Search

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]

Purpose: The study aims to find out the current scenario of library resources and services viz. collection including infrastructure, staff position, library services available in the private university libraries in the state of Assam, India. Methodology: Physical survey of all the five libraries has been conducted for which a questionnaire was designed. Findings: With the increasing number of library users, there should be adequate number of library staff to maintain all the different collections and services of the library. Private university libraries e-books and e-journals facility is not sufficient to cater the increasing demands of the users. Research Limitations: The study is applied to private university libraries within the geographical barrier within the state of Assam. It is applied only on the basic level library resources and services expected from a library. Practical Implications: It will provide an opportunity to the library authority to fill up the gap in providing their basic library services. The method and technique of the study may be applied to any other libraries where the libraries are managed by library science professional with proper library procedures. Originality/value: The study is itself a unique one as no such study was conducted in the area of private university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parliamentary libraries are important in supporting informed decision-making in democracies. Understanding Members' information needs is important, but the usage and impact of these libraries have been less explored. A particular example of the United Kingdom's House of Lords Library is studied, collecting and analysing data using techniques from the field of data science. These techniques are useful in extracting information from existing sources that may not have been designed for the purpose of data collection. A number of data sources available at the Lords Library are outlined and an example of how these data can be used to understand Library usage and impact is presented. Results suggest that Member usage varies significantly and that there is a small but significant relationship between usage and making speeches in the chamber. Further work should explore other indicators of impact, but these methods show promise in creating library metrics, particularly in Parliamentary settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Citaliste: The Scientific Journal on Theory & Practice of Librarianship is the property of Citaliste: The Scientific Journal on Theory & Practice of Librarianship 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.)

The number of journals with embargo periods in aggregated databases designed for academic libraries has increased for the simple reason that the number of available full text journals in these collections has also increased. Misconceptions surrounding embargo periods deduce that embargoes diminish access to information by withholding the current full text from journals, when in fact, embargoes increase access to information for journals that otherwise would not be available in aggregated databases. Embargoes exist for the purpose of preserving a publisher's traditional print and electronic journal subscriptions. Full text databases and e-journals are distinctly different resources. The use of embargoes may be valid in one electronic resource, but not the other. Linking capabilities provide seamless access from embargoed journals with current indexing in databases to the corresponding current full text found in a library's e-journal collection. Embargoed information from a given journal is far superior to no full text information at all from that source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participating in collaborative scientific research through citizen science, a component of open science, holds significance for both citizen scientists and professional researchers. Yet, the advantages for those orchestrating citizen science initiatives are often overlooked. Organizers encompass a diverse range, including governmental entities, non-governmental organizations, corporations, universities, and institutions like libraries. For libraries, citizen science holds importance by fostering heightened civic and research interests, promoting scientific publishing, and contributing to overall scientific progress. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the specific ways in which citizen science can benefit libraries and how libraries can effectively utilize citizen science to achieve their goals. The paper is based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles that discuss the direct benefits of citizen science on libraries. A list of the main benefits of citizen science for libraries has been compiled from the literature. Additionally, the reasons why it is crucial for libraries to communicate the benefits of citizen science for their operations have been highlighted, particularly in terms of encouraging other libraries to actively engage in citizen science projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate what semiotic analysis can reveal about how welcoming and inclusive a science library space is for patrons. A space was examined in terms of its messaging to patrons of various genders, abilities, races, ethnicities, nationalities, and disciplines. Findings are presented about the space's messaging regarding the disciplines it serves, inclusion of patrons from minoritized demographics, and general expectations of visitors. Recommendations for library practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While scholarship in library science continues to expand understanding of collaboration and its potential to transform the collective collection, librarian acquisitions trips have been largely absent from the conversation. In early 2020, three US-based South Asian studies librarians traveled together to India, jettisoning solo travel in favor of a model of collaborative fieldwork. Using this trip as a case study, the authors draw on interdisciplinary literature to explore how