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The document provides information on East Asian libraries in North American institutions for the fiscal year 2022-2023. It includes data on physical and electronic collections, fiscal support, staffing, and public services. The document highlights specific collections and acquisitions at certain institutions and mentions challenges faced by some libraries. It also provides contact information for libraries conducting research on East Asian studies. The document offers a comprehensive overview of the East Asian library collections and resources available at these institutions. [Extracted from the article]

There is a need for novel chemical matter for phenotypic and target-based screens to find starting points for drug discovery programmes in neglected infectious diseases and non-hormonal contraceptives that disproportionately affect Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). In some disease areas multiple screens of corporate and other libraries have been carried out, giving rise to some valuable starting points and leading to preclinical candidates. Whilst in other disease areas, little screening has been carried out. Much screening against pathogens has been conducted phenotypically as there are few robustly validated protein targets. However, many of the active compound series identified share the same molecular targets. To address the need for new chemical material, in this article we describe the design of a new library, designed for screening in drug discovery programmes for neglected infectious diseases. The compounds have been selected from the Enamine REAL (REadily AccessibLe) library, a virtual library which contains approximately 4.5 billion molecules. The molecules theoretically can be synthesized quickly using commercially available intermediates and building blocks. The vast majority of these have not been prepared before, so this is a source of novel compounds. In this paper we describe the design of a diverse library of 30,000 compounds from this collection (graphical abstract). The new library will be made available to laboratories working in neglected infectious diseases, subject to a review process. The project has been supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust (Wellcome). Author summary: Screening of diverse compound libraries is a powerful way to find chemical start points for drug discovery programmes. There is a lack of such chemical libraries available for neglected infectious diseases and other neglected areas such as non-hormonal contraception. In this paper we describe the design of such a library of 30,000 compounds (graphical abstract). The aim was to develop a library of diverse chemical matter unlikely to have been screened in these disease areas. The compounds were selected from the REAL (REadily AccessibLe) Enamine library, a virtual library of 4.5 billion compounds. The methodology for selection of the compounds is described, along with a detailed analysis of the physicochemical properties of the compounds and comparison to other libraries that we have assembled. This shows that the library contains hit/lead-like compounds suitable as chemical start points, and whilst it covers a similar space to some other libraries, the material within the library is mainly different to other libraries. Copies of the library will be made available for screening; the process for gaining access to this library is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: The current updated meta-analysis aimed to explore the effects of vitamin D supplementation on various parameters in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), using the latest trials available. Material and methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were screened for the collection of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy of additional vitamin D vs. the placebo group on NAFLD patients in the last 5 years. Trials included were focused on the assessment of anthropometric and biochemical indices. Results: Our results revealed that additional vitamin D greatly increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), and decreased the low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. However, no significant differences were found in terms of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), c-glutamyltransferase, fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and Ca2+ levels between the supplementation of vitamin D and placebo. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the advantageous impact of supplementary vitamin D on the levels of 25(OH)D and LDL-C in NAFLD patients. However, the results failed to provide evidence for the superiority of additional vitamin D in relation to the concentrations of serum ALP, AST, TC, Ca, ?-glutamyl transferase (GGT), TC, FBG, IR and HDL-C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study was to describe Australia's government-supported clinical knowledge and information resource portals and their alignment with government policies for digital health within an Australian context, and to clarify the role of hospital libraries in the public health system as an adjunct to state and territory portals. Methods. Government-supported clinical resource portals in Australian states and territories were examined and benchmarked. A comprehensive search of Australian state, territory, and federal government websites was conducted for strategies, policies, and projects relating to medical research, digital health, and health workforce education. These documents were screened for reference to clinical knowledge and information resource portals, clinical decision support tools, hospital libraries, or educational resources for the health workforce. Additionally, information was derived from relevant published Australian studies to provide context and additional information about access to evidence in public hospitals. Results. Clinical resource portals are a vital part of evidence-based health care in Australia; however, there are inconsistencies in these portals due to differences in policy, funding, and strategy between Australia's states and territories. Libraries in the healthcare sector play a key role in ensuring centralised clinical knowledge and information resource portals are easily available to clinicians, and in building on the initial portal collection, curate bespoke library collections for their individual organisations. Conclusion. This investigation highlights the importance of government-supported clinical knowledge and information resource portals and the role they play in the provision of safe, quality, evidence-based health care. These portals, in conjunction with hospital library activities, are an integral part of the clinical governance framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to understand the current state