Search

The study investigated the perceived role of digital theological library and term paper counselling in undergraduate religious education students' academic success in the federal universities in southeast Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A structured questionnaire developed by the researchers was used for data collection. 166 undergraduate religious education students were chosen as respondents in this research. The results showed that items on the perceived role of digital theological library and term paper counselling were all accepted by the students as means of achieving academic success. There was a significant difference in the perceived role of the digital theological library in achieving academic success among religious education students by the university. There was a significant difference in the perceived role of term paper counselling in achieving academic success among religious education students based on university. There was also a significant difference in the perceived role of university librarians in achieving academic success among religious education students based on university. The researchers noted that these findings have implications for university librarians across the universities and it was recommended that the use of digital theological libraries for academic purposes and term paper counselling should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the importance of involving academic librarians in the development of ethical AI policies. The Academic Librarian Framework for Ethical AI Policy Development (ALF Framework) is introduced, recognizing librarians' unique skills and expertise. The paper discusses the benefits of their involvement, including expertise in information ethics and privacy, practical experience with AI tools, and collaborations. It also addresses challenges, such as limited awareness, institutional resistance, resource constraints, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evolving AI technologies, offering practical solutions. By actively involving librarians, institutions can develop comprehensive and ethical AI policies that prioritize social responsibility and respect for human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation of paper-based artifacts is an essential issue for collection management in academic libraries. In recent years, the library science profession has often favored reformatting through microfilm or digitization, assuming too quickly that information matters, whereas an artifact's medium does not. However, much recent humanities scholarship has demonstrated the significance of physical artifacts per se. In fact, it is often the most cutting-edge scholarship on race, gender, and history that requires the physical artifact itself for research. Although librarians obviously cannot save every physical artifact, any decision on which artifacts to preserve, deaccession, or reformat (and, for that matter, on how to reformat) requires an understanding of the importance of the original physical format. Since texts acquire meaning through an intricate interplay between physical form and abstract information, the reduction of texts to abstract information alone evinces a misunderstanding of the artifacts in our care and an inadequate theory on which to base preservation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The one-minute paper (OMP) is an easy-to-implement classroom assessment tool that is particularly well-suited to the familiar one-shot library instruction session. This article explores the ways that the one-minute paper can benefit academic librarians. Examples from the literature on teaching & learning and the author's own experience are used to illustrate potential benefits, including individualized outreach to students and program planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White papers – reports conveying research or recommendations on a complex issue – arrive in the inboxes of academic librarians, along with an obligation to monitor them if they can help one's library or university. They seem to invariably disappoint, the written equivalent of empty calories. This paper asks: is this true? If so, how so? And why? To answer, a selection method produced a modest subset of current, topical white papers to analyze – hence this article as a fragment on recent, topical white papers. A simple discourse analysis was performed to find if there was a broad pattern the documents followed, and if a more analysis was required. A clue as to why this pattern prevailed came from criticisms of prognostications about the current pandemic (as of this writing), leading to a return to the reports: who authored them, and how they are situated in political-sociological terms in LIS discourse? The concluding findings fit with earlier analyses, suggesting much about prestige in LIS and how that is maintained, how practices are (and are not) formulated – and what that has to do with the white papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Globally, mobile technology is a significant factor influencing how libraries are changing the ways of delivering services to today's users. This paper aims to explore academic librarians' perceptions of the usefulness of mobile technology in delivering library services and the efforts required for its successful adoption. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted within an interpretive paradigm. The research objectives were underpinned by the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology as a theoretical framework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyses using NVIVO for thematic analysis. Findings: Results show that, in general, academic librarians support the use of mobile technology to provide services such as access to eBooks and Journals, Online Public Access Catalogue, Bookmyne application, information literacy consultations and training. Library managers, fellow librarians and users were identified as encouraging the adoption of mobile technology to enhance library services. The paper further confirms that the successful adoption of mobile technology requires some effort. However, due to some of the challenges presented in the study, a majority of respondents felt that their libraries are not yet ready to fully embrace mobile technology the way it is envisioned in today's world. Practical implications: The study endeavours to address the divergence between students and academic librarians' viewpoints regarding the application of mobile technology in the provision of library services. Originality/value: This paper highlights numerous ways that academic librarians could adopt and embrace mobile technology, which can benefit both academic libraries and other institutions of higher learning. The knowledge presented in this paper could assist academic librarians in assessing their institutions' vulnerabilities, challenges and strengths in using mobile technologies to provide library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the proliferation of information available online and through academic libraries, students are increasingly reading from the screen. Academic documents can be long and complex, requiring sustained concentration to read deeply. This paper reviews current literature on the advantages and disadvantages of electronic and paper media for academic reading. Theoretical and empirical research into screen reading in academic institutions falls broadly into the following categories; reading and comprehension theory, the effect of a document’s platform, design and tools on reading, and screen versus paper research studies. These categories inform and provide the structure for this review. This paper concludes by considering how academic librarians can manage their collections and deliver library services in response to recent screen reading research. This overview of the literature on reading theory, the platforms and tools integral to reading electronic documents, and screen versus paper reading research, will enable academic librarians to make more informed collection management and library service decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Librarians are frequently consulted on various topics, a central one being the proper citation of sources. Information literacy sessions, taught by librarians, are usually taught in less than an hour and may not cover the use of visual resources. To support teaching and research, outside the classroom, librarians develop research guides to provide scholarly resources and guidance on how to properly cite them. Often, the use of visual resources and proper citation for them are absent from research guides dealing with citation styles. This paper presents a study of research guides on image use and citation by determining which U.S. libraries in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) currently maintain guides on the legalities of citing copyrighted works, provide citation guidance, as well as examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, first presented at the 2023 LACUNY Institute, the author discusses definitions of imposter syndrome and how imposter syndrome fits within the diversity model. The diversity model, as used in this paper, emerges from an oversimplified framing of racial inequity as a problem that is solved by simply hiring diverse bodies to appear inclusive. In conjunction with the proliferation of imposter syndrome in post-secondary institutions, the ongoing phenomenon of imposter syndrome among librarians and academics reveals an underlying systemic problem rather than individual shortcomings. Workplace discomfort in postsecondary institutions is too easily brushed off as imposter syndrome, without any critical self-reflection on the underlying causes that contribute to such high rates of individuals experiencing the syndrome. While the pathological "diagnosis" of imposter syndrome is unproductive in combating the underlying systemic problems that contribute to such experiences, there are two distinct uses of imposter syndrome in our lexicon: imposter-syndrome-as-pathology and the affective experience of imposter syndrome. In critiquing imposter-syndrome-as-pathology, this paper highlights how the diversity model pushes racialized information professionals to experience imposter syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of librarians in e- learning programs, as a consequence of post-covid adaptations in Nigerian universities. Through a review of the relevant literature and of current practice in existing e-learning programs in Nigerian universities, a discussion is developed around the significant roles librarians can play. The embedded librarianship model was identified as the best practice to adopt in order to secure a place for librarians and libraries in Nigeria in the face of the current change in teaching approaches in the post Covid-19 environment. Furthermore, the paper describes the perceived challenges librarians and libraries may be confronted with in executing the embedded librarianship model with regard to online teaching and learning. The paper advocates that the identified challenges be addressed for the library to play a role in the evolving post-covid adaptations in Nigerian universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general research paper, despite its prevalence in higher education, has had limited success in the classroom for decades. Although academic librarians recognize the value of source-based writing and have continually partnered with faculty on this type of assignment, we are equally aware of the inherent limitations and difficulties of this traditional writing requirement. This column argues for an alternative vision to the general research paper, one that embraces a rhetorical context and offers academic librarians a more prominent role in assignment design on their campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research paper investigates doctoral students' information literacy (IL), a demographic often overlooked in IL studies. Focusing on the unique context of Polish doctoral schools, the paper explores the competences of young researchers. The methodological and descriptive objectives of the study include creating and validating the ILDoc tool and evaluating the self-efficacy in terms of information competences of doctoral students. The research employs the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique, targeting doctoral students from five Polish universities (Jagiellonian University, University of Gdańsk, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, and University of Warsaw). Through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study refines the ILDoc model, identifying four latent factors: Information Access, Information Retrieval, Reference Management, and Information Analysis. The findings highlight the critical importance of IL in academic librarianship, particularly underscoring gaps in advanced searching and reference management skills. While gender and age appear to have no significant impact, the year of study and successful midterm evaluations do influence IL self-efficacy. Additionally, the field of study affects students' abilities in information access and analysis. The study advocates for customized IL training and support for doctoral students. It also calls for ongoing IL training that aligns with the evolving research processes of doctoral students, emphasizing the collaborative role of librarians and faculty. The application of the ILDoc tool in this study yields significant benefits, offering academic institutions, libraries, and educators valuable insights for improving support strategies, thereby enriching the information literacy journey of doctoral students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a snapshot of United States academic libraries in 2020 and explores longitudinal trends in staffing and expenditures for 1996 to 2020. The authors merged and analyzed academic library data from the National Center for Education Statistics from over 4,000 postsecondary institutions. Characteristics are explored by region and maps are provided. Total inflation-adjusted library expenditures have increased steadily for all regions from 1996 to 2020, including in the two major expenditure categories of staffing and collections. In the Northeast and West, averages are markedly higher in staffing and total expenditures than the other two regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timely access to guideline-recommended cancer treatment is known to be an indicator of the quality and accessibility of a cancer care system. Yet people who are socially disadvantaged experience inequities in access to cancer treatment that have significant impacts on cancer outcomes and quality of life. Among people experiencing the intersecting impacts of poor access to the social determinants of health and personal identities typically marginalized from society ('social disadvantage'), there are significant barriers to accessing cancer, many of which compound one another, making cancer treatment extremely difficult to access. Although some research has focused on barriers to accessing cancer treatment among people who are socially disadvantaged, it is not entirely clear what, if anything, is being done to mitigate these barriers and improve access to care. Increasingly, there is a need to design cancer treatment services and models of care that are flexible, tailored to meet the needs of patients, and innovative in reaching out to socially disadvantaged groups. In this paper, we report the protocol for a planned scoping review which aims to answer the following question: What services, models of care, or interventions have been developed to improve access to or receipt of cancer treatment for adults who are socially disadvantaged? Based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley, this scoping review is planned in six iterative stages. A comprehensive search strategy will be developed by an academic librarian. OVID Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL (using EBSCOhost) and Scopus will be searched for peer-reviewed published literature; advanced searches in Google will be done to identify