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The article discusses the challenges faced in efforts to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and social justice (EDIASJ) in the United States, particularly in academia. The authors propose the adoption of a critical race theory (CRT) framework in library and information science (LIS) to address these issues. They introduce the concept of InfoCrit, which adapts CRT principles to the information professions, aiming to break cycles of exclusion, discrimination, misrepresentation, and misappropriation. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding CRT and its principles, and presents propositions for implementing InfoCrit in the information professions. The authors also highlight the need for concrete actions, such as hiring more information professionals of color, combating racism in everyday practices, engaging with minoritized communities, and promoting a well-rounded LIS education centered on CRT curriculum. The article concludes by presenting a special issue that explores applications of CRT in LIS and calls for lasting and substantive equitable change in the profession. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines the metaphors used by 66 information professionals in Türkiye to conceptualize artificial intelligence (AI). Through qualitative metaphor analysis, rich insights emerged on perceptions of AI's nature, functioning, relationships with humans, roles, and societal impacts. Some of the metaphors used are child, human, artist, human intelligence, robot, assistant, doctor, weapon, terminator, something scary, closed box, black hole, Pandora's box, etc. Multiple, often contradictory metaphors like "child" and "uncontrollable power" indicate AI is viewed in a multidimensional way, evoking both promise and concern. Key findings suggest information professionals appreciate AI's transformative potential in enhancing services but also harbor anxieties related to human relevance, technocracy, and social issues like privacy. Understanding these complex cognitive and emotional orientations can facilitate responsible AI adoption to augment information services. Gesturing at AI's multifaceted connotations also foregrounds communication challenges complicating public debate and policymaking on emerging technologies. The value of this study lies in surfacing the nuanced perspectives of a stakeholder group positioned to mediate public understanding and direct integration of AI in information services. Mapping information professionals' rich construals of AI also highlights the need for public communication attuned to metaphorical reasoning around new technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While IT workforce research often examines job- and organizational-related reasons for turnover, studies rarely connect the immediate social context of IT work to IT professionals' workplace behavior. To understand the influence of the immediate social context, we develop a social comparison model that connects the social influence of co-worker who have left an organization to turnover among IT professionals who remain. We test our model using a social network of 4,011 IT professionals employed in a large IT firm over four years. We complement our analysis of this data with a multiple-case study with five software development teams. Across the two studies, our results suggest that the departure of an IT professional increases the probability of turnover among remaining coworkers; further, we found that turnover is even more likely when the remaining IT professionals are similar in technical abilities and demographic attributes to the co-worker who left. Our results direct attention to the immediate social context as an influence on the turnover behavior of IT professionals and explain how similarity in domain-specific attributes shapes this turnover behavior. Practitioners should know that a single departure may cause a chain reaction in IT work teams and organizations and find suggestions for assigning new employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will describe the steps taken to create a statewide mentorship program for interested and motivated library staff. The authors will share a pilot project in Colorado that was founded with a commitment to increasing diversity in library leadership, and fostering equity, diversity and inclusion by empowering library workers, library administrators, and information professionals to connect with each other and share professional knowledge and experience for career growth. Included will be group formation and logistics, how work was created and operationalized, evaluation results from participants, program sustainability, and lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) are used to inform clinical practice guidelines and healthcare decision making by synthesising the results of primary studies. Efficiently retrieving as many relevant SRs as possible is challenging with a minimum number of databases, as there is currently no guidance on how to do this optimally. In a previous study, we determined which individual databases contain the most SRs, and which combination of databases retrieved the most SRs. In this study, we aimed to validate those previous results by using a different, larger, and more recent set of SRs. Methods: We obtained a set of 100 Overviews of Reviews that included a total of 2276 SRs. SR inclusion was assessed in MEDLINE, Embase, and Epistemonikos. The mean inclusion rates (% of included SRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each database individually, as well as for combinations of MEDLINE with each other database and reference checking. Features of SRs not identified by the best database combination were reviewed qualitatively. Results: Inclusion rates of SRs were similar in all three databases (mean inclusion rates in % with 95% confidence intervals: 94.3 [93.9–94.8] for MEDLINE, 94.4 [94.0-94.9] for Embase, and 94.4 [93.9–94.9] for Epistemonikos). Adding reference checking to MEDLINE increased the inclusion rate to 95.5 [95.1–96.0]. The best combination of two databases plus reference checking consisted of MEDLINE and Epistemonikos (98.1 [97.7–98.5]). Among the 44/2276 SRs not identified by this combination, 34 were published in journals from China, four were other journal publications, three were health agency reports, two were dissertations, and one was a preprint. When discounting the journal publications from China, the SR inclusion rate in the recommended combination (MEDLINE, Epistemonikos and reference checking) was even higher than in the previous study (99.6 vs. 99.2%). Conclusions: A combination of databases and reference checking was the best approach to searching for biomedical SRs. MEDLINE and Epistemonikos, complemented by checking the references of the included studies, was the most efficient and produced the highest recall. However, our results point to the presence of geographical bias, because some publications in journals from China were not identified. Study registration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/R5EAS (Open Science Framework). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Society is experiencing a global shift in which older people now outnumber children five years and younger in many countries. This demographic aging has profound implications for library and information professionals, and yet research into the information needs of older adults – especially from diverse backgrounds – remains underdeveloped. This study seeks to help address this gap by studying the aging-related information needs and barriers of LGBT+ older adults. Interviews with 25 LGBT+ older adults in East Tennessee were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify five need (e.g., culturally competent care, LGBT+ specific services, social support, planning, and caregiver services) and seven barrier (e.g., stigma, discrimination, fewer personal resources, identity concealment, staff limitations, personality, ageism and elder abuse) themes. Beyond the aging focus, the study brings attention to the need for more research on intersectional populations in general and offers one of the first – perhaps only – studies of the information needs of LGBT+ older adults. It also presents a challenge to librarians and other information professionals in considering how to fight inequities for intersectional populations. Future research will consider how to meet needs and address the barriers LGBT+ older adults face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thorough literature search is a key feature of scoping reviews. We investigated the search practices used by social science researchers as reported in their scoping reviews. We collected scoping reviews published between 2015 and 2021 from Social Science Citation Index. In the 2484 included studies, we observed a 58% average annual increase in published reviews, primarily from clinical and applied social science disciplines. Bibliographic databases comprised most of the information sources in the primary search strategy (n = 9565, 75%), although reporting practices varied. Most scoping reviews (n = 1805, 73%) included at least one supplementary search strategy. A minority of studies (n = 713, 29%) acknowledged an LIS professional and few listed one as a co‐author (n = 194, 8%). We conclude that to improve reporting and strengthen the impact of the scoping review method in the social sciences, researchers should consider (1) adhering to PRISMA‐S reporting guidelines, (2) employing more supplementary search strategies, and (3) collaborating with LIS professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem. In Spain, although the prevalence of IPV is greater in immigrant women than in Spanish‐born women, immigrant women seem to access services to a lesser extent. This study aimed to explore and compare perceptions of barriers to and strategies for seeking formal help among Spanish‐born and immigrant women IPV survivors. A qualitative study was conducted based on three focus groups with women of Spanish (n = 9), Romanian (n = 4), and Latin American (n = 4) origin. The thematic analysis was supported by Atlas.ti. Three categories and 12 subcategories were identified: general characteristics of help‐seeking behavior (e.g., children as the main motivating factor), barriers (e.g., immigrant status, fear of the perpetrator), and strategies for accessing services (e.g., increasing education). Differences in help‐seeking behavior were found between groups. Relevant information for professionals to improve women's access to IPV support services is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background With the growing relevance of artificial intelligence (AI)-based patient-facing information, microsurgical-specific online information provided by professional organizations was compared with that of ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) and assessed for accuracy, comprehensiveness, clarity, and readability. Methods Six plastic and reconstructive surgeons blindly assessed responses to 10 microsurgery-related medical questions written either by the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM) or ChatGPT based on accuracy, comprehensiveness, and clarity. Surgeons were asked to choose which source provided the overall highest-quality microsurgical patient-facing information. Additionally, 30 individuals with no medical background (ages: 18–81, μ = 49.8) were asked to determine a preference when blindly comparing materials. Readability scores were calculated, and all numerical scores were analyzed using the following six reliability formulas: Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch–Kincaid Readability Ease, Gunning Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index, Coleman–Liau Index, Linsear Write Formula, and Automated Readability Index. Statistical analysis of microsurgical-specific online sources was conducted utilizing paired t -tests. Results Statistically significant differences in comprehensiveness and clarity were seen in favor of ChatGPT. Surgeons, 70.7% of the time, blindly choose ChatGPT as the source that overall provided the highest-quality microsurgical patient-facing information. Nonmedical individuals 55.9% of the time selected AI-generated microsurgical materials as well. Neither ChatGPT nor ASRM-generated materials were found to contain inaccuracies. Readability scores for both ChatGPT and ASRM materials were found to exceed recommended levels for patient proficiency across six readability formulas, with AI-based material scored as more complex. Conclusion AI-generated patient-facing materials were preferred by surgeons in terms of comprehensiveness and clarity when blindly compared with online material provided by ASRM. Studied AI-generated material was not found to contain inaccuracies. Additionally, surgeons and nonmedical individuals consistently indicated an overall preference for AI-generated material. A readability analysis suggested that both materials sourced from ChatGPT and ASRM surpassed recommended reading levels across six readability scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (referred to as the Ministry of Education) has issued a series of training plans for outstanding engineers in new engineering disciplines, emphasizing accelerating the digital transformation of education and promoting the cultivation of interdisciplinary talents. The teaching purpose of medical–engineering integration professional courses is to cultivate new engineering talents with interdisciplinary backgrounds in medicine and engineering technology. This article aims to cultivate the comprehensive engineering practical ability of new medical information engineering talents to explore a new model based on the deep integration of