of the field of special collections library administration in the United States. Using a dataset gathered through publicly available information about special collections directors from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Independent Research Libraries Association (IRLA), and the Oberlin Group institutional members, the authors explore the educational backgrounds of directors, the types of positions they held prior to taking on their current roles, and the effect of gender on leadership advancement. This article also discusses the similarities and differences between institution types as well as promotions within institutions and across types of institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Michigan State University Libraries (MSUL) digital repository contains numerous collections of openly available material. Since 2016, the digital repository has been using Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) subject headings as its primary subject vocabulary in order to streamline faceting, display, and search. The MSUL FAST use case presents some challenges that are not addressed by existing MARC-focused FAST tools. This paper will outline the MSUL digital repository team's justification for including FAST headings in the digital repository as well as workflows for adding FAST headings to Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) metadata, their maintenance, and utilization for discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As libraries, archives, and museums make unique digital collections openly available via digital library platforms, they expose these resources to users who may wish to cite them. Often several URLs are available for a single digital object, depending on which route a user took to find it, but the chosen citation URL should be the one most likely to persist over time. Catalyzed by recent digital collections migration initiatives at Indiana University Libraries, this study investigates the prevalence of persistent URLs for digital objects at peer institutions and examines the ways their platforms instruct users to cite them. This study reviewed institutional websites from the Digital Library Federation's (DLF) published list of 195 members and identified representative digital objects from unique digital collections navigable from each institution's main web page in order to determine persistent URL formats and citation options. Findings indicate an equal split between offering and not offering discernible persistent URLs with four major methods used: Handle, DOI, ARK, and PURL. Significant variation in labeling persistent URLs and inclusion in item-specific citations uncovered areas where the user experience could be improved for more reliable citation of these unique resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a retrospective overview of the discussion of Arnold Dolmetsch, his family, students and friends in Early Music since its first issue in 1973. It connects these cases with a broad range of other literature, suggests the need to rethink and recontextualize the lifetime of Arnold Dolmetsch and considers the significance of archival materials in the Jeanne-Marie Dolmetsch Collection newly available at Cambridge University Library (Ms. Add. 10371). In particular, it demonstrates the largely overlooked intercultural dimension of the Dolmetsch family's contribution to the early music revival, highlighting their interactions with people and music cultures from beyond western Europe. Finally, it suggests a programme for possible future research on the Dolmetsch phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) library makes available its collection on the discovery layer, Primo VE. Users should be able to access all the content seamlessly but, they lack research experience, and the library collection is usually hiding errors that need to be fixed by the Electronic Resources (ER) Librarian. Sometimes, users make false reports to access issues. Students report problems to open access (OA) articles because they do not get linked directly to the desired article. The ER librarian analyzed electronic resource tickets submitted in 2022. These are opportunities to connect with users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Among researchers majored in luster works, many have focused on the methodology of making glaze, the origins of its production, the implications behind motifs, or its style and form; few paid attention to the production and the actual physical features of these tiles.The diversity of different styles, whether using the pottery wheel or the mold method, is evident in the varieties of different tiles having been remained. The discovery of several molds both for making dishes and for creating embossed tiles, especially the in above-mentioned styles observed in tiles with embossed inscriptions, has put forward the idea that they were done using molds.The purpose of this article is to re-examine the methods used for writing inscriptions; it also undertakes a technical review and analysis of the shortcomings of this method: using molds for creating patterns for the decorations of lusterinscription tiles of the 7th and the 8th centuries Hijri.In this way, this research seeks to answer the following questions: a) how can the execution method of writing inscriptions in the golden altars of the 7th and the 8th centuries of Hijri in Arais al-Javahir be explained? b) how can it all be feasible using scientific steps and experiments according to the laboratory standards? According to the current theory, each of the tiles with inscriptions had a separate mold. Thus, if there were no mold, the method used for the repeated inscriptions would remain a mystery. Materials and Methods Small dishes, tiles, and seals made of stone paste can be found in large and small civilizations. The quality of the pigmentation that the glaze gets in this mixture, in terms of the brightness, transparency, as well as the strength of the glaze-coating both on the surface and on the body has a noticeable superiority compared with the red clay constructions. With the advancement of civilization in Iran, one can witness the decreased use of earthenware dishes (including glazed tiles, stone paste crockery, and clay pottery dishes) and their replacement with metal and terracotta, plaster, and stoneitems.In the palace Darius the Great, the walls were decorated with glazed tiles. The archeological findings of Bukan and Ghalichi, asKambakhshFardnotes, also show the extensive use of glazed clay in the Mana and Median civilizations. Throughout the time, however, these stone-relief decorations of the Achaemenid era and the plaster version common in the Sassanid era all changed. With the arrival of Muslim Arabs in the lands under the Sassanid rule and with the import of pottery from the eastern neighbors with perfect glass-like glazing, instilling