relevant online grey literature reports. Descriptive and thematic analysis methods will be used to analyze extracted data. Findings will provide a better understanding of the range and nature of strategies developed to mitigate barriers to accessing cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates that a library instruction observation instrument can effectively foster critical self-reflection among academic library faculty and staff on their teaching practices. The paper outlines the instrument's design, which gathers low inference observations on instructors' use of questioning as a pedagogical strategy based on recommendations from the LIS and education literature. To test and refine the instrument's design, the instructors' utilised the instrument to collect data from classes taught by five participating instructors, who, during postobservation interviews, engaged in thoughtful reflections on their class planning, student participation, and teaching philosophy. They also provided valuable critiques of the usefulness of the instrument. Through analysing the observee reflections and the data from the observation instrument, this study aims to provide academic libraries with a method to incorporate an observation instrument in a peer observation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an ongoing research project aiming to extend the roles of academic libraries in research integrity (RI) based on reexploring the causes of research misconduct (RM) and restructuring the relationships among them. Since the causes of RM have been thoroughly investigated, a systematic review approach was approved valid and adopted in this study. A total of 60 articles were selected and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The analysis pointed to 21 RM causes under four themes: individual, organizational, professional, and cultural causes. Three critical causes stand as the primary connectors among various causes: insufficient RI education and training, lack of explicit rules and regulations, and "publish or perish" pressure. On this basis, three key roles of academic libraries in RI services can be extended: RI educators and counselors, RI policy-making advisors, as well as evaluators of academic outcomes. As one of the earliest research projects that investigate the roles of academic libraries in RI based on RM causes, its findings can provide useful implications for formulating specific RI services in academic libraries. • The causes of research misconduct and their relationships can be used as evidence for academic libraries to develop research integrity services. • The literature analysis pointed to 21 causes of research misconduct in four themes: individual, organizational, professional, and cultural causes. • The roles of academic libraries in research integrity can be extended as RI educators and counselors, RI policy-making advisors, and evaluators of academic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of California, Irvine's (UCI) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Librarian partnered with UCI's New Venture Competition to provide embedded research support for teams participating in the competition, including a research workshop and individual team research consultations. To assess the impact of these library services, a quantitative study of three years of competition scores was conducted involving a control group and two experimental groups; the difference in the experimental groups was the mode in which the services were provided: in-person and virtually. The study hypothesized that teams who received information literacy training (i.e., attended a research workshop and/or participated in a research consultation) earned higher Concept Paper scores, as well as higher evidence question scores (i.e., scores for a rubric question related to providing evidence in support of claims made in the Concept Paper), than teams who did not receive information literacy training. Statistical analysis showed significant increases in both Concept Paper scores and evidence question scores for both experimental groups when compared to the control group, indicating that information literacy training positively impacted teams' performance. Additional analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in teams' scores based on training delivery mode, in-person or virtual. The results are of value to librarians seeking to initiate partnerships with entrepreneurship competitions on campus, as well as entrepreneurship educators interested in enhancing existing entrepreneurship competitions by incorporating research and information literacy training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details the library special collections material held at the library of Highland Theological College, University of the Highlands and Islands. Our three main special collections are the primary focus of this article: the William Temple Collection, the Rutherford House Collection, and the Fort Augustus Collection. We detail here the story behind these collections entering our custody and proceed to highlight a selection of monographs of provenance and personal interest. This paper constitutes original research into the collections, building upon a foundation laid by the late college librarian, Mr. Martin Cameron (1955-2019), who curated the collections over some twenty years. We also discuss our ongoing work in formulating our new Historical Texts Collection, comprising the library's oldest books of academic interest, and a subcollection of liturgical music, isolated from the Fort Augustus Collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Primary teachers play a vital role in fostering pupils' successful futures. Therefore, gaining knowledge of primary teacher students' learning processes, including the achievement of information-seeking skills, is crucial. The aim of this paper is to understand better the interplay between cognitive appraisals and emotions in the constructivist process of learning and achieving information-seeking skills. Design/methodology/approach: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with six Swedish primary teacher students. The analysis of qualitative data was deductive and theory-driven, guided by Kuhlthau's information search process model, Scherer's semantic space of emotions and Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions. Findings: Anger/frustration, enjoyment and boredom were identified as activity emotions and anxiety, hopelessness and hope as prospective outcome emotions. The retrospective outcome emotions found were pride, joy, gratitude, surprise and relief. The appraisals eliciting the achievement emotions were the control appraisals uncertainty/certainty (activity and prospective outcome) and oneself/other (retrospective), and value appraisals negative/positive intrinsic motivation (activity) and failure/success (prospective and retrospective). The interplay between appraisals and emotions was complex and dynamic. The processes were individually unique, non-linear and iterative, and the appraisals did not always elicit emotions. Originality/value: The study has theoretical and methodological implications for information behaviour research in its application of appraisal theories and the Geneva affect label coder. In addition, it has practical implications for academic librarians teaching information-seeking skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In law libraries in the Republic of Croatia, only a small number of information literacy programmes have been recorded. This indicates the need to strengthen and promote more effective teaching of information literacy in the field of law. The aim of this paper is to analyse the published literature to gain insight into the existing knowledge regarding information literacy in the field of law over the past 30 years in the Republic of Croatia. This analysis aims to determine possible directions for development and to find more effective teaching methods for information literacy. Methodology/approach: The methodology used included a qualitative research approach, specifically