Search

The objective of this study was to build a DNA barcode reference library for the true butterflies of Peninsula Malaysia and assess the value of attaching subspecies names to DNA barcode records. A new DNA barcode library was constructed with butterflies from the Museum of Zoology, University of Malaya collection. The library was analysed in conjunction with publicly available DNA barcodes from other Asia-Pacific localities to test the ability of the DNA barcodes to discriminate species and subspecies. Analyses confirmed the capacity of the new DNA barcode reference library to distinguish the vast majority of species (92%) and revealed that most subspecies possessed unique DNA barcodes (84%). In some cases conspecific subspecies exhibited genetic distances between their DNA barcodes that are typically seen between species, and these were often taxa that have previously been regarded as full species. Subspecies designations as shorthand for geographically and morphologically differentiated groups provide a useful heuristic for assessing how such groups correlate with clustering patterns of DNA barcodes, especially as the number of DNA barcodes per species in reference libraries increases. Our study demonstrates the value in attaching subspecies names to DNA barcode records as they can reveal a history of taxonomic concepts and expose important units of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senior citizens play an important role in the development of future societies. It is anticipated that the elderly population in Malaysia will increase by 15 percent to 5.6 million by 2030 due to the progressive advancement in healthcare facilities over the last 50 years, hence leading to longer life expectancy. In line with the development of knowledge networks, literary materials have become more diverse for senior citizens to choose from in order to improve their quality of life. This article aims to identify and analyse the different types of literature reading material and its contents, as well as to propose other literary materials especially for the necessity of the rural libraries in Kelantan. This study uses a quantitative approach: a field study using a questionnaire distributed to 300 senior citizens in Kelantan and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings showed that the senior citizens chose religious literature as their preferred reading materials. In conclusion, the choice of reading materials by senior citizens in rural areas should be considered by the library management and publishing companies to ensure that they can gain better benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study provides an overview of what we have learned so far about the information needs of Malaysian male juvenile offenders. This focus is important to consider when designing and delivering the best possible information services to this group. The study seeks to understand juvenile delinquents’ information needs in the prison environment, focusing on their educational needs; online information environment and with the use of electronic resources; their everyday life information seeking (ELIS) needs, in the use of personal sources and prison libraries; in the use of books and other reading materials, and for future life perspectives. Data were collected using unstructured interviews with 23 juveniles (13 to 21 years old) living in four correctional schools in Malaysia. The data analysis revealed a general theme of the purpose of information needs, the location, the information sources, preferred reading materials, preferred language and subjects read. Formal information channels such as the library may be perceived as ineffective by inmates, regardless of their types of information needs and its objective validity. The Internet and informal networks among inmates were the most preferred source of information. Delinquents in the initial stage of imprisonment had significantly greater need for information than those in the final stage. Current findings add to the limited literature the juvenile offenders’ information behavior and that of other youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to discover the pattern of rural library usage among rural youth in Malaysia and to determine the problems that are associated with such usage. The findings of this study provide an insight into youth usage of rural library services. The most obvious pattern that resulted from the findings is the connection between library usage and the availability of reading materials. Furthermore, it was found that some of the respondents raised their concern with regard to rural libraries being congested with children. A number of recommendations have been highlighted and it is expected that these can be used by concerned parties to further improve and develop rural library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that stimulated the sharing of tacit and explicit knowledge and their effects on performance among research-mode graduate students. The findings of this study provided a better understanding of the knowledge-sharing activities among graduate students who were engaged in project-based or individual learning activities. Design/methodology/approach – The survey method was employed to gather data and the resulting data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. A total of 245 valid responses were collected from students enrolled in various graduate programmes at the main and branch campuses of Universiti Sains Malaysia. Findings – The students reported a positive and constructive approach toward knowledge sharing with the exogenous variables, namely, trust, social networks, and information and communications technology (ICT) reporting significant positive direct effects on the mediating variables, namely, tacit and explicit knowledge. Only tacit knowledge had a significant direct effect on performance, the endogenous variable. In addition, the knowledge-sharing activities were localized to the respective campuses. Research limitations/implications – The investigation involved samples from one university. A large sample size that involves other universities is needed in order to generalize the findings. Practical implications – The paper offers a snapshot of the intensity and pattern of knowledge-sharing behaviours that can be used to improve learning and performance among students engaged in individual learning. Originality/value – To the authors' knowledge, no previous studies have investigated knowledge-sharing activities among research-mode students at the Master and Doctoral levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the success of the School Resource Centre (SRC) program established by the Malaysian Ministry of Education in 1983 in place of school libraries. The article seeks to examine the relationship between SRC programs and student academic achievement and information literacy by exploring the role of school administrators in the resource centers. Other topics discussed include how often Malaysian high school teachers visit the SRC, the types of materials often found in the SRC, and recommendations for how librarians can ensure that the SRC's collections support their school's curriculum.