elegance like precious metals, and including delicate motifs, a movement in these lands was developed, which embodied in the early luster works and the molded pottery of the central Iran. Then, it eventually became a worthy substitute for various artefacts leading to the creation of the refined and luxurious enamelware in KambakhshFard's view. The pottery artefacts that were produced and offered in Nishapur, Shush, and Samarra in the first centuries had prominent high relief works. They were designed with colorful paintings on them and were delicately elegant.These qualities were due to the combination of a thin white film that was like glazing in terms of composition; in terms of hardness, they could be placed somewhere in between the toughness of glass and its body's malleability. In the following centuries, this method with updated techniques provided the ability to produce the surface with the ability that offered the possibility to be worked on and to be shaped in large size molds.At that time, in pottery industry, it was possible for artists to create large pieces of pottery with resistance like a stone, flexibility like a plaster, transparency like a mirror/glass, and metallic polish like gold. It was time to build many altars, tombstones, and inscriptions with these material, which was confirmed by the remaining works. The research method in the theoretical part is descriptive/analytical, and in the laboratory and workshop part, it is experimental; data collection undertook using library study and available historical documents. Results and Findings The use of stone paste brought about a great transformation in the pottery of Islamic civilization. This method, based on archeological findings, was used in Iran in the 5th century and provided plenty of opportunities to the artisans to the extent that they were able to make large and thick pieces from great alters to fine dishes.In this article, an attempt was made to test an alternative hypothesis by combining both the accepted mold method while creating patterns on the tiles in the free hand. To achieve this, the tile pieces were made in the workshop in practice and step by step.In the first step,the types of earthenware mixtures in Iran and different types of patterns shaping and creating with these mixtures werescrutinized. In the second step, by examining the written documents of the 8th century (Arais al-Jawahar), the findings in those documents wereanalyzed and compared; an attempt was made to understand and compare those writings with the evidential works of that era. In the third step, the remaining works from that era wereanalyzed to clarify the findings put forth by previous researchers. For this purpose, the procedure was subjected to a detailed, technical investigation and was applied methodically.For the accuracy of this experiment and to test the findings, following the mentioned methods, tiles with prominent inscriptions were reproduced with the proposed method, and was decorated as they would have been historically.Finally, the research method shared in this article embodied practical connotations in its nature, using laboratory process and scientific steps. Also, it is historical in terms of the use of broad and analytical approach, to set it within its period.The term 'historical' is emphasized since it is a topic that is subject to various historical biases that need clarification. According to the findings of the researcher, accurate historical facts have notbeen raised until now, and in this way new findings will be introduced. Conclusion This research can be concluded as follows: tiles with raised inscriptions are organically made and, in many cases, improvised using the skill set of the artist and a special type of stone paste. This was used on the tiles already made using a special mold with the repeating parts already baked on them.An old premise classified ceramic works with embossed inscriptions as molded tiles. Researchers have also expressed that every piece of tile with an inscription must have a separate mold. In this article, by focusing on archaeological and written evidences, an attempt has been made to find the real production method of this type of tiles.To test this new hypothesis in a practical and scientific way, using the available historical and theoretical documents, the tiles were reproduced using the new proposed methods; the results can confirm that the findings can replace the old theories to a large extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Among researchers majored in luster works, many have focused on the methodology of making glaze, the origins of its production, the implications behind motifs, or its style and form; few paid attention to the production and the actual physical features of these tiles.The diversity of different styles, whether using the pottery wheel or the mold method, is evident in the varieties of different tiles having been remained. The discovery of several molds both for making dishes and for creating embossed tiles, especially the in above-mentioned styles observed in tiles with embossed inscriptions, has put forward the idea that they were done using molds.The purpose of this article is to re-examine the methods used for writing inscriptions; it also undertakes a technical review and analysis of the shortcomings of this method: using molds for creating patterns for the decorations of lusterinscription tiles of the 7th and the 8th centuries Hijri.In this way, this research seeks to answer the following questions: a) how can the execution method of writing inscriptions in the golden altars of the 7th and the 8th centuries of Hijri in Arais al-Javahir be explained? b) how can it all be feasible using scientific steps and experiments according to the laboratory standards? According to the current theory, each of the tiles with inscriptions had a separate mold. Thus, if there were no mold, the method used for the repeated inscriptions would remain a mystery. Materials and Methods Small dishes, tiles, and seals made of stone paste can be found in large and small civilizations. The quality of the pigmentation that the glaze gets in this mixture, in terms of the brightness, transparency, as well as the strength of the glaze-coating both on the surface and on the body has a noticeable superiority compared with the red clay constructions. With the advancement of civilization in Iran, one can witness the decreased use of earthenware dishes (including glazed tiles, stone paste crockery, and clay pottery dishes) and their replacement with metal and terracotta, plaster, and stoneitems.In the palace Darius the Great, the walls were decorated with glazed tiles. The archeological findings of Bukan and Ghalichi, asKambakhshFardnotes, also show the extensive use of glazed clay in the Mana and Median civilizations. Throughout the time, however, these stone-relief decorations