intersecting identities and the embodied nature of fieldwork shape outcomes for the collective collection. They reflect on how foregrounding care in the field can converge with efforts to build more ethical collections. Finally, the authors consider the possibilities of a shift toward collaboration beyond mere coordination, and offer suggestions for how a relational perspective might be advocated for in their work. At the intersection of theory and practice, this article helps readers understand the holistic work behind area studies librarianship, and offers a vision of improved practice in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester, academic institutions in the United States shifted rapidly to virtual instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift forced the libraries associated with these institutions to create innovative ways to reach faculty, staff, and students in an online mode. At the University of Memphis, librarians enhanced many existing online services and developed new ones. This study tracks the utilization of these services by online instructors during the span of one year since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The methods were mixed, involving a survey soliciting information from online instructors using both qualitative and quantitative methods and follow-up interviews conducted privately and virtually with teaching faculty and staff. This article presents the findings of this research and details the plans for further action at the University of Memphis to enhance and promote library services to online faculty. The plan involves increasing the level of online marketing, involvement with faculty training, and the enhancement of existing services, specifically embedded librarianship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserving a nation's traditional and cultural heritage is imperative to transcending generations. Manuscripts and rare collections serve as invaluable windows into the past, allowing us to connect with our ancestors, understand our roots, and appreciate the rich tapestry of our cultural diversity. In this ever-changing world, exploring innovative approaches to conserve, digitize, and promote access to these treasures for the benefit of present and future generations is crucial. Libraries must preserve these rare collections, which are essential for future generations. This paper mainly focuses on the important deterioration factors for paper objects and book materials. It provides various methods, tools, and techniques for conserving manuscripts and rare collections in libraries. In conclusion, this study recommends the essential skills and competencies that Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals should possess. These competencies are vital for preserving and restoring manuscripts and rare materials, ensuring their usability for future generations, thus contributing to preserving a nation's cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship education seeks to provide students with the knowledge, skill and motivation to encourage entrepreneurial success in a variety of settings. Entrepreneurship is developed as a way of developing skills such as risk-taking and problem solving that facilitate the achievement of life goals and in education. It is the recognition of an opportunity to create value, and the process of acting on this opportunity. In the recent years, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have developed very rapidly in line with the growth and convergence that occurred in telecommunication technology for entrepreneurship success. The convergence of computers and telecommunication technology has popularized the electronic generation and access to information. Consequently, different technological applications are now created in order to support the operational activities of human life and organization. As a result of this, users are now expected to be computer literate to enable them explore information resources for entrepreneurial business. ICT is mainly concerned with the storage, retrieval, manipulation, transmission or receipt of digital data. The improvement of the entrepreneurship educational system over the years has been the concern of educators and researchers. This yearning is not unconnected with the undisputable fact that National Development is hinged on the successful development, use and execution of research findings in the application of ICT tools in teaching and learning of entrepreneurship. By inference, entrepreneurship education develops enterprising people and inculcates an attitude of self-reliance, using appropriate learning processes. Going by this, therefore, many LIS schools are now incorporating entrepreneurship skills in to their curriculum. In a similar way, however, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) greatly influence education and training on information resource generation and distribution for economic gain and development LIS students. The ICT is providing new professional and entrepreneurial learning in LIS schools [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library and information science practice and research have transitioned from positioning the user in the life of the library to placing the library in the life of the user. A review of OCLC Research themes during the past twenty years identifies a shift in focus from the optimization and quantitative analysis of library collections, systems, and services to the study of the needs and expectations of users of library collections, systems, and services. Just as libraries operate within local and global networks and ecosystems, users, with diverse needs and expectations, are embedded in communities in various ways. This new environment changes the focus from individual decision making to collaborative decision making, centering and emphasizing the importance of relationships and experiences. OCLC's research has addressed these trends, providing a path for library leaders and staff to create their New Model Library that focuses on agility, collaboration, virtualization, and space within their work, collections, and engagement