and never-used set of poems published in Milwaukee's two major alternative newspapers between 1967 and 1973, this article analyses poetic representations of Milwaukee's social, institutional and urban dimensions. Additionally, it examines variability and continuity in the focus of these poems, as well as the factors that might shape these patterns. The results show multiple technical and rhetoric mechanisms used by poets when representing that historical period poetically and reveal that even in periods of intense social upheaval, 'love' and 'death' appear to be the primary themes in which poets focus on. This article also devotes particular attention to the relationship between poetry and the urban space, and the implications of platforms of distribution and consumption in poetic representations of cities' historical periods and change building on literature on the connections between local environment and cultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]