Massive, Open, Online, and Course, and Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate engineering talent training. This model integrates a variety of teaching methods, such as flipped classroom and project teaching, which is more conducive to achieving the talent training goals of cultivating innovative thinking, interdisciplinary thinking, analysis and problem‐solving abilities, and teamwork skills. This study uses the "Introduction to Digital Healthcare" course as an example to carry out the teaching practice of the new model, showing the practicability and effectiveness of this teaching model in cultivating the comprehensive practical literacy of new engineering talents. In summary, the new model proposed in this article can provide a reference for the teaching of medical information engineering professional courses and also provide a new model of thinking for the teaching of medical–engineering integration professional courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis quarter’s report starts with a review of the one-day Potomac Technical Processing Librarians Annual Meeting, with topics focused on the status of linked data. Next is an American Association of Law Libraries Meeting and Conference session on format migration that, while given from a law library perspective, provides useful information for all professionals working through print to electronic format changes. The remainder of the conference reports are from the 2022 Charleston Conference and start with a virtual session on electronic resource licenses that is an excellent summary for those responsible for negotiating licenses. The in-person conference reports cover sessions on an assessment framework for negotiating transformative agreements, an overview of a new cooperative collections project that will be standards based, and one on mis- and dis-information with specific guidance for publishers and librarians’ collection development efforts. The final reports cover two panel sessions on preservation – one on the importance of digital preservation and the other on a preservation policy from NASIG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will discuss ALIA NGAC’s explorations of the impact of mandatory employment requirements within the library and information services sector, with a focus on the challenges faced by new generation professionals. Using a qualitative research approach, we uncovered the real-life experiences faced by individuals encountering hidden barriers to employment, particularly those related to drivers licence requirements and the need to work across multiple locations. In late 2023, we conducted a survey which allowed respondents to express their feelings about these requirements and offer suggestions for how the library and information services sector could address them. Our findings reveal that these requirements often act as exclusionary barriers, especially for individuals with disabilities, leading to difficulties in job applications, the burden of disclosing disabilities, and feelings of underrepresentation and discrimination. Our research has identified several pathways to alleviate the impact of these mandatory employment requirements, fostering a more inclusive and equitable workforce in the LIS sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the effects of stringent land use regulations, measured using the Wharton Residential Land Use Regulatory Index (WRLURI), on employment growth during the period 2010–2020 in the Retail, Professional, and Information sectors across 878 local jurisdictions in the United States. All the local jurisdictions exist in both (2006 and 2018) waves of the WRLURI surveys and hence constitute unique panel data. We apply a mediation analytical framework to decompose the direct and indirect effects of land use regulation stringency on sectoral employment growth and specialization. Our analysis suggests a fully mediated pattern in the relationship between excessive land use regulations and employment growth, with housing cost burden as the mediator. Specifically, a one standard deviation increase in the WRLURI index is associated with an approximate increase of 0.8 percentage point in the proportion of cost burdened renters. Relatedly, the higher prevalence of cost-burdened renters has moderate adverse effects on employment growth in two sectors. A 1 percentage point increase in the proportion of cost burdened renters is associated with 0.04 and 0.017 percentage point decreases in the Professional and Information sectors, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

YouTube videos about intramuscular injection with the Z technique were evaluated for content, quality and reliability. A search of YouTube was made on 13 November 2023 using the keywords of "Z technique" and "intramuscular injection". 40 videos that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were assessed for usefulness using the Z Technique Intramuscular Injection Administration Checklist (ZIAC), reliability using the Quality Criteria for Consumer Health (DISCERN), and quality using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) scores. Most of the videos used in the study belonged to individual content producers. The videos were determined to be of medium quality, and reliability, but their usefulness was not at the desired level based on their ZIAC, DISCERN, and GQS scores (respectively; 16.92±2.72; 2.92±0.763; 3.03±0.77). Furthermore, the videos' usefulness (ZIAC), reliability (DISCERN), and quality (GQS) scores all showed a strong positive correlation. It was determined that the dorsogluteal region was preferred in 48.1% of the videos (n=13), and the region was determined correctly in 67.5% of the videos (n=27). To provide the most reliable information to healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, it is recommended that expert nurses and educators create qualified videos about the use of intramuscular injection with the Z technique and share them on YouTube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe to interrogate the strategies being used to preserve indigenous knowledge, in the face of technological challenges. The researchers sought to ascertain the web presence of such entities and the awareness of indigenous datagovernance principles among information professionals. Qualitative research, using multiple case studies, was conducted. Web content analysis was done to identify such spaces, with four culture houses being purposively selected. Interviews were conducted with the participants who were available on the day of the researchers' visit when the latter observed each site. The findings showed that all culture houses did not have a web presence, and some administrators were aware of the principles for preserving indigenous knowledge in the digital era. The study recommends that in the future, cultural tourism can be better promoted, and indigenous communities