experiences. This framework offers a way to navigate the transition to the library in the life of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource sharing is an important and widely well-known concept in the field of library science. The concept is recognized by the term library networking which deals with the interconnection of libraries so that the participating libraries can share information and resources effectively. It aids to overcome the limitations like enormous cost of purchase, bibliography handling, storage of material etc. as a result of the exponential growth in the information produced. Resource sharing is a solution to optimize library resources. Thus, resource sharing in libraries has become essential in current scenario, and it commands world-wide acceptance. Based on the literature review it can be said that academic libraries, especially in developing countries should continue subscribing to information resources through the Consortium Building (CB) and explore their usage by ensuring total addressing of patrons information needs. Also government should earmark appropriate funds for the purchase of information technologies facilities needed by academic libraries for resource sharing. The paper recommended that the least forms of resources sharing like Inter library loan should be given priority especially for rare information resources that have high demand but their supply is low and exist in print format to start with. The work further recommends that academic libraries should formulate effective policies that will ensure library resource information sharing is properly conducted in academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Prince George's County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) has a long-standing partnership with the county's human rights education and enforcement agency, the Office of Human Rights (PGCOHR), formerly the Prince George's County Human Relations Commission (PGCHRC). The two agencies serve over 967,000 Prince Georgians, a majority-Black (64.4%) and Latin or Hispanic (19.5%) population with a sizable immigrant community (22.7%). The civil rights issues of 2020 hit close to home in Prince George's County and the agencies have sustained a multi-year effort to provide residents with opportunities to learn how to engage with social justice topics for personal and collective advancement. This paper outlines the agencies' innovative model for collaborative community programming, which has dramatically expanded the scope and impact of their equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism (EDIA) initiatives despite minimal funding resources and the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic. PGCMLS and PGCOHR's approach to joint programming is modeled in their Collaborative Programming Lifecycle, which can be applied to a wide range of content areas, whether special events, series, thematic programs, or special events. The lifecycle also touches individual presenters, partners, funders, attendees, and the daily work of programming staff. The partners have successfully deployed the Collaborative Programming Lifecycle to develop internationally acclaimed EDIA programs in multiple formats that influence local efforts to advance social equity and anti-racism. The joint mission of this partnership is to provide meaningful conversation that strengthens the collective community. While this partnership pre-dates both the pandemic and the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the agencies rapidly transitioned to virtual programming and engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to immediate local impact, the partnership's programs have resulted in a compelling new model for making local programs accessible to larger communities at state, regional, and national levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study seeks to evaluate the accessibility and use of library resources in the North Campus Library of the University of Education, Winneba. The study was a survey and made use of a questionnaire as research instrument. The target population consisted of all Level 300 Basic Education students and Social Studies students numbering 500 as at 2019/2020 academic year. A sample size of 300 representing 20% of the population was selected through random sampling. focusing on accessibility of how and to suggest ways through its findings and recommend solution to those challenges. The questionnaire was analyzed using frequency tables and percentages. Findings of the study were that students were not using libraries to support their learning and other academic activities as they lacked searching and library use skills. Where the library is sited at the last floor of the faculty block makes it sometime difficult for these are some of the setbacks that hinders students accessing the North Campus Library for research and for their information needs. It was recommended among other things that, student should be introduce to information literacy skills to help them analyse information problems and structure their searches so as to find their own answers. Also, circulation procedures could also hamper use. Therefore, circulation procedures should be made simple but follow up strictly. The study recommended that current and adequate information resources should be acquired to increase the level of user satisfaction which has been found to be poor, also, the librarians should use their knowledge of organisation of knowledge one and two, reference and bibliography, and media librarianship to provide access to effective information retrieval tools and audio-visual materials to help facilitate interactive learning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper aims to understand elements that act as counter-productive to the achievements of females working as professional librarians. The paper uses current literature to explore inhibitive factors for the career development of female librarians. The methodology employed in the paper is epistemological realism and deductive reasoning. This methodology adds to existing knowledge while being linked with realism. The