content analysis of works published in the last 30 years concerning information literacy at the academic level in the field of law in the Republic of Croatia. Results: The development of information literacy at the academic level in the field of law can be observed in parallel with the development of information literacy at the broader academic level in the Republic of Croatia. The most significant changes can be seen over the past five years, both at the theoretical and practical level of law school library work. Research on information literacy in the field of law, initially primarily focused on user education, is deepening and expanding, both in terms of methodology and content, because of intense and dynamic changes in the information and educational environment. As a result, further directions of development should be guided by the need for more research on the essential literacy skills of the 21st century for all stakeholders in the educational process. Such research would contribute to a greater understanding of the most relevant content and methods to be included in information literacy programmes tailored to the specifics of the legal discipline. Research limitation: A literature analysis revealed numerous different terms related to information literacy at the academic level in the field of law, especially in works published in the 1990s, when the term "information literacy" was not established in the Republic of Croatia. Therefore, there is a possibility of unintentional oversight of specific works. Another limitation of the research is the role of one evaluator/researcher in implementing the content analysis of the publications due to possible subjectivity in the analysis. Originality/practical implications: This study is one of the first to offer detailed insights into the current trends in information literacy development at the academic level in the field of law over the past 30 years. On a practical level, the author aims to encourage academic librarians to create and implement formal information literacy programmes within the realm of law and its related libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigating confusing peer-review structures in publishing can be daunting for librarians at all stages of their careers. In this paper, the authors will differentiate peer-review models and reflect on their experiences with these formats in the context of the September 2022 special issue of College & Research Libraries. Additional discussion will include the hidden curriculum of professional norms in academia; areas for growth in peer review related to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and peer review as an individual and collective form of professional development that shapes how we engage with scholarship in LIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurial skills are considered one of the most important competencies expected to be possessed by Library and Information Science (LIS) faculty and academic librarians as information professionals. These skills include technical skills, managerial skills, business skills, personal maturity skills, ICT skills and information literacy skills. The context observation and literature review indicated limited research on the entrepreneurial skills of Library and Information Science (LIS) faculty and academic librarians in Nigerian universities. The need to fill this inadvertently created gap initiated this study. The study aimed to assess entrepreneurial skills level as well as identify entrepreneurship issues and prospects of LIS faculty and academic librarians in South-West Nigerian universities with library schools. This paper was anchored on survey research design. The study employed the total enumeration method to cover all LIS faculty and academic librarians in these universities. An adapted structured questionnaire was administered and responses were analyzed quantitatively using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Findings revealed lackluster technical, business and ICT skills of these information professionals including unacceptable managerial skills. Furthermore, entrepreneurship issues showed government-centered, institutional and personal subjects such as government policies, economic problems, legal registration, funding, excessive workload and lack of entrepreneurial attitude. The study also uncovered dwindling entrepreneurship prospects. The study recommends premeditated efforts by LIS faculty and academic librarians and universities at entrepreneurial development and the advancement of citizen-friendly entrepreneurial policies and a blueprint by the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid pace of technological change has significantly transformed the librarianship profession, impacting the required competencies for professionals working in library and information services (LIS). As new roles emerge within academic libraries, librarians need to assess their current knowledge and skills as well as identify additional knowledge and skills needed to adapt to evolving roles and responsibilities. This paper reports findings of a study conducted at two university libraries in South Africa. The objective of the study was to identify the competencies necessary for academic librarians in providing research data management services (RDM). While previous studies have explored the knowledge and skills required for academic librarians in Southern Africa and globally, there is a research gap concerning the specific competencies necessary for RDM. This study employed semi-structured interviews with librarians from two selected university libraries, using purposive sampling. The research also included document reviews and content analysis of relevant academic library job advertisements. The study's findings highlight key competencies such as information and data management practices, repository management, data curation, data collection management, understanding funders' policies, research methods and processes, as well as ICT and digitization skills. The findings also highlight the importance of robust training and selfdevelopment through online courses, webinars, and freely available materials as strategies to support RDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Scopus, China is the nation that produces the highest volume of scientific research but is also the nation with the highest number of retractions, suggesting there are issues connected to research and publishing ethics within the Chinese publishing infrastructure. One source of negative reputation may be the selection of journals with questionable reputation, including "predatory" journals. In 2020, the Center of Scientometrics (CoS) in China established a list of "problematic" journals, called the Chinese Early Warning Journal List (EWJL), the only national watchlist in China, to support Chinese academics and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. EWJL ranks journals as either low, medium or high risk. There are benefits if EWJL is accurate, valid and complete. However, close examination of the CoS website and EWJL functionality revealed several deficiencies. This paper debates those weaknesses within the wider context of publication in low-quality journals, offering suggestions for improvement that would be necessary for EWJL to become more trustworthy, and to better enable the continual reform of Chinese publishing culture. This issue is important to academic librarians because they can use EWJL in the process of collecting library funds and providing library information, and advice, to researchers. • Accountability Blacklists or watchlists Completeness Faulty criteria Opacity versus transparency [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an investigation into the perception of academic librarians on data competency in their daily roles across various library departments in the United States and Canada. Through a survey, we sought to uncover the scope of data-related tasks librarians are engaged in, the tools they use, their aspirations for professional development in data competencies, and their expectations