empowered, by enhancing their access to related knowledge to achieve sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the experiences and current situation of AO Spine Fellows in Latin America, as well as the concerns of junior spine surgeons in their first 3 years of practice. A multiple-choice questionnaire was sent to AO Spine Associate Fellows who completed their studies within the past 5 years. This survey aimed to gather information on their professional activities during the initial 3 years of practice following their fellowship. By comparing the responses and activities undertaken by surgeons on a country-by-country basis, it will be possible to describe and analyze the local and regional outcomes in Latin America. The countries with the highest participation in the AO Spine Fellowship program are currently Argentina (30.7%), Brazil, and Colombia (28.21%). Participants aged 36 to 45 are the age group with the highest engagement (30.7%). Among program participants, 75% are orthopedists. Other notable findings include that 95% of respondents have greater experience and feel more comfortable working in degenerative spine pathology. Currently, junior fellows in the AO Spine program report a high level of comfort with the initiative. However, our study reveals valuable insights that can contribute to its improvement. It is worth noting that there is a clear preference for the standard posterior approach persists. Nevertheless, there is a growing interest among junior surgeons in endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques. This study serves as a gateway to essential data for future studies and the enhancement of the Fellowship education program in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of electronic intake forms within the electronic health record (EHR) is an emerging method for routinely collecting patient-reported outcomes (PRO). However, few studies have evaluated experiences/perspectives toward electronic forms among outpatients receiving care within Integrative Health and Medicine (IHM) clinics. The study purpose was to understand patients' perspectives of electronic intake and PRO forms in the outpatient IHM setting. Methods: Electronic intake (e.g., treatment expectations, medical history, chief complaints, prior experience with integrative modalities) and PRO forms (i.e., Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System [PROMIS]-29, Perceived Stress Scale 4, Oswestry Disability Index) were designed in collaboration with clinic leadership and the Information Technology team. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather perspectives of the functionality and acceptability of the forms among outpatients receiving care at the IHM center. Interviews were coded to describe themes regarding perceptions and suggestions for improvement. Results: Qualitative interviews were completed with 10 participants (median age 51 years, 70% female, 30% Black/African American). Participants considered electronic intake and PRO forms as relevant to their health concerns, valuable for conveying important health information to providers, and easy to navigate. Suggested changes to the intake form included adding relevant open-ended questions, save and print functions, and examples and definitions to prompt responses. Conclusion: Participants felt the electronic format was a feasible and acceptable method of collecting patient information and PROs. Future goals are to implement the revised forms in a common EHR to patients receiving care at multiple IHM clinics across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) are time-consuming and labor-intensive to perform. With the growing number of scientific publications, the SR development process becomes even more laborious. This is problematic because timely SR evidence is essential for decision-making in evidence-based healthcare and policymaking. Numerous methods and tools that accelerate SR development have recently emerged. To date, no scoping review has been conducted to provide a comprehensive summary of methods and ready-to-use tools to improve efficiency in SR production. Objective: To present an overview of primary studies that evaluated the use of ready-to-use applications of tools or review methods to improve efficiency in the review process. Methods: We conducted a scoping review. An information specialist performed a systematic literature search in four databases, supplemented with citation-based and grey literature searching. We included studies reporting the performance of methods and ready-to-use tools for improving efficiency when producing or updating a SR in the health field. We performed dual, independent title and abstract screening, full-text selection, and data extraction. The results were analyzed descriptively and presented narratively. Results: We included 103 studies: 51 studies reported on methods, 54 studies on tools, and 2 studies reported on both methods and tools to make SR production more efficient. A total of 72 studies evaluated the validity (n = 69) or usability (n = 3) of one method (n = 33) or tool (n = 39), and 31 studies performed comparative analyses of different methods (n = 15) or tools (n = 16). 20 studies conducted prospective evaluations in real-time workflows. Most studies evaluated methods or tools that aimed at screening titles and abstracts (n = 42) and literature searching (n = 24), while for other steps of the SR process, only a few studies were found. Regarding the outcomes included, most studies reported on validity outcomes (n = 84), while outcomes such as impact on results (n = 23), time-saving (n = 24), usability (n = 13), and cost-saving (n = 3) were less often evaluated. Conclusion: For title and abstract screening and literature searching, various evaluated methods and tools are available that aim at improving the efficiency of SR production. However, only few studies have addressed the influence of these methods and tools in real-world workflows. Few studies exist that evaluate methods or tools supporting the remaining tasks. Additionally, while validity outcomes are frequently reported, there is a lack of evaluation regarding other outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anesthesiologists provide crucial anesthesiology services in the operating room and non-operating room locations. Combined with an aging and growing Israeli population, there is an increasing demand for anesthesiology services. A previous study performed in 2005 showed that most anesthesiologists are immigrant physicians with few Israeli medical school graduates. Since then, physician immigration decreased, many have retired and demand for anesthesia services has increased while insufficient numbers of new anesthesiologists were trained, leading to a shortage, limiting surgeries and other procedures in many hospitals. The present study examined the composition of the Israeli anesthesiology workforce in 2021and compared it to the 2005 workforce. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of demographic and professional information about each Israeli hospital anesthesiologists was solicited from 34 anesthesiology department chairs responsible for 36 Israeli acute care hospitals. Results: There are 1313 anesthesiologists in the 36 hospitals, resulting in a ratio of 14.2 anesthesiologists per 100,000 population. 22.6% of anesthesiologists will reach retirement age over the next ten years. The proportion of female anesthesiologists was 28.7%. While Israeli medical school graduates increased to 18.1% from 12.2% in 2005, non-Israeli citizens and non-permanent residents comprised 8.5% of the workforce. Conclusions: Despite growth in the ratio of anesthesiologists per population, a workforce shortage is expected to worsen over the next ten years due to retirements, shortened call hours, and the Yatziv reform which bans graduates of certain overseas medical schools from obtaining Israeli Medical Licenses. The current workforce has compensated for the existing shortage of anesthesiologists by enlisting non-Israeli trainees from overseas. Yet, it is crucial to maintain and enlarge the local Israeli workforce to forestall a worsening shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hazardous alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are highly prevalent among clients in mental health services, yet significant gaps remain in the adequate assessment of alcohol use and provision of appropriate alcohol interventions. The aim of this study was to conduct an exploration of (i) alcohol intervention elements used in mental health services and (ii) professionals' reported barriers and facilitators in identifying and intervening with hazardous alcohol use and AUD. Methods: Qualitative data were obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews among a purposive sample of 18 professionals from 13 different Dutch mental health services organizations (i.e., five integrated mental health organizations with addiction services, five mental health organizations without addiction services, and three addiction services organizations without mental health services). Transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Identified alcohol intervention elements included conducting assessments, brief interventions, treatment, referrals of clients, collaborations with other parties, and providing information to professionals. Professionals mentioned nine barriers and facilitators in the identification and intervention with hazardous alcohol use and AUD, including three aspects of professionals' behavior (i.e., professionals' agenda setting, knowledge and skills, and attitudes), actions related to identification and intervening, client contact, collaboration with other parties, and three factors in a wider context (i.e., organizational characteristics, organizational resources, and governmental aspects). Conclusions: Although diverse alcohol intervention elements are available in Dutch mental health services, it remains unclear to what extent these are routinely implemented. To better address hazardous alcohol use and AUD in mental health services, efforts should focus on enhancing alcohol training, improving collaboration with addiction services, providing appropriate tools, and facilitating support through organizational and governmental measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Specialists in poison information are responsible for following-up with exposure cases managed at healthcare facilities. However, the amount of time, call components, and barriers met when completing an initial healthcare facility follow-up call in which a large amount of data and clinical recommendations are shared is not well described. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted by randomizing healthcare facility initial follow-up calls from January to April 2022. One hundred and thirty calls that met the inclusion criteria were randomly selected. We recorded seven unique time intervals within each call. Day of the week, time of day, and variability amongst specialists in poison information were also assessed. Results: Initial follow-up calls took a median of 7.2 min. Most (67%) follow-up calls were directed to emergency departments. Barriers to completion of calls were most commonly due to the healthcare reporter being busy (37%) and specialists in poison information being placed on terminal hold (30%). There was variability between specialists in poison information in the time for healthcare reporter to share data (P < 0.0001), time for specialists in poison information recommendations (P = 0.0076), and total time (P = 0.0003). Discussion: Variability exists amongst specialists in poison information during periods of information exchange, particularly when the healthcare reporter is providing information and subsequently when the specialist in poison information is providing recommendations. Barriers to completing calls centered around healthcare reporter being busy or the specialist in poison information being placed on a terminal hold. There was no correlation with the time or day of the week. Conclusions: With notable variability in these calls during periods of intense communication of data and treatment recommendations, there are likely opportunities for specialists in poison information and poison center directors to work together to address variability and overcome barriers to completing initial hospital follow-up calls. Further studies to evaluate variability amongst specialists in poison information are the next steps in understanding this complex topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journalists, through the media, cover and frame corruption scandals, which gives them a relevant role in how citizens inform themselves about this phenomenon. The aim of this article is to investigate whether information professionals are influenced by their ideology when assessing the level of corruption in different institutions, as well as to explore whether they believe that media coverage of this phenomenon is influenced by polarization. To achieve this, a representative survey was conducted between March and July 2023 among 391 Spanish journalists from various types of media across the country. They were primarily asked about their political ideology and their perception of corruption in different institutions. The results reveal that journalists tend to perceive corruption levels differently based on their political ideology, with a tendency to perceive greater corruption in parties and institutions they consider opposed to their ideological orientation. This phenomenon is not limited to political parties (which, obviously, have an explicit ideological position), but also extends to other ostensibly neutral or politically unaligned institutions. Additionally, most journalists agree that political polarization in Spain encourages media outlets to seek and prioritize publishing scandals occurring within parties of opposing ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To identify new articles that describe services provided by pharmacists during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An update scoping review was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and Google Scholar between 21 May 2020 and 31 May 2021. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent authors. DEPICT v. 2 was used to characterize the components of pharmacists' interventions. It was also verified whether the articles evaluated outcomes of care. Key findings A total of 8983 records were identified, of which 120 met the inclusion criteria. The hospital was the workplace of the pharmacist most often described (55%). The majority of articles (73.3%) described the main domains of DEPICT v.2. Pharmacists provided interventions for patients (27.5%), healthcare professionals (25.8%), both (34.2%), individually (84.2%), through face-to-face contact (44.2%), and followed by telephone (41.7%). The main actions included patient counseling (56.7%), drug supply management (42.5%), and drug information for healthcare professionals (40.8%). Less than half of the articles (36.6%) evaluated the dimension "outcomes of care" of the study population. Conclusion Although most of the articles reported the pharmacists' interventions, the description is still not satisfactory. In addition, the majority of articles focused solely on the dimension "process of care". Future research should provide more detailed descriptions of the pharmacists' interventions and assess the effectiveness of their interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious leisure enthusiasts, including hobbyists, volunteers and amateurs, continuously need information to deepen their knowledge and improve their skills in their chosen leisure pursuits. The Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) is a conceptual model that categorises leisure activities and outlines the main components of each category. This paper aims to demonstrate how the SLP can inform policy and practice for public programming and information services across the GLAM sector. To achieve this goal, the author used the SLP as the theoretical framework, reviewed the literature and re-analysed the data pool in his ongoing research trajectory on the informational aspects of serious leisure to address the emergent research questions. The findings suggest that the SLP can inform and transform the policies and practices within the sector in various ways. Firstly, information professionals can benefit from the SLP as a conceptual model to review and revise their current policies and practices. Moreover, they can seek partnerships with local clubs and communities of serious leisure enthusiasts to foster collaboration and use their knowledge and expertise. Finally, adopting the new approach can extend their domain of action from conventional information services to vibrant cultural hubs, which can empower their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding approaches to share information science research with the GLAM and university sector can prove challenging. One avenue is to develop connections between researchers and information professionals through sharing ongoing research to initiate ideas and concepts to benefit current practice. At present, there is a distance between information professionals as the experts in their field; researchers, whose research is perceived to be rarely accessible; and communities, who often distrust GLAM and university institutions. Researchers collaborating with marginalised communities develop empathy and knowledge which can prove valuable to information professionals seeking to develop connections, not only with the communities but with other like-minded professionals. It is through working together to develop these relationships and share our knowledge that we can initiate changes to current practices to make them more sustainable and our cultural heritage collections more inclusive and diverse. In this study, we share our experience to highlight the benefits of developing collaborations between researchers and information professionals to facilitate connection-building across the sector and with marginalised communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Vivien Hau and David Shaked invite and include the voice of Artificial Intelligence to the mix. Having held multiple 'chats' with a mix of leading Artificial Intelligence tools, they capture the tools' 'views' of how to approach combining Appreciative Inquiry and Artificial Intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates that perceived accounting information reliability is biased by the information user's assessments of the information provider's narcissism as well as the user's own narcissism levels. We examine the specific subtypes of user narcissism driving these biases. Ninety-nine business professionals acting as information users read a simulated interview with an information provider (a corporate accountant) focused on a possible revenue misstatement and then assessed the perceived reliability of the information. We also examined the influence of perceived provider communion on reliability assessments. Consistent with narcissistic tolerance, information reliability assessments were higher when both the user and provider were higher in agentic narcissism. Consistent with narcissistic hypocrisy, assessments were lower when both the perceiver and provider were higher in antagonistic narcissism. Also, perceived provider communion was positively associated with reliability assessments. We discuss the theoretical and practical significance of these findings for future management accounting research and practice. Data Availability: Data are available from the first author. JEL Classifications: M41. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information competence is essential in professional translation and interpreting. This paper gathers the views of professional translators and interpreters in Spain on information competence, by means of an exploratory qualitative study. A questionnaire composed essentially of open-ended questions was applied to gather data and the qualitative analysis software ATLAS.ti was used to code the results using thematic content analysis methods. The views provided by a sample of professional translators and interpreters (n = 156) on the importance of information competence were collected, together with their recommendations on this key competence for those who are starting their training in translation and interpreting. The study also explores the main information needs highlighted by professionals, the sources of information they use most frequently and how they verify information, and their opinions on the gender perspective (with explicit mention of inclusive language) as part of information competence in professional practice. The results show that professionals consider information competence to be absolutely essential in the framework of translation competence, and recommend reinforcing information literacy training in university undergraduate degree programmes. They have multiple information needs (from terminological to contextual) that make them turn to a wide range of information resources (mainly personal sources and online documentary resources), but they need to strengthen their knowledge for information evaluation. Regarding the gender perspective, professionals practically limit their answers to their opinions on inclusive language and, although most of them are in favour, some resistance is detected. From the diagnosis carried out in this research, opportunities for supporting information literacy instruction in undergraduate degrees and in continuing professional development are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses cross-country unbalanced panel data of up to 146 countries from 1996–2015 to be the first study to identify potential determinants of a country's relative research output in Economics versus Business. This identification is important for students, professionals, universities, university departments, and research-funding agencies facing choices between profiles oriented towards economics and business. Consider the following concrete example. The finding that some distinct countries' characteristics hinder Economics relative to Business research is valuable information for a prospective professional when choosing her career path. We do a thorough literature review to single out country characteristics having the potential to determine the flourishing of economics research vis-à-vis business research and come out with the following three hypotheses: higher policy-related data availability, higher income inequality, and lower ethnic fractionalization relatively favour economics. The regressions' results confirm these hypotheses, and the findings are robust to two alternative fixed effects specifications, three alternative definitions of economics and business, two alternative measures of research output (publications and citations), the inclusion of meaningful control variables, and the consideration of developed and developing countries. Yet, the association between ethnic fractionalization and relative research output is limited to developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated how necessary clear and accurate health information is and yet how vulnerable people are to mis- and disinformation. The objective of this article is to put forth a sound argument, based on both policy and philosophical doctrine, on why people—regardless of citizenship—have a right to accurate, current health information. Evidence is provided to show that access to quality health information is a human right asserted by the United Nations, and academic writing from scholars of philosophy is explored to put forth a moral assertion that agrees. Finally, practical measures are offered for librarians and other information professionals to promote these rights in their institutions and communities—for example, by teaching health and information literacy skills while pushing back on disinformation flooding communities in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims Research Design Participants and Research Context Results Conclusion Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution Moral sensitivity, missed nursing care and moral distress among healthcare professionals have received considerable attention in recent years. These factors represent important healthcare challenges for new nurses (graduation to 2 years of work experience). However, studies on the relationships among these variables in the context of new nurses in China remain lacking.To explore the relationships among moral sensitivity, missed nursing care and moral distress in the context of new nurses in China.A cross‐sectional descriptive survey was conducted.A total of 228 new nurses were recruited from three tertiary hospitals in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. Participants provided their sociodemographic and professional information and completed the Chinese Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire‐Revised Version, the Chinese Missed Nursing Care Survey Version and the Chinese Moral Distress Scale‐Revised Version. The data were analysed using Spearman's correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.The means and standard errors of moral sensitivity, missed nursing care and moral distress were 40.71 (0.39), 9.82 (0.78) and 34.87 (2.41), respectively. The variable of missed nursing care exhibited a significant negative relationship with moral sensitivity and a significant positive relationship with moral distress. Regression analysis revealed that the main factors influencing new nurses' moral distress were educational background, nature of job, current unit, frequency of night shifts and the dimensions of moral strength and responsibility. These factors can explain 14.9% of the total variation.The findings revealed that higher rates of missed nursing care were associated with lower moral sensitivity and greater moral distress among new nurses. Therefore, developing interventions to reduce missed nursing care may be a promising strategy for improving moral sensitivity and preventing moral distress among new nurses.In hospitals, moral distress can be improved by focusing on modifiable factors such as staffing resources, leading to better promoting new nurses' health and improving the quality of care. This study can highlight practices accounting for moral sensitivity and missed nursing care in nursing research and training programmes.Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement.No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescents are a critical demographic facing unique health challenges who are further impacted in humanitarian settings. This article focuses on the urgent need for a structured health information system (HIS) to address the gaps in data availability and evidence-based interventions for adolescent health. The study aims to identify opportunities and challenges in utilizing the HIS to enhance adolescent health in the West Bank by gathering insights from healthcare providers. Methods: Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with participants involved in the HIS regarding adolescent health in the West Bank. They were selected by purposive sampling. Nineteen interviews were conducted between July and October 2022, and thematic analysis was carried out using MAXQDA software. Results: The opportunities identified were the small-scale victories the participants described in building the HIS for adolescent health. These included institutional and individual capacity