Search

In the prevailing competitive environment, libraries seem difficult to survive with traditional information services. Many of business organizations seem to practice multidimensional businesses and expand their profit potentials through diversification. Getting experience from business sector organizations, university libraries need to strategize the service delivery and retain the users through diversification of the product/service. Diversification can be implemented through innovation of directly related library services, indirectly related services and additional services probably not related to the typical library service but would be possible to provide by the library (out of the box). This paper investigates the Sri Lankan university librarians' perspective towards the implementation of such services in their libraries. The study also examines the possible barriers for the diversification. The paper involved the conceptual analysis and sample survey with library practitioners. Findings indicate that university libraries in Sri Lanka are providing diversity of services and have made many attempts to diversify them through 'direct library services', 'indirect library services' and 'additional services'. Relatively higher potential is shown with regard to directly and indirectly related services but the diversification through additional services indicated very low. The librarians face challenges for diversification stretching out through administrative factors, knowledge deficiencies, organizational environment and attitudinal issues of library managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Social networking sites play a major role in promoting library services and products to its user community. In this Covid-19 Pandemic and lockdown period, physical communication was locked and online web communication technology proved a powerful tool to bridge the gap between the library and users. The users were unable to reach the libraries during this pandemic period. The librarians used social networking tools to provide information during this pandemic period. The libraries provided a variety of services to its user community. The purpose of this paper is to show how effectively the libraries used Social Networking Sites for marketing & promoting the library and information products & services to their users during this pandemic and lockdown period. A structured online questionnaire was used for data collection. The targeted population was academic librarians working in colleges in Goa, India. From the study, it was found that Social networking sites play a major role in marketing and promoting library and information products and services during this pandemic period. Maximum librarians are using the Library website, Facebook and WhatsApp tool for marketing and promoting the library services and products to reach their users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explored librarians' competencies of library 2.0 technologies and service delivery in academic libraries of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Design: Four research questions and objectives were formulated to guide the study. Survey research design was used in the study. The study population was 63 academic librarians from 11 academic libraries in Akwa Ibom State. All the sixty three academic librarians were sampled. Purposive sampling technique was used in the study. A structured questionnaire was developed and facevalidated by the researchers before being used to elicit information from the respondents. All the 63 distributed questionnaires were completed and duly returned. Frequency distribution and percentages were used to analyse the research questions. Findings: Academic librarians in Akwa Ibom State are aware of the existence of library 2.0 technologies and a significant number of them uses the technology to provide reference, bibliographic, Current Awareness Services (CAS), Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), advocacy and information literacy services to library clientele. Practical Implications: The study heightens the need to create more awareness of the existence of the technology to improve library patronage. Originality/Value: The paper will therefore serve as a prospective reference resource to library management, library and information clientele, researchers and the entire academic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Trust and authority are emerging as key elements of success on social media environment. In spite of a burgeoning field of social media research, the topic on how institutions earn users' trust and establish their social media authority has received very little attention to date. This study describes how academic librarians strategize in creating trust in social media contents and orient their actions towards the goals of achieving social media authority as information experts. The study is guided by the following research question: What are the trust-creating activities that academic librarians do on library's social media to establish social media authority? Data were collected through interviews with 15 librarians from three Nigerian university libraries. Six themes on trust-creating activities emerged from the findings. Three themes are related to trust-creating activities by individual librarians: (a) post credible and useful social media contents; (b) provide relevant and responsive feedback; and (c) have authorized identification or social media icons. Another two themes are associated with trust-creating activities by librarians as a group: (a) collaborate in assessing social contents; (b) be an authority in library and information services. One trust-creating activity taken by the library management emerged i.e. involving the university authority for content. The researchers offer suggestions for librarians to orient their actions towards the goals of achieving social media authority and the distinctions are made in the trust- creating activities between individual, group and organisation. This paper contributes to the under-researched field investigating the actual implementation of social media authority in libraries. The study has shown that social media authority is built on the platter of users' trust. Based on this observation, we believe that successful implementation of social media in the library is associated with not only how proficient librarians are in social media use, but also how they build their social media contents through trust-creating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries and librarians perform a fundamental role in terms of providing information services to its patrons within and outside the academic environment. Despite the availability of smart technologies in most university libraries, there are still incidences of slowness and decrease in job performance. This study examines the effect of smart technology on job performance of librarian in Southwest Nigeria using descriptive survey research design. The study used multistage random sampling technique to select a sample size of 50 librarians in the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State and University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria. Data was collected with the use of questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study concludes based on its findings that smart technologies have impactful effect on job performance of librarians in university libraries. It is recommended that; the government should increase the financial allocation to university libraries to facilitate the use of smart technologies in library operations; power supply should be adequate and functioning standby generating set to be made available; there is need for training and retraining of librarians on the use of smart technologies. The study has provided a framework for library management on the type of smart technology that are most needed for library services; and that effective use of smart technologies will improve library services which will definitely increase the level of patronage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical libraries are continual sources of knowledge and information. Without this knowledge and information, there will be no researcher, teacher, and doctor. Libraries cannot share knowledge with knowledge seekers alone. In this scenario, the role of the librarian becomes very influential. A librarian is an information services provider. The providence of these services is dependent on the facilities which are required by librarians. Realizing the importance of this issue the researcher has carried out research to investigate issues faced by librarians while operating medical library services. This study was related to quantitative research methodology; therefore, the researcher adopted quantitative research methodology for this research work. The presented issue in this study was solved through collecting data, with the help of using different techniques associated with data collection techniques, description of collected data, analyzing collected data and then finding the solution to the problem after a detailed analysis of data. In this study, the university libraries located in Islamabad were the population of the study to collect data regarding library operational issues in medical university libraries in Islamabad. The findings of the study show that medical librarians are facing numerous issues. These issues are impending medical librarians to operate library services in effective and appropriate ways. So, this research work suggests that the budget of libraries should be increased, medical librarians should be trained to meet their challenges, and medical resources and digital resources ought to be augmented in the respective universities in Islamabad. The aforementioned strategies can be useful for medical libraries and can enable librarians to operate their library services in more influential and effective ways in terms of information providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Information has becoming the most valuable asset in the emerging world. Hence, information has become one of the major driving forces that lead a country towards sustainable development. While the libraries and other information centers are closed around the world, it could be adversely affected on the economy and general livelihood of the society. Thus, continuing the information services uninterruptedly is a matter of significance. However, the continuum of library services during lock-down situations and post-pandemic scenarios should be practice with proper care and understanding, especially during the post-pandemic conditions when re-commencing work in an academic library after the lock-down situation. Prevailing COVID -19 pandemic has provided an eye-opening lesson for academic librarians to re-think the way they perform and in what ways they can prepare for the post-pandemic reopening of the library. With the knowledge of the COVID -19 pandemic and related pathological nature of the virus, the present approach attempts to formulate an input while reopening the academic libraries of Sri Lanka. The concept also is applicable while planning to provide library services in similar post-lockdown scenarios. Practical safety precautions were suggested after conducting a thorough literature search in relevant and reputed journal databases, magazines and official websites. It can be recommended that the library should formulate a dedicated body, with the leadership of one senior member of the library staff for the overall monitoring and assessment of the pandemic-safety in the reopening time. Awareness of the libraries' stakeholders via different mediums, develop policies for disinfection, meetings, and other official tasks can be suggested. Following a country-specific existing-strategy that developed for the libraries of Sri Lanka is highly recommended. As a summary, the academic library should formulate an integrated pandemic prevention protocol to serve the library patrons with a delightful post-pandemic reopening experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to investigate the use of social media for promoting library and information resources and services in academic libraries in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria. A descriptive research design was used for the study. The population of the study was fifty-seven (57) academic librarians. A total enumeration sampling technique was adopted for the study. A structured questionnaire was the research instrument used. Data extracted from the 40 correctly filled and returned questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that librarians rarely use social media to promote library and information resources, but to promote library and information services, like to pass information across to the library users, interact with students and colleagues as well as for keeping track with current trends in the library. It further showed that librarians regularly make use of the few available social media. To effectively make use of social media, the study revealed that some essentials social media skills are necessary The study concluded that few librarians make use of the available social media in their libraries to promote library and information services, since many of the libraries do not have a social media platform that could be used by the librarians to connect with library users in academic libraries in Ekiti and Ondo States. It was however recommended that academic libraries should create a social media platform that will enable librarians and other library staff to connect and interact with the library users, while they also need training on social media skills required to make use of social media for promoting library and information resources and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the management of employee compensation and benefits with the aim of job satisfaction in libraries and information centres in Nigeria, with information on their designation as humanitarian services. Topics include the disparity in compensation between faculty lecturers at universities in Nigeria and the practicing academic librarians, the various forms of benefits offered to and desired by librarians outside their salary, and the relationship between compensation, benefits, and job satisfaction.

Academic librarians are often physically and intellectually isolated at their institutions, and they need to accept much of the blame. Professional literature shows that librarians continue to argue against the responsibilities of tenure, despite the fact that in two of the three usual rubrics of tenure and promotion-namely publication and service-the expectations for both teaching faculty and librarians are generally the same. In addition, academic librarians will not be treated equally unless they begin to think and work outside of the physical academic library. This article argues for a multidisciplinary approach to academic librarianship, with an emphasis on collaboration as a means to develop visibility through presentations at every level, publications in multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journals, professional memberships in organizations outside of librarianship, and active, vocal committee participation. By reinventing themselves as both subject/discipline and research methods experts, academic librarians will achieve greater exposure as bona fide scholars at their institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This bibliography of in-print veterinary medical books published in English may be used as an acquisitions or evaluation tool for developing the monograph component of new veterinary medicine collections or existing science, technology, and medicine collections where veterinary medicine is in the scope of the collection. The bibliography is divided into 34 categories and consists of bibliographic information for 419 titles. The appendix contains an author/editor index. Prices for all entries are in US dollars, except where another currency is noted. The total cost of all books in the bibliography is $43,602.13 (US). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]