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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze a conceptual framework to identify significant benefit and cost attributes of a radio-frequency identification (RFID) system for asset tracking in healthcare facilities. Sources of value function for RFID in healthcare are categorized according to major improvement. Several cost functions are proposed to measure aspects of automated tracking implementation. Design/methodology/approach - The four phases of problem definition, literature identification, assessment and analysis were used to begin the research. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was completed to identify the factors within healthcare with major benefits, and finally, a recommended group of items were identified to track with the CBA. Findings - RFID to manage mobile devices increases the utilization rate, decreases annual spending, allows withdrawal of funds for underutilized assets and establishes confidence that equipment is readily available when needed. These benefits provide improved staff productivity, quicker patient turnover, higher quality of care and more cost savings. Real-time location system technologies allow hospitals to be prepared for emergencies requiring the immediate use of medical devices without delay and allow staff to determine the status, condition and location of essential equipment, leading to a decrease in patient wait time. Additional improvements were also found. Originality/value - The transition from pay-for-service to pay-for-performance is taking place in an industry hampered by rising costs and limited available resources. Healthcare expenditures are estimated to grow dramatically, and various factors contribute to rising expenses, including an aging population and increased chronic conditions resulting in higher demand for care, poor quality and operational inefficiencies. Therefore, understanding benefits of new technology use like RFID is critical for improvement and efficiency in healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to offer a comprehensive description and analysis of electronic reserve services in academic libraries in China. It also seeks to describe possible solutions for libraries to build multi-functional e-reserve services in order to face the challenge of the vast expansion in both academia and the economy in modern China. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper reviews the recent literature on the practices of e-reserve services, and analyses the results of the online surveys conducted in the 112 key university libraries in the China 211 Project, especially the top 15 university libraries. Findings -- The paper reveals that three-level (national, regional, and campus-wide) e-reserve resource systems have been developed jointly or individually by Chinese academic libraries. Their development, implementation and implications are discussed; existing problems and possible solutions are identified. Originality value -- The paper provides insights into the recent development of e-reserving services in Chinese academic libraries, offers useful information about e-reserving resources for students and faculty, and recommends solutions to libraries for e-reserve services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to describe inter-library access services in Hong Kong academic libraries and to discuss means of improving the services. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper takes the form of a narrative with suggestions for further development. Findings -- The introduction of the EasyRegister service has been a success. Originality/value -- The paper presents a detailed description of how the physical access of users can be facilitated between universities. This will be useful for all librarians concerned with this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to provide a theoretical guide for preserving ancient books in China. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews the history of the damage and preservation of ancient books in China, and analyzes the value attributes of ancient books: archaeological value, historical value and artistic value. Findings - The paper proposes a preservation framework for Chinese ancient books. This framework is composed of three layers. The foundation layer is to preserve the physical entity of ancient books so that the archaeological values are preserved. The middle layer is to preserve the intellectual content of ancient books so that the values for historical research are preserved. The top layer is mainly about preserving the productions process of the artistic format of ancient books, so that not only the static artistic formats are preserved, the techniques and procedures to produce the artistic format are preserved as well. Originality/value - The paper presents a framework that connects the value attributes of ancient books and the strategies to preserve those values, systematizes them and presents them as a whole. The framework can be used to justify government policies and help identify pitfalls in the preservation strategies for ancient books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Alerta al Conocimiento” is a private corporation owned by Chilean universities. The paper looks at the benefits of the service in terms of increasing access to information, improving the efficiency of document supply, reducing the acquisition costs and reducing the delivery times from publishers to libraries. Also includes projections for the next three years including a “virtual library” project being planned with a grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation. “Alerta al Conocimiento” is a private corporation owned by nine Chilean universities: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Universidad Católica del Norte, Universitad de La Frontera, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Universidad de Tarpará and Universidad del Bio-Bio (Catholic University of Chile, University of Concepción, Federico Santa Maria Technical University, University of Santiago de Chile, Catholic University of the North, Frontier University, Metropolitan Technical University, University of Tarapacá and University of Bio-Bio). The mission of “Alerta al Conocimiento” is to support teaching and research in Chile, through the collaboration of institutions who share information about their serial holdings, provide document delivery services to each other and who participate in a co-operative acquisitions programme. The consortium is managed centrally while the services are decentralised. The nine partner universities own the company proportionate to the resources which they contribute to the serial acquisitions budget. The organisational structure of the 32-member consortium is as follows: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to review the relationship between Shanghai Library and consortia in China and around the world, and examine the effect those relationships have had upon the library's resource sharing services. Design/methodology/approach -- This paper uses a case study approach. Findings -- Library consortia can improve and enhance interlibrary loan and document delivery services by introducing those services to new users, broadening the pool of materials available for resource sharing, and increasing the requisite skill sets of ILL practitioners. Originality/value -- Library consortia are a relatively recent phenomenon in China. This paper examines the experiences of the first Chinese library to loan its collections internationally through OCLC WorldCat or enter into the first Sino-German document delivery agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]