research investigates main factors like cultural stereotyping, discrimination against women, marriage, children, career breaks, mentoring, family support, and organizational structure and policies to ascertain their role in enhancing or diminishing female librarians’ career progression. The nature of research is deductive as the conclusions are drawn from available literature as applied to professional females in the field of librarianship. The findings of the research are expected to validate these important factors as integral stimulants for female librarians’ career development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the study is to review the literature related to the use of emerging technologies by university libraries. The primary objective of the study was to examine the core literature related to emerging technologies used in the university libraries and to find out the changing role of the university librarians in these technologically equipped modern libraries. The study also focuses on the attitude of library professionals towards this modern environment. The findings of the study are based upon four themes, they are: "status of emerging technologies in the university libraries", "attitude of librarians towards the emerging technologies", "technological compatibility among the professionals of the libraries" and "barriers in the implementation of emerging technologies". Nevertheless, if there have been many researches performed at university libraries on emerging technologies, this study is primarily aimed at improving understanding of these expanding technologies by the library and information sciences profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the role of library union, Chicago Public Library (CPL) Local 88, in the development of the CPL in Chicago, Illinois, in 1937-1952. Based on the published newsletters and records available in the Chicago Public Library Municipal Reference Collection, Local 88 had carried out strategies to strengthen the weakening civil service practice within the CPL, improved educational opportunities for staff, and provided cultural and social events for employees. In addition, the union led to the development of a new moral model for public librarianship and rejected the patronage process of professionalism.

Traditionally libraries have been dealing with the recorded knowledge. The changes in the formats of writing and access have historically influenced the libraries use of technologies. However, the wonderful invention of computer and information access technologies has drastically influenced recording, organization and access to knowledge. Since then the libraries are in a continued change mood. The shifts from physical to virtual, direct access to authors and instant access to globally available knowledge from remote locations are changing the whole scenario of the library profession. Academic libraries being in the forefront of the creation and use of scholarship and knowledge are confronting the innovations influenced by the disruptive technologies. These technologies have impacted library practices significantly. This study is an effort to trace what has happened in the developed world in terms of information and communication technology applications in their libraries & their user expectations, and where we stand in this global phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pesquisa Brasileira em Ciência da Informação e Biblioteconomia is the property of Pesquisa Brasileira em Ciencia da Informacao e Biblioteconomia 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.)

This study explores the concept and functions of collection from the perspective of the user. In-depth interviews with ten professors from a social science discipline and a natural science department provided descriptions of their information seeking involving material sources and their perceptions of the library collection. Participants used the following parameters in perceiving the library collection: instant availability, selectivity, physical collocation, catalog representation, user privilege, material stability, and further parameters for subcollections, including subject and format. Additional components that were important in the users' information environment were personal collections, the Internet, and other institutions' collections. Analysis revealed that collections provided valuable functions, such as collocating sources for convenience and saving time and money, selectivity, narrowing the search scope to increase precision and ease of use, presenting choices, and assisting in clarification of information need. The user's perspective demonstrates the need for user-centered and flexible, rather than library-centered and fixed, collection structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a think-aloud study conducted to identify factors that influence the decisions made by digital reference ‘triagers’ when performing triage on questions received by digital reference services. This study follows and expands on a Delphi study that identified factors that triagers agreed on after the fact of their performance of triage by identifying factors that triagers take into consideration during their performance of question triage. Thirty-eight factors that influence triage decisions were identified, in eight categories. Eight of these factors are intrinsic to the question itself; the remaining thirty factors are extrinsic to the question, situating it in a context for the user and the service. These factors must be taken into consideration by any future system for automated triage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging trends in digital(ized) collection development from 1997 are examined using a sample of projects accessible through Web-based registries of the Association of Research Libraries and the Digital Library Federation. The analysis focuses on thematic repertoire, narrative structuring, underlying historiographic principles, presentation, and the context of institutionalization, combining empirical and interpretive approaches to understand how digital libraries are involved in the