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Georgia Brady Barnhill's book, "Gems of Art on Paper: Illustrated American Fiction and Poetry, 1765–1885," provides a comprehensive and detailed account of the growth of illustrated American fiction and poetry. Barnhill explores the development of the illustration industry, from early experiments to technological advancements, and the evolution of illustrators and craftspeople. The book focuses on a neglected period of book illustration and offers a holistic view of mainstream literary illustration, discussing specific editions, illustration technologies, and important creators. Barnhill's work is a valuable resource for scholars and researchers interested in the history of book illustration in America. [Extracted from the article]

The current study conducted in March–April 2021 elucidated the acidification process of books using alkaline text paper and improved the method of pH measurement in a previous study from 2016. The pH was measured on various positions of Japanese books published in 2000–2020 using the same type of pH-indicator strip as used in 2016; however, a wetted pH-indicator strip was kept pressed to the text paper with fingers at approximately 5 kgf for 90 s to secure the transfer of water-extracted components for four times while a 250 g paperweight was mounted and kept for 60 s for two times in the 2016-study. This time, the pH was found to decrease faster in positions more readily exposed to outside air compared to the 2016-study. Immediately after publication of the book, the pH was approximately 7.8 in every position. The pH of the top edge corner and the surface near the top edge corner later decreased to a neutral pH 7.0 4–6 years and 7–9 years after publication, respectively. Approximately 20 years after publication, the centre of the page in the interior of the book also dropped to pH 7.1, suggesting that acidification steadily progressed, albeit slightly, even on alkaline paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Lacan and Critical Feminism" is a book by Linda Belau that delves into the intersection of Lacanian psychoanalysis and feminist theory. The author seeks to develop a feminist ethics that is relevant to contemporary gender identities and acceptable to feminist theorists who may be resistant to Lacanian psychoanalysis. The book explores Lacan's theory of discourse and his graph of sexuation, with a focus on the hysteric's resistance to the master signifier. It critiques the dominance of metaphor in society and advocates for the use of metonymy to convey the truths of desire. The author also examines the role of affect, such as guilt and shame, in relation to jouissance and sexual difference. The book concludes by challenging misconceptions about Lacanian psychoanalysis and offering insights into complex issues within the field. [Extracted from the article]

"Decolonizing Geography: An Introduction" by Sarah A. Radcliffe explores the decolonization of Anglophone geographical curricula. The book emphasizes the importance of approaching fieldwork with humility, respecting local knowledge, and avoiding the imposition of Western paradigms. It calls for action to avoid blinders, respect counternarratives, question official histories, acknowledge privilege, employ collaborative research, and entertain alternative epistemologies. The book also highlights the significance of indigenous environmental knowledge in physical geography and addresses the lack of diversity in the discipline. Overall, "Decolonizing Geography" offers a comprehensive exploration of decolonial approaches in geography and provides practical examples and suggestions for further research. [Extracted from the article]

In sum, this book is very multifaceted, it covers a lot of ground, it has Eigen's direct response to dozens of critical questions. Only in his late work has Eigen had much to say about a general theory germane to psychoanalysis ( I Image, Sense, Infinities and Everyday Life i ) or more aphoristically and fragmentedly ( I Under the Totem: In Search of a Path i ). Here is some classic Eigen, typical of the flavour of the whole book, from the essay "Psyche Singing", that is picked up in the book's title. Dialogues with Michael Eigen: Psyche Singing: edited by Loray Daws and Michael Eigen, London, Routledge, 2020, 279 pp., £96.00 (cloth), £27.99 (paper), £27.99 (ebook). [Extracted from the article]

The book "Western Ceramic Traditions: Prehistoric and Historic Native American Ceramics of the Western U.S." edited by Suzanne Griset explores the diversity of ceramic traditions and social identities reflected in pottery production in the far southwestern desert and coastal region of the U.S. The book features 11 chapters that critically examine traditional typologies of plainware pottery and explore new datasets for dating and identifying the composition of pottery. The volume provides important discussions on the sociocultural aspects of pottery technology and challenges the limitations of typological classification. The book is recommended for researchers working with plainware or other ceramic wares, although the technical ceramic data presented may be daunting for readers without an archaeological or ceramic analyst background. [Extracted from the article]

This meta-analysis examines the inconsistent findings across experimental studies that compared children's learning outcomes with digital and paper books. We quantitatively reviewed 39 studies reported in 30 articles (n = 1,812 children) and compared children's story comprehension and vocabulary learning in relation to medium (reading on paper versus on-screen), design enhancements in digital books, the presence of a dictionary, and adult support for children aged between 1 and 8 years. The comparison of digital versus paper books that only differed by digitization showed lower comprehension scores for digital books. Adults' mediation during print books' reading was more effective than the enhancements in digital books read by children independently. However, with story-congruent enhancements, digital books outperformed paper books. An embedded dictionary had no or negative effect on children's story comprehension but positively affected children's vocabulary learning. Findings are discussed in relation to the cognitive load theory and practical design implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rorty and metaphilosophy: Richard Rorty: On philosophy and philosophers: unpublished papers, 1960-2000, edited by W. P. Malecki and Chris Voparil. But what the essays in I On Philosophy and Philosophers i help to draw out is more of the background for Rorty's programmatic work - namely, very careful readings of first-order philosophical disputes that inform Rorty's broader metaphilosophical orientation. The papers by Richard Rorty collected in I On Philosophy and Philosophers i I : i I Unpublished Papers, 1960-2000 i and edited by W.P. Malecki and Chris Voparil represent a very welcome addition to Rorty's corpus. [Extracted from the article]