from Library and Information Science (LIS) education programs. The findings reveal a complex engagement pattern with data tasks, with librarians in data-specific roles dedicating a considerable portion of their work to these activities, while the majority engage less frequently, indicating that data tasks are a minor part of their overall responsibilities. Despite a limited frequency of data visualization in their current roles, there is a pronounced interest among librarians to enhance skills in this area. Our study identifies a crucial need for improved competencies in data management and collection development, especially in roles related to cataloging, library systems, and special collections. Additionally, our findings reveal a critical gap between academic libraries' demand for data skills and the content coverage in MLIS programs, emphasizing the need for curriculum updates to prepare librarians for the evolving information landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textbook affordability programs and the promotion of OER are well-established priorities for many academic libraries, but few studies have examined the prevalence of such programs either in general or across institution types. This paper presents the results of a study designed to gather information about textbook affordability initiatives at university libraries that are members Association of Research Libraries. It uses information from the publicly available websites of ARL libraries in the United States to determine how many of those institutions maintain textbook affordability programs, with those figures further broken down by status (public/private) and membership in the Open Education Network. In addition, the findings reveal some notable characteristics of textbook affordability programs, including an overall lack of visibility on institutional websites, a marked variety in financial incentives, and evidence of programs that have been discontinued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid open access journals generally authorize self-archiving along with Author-pays model. Given the dependence of the Author-pays model on APCs paid by authors, it is expected to have a negative association with the free-of-charge Green model. By exploring a sample of 52,150 papers published in 47 Elsevier's hybrid journals, the study compares the OA models' citation performances to non-open access (NOA) model's and investigates the relationship between the quantities of their papers. Three OA groups are identified, including Green-only, APC-only and Green-APC. The OA papers show a citation advantage over the NOA articles, despite their lower number. The mixed APC-Green, gains the highest citation compared to the three other access models. However, the number of Green and APC-funded papers are revealed to have a negative association. Although, the combination of the Green and APC models magnifies the impact of OA papers, the inverse association between the quantities of their papers signifies that the lower number of the latter can be partially explained by the prevalence of the former. The results help academic librarians involved in advocating and managing OA to better understand authors' behaviors towards OA models and adopt a more supportive role for OA according to their preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the shared experiences of practices of blended librarianship among Zimbabwean academic librarians to identify how adequately they comply with their dynamic roles and functions. The paper relies on the theoretical constructs from Bell and Shank's (2004, 2007) blended librarianship and Lave and Wenger's (1991) Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) to understand how Zimbabwean academic librarians practice blended librarianship in the workplace through engagement in legitimate work tasks. The investigators used phenomenology to explore academic librarians' experiences of blended librarianship. They selected a sample of 101 academic librarians and delivered a semi-structured questionnaire to the sample, conducted document research and interviewed key informants from the sample. The researchers collected data from the Bindura University of Science Education, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Lupane State University, Midlands State University, the National University of Science and Technology, and PHSBL80 Library which chose to be undisclosed. Each institution adopted blended librarianship in its way. Four (4) different categories of blended librarianship emerged from the experiences; that is "transcending blended librarians", "partially blended librarians", "intermittent blended librarians" and "aspiring blended librarians", displaying each institution's level of instructional technology and instructional design roles. The study proposes that the " Academic librarian's transition to blended librarianship " two-by-two matrix that developed was in this inquiry needs further refinement. Further enquiries may test the matrix within the same sites or other locales altogether to corroborate if the results are replicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out to investigate research visibility of academic librarians in Imo State: factors, strategies, and challenges. The study was guided by 5 research objectives. The researchers adopted descriptive research survey. The population of the study comprised of 155 academic librarians in 9 institutions of higher learning in Imo State. Both online and face to face questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. Out of 155 copies of questionnaire distributed in both soft and hardcopies, 133 responses were received. The outcome of the study showed that the number of peer reviewed publications, citation for journal publications, journal impact factors, frequency of citation, increased visibility via open access, and journal location are the factors considered by the librarians in choosing where to publish their papers as all the items showed positive means above the criterion mean of 2.50. Again, researchgate, academia, LinkedIn, Mendeley, blog, tweeter and Google scholar are the academic social networking platforms used by the librarians in sharing academic publications. Furthermore, the opportunity for feedback, collaboration, research reputation, job opportunities, promotion and career advancement are the benefits of research visibility to librarians. In the same vein, paper presentation at conferences, collaboration with other authors, public lectures, publishing on widely read journals, maintaining online identity and tracking scholarly impact metrics are the strategies for enhancing research visibility of the librarians. Finally, lack of computer literacy, cost implications of paper publications, lack of awareness of social networking platforms, non-accessibility to other people's work, inability to track impact metrics, inability to manage online identity as well as lack of registered institutional e-mail were seen as challenges facing research visibility of the librarians. The study concludes that every librarian should strive to be visible, and the researchers recommended that all librarians should identify with all the social networking platforms and publish in widely read journals to track their online identity metrics for easy visibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aim of the study is to investigate the application of online platforms by professional librarians for research visibility in Nigeria universities. Design/methodology/approach - The study adopted online survey method. Questionnaire was designed to collect data from respondents using Google form. Data was collected from 367 academic librarians both practicing and lecturing in 28 universities in Nigeria. Findings - The study revealed that majority of the academic librarians have created profile on Google Scholar and also joined ResearchGate network. While, the platforms with the least profiles are Scopus and ORCID. Majority of the academic librarians agree that creating profile in the online platforms raises the profile of the author's