of the Achaemenid era and the plaster version common in the Sassanid era all changed. With the arrival of Muslim Arabs in the lands under the Sassanid rule and with the import of pottery from the eastern neighbors with perfect glass-like glazing, instilling elegance like precious metals, and including delicate motifs, a movement in these lands was developed, which embodied in the early luster works and the molded pottery of the central Iran. Then, it eventually became a worthy substitute for various artefacts leading to the creation of the refined and luxurious enamelware in KambakhshFard's view. The pottery artefacts that were produced and offered in Nishapur, Shush, and Samarra in the first centuries had prominent high relief works. They were designed with colorful paintings on them and were delicately elegant.These qualities were due to the combination of a thin white film that was like glazing in terms of composition; in terms of hardness, they could be placed somewhere in between the toughness of glass and its body's malleability. In the following centuries, this method with updated techniques provided the ability to produce the surface with the ability that offered the possibility to be worked on and to be shaped in large size molds.At that time, in pottery industry, it was possible for artists to create large pieces of pottery with resistance like a stone, flexibility like a plaster, transparency like a mirror/glass, and metallic polish like gold. It was time to build many altars, tombstones, and inscriptions with these material, which was confirmed by the remaining works. The research method in the theoretical part is descriptive/analytical, and in the laboratory and workshop part, it is experimental; data collection undertook using library study and available historical documents. Results and Findings The use of stone paste brought about a great transformation in the pottery of Islamic civilization. This method, based on archeological findings, was used in Iran in the 5th century and provided plenty of opportunities to the artisans to the extent that they were able to make large and thick pieces from great alters to fine dishes.In this article, an attempt was made to test an alternative hypothesis by combining both the accepted mold method while creating patterns on the tiles in the free hand. To achieve this, the tile pieces were made in the workshop in practice and step by step.In the first step,the types of earthenware mixtures in Iran and different types of patterns shaping and creating with these mixtures werescrutinized. In the second step, by examining the written documents of the 8th century (Arais al-Jawahar), the findings in those documents wereanalyzed and compared; an attempt was made to understand and compare those writings with the evidential works of that era. In the third step, the remaining works from that era wereanalyzed to clarify the findings put forth by previous researchers. For this purpose, the procedure was subjected to a detailed, technical investigation and was applied methodically.For the accuracy of this experiment and to test the findings, following the mentioned methods, tiles with prominent inscriptions were reproduced with the proposed method, and was decorated as they would have been historically.Finally, the research method shared in this article embodied practical connotations in its nature, using laboratory process and scientific steps. Also, it is historical in terms of the use of broad and analytical approach, to set it within its period.The term 'historical' is emphasized since it is a topic that is subject to various historical biases that need clarification. According to the findings of the researcher, accurate historical facts have notbeen raised until now, and in this way new findings will be introduced. Conclusion This research can be concluded as follows: tiles with raised inscriptions are organically made and, in many cases, improvised using the skill set of the artist and a special type of stone paste. This was used on the tiles already made using a special mold with the repeating parts already baked on them.An old premise classified ceramic works with embossed inscriptions as molded tiles. Researchers have also expressed that every piece of tile with an inscription must have a separate mold. In this article, by focusing on archaeological and written evidences, an attempt has been made to find the real production method of this type of tiles.To test this new hypothesis in a practical and scientific way, using the available historical and theoretical documents, the tiles were reproduced using the new proposed methods; the results can confirm that the findings can replace the old theories to a large extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, University of Kerala, houses the treasures of ancient knowledge in India. It has come in to existence out of royal interest. The kings of Travancore, as a rule, were valorous as well as lovers of art and literature. Srimulam Thirunal was mainly responsible for the spread of Oriental literature throughout the world. It was he who instituted the department for the publication of manuscripts which in due course grew into the present institution. It is located at Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Its origin goes back to the illustrious Maharaja of Travancore, Swati Tirunal (1829-1846). The institute carries out researches on Indian language manuscripts, major part of which are in Sanskrit. Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library has over 65,000 works mostly of palm leaf manuscripts. Currently the Oriental Institute and Manuscript Library is headed by Dr. R. B. Sreekala, Professor and Head of the Department, Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library, University of Kerala. The paper highlights the techniques used for the conservation and preservation of the rare manuscript collection in Oriental Research & Manuscript Library, Thiruvananthapuram. It further investigates the hardware and software available for digitizing the invaluable collection of manuscripts for the future generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of a local Jewish community did not prevent medieval Swedish clerics and lay people from being interested in Jews and Jewish questions. They bought, translated, read and preached from most of the available textual sources and thus spread the widely available views of the hermeneutical Jew: a cruel, stubborn and ugly person and at the same time a cipher for the entire Jewish people both in biblical times and today. This article gives an overview of the Latin and vernacular manuscripts with anti-Jewish motifs and texts and shows that the main and most common textual models and motifs were available in Swedish libraries and collections, from legends via apocryphal texts to fake disputations – adding up to a relatively