In I Actor Training in Anglophone Countries i , actor, director and theatre scholar Peter Zazzali has considerably deepened and extended his unique performative-pedagogical research. But a more meaningful turn, Zazzali emphasizes, was RADA's efforts to adopt a policy of gender equality and racial diversity - although, as he shows, its graduates continue to criticize the school on these counts (28-29). While the Australian programs investigated are, to varying degrees, closely based on the English and North-American teaching models, Zazzali underlines Toi Whaakari - New Zealand's national drama school - as the best example of an effective postcolonial and bicultural model. [Extracted from the article]

Social Ghosts and Collective Bodies in Rosemarie Roberts' Baring Unbearable Sensualities: Hip Hop Dance, Bodies, Race, and Power: By Rosemarie Roberts. 5 While scholars and practitioners spell hip hop in various ways, I am using "Hip Hop" to keep consistent with Rosemarie Roberts' spelling. Expanding upon Randy Martin's theory of the "composite body,"[1] Roberts theorizes the formation of a collective body that attends to marginalized Black and Brown bodies. [Extracted from the article]

"Near Woods: A Year in an Allegheny Forest" by Kevin Patrick is a book that explores the natural and cultural phenomena of White's Woods, a 500-acre stand of mixed hardwood forest near Indiana, Pennsylvania. The author, who has lived in the area for three decades, highlights the beauty and richness of this local sylvan gem, emphasizing the importance of appreciating and exploring the forests in our own backyards. The book combines geomorphological, natural historical, and physical and cultural geographic background to provide a comprehensive understanding of the area. Through vivid prose and stunning photography, Patrick invites readers to stop, listen, and interpret the wonders of nature. [Extracted from the article]

Girls often outperform boys on measures of literacy achievement. This gender gap in literacy performance has been observed to be persistent over developmental time, consistent across multiple domains of literacy, and widely spread geographically. It is sometimes suggested that boys' achievement in the literacy domain might be improved by the availability of reading materials that are designed to engage boys' attention, such as electronic books with interactive features. We addressed the question of boys' versus girls' engagement with reading materials by observing 20 small groups of boys or girls interacting with an electronic book and then a paper book. The children's engagement with the book in each case was coded using Noldus software. Engagement was operationalized in terms of eye gaze (looking at book or reading partner vs. elsewhere), handling (i.e., touching or pointing at book or partner with engaging as opposed to prohibitive actions), and verbal behaviors (i.e., reading, paraphrasing, or talking about the book when compared to not talking or off-task talk). Total time and percent time spent engaged with each book was examined by gender. The results revealed greater nonverbal engagement with the ebook compared to the paper book but greater verbal engagement with the paper book compared to the ebook. No differences in engagement by gender were observed however. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I The Digital City i is not about the separation of digital and physical environments, nor is it about the digital permeation of physical environments, but rather about how digital media can be used to build and reinforce a physical sense of place. Halegoua puts digital media front and center as the latest communications technology to shape the urban landscape. I The Digital City i finds a home within research questions regarding smart city development, media and communications technology, and cultural geographies. [Extracted from the article]

Daniel M. Gross's assessment of Martin Heidegger's Marburg lectures on Aristotle, as well as Philip Melanchthon's reflections on rhetoric are substantial and original. Being-Moved: Rhetoric as the Art of Listening: by Daniel M. Gross, Oakland, University of California Press, 2020, viii + 250 pp., $85.00/ 66.00 (cloth), $34.95/ 27.00 (paper), $34.95/ 27.00 (ebook) To demonstrate this point, Daniel M. Gross, in the first chapter, begins his discussion with a re-evaluation of German phenomenologist Martin Heidegger's I Basic Concepts of Aristotelian Philosophy i ( I Grundbegriffe der aristotelischen Philosophie i ), a lecture course given at the University of Marburg in 1924. [Extracted from the article]

In its last decade, Rudin argues, the MMRA's penchant for constructing dams (five in all) on tidal rivers to block inflowing tides, rendering dykes - and future dyke maintenance - superfluous was "transformative." When considering the dykelands of Canada's Maritime provinces, scholars generally think in terms of the region's pre-Deportation Acadians and their skill in constructing dykes and aboiteaux to drain the marshlands washed by the extraordinary tides of the Bay of Fundy. In Rudin's reading of the marshlands, "First Nature" refers to the time when tidal waters flowed freely across the marshlands. [Extracted from the article]

This paper discusses how the William G. Squires Library conducted a usability study on their LibGuides to identify student design preferences. The results of the study support previous research concerning best practices for LibGuide creation. This paper offers insight into how librarian-centric design hinders student success and provides suggestions for how to best develop a student-centric template design that offers consistency and increased user proficiency across all guides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This inter(re)view is a conversation with book historian and Professor Lisa Kuitert on the occasion of the publication of her book The Book and the Bathwater. Why Paper Books Matter (Het boek en het badwater. De betekenis van papieren boeken) by Amsterdam University Press. The dialogue starts with a central question: what is the future of the paper book? Kuitert responds by discussing, from a historical perspective, the unique qualities and meaning of paper books (in contradistinction to the immateriality of digital books), as well as the consequences and positive effects that its existence has had for the reader through different epochs. In that journey, she also enriches the definition of the book while contextualizing it amidst the technological developments that influence book production and consumption at all times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A simple paper-based colorimetric assay for trace determination and speciation of Cu2+ in water samples has been developed. The proposed method was based upon the use of a commercial book-paper patterned with miniaturized spots of 3‑(5‑hydroxy‑4‑carboxyphenylimino)‑5‑fluoro indol-2(H)one (HCFI) reagent. Book-paper was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, EDAX and goniometer analysis, where the latter analysis confirmed hydrophobic character (θ ~ 114°). The low wettability of the platform confined Cu2+ droplet onto the HCFI spot to form a visually distinct colored complex even at trace level (10−3 μg mL−1) concentration. The limit of detection of the proposed probe was 3-orders of magnitude lower as compared to similar assay executed on pristine filter paper. An excellent linear dynamic range (10−2 – 101 μg mL−1) was achieved with good regression coefficient (R2 = 0.9987). Due to high selectivity of HCFI reagent for Cu2+ , the developed method showed minimum interference towards diverse ions, textile colored dyes as well as surfactants. The proposed method was also applied for speciation of trace labile and complexed fractions of Cu2+ in standard solutions and environmental water samples as well. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time Cu2+ speciation has been demonstrated on paper-based platform in such a facile manner. Highlights • Analytical utility of commercial book paper in one-step determination of Cu2+ was demonstrated. • An excellent LOD (10−3 μg mL−1) and LDR (10−1 – 102 μg mL−1) were achieved. • Minimum interference towards metal ions, dyes and surfactants was observed. • Applicable for speciation and determination of Cu2+ in water samples of complex matrices • Easy to use/read and great potential in resource limiting countries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book is dense with Susan Andrews's photographs of the exhibition, the visitors, and the post-exhibition journey of the objects. As befits its open-endedness Daniels does not draw one final conclusion as to whether the exhibition was successful or not in transforming the stereotypes that visitors had of Japanese domesticity. i challenges perceptions of contemporary exhibitions by a reversal of power from the curator to the visitor, thus looking at what exhibitions could be - "technologies of the imagination.". [Extracted from the article]

With the development of computers, mobile phones and other digital devices with the internet, reading on screen has become an everyday activity as well as reading on paper. It is understandable that the task of reading has become more complicated with reading on screen. Therefore, the society is concerned about Reading on Paper and on Screen, especially of children and teenagers. The aim of the study is to gain an understanding of the nature of reading habits of teenagers in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Main objectives of the study are to investigate the nature and extent of reading habits of teenagers, to find out the medium that the teenagers prefer when reading and to find out the attitudes of teenagers towards reading paper and screen. Both groups use e-media as well as read books. Though the majority prefer Paper as the medium of reading, they use the Screen medium too. Since the teenagers are much used to screen, we can use it to improve reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors influencing the backing process of the book block spine are determined and their priorities are established. The method of backing the spine of book blocks in the production of publications by the method of perfect binding is proposed. This method involves gluing the backing-captal braid to the spine of the block with a pre-applied adhesive layer. The positive influence of the presence of the adhesive layer of a certain thickness on the physical and mechanical characteristics of the backing material is determined. It is established that the thickness of the blocks, the type of paper, from which the publications are made, and the direction of the cutting of the backing material is influenced by the process of backing the spine. With the growth of the tension deformation of backing materials from 1.2% (for kraft paper) to 3.8% (for the backing braid), the stability of the spine zone of the block increases to damage in the process of multiple flippers. The investigated materials in the longitudinal direction are more durable than in the transverse in 2-2.5 times, so the backed blocks can withstand 4,800 to 15,000 flippers when using kraft paper and backing braid, respectively. With the help of optical microscopy, changes in the structure of the backing-captal braid after the multiple flippers of the book block have been investigated. It is shown that the strength of the binding of a book block depends on the choice of the method of backing. In the process of optimizing the parameters of backing the block root, various variants of linear models were tested, which are described by the functions of the dependences of the breaking forces in the longitudinal or transverse directions Z on the thickness of the block Tb. The allowable elongation of the edging material for its longitudinal and transverse cuttingV is also taken into account. The obtained models allow for the particular type of paper to pick up the necessary backing materials, which will provide a sufficient strength to the perfect binding book blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photo album emerged in the late 1800s as place to collect portrait photos of visitors to a home, and was later appropriated by Kodak as a visual chronology of family history. With digital photography, the album has largely been replaced by online repositories of images shared on social media, and the selective printing of photobooks. In this paper, we present a 'next-generation paper' authoring system for annotating photobooks with multimedia content viewed on a nearby smartphone. We also report the results of a trial of this system, by nine travellers who used it to make augmented photobooks following a trip. These findings show that the augmented physical-and-digital photobook can heighten awareness of the multisensory aspects of travel, enrich memories, and enhance social interaction around photos. The social and technical implications for the future of the photo album are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capitalisation on and transfer of technological, engineering and scientific knowledge associated with empirical know-how is an important issue for the sustainability and development of manufacturing. Indeed, certain sectors of industry are facing the increasing ageing of the labour force, recruitment difficulties and high staff turnover, leading to a loss of knowledge and know-how. In a context of numerical and digital transition and the migration of processes to industry 4.0, one of major challenges manufacturers face today is their capacity to build intelligent platforms for acquiring, storing and transferring their know-how and knowledge. It is crucial to create new media and tools for staff training and development capable of capturing knowledge and reusing