production of knowledge and how memory institutions are currently shaping this record in the digital environment. Digital collections are presently showcasing material previously restricted to scholarly uses, making it available for broader educational purposes. Nevertheless, they resemble the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Cabinets de curiosités in their limited ability to support scholarship or address information needs of defined communities of users. Programmatic statements for developers in the conclusion of the study suggest ways for improving the usability of these emerging textual environments, while recognizing new uses for the collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S.R. Ramamrita Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science (1931) has long served as a philosophy for the practice of librarianship. The original five laws remain relevant almost ninety years after they were originally proposed (Ranganathan, 1931). As new modes of information and access, as well as resources and technology, have come into existence, these laws have remained flexible and open to adaptation. However, library literature has not yet situated Ranganathan's Five Laws within the context of open educational resources (OER). As freely accessible teaching and learning resources, OER reflect the core values of Ranganathan's Five Laws; further, viewing OER through Ranganathan's lens offers new opportunities for librarians to situate their OER work within one of the discipline's most foundational philosophies. The following sections introduce Ranganathan's five laws and their recent adaptations and provide a new interpretation of these laws within the context of OER. The implications for situating OER within Ranganathan's Five Laws are also shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Museum librarianship has existed as long as there have been museums; however, a formal definition and research description of this unique model of librarianship is needed. This paper aims to address these deficiencies and to bring more light to museum librarianship as a cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional form of librarianship, one that unites the "library" and the "museum" within one research collection. This paper will discuss similarities and differences between the museum librarian and the traditional librarian. This paper also aims to describe museum librarianship via published literature, the author's professional experience as a museum librarian, and a careful examination of the operations and structure of The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) library. The THNOC serves as a good example of a museum library through its mission, procedures, and common operations. The work of the librarians at the THNOC and their commitment to the museum's library mission, their agility in serving internal and external users, and their knowledge and professionalism can be seen as exemplary of a new type of library role: the holistic librarian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work has the objective of investigating privacy aspects in the collection of data by the National Digital Libraries of South America. Country-specific digital libraries were examined using an exploratory research method to identify data these libraries collected both with the user’s awareness and in the explicit presence of privacy policies within their environments. Brazil’s National Digital Library environment was also examined by using the Wireshark tool to identify possible data collected implicitly during user interaction. We identified that only two of the examined digital libraries provide privacy guidance, and in relation to the collection process, the data that are collected without the knowledge of the user stand out more than the data that the user makes available consciously. It is concluded that privacy issues can be influenced by low user awareness of when, how and where data collection takes place, and the availability of privacy policies becomes essential in digital libraries to raise awareness about this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines marketing library and information services in academic libraries. Specific objectives includes; the need for marketing library and information services in university libraries in South West Nigeria; techniques being employed by university libraries in marketing of library and information services; competencies required of librarians in marketing of library and information services; challenges being faced by the librarians in marketing of library and information services and strategies for enhancing marketing of library and information services in South West Nigeria. Relevant literatures were reviewed. Survey research design was adopted. The target population for the study comprises of all librarians in university libraries in South West Nigeria. Six (6) university libraries were selected based on proximity to researchers. There are a total of eighty-seven (87) librarians in the Six (6) selected university libraries; Out of eighty-seven (87) questionnaires distributed, only sixty-four (64) copies were returned. Data collected through the distributed questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics. In other words tables, frequency counts, simple percentage and mean were used to analyze the data. The finding shows that; techniques being employed in marketing library and information services are; provision of electronic access to information, staff friendliness to users, exhibitions and display of new arrivals, creating a library web page, organizing user education, and one on one discussion with users. Competencies required of librarians in marketing library and information services as perceived by the respondents are; good communication skills, information technology skills, ability to answer users' query, ability to sell idea/library services, ability to question and evaluate library services as well as interpersonal skills. Major challenges militating against effective marketing of library and information services are; inadequate fund, management