institution, brings recognition to the author, influences author's institution ranking, increases readership of the paper (s), make articles reach greater audience, and attracts possible research funding. It also emerged that no institutional e-mail, no google e-mail, some academics not interested, don't know how to create profile on these platforms, no motivation from the institution, too busy to create my profile, and network challenges are some of the drawbacks associated with creating profile in the online platforms. The qualitative analysis revealed that publishing in open access, creating google scholar profile, and joining researchgate network, and publishing in journals that are indexed and abstracted were the popular ways to increase the visibility of one's paper. Research implications - This study will inform and educate scholars in the universities to see the need to register their presence on the web through creating profiles and linking their publications in these platforms. These platforms will no doubt enhance the academic evaluation and give additional weight to publications that are accessible globally. Originality/value - The study reported the extent academic librarians in Nigeria have created profiles on the research visibility platforms such as Google scholar, SCOPUS, researchgate, and ORCID. The findings will inform policy makers, administrators and academic staff to understand how the universities are performing in terms of scholarly activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the techniques for designing and managing the bibliographical database by using the Windows-based ISIS (WINISIS) library software package and specified the brief description of steps taken to create a database of all bibliographic materials as well as features of WINSIS are taken into consideration. The purpose of the paper is to be acquainted college librarians with the distinctive features of the Windows-based ISIS because Microsoft Windows is described as a graphical user environment, which gives the user more control over the work as well as enables the user to use more of the power of the computer. The author has applied practical methods to put forth the techniques for designing and managing the bibliographical database of Doctoral Theses by using WINISIS software package. The author has attempted to find out various aspects to describe the features of the various modules of Windows-based ISIS (WINSIS) library software which would be valuable for those college librarians who faced the crunch of budget and are distressed to manage databases, especially those colleges are situated in rural and tribal areas of India. This paper is originally based on the dissertation made by the author in Degree of Master of Philosophy which is recognized and essential in the research purview of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper expounds the application and perceived impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic libraries in Nigeria. Libraries especially in developing countries may become moribund in the 21 century unless they begin to harness new, smart and intelligent technologies for improved operations and service delivery. This research adopted a literature-based approach to x-ray the applications and perceived impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic libraries in Nigeria. Through a systematic analysis and review of literature, the study brought to limelight the current state of AI integration in academic libraries in Nigeria and its possible impact on library services, collections, users, professionals and general library operations and services. The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic libraries has the potential to revolutionize library operations and services. Some of the identifies AI tools include: Natural Language Recognition, Robotics, Big Data, Data Mining, Chatbot, Machine Learning, Pattern Recognition and Expert system. Findings from the study revealed that the application of AI in academic libraries have the potentials to increases productivity, improved customer satisfaction through personalization, easy availability and accessibility of information, easy collaboration and knowledge sharing, virtual assistance and chatbots, and ultimately increase overall operational effectiveness. This paper also explored some of the challenges associated with the application of AI technologies in academic libraries in Nigeria such as poor ICT skills and technical expertise, high initial costs of implementation, phobia for job displacement, epileptic power supply, poor maintenance culture, resistance to change, poor network connectivity, privacy and ethical implications, etc. To maximize the potential benefits of AI applications in academic libraries in Nigeria, it is crucial for these libraries to implement appropriate planning, guidelines and regulations on AI use as well as training and retraining of academic librarians to acquire the required ICT skills, knowledge and competence in order to adapt in the present digital and changing library environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic libraries worldwide provide knowledge management (KM) services to support university research activities, while some librarians are slowly implementing knowledge management practices. The paper examined librarians' perception of knowledge management in Nigerian university libraries and discovered that they perceived it positively. It also identified KM practices in Nigerian university libraries, such as brainstorming, knowledge sharing and mentoring. However, these practices were not recognized as KM practices and were not officially documented as such. Furthermore, the paper also revealed that the effects of KM on the professional development of academic librarians were positive. Therefore, the researchers proffer some recommendations to enhance KM practices in Nigerian university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The graphic edition of Snyder's On Tyranny (2021) states "truth dies in four modes," which is a contemporary synthesis connected to Klemperer's Language of the Third Reich (1957). The researchers connected these four modes to information literacy (IL) instruction--but would others? The researchers surveyed academic librarians engaged in IL instruction on whether they felt they addressed any of the modes in their work. The researchers also asked whether they believe the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education works to circumvent any of the four modes. Nearly 150 librarians responded and, while most respondents were unfamiliar with the two texts referenced and their thoughts were mixed, many saw their work and the Framework as antagonistically related to Mode 1 (Open Hostility to Verifiable Reality). This paper discusses survey results and their implications for better understanding of how academic librarians engaged in IL instruction view their work in a socio-political context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes how librarians and archivists at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt, the University) reenvisioned their teaching with primary sources by applying findings from the 2021 Ithaka S+R study, “Teaching with Primary Sources: Looking at the Support Needs of Instructors,” to inform and enhance instructional initiatives. Considering Pitt’s library renovation (2017–24), the emergence of digital pedagogy at the University in the wake of COVID-19 health- and safety-related measures, and the call for dialogue around social justice issues, the Ithaka study provided grounding evidence. Inspired by these catalysts, librarians and archivists overhauled their teaching with primary sources through strategic collaborations that prioritized inquiry-based learning for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