it to create a project history through expertise and data collection. This paper presents the methodology and guidelines for implementing electronic knowledge books (eK-Books), along with their uses. The eK-Book is a semantic web-based hypertext medium (channel) allowing stakeholders to capitalise on, structure and transfer knowledge by using concept maps, process maps, influence graphs, downloadable documents, web pages and hypermedia knowledge sheets. They are intended for engineers, expert or novice technicians, manufacturers, sector coordinators and plant managers, as well as trainers and learners. They are usable and manageable in all types of environments and with different levels of accessibility. This paper highlights (1) the transfer knowledge capacity of eK-Books and (2) their usability in two agri-food sectors namely (1) the cheese sector with protected designation of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI), and (2) the butchery and cold meat sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing presence of e-books (electronic books) has become a major focus in countries around the world. In the United States, e-books represented 28% of the total book sales for 2012. In Japan, the conversion from paper books to e-books is expected to accelerate by the prevalent use of smartphones and tablet PCs. It is therefore important to quantitatively evaluate the environmental load of paper books and e-books for a sustainable society. In this study, paper books are compared to e-books read on different electronic devices (e-ink tablets, tablets, cell phones, smartphones, laptop computers, desktop computers and portable music players) through a case study on a 224-page book. The study is based on key primary data such as use time and reading speed for each device and aims to minimize assumptions made in other studies. GHG emissions for paper books are 1.24 kg-CO 2 e/book, and are reduced to 1.11 kg-CO 2 e/book when the effect of paper recycling is taken into consideration. The results for e-books under average use-time conditions range from 0.25 to 0.91 kg-CO 2 e/book with the e-ink tablet having the lowest emissions. When the average use time of each e-book device is applied, the paper book has a higher impact than all the e-books. However, sensitivity analysis shows that the impact of paper books can be lower than that of e-books for larger screen devices such as tablets, laptops and desktops when the reuse of books is considered or the e-book reading device is hardly used during its life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book is the outcome of one or several authors and reaches us, the readers, under various forms. The first forms of a book were the clay tablets and papyrus sheets. Later, people commenced to write calligraphic texts, excerpts from the Bible accompanied by images, and so the manuscript was born. The discovery of printing by Johann Gutenberg revolutionized the book format and the printed book helped reduce conception time, increase print-run and book dissemination over a wider territory. The digital book represented a step forward and a new book format which is familiar to us today. The book, either in print or digital form, fulfils its purpose to train and educate. My article focuses on the classical and electronic forms of books and highlights their contribution to communities' personality and culture. Books are made to circulate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at comparing different formats of illustrations for children's books created by modern Chinese and Ukrainian artists. At the same time, it was not focused just on determining the leading format, but on identifying the attractiveness factors of each format. To this end, the study investigated children's illustration preferences drawing from the following three age groups: 5–6 years old (preschoolers), 7–8 years old (second‐graders), and 9–10 years old (fourth‐graders). According to the survey, children were most concerned with illustration colourfulness (this is true for paper and pop‐up books) and viewing convenience. There were no statistically significant differences found between Chinese and Ukrainian books in terms of these parameters. At the same time, Chinese e‐books appeared to outperform the Ukrainian texts in terms of feature management and illustration colourfulness. Publishers and artists of children's books can use these data for effective creative activity and making constructive decisions. At the same time, these findings may be of interest to parents, informing or guiding book selection for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Perspectives on Kuhn: Contemporary Approaches to the Philosophy of Thomas Kuhn" is a book that emerged from a conference in Argentina and Uruguay, featuring five substantial papers and five commentaries. The topics covered in the book include epistemological coherentism, the philosophical nature of 'structure,' the theoretical background of Kuhn's philosophy, incommensurability, and 'world change.' The papers present new claims and assessments of Kuhn's philosophy, while the commentaries highlight potential issues and areas for further exploration. The book offers valuable insights into Kuhn scholarship and is a well-structured and accomplished collection. [Extracted from the article]

Preschoolers’ behavior was examined over repeated sessions when interacting with one of two types of alphabet books – traditional alphabet books in paper format or interactive alphabet books in an eBook format – to determine the extent to which each type of book elicited behavior relating to alphabet knowledge. Data are reported from 63 3 and 4-year-old children who were assessed on letter knowledge and phonemic awareness. They were randomly assigned to conditions in which they used either paper books representing a variety of text and illustration styles, or eBooks representing a variety of audio and interactive features. Orientation to the books and letter-related behaviors in independent reading were coded in 16 sessions occurring over 8 weeks, and summarized across 2-week blocks. Children in the eBook condition spent more time oriented to the books. However, they generally engaged in less letter-related behavior (saying letter names, saying object names). In half of the observations they activated object hotspots. Moreover, their overall letter-related behavior declined over sessions. Implications for parents, educators and publishers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Digital books have become popular as electronic media has become more common. An evaluation that includes not only a subjective assessment of readability or usability, but also an objective assessment of psychometric health impact is needed. The goal of this study is an objective assessment of the physiological and psychological effects of reading books using electronic or paper media. This paper focuses on hemodynamic parameters. The