lack of marketing policy, lack of facilities to market library services, lack of media access to market academic library services, poor access to information technology, lack of training in marketing, and lack of effective communication between librarians and users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservation and dissemination of valuable archives in Library of Social Sciences are of great concerns by Institute of Social Sciences Information. The paper takes international cooperation as an approach of the Institute to deal with these issues by outlining some major international cooperative projects between the Institute and foreign partners in the last decade. It then discusses the outcomes of the projects and proposes measures to foster the effectiveness of such cooperation in the Institute information - library activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the author proposes the term "empathetic services" to describe the social, emotional, and psychological support that librarians provide patrons. The role of empathy in the library has been infrequently researched in library and information science (LIS) literature. However, as demonstrated in the reactions of libraries and librarians during recent social movements, empathy is a critical component of librarianship and routine library work. Although frequently labeled "customer service" or "soft skills," empathetic services encompass the provision of compassion, social justice, and understanding in libraries. As part of the findings, the author identified three significant roles that librarians perform: librarians as an information resource, librarians as an instruction resource, and librarians as a source of social/emotion/psychological support. Using the context of rural school and public libraries, this mixed-method, exploratory study investigates the types of empathy and support that rural school and public librarians currently offer and would like to offer young patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study was conducted to identify the various economic challenges and prospects that are associated with utilization of information and communication Technology (ICT) for Library services in University libraries in Cross River State Nigeria. Design/Methodology/Approach: Survey research design was utilized to carry out the study. A well-structured and validated questionnaire was used to collect information (data) from librarians in Universities in the state. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. Frequency, tables, and percentages were used to analyze the data collected from the subjects of the study. Findings: The study among others revealed that paucity of funds is a major challenge towards the utilization of ICT for library services. Other challenges identified include poor judicious use of resources and the high cost of maintenance. Practical implication: Among the prospects that are associated with the utilization of ICT for library Services identified by the study include: cost saving and cost effectiveness; easy accessibility of current resources, and resource sharing. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that additional and alternative sources of funding should be explored and adopted, while software that will enhance the services and attract more patronage should be utilized by the libraries. Originality/value: The study had made available information on the economic challenges and prospects associated with the utilization of information and communication technology (ICT) for library services in universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigerian literature has focused more on the general concept of eresources without dedicated attention to e-books. This work takes a critical look at the challenges related to e-books collection and management in Nigerian universities. The study was conducted among six federal universities in Nigeria; one from each geopolitical zone of the federation. A survey research design was utilized to carry out the study with structured interview conducted for system librarians of the six university libraries. While there is proliferation of e-books in the libraries, absence of local titles, budgeting, consortium and awareness of DRM issues remain obvious challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the content features of select Websites of Department of Library and Information Science in North India. The checklist was designed for content evaluation of selected websites of Department of Library and Information Science which was clubbed into nine categories. After evaluating the content of selected websites under study, it was found that the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Delhi is at rank number one among five Departments of Library and Information Science in north India and Department of Library and Information Science, Maharishi Dyanand University, Rohtak at the bottom rank. The study was limited to the content of DLIS websites in north India which were general in nature. This study compares the DLIS websites in terms of different content features employed on its websites. The results of this report could be also useful to the DLIS website developers and administrators themselves as a means for quality checking and selfimprovement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors generated data visualizations to compare sections of the library book collection, expenditures in those areas, student enrollment in majors and minors, and number of courses. The visualizations resulting from the entered data provide an excellent starting point for conversations about possible imbalances in the collection and point to areas that are either more developed or less developed than is needed to support the major and minor areas of study at the university. The methodology used should offer a template to follow for others wishing to examine their collection and may prove valuable for adjusting expenditures, suggesting service opportunities or for marketing pieces of the collection that had been hidden before graphical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]