Search

Academic libraries, apart from their main function, which is to provide information services to academic communities, may also perform a number of social roles in the broad meaning of the term. Accordingly, they now tend to serve as the third place offering inclusion and animation activities to academic as well as local communities (including potential students) and to groups in risk of social exclusion (immigrants, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, etc.) or in need of various kinds of care and support. However, for libraries to be able to fulfil those tasks, they need properly trained staff who not only have the required competencies but also the right social attitudes. The paper presents an analysis of the social attitudes of academic librarians from twenty countries across the world as compared to the personnel of other types of libraries. The level of individual social capital, activity in social networks, aspirations in life and social and civic engagement were investigated. It was noted that the respondents tend to undervalue the importance of the work done by libraries for local communities. At the same time, the research showed that academic librarians have a somewhat lower level of individual social capital and trust than public librarians and less extensive social networks. Nonetheless, they are open to relationships with others, which enables them to engage in various social projects.

This paper attempts to show that LibQUAL+ tool can be used to measure how the perceptions of and standards required for library instruction differ across disciplines in the different university libraries from different countries. The paper suggests, firstly, that the quality of library IL instruction does not directly correlate with the resources put into the instruction, secondly, that a high-quality IL instruction raises demands for more IL instruction, and thirdly, that good IL instruction leads to consistent standards of IL education in different disciplines. Furthermore, interesting disciplinary differences in the satisfaction of and demands to IL education are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to show that LibQUAL+ tool can be used to measure how the perceptions of and standards required for library instruction differ across disciplines in the different university libraries from different countries. The paper suggests, firstly, that the quality of library IL instruction does not directly correlate with the resources put into the instruction, secondly, that a high-quality IL instruction raises demands for more IL instruction, and thirdly, that good IL instruction leads to consistent standards of IL education in different disciplines. Furthermore, interesting disciplinary differences in the satisfaction of and demands to IL education are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information about the journal "Restaurator," which was founded in 1969 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It evolved when the care and preservation of archives and libraries began to generate wider interest in many countries, which archivists and restorers began to collect and exchange information on the paper-based materials. The author also states that since the beginning, the journal focused on presenting the results of scientific research with the goal of establishing an international platform for disseminating knowledge about preservation and conservation of paper-based collections.

Academic search literacy and searches powered by artificial intelligence are a focus of the Royal Library and affiliated university libraries in Denmark. The ambition is to integrate AI-search tools in teaching and services that support literature seeking and hence improve the efficiency of the academic search process. However, before doing so, the library managers needed to learn more about the value AI-powered search tools have for information specialists and library users, and hence make informed decisions regarding investment in such tools. This paper presents a case study of two AI-search tools, which were tested via Think-aloud tests, a hackathon and an expert quality assessment at the Royal Library, Denmark. The results point to both opportunities and barriers for the implementation of AI-search tools at the library and we explore the consequences the results of the tests can have for library users and library services. In conclusion, there is a need for more research on the value of AI-search tools for information special)ists and library users. AI-search tools are continuously being developed and improved. The library needs to provide a critical approach to where in the search process the tools add value. Accordingly, the library needs to develop guidance on how to use AI-search tools as a supplement to more traditional approaches, how to report the use of the tools as part of an academic study and address the limitations of the tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper analyses students' use of public libraries for study purposes and discusses the public library as a substitute or a complement for educational or academic libraries. The paper also investigates which segments of students rely heavily on public libraries as services for study purposes. Design/methodology/approach - The research is based on a comprehensive survey of Danish students from both universities and other higher institutions of education. The data collection was carried out by an online survey and the sample consists of students from all over the country covering a multitude of different institutions and subject areas. Findings - It is evident from the research that students do not bypass the physical library and it is also evident that the use of physical libraries and digital resources complement each other. The place of Google in the students' information behaviour is prominent and positively correlated to use of traditional library resources. Nearly 60 per cent of all students use the local public library for study purposes. A small group consisting of 7 per cent of the students uses the public library as their only library for study purposes. One of the more striking findings is that the service level of public libraries in relation to study topics appears to be very uneven, which means that different groups of students have very varied probabilities of success using the public library. The data also indicates that students tend to look at libraries as a whole and do not make clear distinctions between different types of libraries, expecting the whole system to be seamless. The paper also relates the findings to the general body of literature on students' information seeking behaviour. Research limitations/implications - The research raises questions concerning the detailed behaviour of students' information behaviour, for example, how they combine formalised resources with more general resources. The paper also indicates that it is probably counter-productive to evaluate students as one group. Different segments of students have very different and varied information behaviour patterns depending on study topic, study year, psychological dispositions and other demographic factors. Practical implications - The paper raises important managerial questions and concerns in relation to both the mission of public libraries and the service level given to different segments of students. Originality/value - The research supports existing international research on students' information behaviour. The research is based on a comprehensive and nation-wide sample and it emphasises students' information behaviour in relation to several important demographic factors, and it also asserts that it is important to investigate further the differing modes of behaviour. The paper points to the interplay between formalised information resources and search engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of research data is growing constantly, due to new technology with new potentials for collecting and analysing both digital data and research objects. This growth creates a demand for a coherent IT-infrastructure. Such an infrastructure must be able to provide facilities for storage, preservation and a more open access to data in order to fulfil the demands from the researchers themselves, the research councils and research foundations. This paper presents the findings of a research project carried out under the auspices of DEFF (Danmarks Elektroniske Fag- og Forskningsbibliotek -- Denmark's Electronic Research Library) to analyse how the Danish universities store, preserve and provide access to research data. It shows that they do not have a common IT-infrastructure for research data management. This paper describes the various paths chosen by individual universities and research institutions, and the background for their strategies of research data management. Among the main reasons for the uneven practices are the lack of a national policy in this field, the different scientific traditions and cultures and the differences in the use and organization of IT-services. This development contains several perspectives that are of particular relevance to research libraries. As they already curate digital collections and are active in establishing web archives, the research libraries become involved in research and dissemination of knowledge in new ways. This paper gives examples of how The State and University Library's services facilitate research data management with special regard to digitization of research objects, storage, preservation and sharing of research data. This paper concludes that the experience and skills of research libraries make the libraries important partners in a research data management infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Librarianship / Turk Kutuphaneciligi is the property of Turk Kutuphaneciler Dernegi 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.)

A conference paper about the Library of the Centre of African Studies (CAS) at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark is presented. It discusses the two-year postgraduate full-time course and the one-year full-time course offered by CAS. It examines the library's collection which covers African studies in various categories such as human rights, literature, and politics. The participation of CAS in the Intel Library Loan System (ILS) through the Royal Library is also mentioned.

The article takes its starting point in new trends and paradigm shifts in scholarly research methods and discusses how research libraries must act in relation to this. Various innovative initiatives at the Library of the Aarhus School of Business (LASB) are described, especially within the areas of electronic dissemination and presentation. A line of projects on development of a software for the sharing of knowledge are in focus, a "metro map" used for navigating the electronic information resources made available in the Learning Resource Centre, at the Aarhus School of Business (ASB). This software is the result of exchange of knowledge between professional departments at ASB and a software company. The LASB is positive towards and will continue working with this method. Finally, the investment in future library services is discussed and a tangible offer is put into perspective: electronic reference services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]