complete ‘hermeneutical Jew’. A focus was, as in the rest of Europe, on Passion-related piety, which was the most common form of piety in the late Middle Ages – and usually connected with distinct anti-Jewish features. The fact that we can establish direct and indirect textual and narrative lines of tradition between the medieval codices and modern printed booklets of the nineteenth century proves the long-lasting intelligibility of anti-Jewish stereotypes in Sweden – developed and spread completely independently from the Jewish minority. The medieval perspective thus adds a much-needed nuance to the debate about antisemitism in the North: it did not need any actual Jews; it simply made up its own, based on the general Christian tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents periodicals in the field of library and information science published between 2017 and 2021. The journals dealing with the field as their main or major topic were reviewed, as well as those that have established sections dedicated to librarianship, but are focused on other areas. The analysis is based on the research of sources via COBIB.SR database, and the titles with the hit of at least one issue published during the period 2017-2021 were included. The titles of serial publication available in the collection of the National Library of Serbia were reviewed, as well as those available online. The paper examines the current situation of the professional publishing and its importance for the development of the scientific discipline and practice. At the same time, journals addressing library practice along with other areas were analyzed – literature, arts, history and local topics. The text is an effort to examine the current trends related to publishing periodicals dealing with the theory and practice of librarianship. The results show that the number of scientific journals in 2021 increased compared to the previous period. However, significant number of serial publications issued during the analyzed period belongs to the group of professional magazines dealing with librarianship as their main or major topic. Overall, the analysis of Serbian periodicals on subjects related to library and information activities in the past period shows that they acted as means for active participation in scientific communication, exchange of professional experiences, and promotion of libraries. Also, it shows that their publishers paid great attention to recognizing and fulfilling the needs of the communities in which they operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a methodology for systematically assessing the cost of journal subscriptions. The authors of the paper (hereafter "the researchers") established ratios comparing the list costs of journal articles as advertised by publishers against the cost per article of journal articles available in aggregated collections in library databases (hereafter "aggregating databases"). The researchers propose that the ratios can be used by libraries wishing to apply a standard methodology for assessing journal packages containing full-text articles. The study may be helpful for those librarians who seek to supplement qualitative information and other quantitative data, such as usage statistics, in order to demonstrate the library's rationale for providing journal access either by purchasing articles directly from a publisher as needed or by continuing to subscribe to an aggregating database. The aggregating databases reviewed in this study included representative aggregating databases commonly associated with the following fields of study: Social Sciences, Humanities, and Health Sciences; however, the methodology described in this article could be applied to other disciplines as well. The results of the study indicated that the ratios for Mean Cost/Package Subscription Price (MC/PSP), Median Cost/Package Subscription Price (MED/PSP) could be used in evaluating journal collections. The researchers suggest that future studies should be conducted to assess resource sharing and the availability of open access resource versions of articles as possible contributing factors to the purchase decisions associated with scholarly journal articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practically every programming language is equipped with primitive data types, iteration and selection constructs, procedures, functions, class and structure definition, exceptions, and so forth to facilitate program development. These are similar in functionality but may differ a little in syntax. Similarly, libraries and packages for functionalities like collections, input/output, and so forth are available with different names to perform similar functions. A programmer has a hard time memorizing the syntax and features of each programming language. The research aims to choose a single unified high-level programming language, a Unified Programming Language (UPL), whose syntax is like of the most commonly existing programming languages. The benefits of learning and adopting a single programming language for programmers can be comforting, but there are some unintended consequences that need to be addressed. This research has gone through several brainstorming sessions and structured walkthroughs within an accessible community to identify and enlist the issues. The most common concern is the usage of a massive amount of existing code/libraries, which results in uncountable manhours and worthwhile investment spent to build it. The subsequent concerns are the availability of programming tools like IDEs and various commonly required libraries and frameworks related to accessing range of databases, files, network streams, and building GUIs and reports. UPL, when released, will be equipped with all necessary libraries, and will provide a set of tools to hook existing libraries frameworks of existing commonly used programming languages like C/C++, JAVA, PHP, PYTHON, .NET languages and JAVASCRIPT, and more. This may be achieved through employing reflection API and documentation, whichever is appropriate. The UPL requires a compiler to generate binary executable code for various platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2010 special issue and a 2011 article on case studies are being combined with the current special collection into the same online special collection page. Summaries of Articles in Special Collection New Technologies in Construction Engineering and Management Research • Li et al. ([6]) presents a new technology that was not widely available in 2010, when the prior special issue was published. The Second Special Collection on Research Methodologies in Construction Engineering and Management is available in the ASCE Library (https://ascelibrary.org/jcemd4/second research methods). This special collection builds on the January 2010 special issue of this journal to provide researchers with critical insights and updated approaches to rigorously conduct research in construction engineering and management (CEM). [Extracted from the article]