The paper describes an exploratory needs analysis for a digital library of Malay manuscripts. The manuscripts are facing several problems, including (a) the lack of trained manuscript librarians; (b) budgetary constraints in manual and digital preservation initiatives; (c) the problems in storage and maintenance of the collection; (d) restricted access for users, (e) the need to preserve the fragile manuscripts, (e) the difficulty of undertaking collaborative transliteration work because of the access problems; (f) the dispersal of titles at several repositories which exacerbates the access issue; and (g) a lack of detail in the description in the manuscript library catalogues. The objectives of this study are: (a) to find out the current state of manuscript collection management and practices in selected libraries; (b) to identify the problems faced by manuscript repositories; (c) to study the meta data schema used by repositories to describe their manuscript collections, and (d) to identify a suitable open source digital library software to support a digital library of manuscripts. The study gathers qualitative data from an open-ended questionnaire distributed to five manuscript librarians in Malaysia. Cataloguing practices in manuscript repositories were observed and the open-source digital library software Green stone was studied for its suitability. The information gathered and observed which helped determine the requirements of a digital library that empowers repositories in building, storing, preserving and disseminating information about manuscript collections is presented. The design and modules of the digital library are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Address gives a broad overview of the history of British relations with Malaysia and the Malay World and the nature and specific contribution of British scholarship in the humanities within the international context of Malay studies, to take stock of what there was in terms of research and research achievements at the eve of Independence. It then turns to the state of Malay studies today generally and without dwelling on the largely isolated achievement that undoubtedly exists wherever individuals are interested in advancing their and our knowledge and understanding of the Malay World, attempts to define a modern Malay studies in scholarly terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study attempts to compare the National Library of Malaysia (NLM)'s cataloguing in publication (CIP) records with their permanent records in the NLM's online public access catalogue (OPAC) database. Design/methodology/approach – The study compares the description of records in the NLM CIP versus NLM OPAC in terms of similarities and differences in the bibliographic elements for each record. The study selected the NLM's CIP records from January to April 2000, allowing more than 5 years for publishers to publish the registered CIP titles and also the NLM to make the records available in their OPAC database. Findings – The findings indicate that libraries that use NLM's CIP records in their copy cataloguing activity should not rely 100 per cent on the records. Verifications and modifications need to be carried out to ensure accuracy and quality of their catalogue records. Research limitations/implications – That Malaysian experience confirms research carried out previously elsewhere. Practical implications – The findings of the study are significant in terms of giving data about whether NLM's CIP records are trustworthy sources for the practical task of copy cataloguing or not. Originality/value – Although comparison studies of the accuracy and consistency of CIP records versus OPAC records are commonplace, having been conducted extensively since the 1980s in a variety of contexts, such a comparison study of CIP records versus OPAC records has never been conducted in Malaysia. With the increased usage of web-based OPACs as one source option for copy cataloguing, it is imperative to ensure the records copied are consistent and accurate to avoid post-alteration of the bibliographic description. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]