his paper proposes teaching strategies and techniques for library instruction in academic libraries to achieve the intended goals. The recommendations are based on insights from previous research IN library instruction with the intention to identify possible strategies and techniques for different user groups. This study applied a systematic literature review method, using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol to examine the use of teaching strategies and techniques in library instruction programs. The Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases were searched for relevant literature using specific keywords. Applying the inclusion criteria, a total of 27 articles out of the 1380 documents extracted, were deemed relevant to the study. The results show that library instruction is usually conducted in the form of individual sessions. Teaching strategies used by librarians include flipped classroom, faux flip, class room teaching, research clinic, consultation, asynchronous learning, and online synchronous learning, among others. These teaching strategies improved engagement and relationships between students and librarians, while impacting critical thinking, confidence and self-directed learning. It is concluded that librarians should consider adopting and combining teaching strategies based on individual needs and use technology to improve teaching effectiveness and increase student learning. This study shows that most studies on library instruction have only partially addressed instructional strategies. A critical review of the literature revealed that a strategic shift in the management of library instruction is necessary to achieve the intended outcomes. In this study, three teaching strategies for library education are proposed, namely Embracing for freshman, Encouraging for sophomore, and Leveraging for postgraduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of information literacy into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum can be a challenge for academic librarians, in part due to different terminology than used by disciplinary faculty colleagues. Aligning terminology used in information literacy frameworks with the scientific method can provide a means of demonstrating the role of information literacy in STEM research. This paper maps the knowledge practices of the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education with an example of the scientific method. The resulting map provides an alignment of the different terminologies being used and visualizes the role of research skills throughout the process of conducting scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic librarian hiring processes are designed to allow hiring institutions to learn about candidates through a multiple-round process, but often these processes are not designed with the candidates in mind. This paper uses a qualitative approach to interpret and understand how the attitudes of search committee members shape on-campus interview practices, with a particular focus on how interview practices create barriers to inclusivity. Library employees who recently served on academic librarian hiring committees were recruited to respond to a questionnaire, and a text analysis of responses to open-ended questions was performed to identify themes in academic librarian hiring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the COVID pandemic, many academic libraries sought virtual instruction options, like the embedded librarian model, bringing renewed interest to the topic. Debates defining embedded librarianship are plentiful and varied, but a review of the professional literature reveals a commonly used metaphor comparing embedded librarians to embedded journalists. This paper analyses the prevalence of that metaphor in the professional discourse through the lens of cognitive metaphor theory (CMT) to reveal the semantic and pragmatic implications of its use. CMT highlights the power of figurative language to reflect and define professional identities. The metaphor's militaristic rhetoric counters negative stereotypes of librarians as passive or meek, while the metaphor's combative rhetoric discloses complex power dynamics between academic librarians and faculty. However, the etymology of 'embed' reveals more productive definitions related to geology, computer science, and linguistics. Embracing these multiple definitions will help librarians shape that role in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While libraries no longer dream of having everything patrons might ever want or need, they can make an effort to get closer to those needs without going over budget. It doesn't have to take loading additional records in the catalog or a team oflibrarians to find and select titles. This paper explores the process Eastern Kentucky University Libraries went through to create and develop a mediated demand driven acquisitions workflow starting with interlibrary loan requests and helped the collection become modern, diversified, and more responsive to current users and curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership is vital to the accomplishment of librarianship in the modern era. This paper investigated academic library leadership in Nigeria and ICT adoption. A descriptive research design was used for the study. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was used for data collection. The population of the study was 402 librarians in academic libraries in South-west, Nigeria. It was found that library leadership plays a significant role in ICT adoption in academic libraries in Nigeria. The study found that though both transformational and transactional leadership styles are good in an academic library setting, the respondents rated their leaders as more transformational than transactional. The extent of the adoption of ICT in performing library operations is high. The libraries benefited enormously from the adoption of ICT, even though the libraries face a lot of challenges in the adoption of ICT. It was recommended that Library leaders should imbibe transformational leadership practices in the management of their libraries as it offers effective leadership and is acceptable to the subordinates. The academic libraries should also make full-scale adoption of ICT in performing their operations due to the numerous improvements ICT brings to job performance and service delivery [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated knowledge and perception of librarians towards cloud-based technology in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria. The population comprised all professional and non- professional librarians in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria. One hundred and thirty-two (132) librarians from Southwest, Nigeria were selected using simple random sampling technique. Four research questions were answered. A structured questionnaire titled "QKPLCTLSN" was used for data collections. The reliability coefficient of the instrument yielded r = 0.76 and r =0.82. The findings of this research revealed that, librarians in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria have knowledge about cloud-based technology and they have been using one or more applications in academic libraries but their perception towards the use of cloud-based technology was negative. In view of this, the following recommendations were made; librarians should embark on staff development programmes that would enable them keep pace with the latest technology, library management should encourage librarians to attend seminars, conferences and workshops that would enhance their technological skills, there should be adequate funding from the government and provision of stable power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This purpose of this paper is to explore professional networking for career advancement of librarians in academic libraries. Career advancement as a means of preparing to qualify for official promotions with the current employer or a different employer, preparing for more responsibility and compensation by advancing in a formal career, obtaining industry recognized credentials that results in additional responsibility, it is also associated with an increase in income or benefits. Therefore, this paper x-rays the professional networking and its relevance, it covers the Benefits of Professional