Movies beyond the scope of Hollywood and entertainment have shaped notions of race in American culture since the early decades of cinema. A range of nontheatrical sponsors and creators in the US made films to serve practical functions in society—to inform, to organize, to persuade, to promote, etc. The US federal government was a major sponsor of many of these films, which provided American and foreign audiences depictions of race that differed considerably from popular commercial images. For example, Men of the Forest, a film made in 1952 by the United States Information Service focuses on the Hunters, a Black family who owns land and a forestry business in rural Georgia. A documentary of sorts, the film highlights Black life, work, and land ownership in the South in ways not seen in popular feature films of the day. Yet, in the film and others like it, histories of institutional racism are woven into cinematic form and content in ways that are distinct from the entertainment industry. The creators of Men of the Forest omit details of segregation in the South to emphasize the Hunter family as examples of American democracy, a choice suited to the film's Cold War purpose: to counter the anti-American message of Soviet propaganda for foreign audiences. On one hand, by producing and distributing the film, the federal government acknowledged Black farmers and landowners in the Jim Crow South. On the other hand, it avoided the structural inequality surrounding the Hunters to frame their reality as an example of American democratic progress for international circulation. Today, government films like Men of the Forest prompt contemporary reflection on the institutional histories they represent and their evolution into the present. The film and many others are available online due to the digitization of collections from the National Archives, Library of Congress, and elsewhere. With this increase in access, contemporary scholars have the ability to investigate how the federal government and its various internal entities mediated racial ideologies with moving image technologies. As an example of such research, this essay examines Men of the Forest by focusing on the past and present contradictions that arise from its depiction of a Black family with land and an agricultural business in rural Georgia. Two recent events shed light on the histories reflected in the film and their contemporary significance. In 2018, Descendants of Men of the Forest, The Legacy Continues—a documentary created by family members of the film's original participants—contextualized the original production as evidence of the Hunter family's legacy in the community of Guyton, Georgia. Underlying this local effort, Men of the Forest serves as an important historical event and record of the family and the community. On a broader scale, in March 2021, Congress passed a large relief package for disadvantaged minority farmers, intended to help alleviate decades of systemic racism in government agricultural programs. Lawsuits from white farmers and conservative organizations followed quickly, challenging the provision of government aid based on race. In this federal context, Men of the Forest exposes an institutional image of individual success that downplays the structural racism facing people of color, especially those with agricultural livelihoods. Even as politics and legislation evolve, this vision of democracy once exported by the federal government has widespread currency and accumulating effects. The connections between Men of the Forest and these recent events reveal the racial politics at play in government films and the ways in which they take shape in the real world beyond the screen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The German National Library in Frankfurt am Main presents the multimedia touring exhibition "History and Memory" by the Federal Archives. The exhibition showcases German history through selected archival materials and provides information about the functioning and structure of the Federal Archives. Visitors can use interactive stations to learn more about the work of the Federal Archives. The study "Significance, Use, and Access to Textbooks at Universities" shows that the majority of surveyed teachers are aware of the regulation in copyright law, according to which a maximum of 15 percent of a protected work can be provided free of charge for teaching purposes. The study also shows that the majority of surveyed students and teachers would use open-access textbooks more if they were more widely available. The Bavarian State Library has the largest digital data collection of all German libraries with 2.75 million digitized works. The Bach Archive Leipzig has digitized and published valuable manuscripts from the archive of the Thomanerchor Leipzig. [Extracted from the article]

Assessment on university campuses increasingly emphasizes learning outcomes and student success. Academic librarians need to identify relationships between their collection spaces and the learning activities of the university in order to play a role in the environment of assessment. Measuring the proportions of discipline-oriented content of library collections and comparing those proportions to discipline-oriented learning activities produces collection performance indicators. Academic libraries can use collection performance indicators to assess how well their collection spaces correspond to student demand and student success using readily available metrics. Collection performance indicators answers a gap in library literature pertaining to relationships between collection spaces and learning activities by demonstrating the linkages between learning and the demands placed on physical and digital spaces. Collection performance indicators are used to evaluate the collection space in an academic library at a mid-sized American research university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The paper presents the research that sought to gain insight into the present condition and status of the county legal deposit, the application of the Provisions of the Legal deposit (NN 66/2020) and examine whether there is a need for a revision of the aforementioned Provisions concerning the collections in which the county legal deposit has to be deposited. Methodology. The research was conducted by using the survey questionnaire method anonymously in an online form in the period from 4 to 13 October, 2021. The questionnaire was intended exclusively for county public libraries in the Republic of Croatia. It consisted of 14 questions, some of which could be answered by multiple choice. The authors investigated the respondents' familiarity with the applicable regulations related to the county