measurement items include VAS and POMS as a psychological index and hemodynamic parameters as a physiological index. As a result, low levels of vigor and limited readability were recognized as significant ( p < 0.05) when reading a book using electronic media as compared to paper media. The cardiovascular system was actively engaged in coping because of sympathetic hyperactivity in the hemodynamic reaction. By contrast, using electronic media was not seen to involve stress coping. We also found that the parasympathetic nervous system activity was enhanced by the illegibility of sentences and fatigue due to using electronic media. Based on all of these results, we identified a difference in how people react physiologically when reading a book using electronic and paper media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As schools around the world increasingly use digital text, research is needed to understand the impact different media may have on opportunities for language and literacy development. Using mixed methods to analyze students’ collaborative interactions across different media, this study examined how linguistically diverse students engaged with digital and paper books in a cross-age peer-learning literacy program. Findings revealed that the quality of students’ engagement differed across media. Students were more likely to engage in meaningful talk, use text features to support comprehension, and attend to text when using paper books. Findings have implications for how educators may reconsider instruction using digital texts in order to support language and literacy development with students learning an additional language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined two common mechanisms that are used to explain why reading on an electronic screen versus paper result in different reading outcomes: The Cognitive Map Mechanism and the Medium Materiality Mechanism. A laboratory experiment (N = 45), was conducted using a three-group comparison design (paper book vs. digital equivalent vs. digital disrupted view). Our hypotheses that were based on the cognitive map mechanism were largely supported. On the other hand, our hypotheses following the medium materiality mechanism were not sufficiently evidenced. Specifically, our results showed that the paper book was similar to its digital equivalent, and both were better than the digital disrupted view in terms of reading comprehension, feelings of fatigue, and psychological immersion. The findings implied that it is not the materiality of the presentation medium that influences reading outcomes, rather it is the extent to which the text presentation facilitates, or impedes, the reader's ability to construct a cognitive map that influences the reading process. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preschool children's attention, engagement, and communication during readings from comparable electronic and paper storybooks, and their recall of story content were assessed. Seventy-nine preschoolers listened to one story on a tablet and another in paper format. The e-book contained multimedia and interactive features that activated story-related information. Dependent measures were attention to the book, the adult, and off-task; engagement and communication; recall of story content. Language and executive functioning were assessed. Results showed that (1) the e-book took twice as long to complete, (2) children were more attentive to, and engaged in the e-book, (3) children communicated more about the device during the e-book but more about the story during the paper book, (4) there was no difference in recall by format, (5) executive functioning was a stronger predictor of attention and story recall than was age. Results were discussed in relation to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-year university students (n = 199) completed an online questionnaire that queried their purchase of paper books and eBooks for university study and personal interest. The questionnaire also required students to rate their learning characteristics including reading strategies, study self-regulation, learning control beliefs and achievement motivation. Self-reported student learning characteristic scores were associated with self-reported book purchases. For example, as student extrinsic motivation scores increased, number of paper books purchased for university study tended to increase. As student learning control belief scores increased, purchase of eBooks for university study tended to increase. Collectively, such results lend support to the conclusion that education students who embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who read for leisure perceive themselves as more able learners than students who do not embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who do not read for leisure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This systematic literature review was undertaken primarily to examine the role that print and digitally mediums play in text comprehension. Overall, results suggest that medium plays an influential role under certain text or task conditions or for certain readers. Additional goals were to identify how researchers defined and measured comprehension, and the various trends that have emerged over the past 25 years, since Dillon’s review. Analysis showed that relatively few researchers defined either reading or digital reading, and that the majority of studies relied on researcher-developed measures. Three types of trends were identified in this body of work: incremental (significant increase; e.g., number of studies conducted, variety of digital devices used), stationary (relative stability; e.g., research setting, chose of participants), and iterative (wide fluctuation; e.g., text length, text manipulations). The review concludes by considering the significance of these findings for future empirical research on reading in print or digital mediums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to find out whether educated Arabs read paper or digital materials; which reading technologies they use; amount of material they read; the place where they read; how much time they spend on reading; when they read; how they reduce distractions; how they motivate themselves to read; how they interact with the text; their reading rituals; and whether there are significant differences in reading habits according to gender, age, area of specialty and educational level. Unsolicited responses to a Twitter survey from 172 male and female adult Arabs with different ages, educational levels and areas of specialty showed that 13.5% use reading technologies, 15% prefer to listen audiobooks, and 71.5% read paper books. 