Networking; Places of Networking for Professional Librarians; Type of Professional Networking Connection; Brief History of Librarian's Network Program; Empirical review on Professional Networking of Librarians' for Career Advancement; Networking and Professional Networking; the Challenges of Professional Networking as well as recommendations to foster librarians professional networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technology has influenced scholarly communication and how higher education institutions assess research impact. This has extended the role that the academic library plays in supporting researchers in the research life cycle. These global trends have impacted academic libraries in Africa too, albeit to different extents. This paper reports from the literature and empirical findings of a single aspect of a wider study on research impact assessment that enquired into best practices for assessing research impact in higher education institutions in Africa and the evolving role of academic libraries in support of research impact assessment. The paper draws from a qualitative aspect of the wider mixed-methods study informed by research impact theory, and specifically findings from semistructured interviews with relevant stakeholders such as academic librarians, university research office personnel, and African research council managers. The paper concludes that librarians traditionally have been well placed to play a pivotal role in research impact assessment due to their professional competencies. Academic libraries will continue to evolve and in doing so play a significant role in the research life cycle of higher education knowledge systems. African academic libraries need to contextualize research impact assessment such that it speaks to the research needs of African contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians within the Engineering Libraries Division (ELD) annually publish conference papers for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). The existing ASEE rubric was not sufficient for our members, so we developed a new rubric as a charged committee for this task. We briefly discuss the sparse literature in this area, focusing on the use of rubrics and the rationale behind them. Due to this lack of literature, our committee primarily utilized additional sources such as rubrics found from other professional organizations in STEM and library fields. Our rubric is designed to encourage substantive feedback and growth of authors during the process, while clarifying the expectations for submissions. This rubric consists of overall guidance and specific needs, with flexibility for the different research methods and applications expected (i.e. work-in-progress/completed research, quantitative/qualitative, etc.). We implemented this rubric successfully for the 2021 conference cycle, but will further refine it as needed, based on feedback following future conferences. With scarce literature on conference peer review, we hope by sharing our work, others may also consider and improve their organizations' processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper identifies some of the tasks and roles that academic libraries have to fulfil in order to react to the appearance of Research 2.0 that materialises in data intensive research and requires supporting activities. Reacting to the appearance of Research 2.0 by becoming service providers for scholars working on data-intensive tasks will become an imperative for libraries worldwide, even though due to the differences between countries and institutions, the tasks described in this paper may not seem urgent today. On the other hand, the issues, we identified are already part of everyday best practices in several institutions. Some of them are fairly recent or have taken new characteristics. A few roles identified in this paper are on their way to become standard occupation, while there are still ones that require innovative approaches. Our argument is based on a non-exhaustive review of the recent literature, reporting both on theoretical and practical issues and presenting the results of empirical research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Academic libraries are increasingly called upon to demonstrate their value to their home institutions. Research collaboration with faculty resulting in the co-authorship of scholarly output is one possible way to demonstrate the alignment of the library with the institutional mission. Involvement in research also improves librarians' skills in offering research support services. This study explores the contribution of librarians to scholarly journals in fields other than Library and Information Science (LIS) as well as their collaboration practices with researchers in those fields. Results show an increasing number of papers published by library-affiliated authors in non-LIS journals between 2006 and 2015. The papers fall broadly into four areas: articles on topics related to LIS published in non-LIS journals; higher education and information literacy; systematic reviews and meta-analysis; and research collaboration in the faculty's areas of expertise. The study is limited by the difficulty in properly retrieving the scholarly output of librarians from bibliographic databases and the difficulty in ascertaining their contributions to published articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of the Australian Library & Information Association's first issue of 2024 includes a variety of research papers, research-in-practice papers, an information-in-practice paper, and an obituary. One research paper explores how teacher librarians can teach with and about generative artificial intelligence (GAI), emphasizing the role of teacher librarians in fostering critical and ethical use of these tools. Another research paper presents the results of a national survey indicating that library and information practitioners are confident in their research abilities. The research-in-practice papers discuss topics such as transitioning to a team approach in library services, perceptions of artificial intelligence among Filipino academic librarians, and a proposed knowledge organization system for Laos ethnic groups. An information-in-practice paper examines the implementation of a proactive chat widget at the University of Wollongong Library, which proved valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue also includes an obituary for Professor Michael J. Ramsden, a significant figure in the library and information professions. Additionally, the issue features book reviews covering various themes, including online instruction, cataloguing, and the internationalization of academic libraries. [Extracted from the article]

During the COVID-19 crisis, leaders of academic libraries had to make various decisions to retain library relevance and maintain essential services. The COVID-19 crisis raised the question of libraries' value to their universities more than ever. Libraries were facing financial difficulties but also operational challenges due to the services built around physical libraries. This paper uses a mixed methods approach to investigate academic library leaders' decision-making during the first year of the COVID-19 crisis. It combines quantitative and qualitative data from previous studies with primary data collected by the author to determine what kind of decisions university library leaders faced during the crisis and why. These studies show that leaders were concerned about the following main challenges: lack of access to physical services and collections, the safety of staff and patrons, new ways of working, and the library's role during the crisis. The results show that library leaders made decisions in smaller groups or some cases, individually due to the lack of time or information. While there have been numerous studies on libraries' response to the COVID-19 crisis in the past three years, this paper focuses mainly on academic library leaders and their decision-making to solve the crisis for their libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]