legal deposit, their knowledge about the material the libraries receive through the legal deposit and the procedures used, whether the libraries include these copies in the library collection, and the conditions under which the material is made available to users. Furthermore, the questionnaire examined the opinion of the respondents on the county legal deposit concerning the building of the collections, cataloguing, and storing the material, as well as obligations of the publishers, and questions concerning the county legal deposit in the context of the local history collections. The last question was the only optional and open-ended one and served as a place where the respondents could leave additional comments. Findings. The results indicate that the respondents are familiar with the current legal regulations related to the county legal deposit. Almost all libraries receive legal deposit copies of various types of materials, but at the same time the librarians point out the challenges in dealing with some publishers who do not fulfil the obligation to deliver the county legal deposit. For this reason, they emphasize the need to educate all parties involved in the procedure with the county legal deposit - from publishers to libraries. The county legal deposit is included in library collections - sometimes completely, sometimes according to a librarian's assessment. According to the research, the county legal deposit enriches library collections, the users ask librarians for these materials and use them. However, the conditions of their use vary - from the use in the library space to regular borrowing. However, there is a disagreement of the respondents regarding the inclusion of the county legal deposit in the local history collections. Originality/value. The results of the research can serve as a starting point in finding possible solutions for challenges that the county public libraries meet in dealing with all those engaged in the county legal deposit procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correct identification and proper monitoring are vital components of integrated pest and disease management. The Android application – Smarter Pest Identification Technology (SPIDTECH) – was developed for the digital identification and remote monitoring of insect pests and diseases of rice, corn, coffee, cacao, banana, coconut, sugarcane, tomato, and soybean in the Philippines. SPIDTECH has three main features: the digital identification of insect pests and diseases using a smartphone camera; the digital library that contains images, identification signs, life stages, management practices, and other pertinent information about a pest or disease; and the remote monitoring that enables real-time mapping of reports through user-contributed images and GPS points. The application can identify 71 insects and 63 diseases, while the library features a collection of 104 insects and 89 diseases available in English and Filipino. The identification uses a pretrained Mobile NetV2, a convolutional neural network design by Google for mobile devices. The models were retrained using the pest and disease image dataset collected specifically for this study and logging 55.7–73.3% accuracy. If connected to the internet, devices send image data from the field that are validated and used for model retraining. SPIDTECH recorded more than 7,400 device downloads from March 2019–July 2021 and received 4.8 out of 5 user review ratings. Based on the user-provided registration data in the same period, it has more than 5,600 registered users from 81 provinces with an average user acquisition rate of 266 new users per month. With the current features deployed, the application received more than 8,000 identification requests for different crops. The application has gathered a significant number of users necessary to evaluate the feasibility of the application in assisting in pest and disease identification and remote monitoring for the major crops in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Library website is the reflection of library resources, services, and all the things about the library. Library website helps the users to access and utilize the services online. The present study investigates the library's website of the top-ranked 30 law institutes of India, ranked by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in the year 2021. The required content information has been collected through searching, browsing, and analyzing the selected library websites of said Institutes from 1st September to 30th October, 2021.It analyzed the General Information of selected 30 law institute's library websites. The study explored that the selected institute's library services and collection and legal databases, remote access eresources. Information is available on library websites GNLUG 88.23%, UPESD 82.35% and IITK 76.47%. WBNUJSK, JMIND, SLSP, NLIUB, SASTRAT, CUB, NLUJAK, ALIM, LPUP, UPESD, PUC have more than 70%. Maximum institutes having SCC online, Lexis Nexis, and MANUPATR, WESTLAW, Hein Online, JASTOR, legal database. All institutes having References Services, Reprographic Services, reading room services, and WEB OPAC/OPAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess the information literacy of medical students at the University of Ghana. The convenience sampling technique was used to choose 206 respondents for the study, which yielded a response rate of 93.7 per cent. The study found that the majority of respondents needed information to acquire new knowledge in a subject area and to write assignments or project work. Moreover, most respondents rely on books, electronic books, and journals as their primary sources of knowledge. Furthermore, most respondents stated that they obtain their information via the internet. Additionally, most responders use the databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Again, the majority of respondents are aware of the concept of plagiarism and will acknowledge the author of a book if they use a piece of it in their work or study. Last but not least, respondents' major concerns about information access were low internet speed, high cost of books and other information materials, and information overload. Thus, it is strongly recommended among others that the CHS administration especially the CHS Library should manage and develop their collections in that required and relevant information sources will be available for students to use in their assignments and project works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the level of undergraduates' satisfaction and their perceptions towards library resources and services provided by the Science Library, University of Peradeniya. The survey research method was adopted to achieve the above objectives. A questionnaire was administered to 442 undergraduates of the Faculty of Science. 