16% read an hour a day; the majority read less than an hour a day and 13% read whenever they can. Some read 10 pages a day; others finish three chapters/articles a week; 14% read before bedtime; 15% listen to audiobooks while driving, working out, walking, cooking, and running errands; 5% read during wait times; 4% read before they start work; 3% read during their break at work; 3% read in the afternoon; 3% read after sunset prayer, and over the weekend. Some carry their Kindle device with them and read anywhere. To reduce distractions, 23% set a specific time for reading; 12% stay away from their smart phones or turn their mobiles to the silent mode; 6% read in a quiet place; 6% use a timer; 3% drink coffee to focus; 2% listen to music; and some use a pencil and paper to take notes and underline. No significant differences were found among respondents in terms of gender, area of specialty, educational level, the type of material read, reading technologies and applications they use, how much time they allocate to reading, where they read, how they reduce distractions, how they motivate themselves to read, their reading rituals and how they interact with the reading material. The study gave recommendations for encouraging the young generation to read in the age of social media and distractions and which technologies help them develop better reading habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great progress in information and communication technology has led to a huge increase in data available. Traditional systems can't keep up with this growth and can't handle this huge amount of data. Recommendation systems are one of the most important areas of research right now because they help people make decisions and find what they want among all this data. This study looked at the research trends published in Google Scholar within the period 2018-2022 related to recommending, reviewing, analysing, and comparing ebooks research papers. At first, the research papers were collected and classified based on the recommendation model used, the year of publication, and then they were compared in terms of techniques, datasets utilised, problems, contributions, and evaluation methods used. It was found that many in-depth studies of book recommendation systems directly affect how those systems grow. Many researchers interested in book recommendation systems can learn about the many parts of the field by looking at how the study was put together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alphabet books are an important instructional text used in early education. Advances in mobile technology have led to alphabet books of an electronic format with accompanying sound, animations, and interactive hot spots. This study investigates the differential effectiveness of paper alphabet books and alphabet eBooks in training alphabetic knowledge in 4-year-olds. Three groups of approximately 30 children were assigned to one of three conditions: paper alphabet book, alphabet eBook, or storybook control. Book reading sessions composed of three to four children were run twice a week over eight weeks, with child-book behaviours coded at each session. Measures of early reading ability were collected pre and post-intervention. Children in all conditions improved over time in emergent literacy but no significant differences between conditions were found. Children using paper alphabet books were more likely to say letter names, and their time oriented to the books predicted post-test letter-name and phonological awareness after controlling for pre-test scores. In contrast, time oriented to the alphabet eBooks made no prediction to post-test sores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, electronic books (e-books) have become prevalent amongst the general population, as well as students, owing to their advantages over traditional books. In South Africa, a number of schools have integrated tablets into the classroom with the promise of replacing traditional books. In order to realise the potential of e-books and their associated devices within an academic context, where reading speed and comprehension are critical for academic performance and personal growth, the effectiveness of reading from a tablet screen should be evaluated. To achieve this objective, a quasi-experimental withinsubjects design was employed in order to compare the reading speed and comprehension performance of 68 students. The results of this study indicate the majority of participants read faster on an iPad, which is in contrast to previous studies that have found reading from tablets to be slower. It was also found that comprehension scores did not differ significantly between the two media. For students, these results provide evidence that tablets and e-books are suitable tools for reading and learning, and therefore, can be used for academic work. For educators, e-books can be introduced without concern that reading performance and comprehension will be hindered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-texts afford interactive features that are not feasible with paper texts. Several studies have been conducted examining interactive features of E-texts, but it is uncertain what the overall effect is or what features may be most useful. The purpose of this study is to systematically review and meta-analysis of the findings comparing reading performance and/or reading times between E-texts with interactive features and control texts (paper or static E-texts). The systematic search of the literature identified 26 independent studies on reading performance. Based on the meta-analysis, interactive features benefited reading performance (g =.66, p <.001). Individual studies with positive effects involved multiple interactive features; however, potential contributions of three types of features (questions with feedback, digital glossaries, and collaborative tools) are discussed. Future directions for examining interactive features experimentally to better understand what features are most helpful for whom are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explored whether the creation of an illustrated picturebook could explain the terms and practicalities of participatory, multi-method qualitative research to children aged four to eight years and their parents/carers, creating conditions to seek agreement to their participation, by using an age-appropriate design whilst adhering to ethical guidelines. The purpose of this paper is to explore how this was done addressing these issues. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on the researcher's previous professional experience working in children's publishing and taking an innovative and collaborative approach to giving information to child and parent/carer co-researchers, the researcher and an illustrator created a picturebook both as an eBook and a paperback book to recruit and explain research and co-researchers' roles to young children and their parents/carers. Findings: The picturebook successfully recruited 30 children and their parents/carers. Other children expressed their wish not to participate. These findings suggest that greater consideration should be given to the ways information is given to potential research participants, particularly the visual, material and paratextual elements of the information sheets and consent forms routinely used in research. Originality/value: This paper offers insight into the publishing practicalities of creating innovative ways of giving information about research participation to children and parents/carers and how these ways might foster rich data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines some of the issues surrounding this 'computational turn' and proposes a 'human focused' approach. It begins by addressing questions concerning whether there is a need empirical evidence in literary studies, and the roles played by human and technical agents in interpretative practices. It adopts Don Ihde Postphenomenological ideas (especially 'embodiment' and 'hermeneutics' human-technology relations) to expatiate on the nature of relationship that exists between a literary scholar and a computational tool during interpretative practices. On one hand, it uses postphenomenomelogy as a theoretical framework to provides rich conceptual terminologies by which we could interrogate humanists-computer relationship within the practice of computational textual analysis. And on the other hand, uses postphenomenology method to highlight the notion of subjectivity in contrast to the promise of observer-independent objectivity. The research appraise the impact of quantification and visualizations in literary studies using the research output of Franco Moretti and his colleagues at the Stanford Lit Lab, as well as performs textual experimentation on some corpora using Stefan Sinclair and Geoffrey Rockwell's Voyant tools and Python NLP packages. But refutes the idea that quantification and visualization of textual data with the use of computational tools and methods could guarantee objectivity of textual interpretation in literary studies. The argument in this paper is divided across its three sections: The first section discusses the goal of reading; it concerns 'Close reading' and 'Distant reading'. The second section questions the possibility of objectivity in textual interpretation using quantifiable and visual evidence provided as the output of the computational analysis of humanistic texts. Then, in the third section defends the following claims: a) the human person is the principal actor in the interpretation process, and all other forms of representation or visualisation of the text are meant to aid humans; b. data in the humanities are not limited to printed texts, but include digitised, born-digital and electronic text in various digital forms (images, sounds, videos, etc.); c. the humanities aim more at interpretive practices than a quest for verifiable knowledge; d. interpretative practices in the humanities focus on humans and their experiences; e. attention must be drawn to human developers' subjectivity whenever we are using computational interpretative tools – on the ground that this will help in bracketing of our biases, prejudices, preconceptions, and theoretical frameworks. The paper concludes with the argument that computational tools used for textual analysis in the humanities need interpretation as they are not neutral in hermeneutic practices. It argues that the humans involved in the creation of those tools are prone to errors, have preferences, and incorporate their subjective ideas into developmental processes. Then proposes 'Hermeneutical Postphenomenology' as an ideal lens through which the claim to objectivity could be debunked. Then recommends that our productivity in textual scholarship can be enriched when we understand the true nature of the relationship between the human inquirer and technical agents within the cognitive assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has changed the behavior of consumers of all services, including public library readers, related to the unavailability of services during lockdown periods and other restrictions precluding physical presence in the library. The aim of this case study was to learn what effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on e-book readers and their behavior. This article presents the results of the analysis of data from empirical surveys undertaken in August 2019 and August 2020 in the Municipal Library in Prague (Czech Republic). Findings revealed that readers do not prefer e-books due to the pandemic situation. Paper book preferences still prevail. The results show that the pandemic slightly adjusted the preference of book genres. The pandemic did not change readers' willingness to pay for library services but rather forced public libraries to adjust their service offerings and distribution channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study compared the effects of two different mediums of reading—interactive e-book reading and paper-based reading—on learners' reading comprehension. A specific focus was placed on literal vs. inferential comprehension. Thirty Korean middle school English language learners were randomly assigned to an interactive e-book reading (treatment) group or a paper-based reading (control) group. A pre-test and five comprehension tests were administered to both groups over a total of six reading sessions. A survey was also conducted to investigate students' perceptions of how helpful interactive e-book features were in aiding their reading comprehension. Results from the reading comprehension test scores showed no statistical differences between the groups across the five tests. Analysis of literal and inferential questions also showed no significant difference overall. Findings from the survey data along with researcher observation notes suggest that interactive features that are not designed to aid students' understanding can distract students from the task of reading which may hinder their comprehension. The overall results of this study suggest that it may not be the medium of reading, but how students engage with each medium that can affect their comprehension of text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target detection has always been a hotspot in image processing/computer vision research, and small-target detection is a frequently encountered problem in the field of target detection. With the continuous innovation of target detection technology, people always hope that the detection of small targets can reach the real-time accuracy of large-target detection. In this paper, a small-target detection model based on dual-core convolutional neural networks (CNN) is proposed, which is mainly used for the intelligent detection of books in the production line of printed books. The model is mainly composed of two modules, including a region prediction module and suspicious target search module. The region prediction module uses a CNN to predict suspicious region blocks in a large context. The suspicious target search module uses a different CNN from the above to find tiny targets in the predicted region blocks. Comparative testing of four small book target samples using this model shows that this model has better book small-target detection accuracy compared to other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a seven-year longitudinal survey conducted from 2016 to 2022, examining e-book acceptance among first-year undergraduate students in the information management program. Targeting students who were new to their educational journey and had minimal exposure to academic contexts, the study used convenience sampling to gather data from 301 participants. Employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), we assessed four dimensions of e-book acceptance: Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude Towards Using, and Behavioral Intention to Use E -books. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) validated these dimensions, indicating a robust model applicable to a broader undergraduate student population. The results highlighted strong interrelations among these factors, with significant implications for academic librarians. Notably, from their initial exposure, students associated e-books primarily with a source of new information, rather than as a time-saving tool. Although e-books were perceived as easy to use, this aspect did not strongly influence students' attitudes and intentions to use them as much as their perceived usefulness did. The study reveals that students, particularly in social sciences, have long viewed e-books as a vital technology for exploratory knowledge acquisition. While they perceive e-books as easy to use, this perception likely stems from their habitual use for managing learning activities, rather than from recognizing any added value of the technology itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to a more extreme network experience and larger network capacity, 5G can also be used to rapidly transmit massive global text data at higher transmission speeds and higher reliability than previous communication technologies, allowing more communication devices around the world to operate at a faster rate. The transmission speed is safe and reliable to connect with each other. The rapid development of image recognition technology will be more effective in improving the operational efficiency of various industries. At present, scholars have used 5G technology and image recognition technology in the field of book management. This paper designs a book image recognition recommendation scheme based on 5G technology, in order to improve the problems of inaccurate book sales targets and low book classification efficiency of merchants from various perspectives. The image recognition book recommendation system combined with 5G technology is mainly divided into two steps: image recognition and book recommendation. The ultra-high speed provided by 5G technology can greatly improve the speed and accuracy of image recognition. Significantly reduces program running time. This paper first analyzes the related concepts of 5G, image recognition and recommendation algorithm, then sorts out the book image recognition method, and then designs the book recommendation purchase method. Combined with 5G technology, the image recognition and recommended purchase strategy are optimized. Finally, an online questionnaire is used to investigate the merchants using this method. The survey results show that the merchants who use this identification and purchase recommendation method have better performance in book classification, book personality recommendation, customer loyalty and book sales rate have greatly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author is a recipient of a B.S., two M.S., Ph.D., M.B.A. and five honorary doctorates, a total of 10 college degrees. He has worked both in major corporate research labs and academia. He is an Academy Professor (San Jose, CA), and has served as an Ohio Eminent Scholar and The Winbigler Professor in the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University for 29 years. In 2013–2014, he served as Science and Technology Policy Fellow on House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, United States Congress, Washington, DC. He has consulted various industries and served as an Expert Witness. He has held visiting professorships worldwide. He is a prolific author with 10 scientific books, 100 + handbook chapters, and 900 + scientific papers. He has also edited more than 60 books and holds more than 25 U.S. and foreign patents. He has given 300 + keynote/plenary addresses at major international conferences on six continents. He delivered a TEDx 2019 lecture on Lessons from Nature. His biography has been listed in over two dozen Who's Who books including Who's Who in the World. He has received more than two dozen awards from professional societies, industry, and U.S. Govt. agencies. The author brings a unique experience having born in India and been living in the US for several decades, with college degrees from India, the US and Europe, having worked in corporate research labs, academia and US Congress, and traveled and lived across the globe on business. The paper will start with introductory remarks starting with his brief introduction, followed by research strategy, execution, publications with a focus on citations and impact, presentations, job placement, and balance between work, personal life and health. His perspective on personal and professional life should be of interest in research guidance to graduate research students, postdoctoral fellows, and young faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a critical engagement with Isabella Weber's fascinating new book, How China Escaped Shock Therapy. It foregrounds the book's contributions to knowledge on a hitherto under-explored topic – why shock therapy advocates were unsuccessful in launching all-out price liberalisation across China during the 1980s – and introduces new questions through assessing Weber's analysis vis-à-vis three geographical aspects of Chinese political-economic evolution: (a) the role of landownership control and redistribution in stabilising the Chinese economy following the Communist Party of China's (CPC) revolutionary victory in 1949; (b) the path-dependent effects of Mao-era (1949-1976) landownership institutions on economic reforms during the 1980s; and (c) Deng Xiaoping's approach to the multi-dimensional emergence of coastal-oriented industrialisation. These three aspects collectively accentuate how the territorial configuration and regulation of the Chinese political economy, so fundamental for producing and sustaining CPC regime durability, undermined the neoclassical bias towards price liberalisation. Understanding the geographical preconditions that underpin post-1949 Chinese political-economic evolution is therefore crucial for understanding why shock therapy was ultimately deemed incongruent with CPC rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]