371 duly filled questionnaires were returned, were then analyzed. The findings revealed that more than 60% of the undergraduates visited the library daily and weekly, while more than 80% of them visited the library for multiple purposes. Regarding the available resources, the majority of the undergraduates were satisfied with the library book collection, periodicals and available magazines. Yet, only 39% and 32% of students reported that they were satisfied with e-resources and audiovisual materials available in the library respectively. Considering the library services, the majority of respondents were satisfied with lending, reference, referral and photocopying services. However, 11% of them were not satisfied, where as 13% of the students were not even aware of online services provided by the library. Further, the findings demonstrated that limited number of computers, unavailability of Wi-Fi facilities, unawareness of the library website, difficulties of accessing the Internet and searching research articles were the main reasons for students' dissatisfaction. However, the majority of the undergraduates praised the library staff for offering an impressive service. The results proved that undergraduates have positive perceptions towards the library and its services. Based on the findings, some suggestions were made to increase user satisfaction and to enhance the library resources and service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the phenomenon of the big deal, a subscription model for scientific journals that emerged at the turn of the millennium aimed especially at library consortia, which were offered the opportunity to exponentially increase their access to scientific information, thus breaking the previous trend of continuous cuts to the collections of the periodicals available in libraries. Its strengths such as the expansion of the availability of content, and its impact on the diversification of use and the productivity of researchers are presented herein. Likewise, its weaknesses are highlighted, such as the constant increase in prices and the finding of the concentration of use in a limited set of content. These disadvantages have led to questioning and resulted in the evaluation of big deals, a search for alternatives, and cancellations in times of crisis. In recent years, the latter have been linked to the perception that the cost--benefit balance of big deals has been altered by the proliferation of open-access content. Finally, we address the revision of the traditional big deal through transformative agreements where subscription costs are offset by publication costs, which are intended to be a mechanism to accelerate the transition to open access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Purpose of this study is to review the definitional framework of rare books and to study the historical evolution of special collections in the world and in Iran. Methodology: Descriptive method with inductive approach has been used. First, it reviewed the existing definitions of rare books and their shortcomings to finally reach a comprehensive definition; then the historical course of special collections in the world was analyzed and the history and libraries with special collections in Iran were reviewed. The sources used in this research have been collected using documentary and library methods. Findings: Rare books have a definition beyond the old books and the process of transferring information in them does not only include content data. In the second part, four stages were achieved regarding the evolution of special collections in the world (Identification and segregation of rare books; The evolution of rare books in academic libraries; The evolution of rare books and special collections with the opening of these sections in university libraries; Forming a professional organization (ACRL) to meet educational and communication needs), as well as the differences in approaches to special collections in different societies and cultures and the differences between blacks and whites due to differences of concern throughout history. According to experts, in terms of historical position by global definition, we are now in the fourth stage. By reviewing special collections in Iran, the first library with special collections was the library of Vank Church in Isfahan, and in total, 21 libraries with special collections were found in Iran. Conclusion: Contrary to popular belief, the definition of the term "rare book", which is an important resource in special collections, can vary based on the missions and goals of libraries and their overall strategies, and in general, may not be outside the strategic framework of libraries. Books can be considered potentially scarce and the basis for identifying rare books is largely dependent on the mission of the collections and cannot be evaluated independently. Also, the history of special collections in Iran, unlike the world, does not have a clear course. The stages of its evolution are not clearly defined and the information available in this regard is related to the libraries that have these collections, and the initial purposes of their formation have been largely distorted. This issue will require serious attention to the field of research, and the elimination of existing shortcomings by researchers with different orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is a companion reproducible paper of a previous paper (Antol et al., 2021) in which we presented an alternative to the traditional paradigm of similarity searching in metric spaces called the Learned Metric Index. Inspired by the advance in learned indexing of structured data, we used machine learning models to replace index pivots, thus posing similarity search as a classification problem. This implementation proved to be more than competitive with the conventional methods in terms of speed and recall, proving the concept as viable. The aim of this publication is to make our source code, datasets, and experiments publicly available. For this purpose, we create a collection of Python3 software libraries, YAML reproducible experiment files, and JSON ground-truth files, all bundled in a Docker image – the Learned Metric Index Framework (LMIF) – which can be run using any Docker-compatible operating system on a CPU with Advanced vector extensions (AVX). We introduce a reproducibility protocol for our experiments using LMIF and provide a closer look at the experimental process. We introduce new experimental results by running the reproducibility protocol introduced herein and discussing the differences with the results reported in our primary work (Antol et al., 2021). Finally, we make an argument that these results can be considered weakly reproducible (in both of the performance metrics), since they point to the same conclusions derived in the primary paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]