building, digitalizing parts of the HIS, connection fragmentation of adolescent health activities, multi-sectoral collaboration, reorienting services based on health information, working with limited resources, enhancing community engagement to encourage ownership and active participation, and taking strategic actions for adolescents for information. The challenges were the high workload of staff, lack of health information specialists, limited resources, lack of a unified system in data collection, lack of data on essential indicators, data quality, data sharing, and data sources and use. Conclusion: This study showed the potential of the HIS with capacity building, digitization, and collaborative initiatives; it also suffers from issues like staff shortages, non-standardized data collection, and insufficient data for essential indicators. To maximize the impact of the HIS, urgent attention to staff shortages through comprehensive training programs, standardization of data collection systems, and development of a unified core indicator list for adolescent health is recommended. Embracing these measures will allow the HIS to provide evidence-based adolescent health programs, even in resource-constrained and complex humanitarian settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, computer programmes that automatically assign gender based on a person's name and country of affiliation have been increasingly used in gender studies of authors of scientific publications. This study aims to compare the results generated by the automated genderize.io programme with those obtained through manual gender identification. To assess the accuracy of genderize.io, the gender of Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from 84 journals in the field of Information and Library Science was analysed. The comparison revealed discrepancies: genderize.io incorrectly classified 80 out of 1,419 men as women, and 124 out of 2,580 women were misidentified as men. Additionally, genderize.io classified the gender of 123 EBMs as unknown. While the manual method achieved a 99.15 percent accuracy rate, genderize.io had a slightly lower accuracy of 91.51 percent. There was, however, strong agreement between the two methodologies (Cohen's Kappa = 0.829, p < 0.001). Genderize.io exhibited a 7.71 percent inaccuracy rate, particularly underestimating the number of women. The study concludes that while automated software like genderize.io is effective for large-scale analyses and useful for library and information professionals, manual review is recommended for smaller studies to ensure higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous work identified that nine leading guidance documents for seven different types of systematic review advocated the same process of literature searching. We defined and illustrated this process and we named it 'the Conventional Approach'. The Conventional Approach appears to meet the needs of researchers undertaking literature searches for systematic reviews of clinical interventions. In this article, we report a new and alternate process model of literature searching called 'A Tailored Approach'. A Tailored Approach is indicated as a search process for complex reviews which do not focus on the evaluation of clinical interventions. The aims of this article are to (1) explain the rationale for, and the theories behind, the design of A Tailored Approach; (2) report the current conceptual illustration of A Tailored Approach and to describe a user's interaction with the process model; and (3) situate the elements novel to A Tailored Approach (when compared with the Conventional Approach) in the relevant literature. A Tailored Approach suggests investing time at the start of a review, to develop the information needs from the research objectives, and to tailor the search approach to studies or data. Tailored Approaches should be led by the information specialist (librarian) but developed by the research team. The aim is not necessarily to focus on comprehensive retrieval. Further research is indicated to evaluate the use of supplementary search methods, methods of team-working to define search approaches, and to evaluate the use of conceptual models of information retrieval for testing and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirroring the patterns of primary research, there is a significant and growing increase in the number of systematic reviews (SRs) in the human–animal interaction (HAI) field. This article describes the content of published SRs and compares their reporting practices against the rigorous, prescribed methodologies associated with quality SRs. This study was designed to describe the characteristics of HAI SRs in terms of publication patterns, human subjects, animal(s) of interest, and outcomes and determine the extent to which they follow recommended practices for transparency and reproducibility. Thirteen bibliographic databases were searched for articles containing both an HAI-related term and an SR term. We screened 766 articles for relevance and coded 110 of them for desired data. The majority of reviews (54.55%) were published between 2019 and 2022. Most (65.45%) did not specify the age of human populations studied, but specified ages included children or adolescents, adults, and older adults. A range of human conditions was studied, including, among others, dementia, autism spectrum disorder, and chronic illness. A slight majority of studies (51.82%) did not specify the animal species to be studied, but those that did included, singly or in combination, dogs, horses, robotic animals, and farm or food animals. The majority of studies (63.63%) referred to PRISMA or other methodological guidelines. Across all studies, 163 different databases were searched, with PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL among the most frequently used. Few studies (18.18%) referred to consultation with an information professional. A slight majority (52.72%) provided a full search strategy for at least one database. Most (67.27%) did not include gray literature searches, and most (72.72%) included an assessment of quality or risk of bias for the studies included in their review. In light of their importance in informing practices and policies, and because they are viewed as the most reliable study type, SR reporting in the HAI field should reflect best practices. There is room for improvement in reporting among HAI SRs. Suggestions are offered for ways HAI educators and journal editors may improve SR methodologies and reporting in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of information presentation on operator performance in digital control systems at different levels of task difficulty in order to resolve the conflict between 'large amounts of information' and 'limited display'. By using software to present figures of varying difficulty as target information, the operator's behaviour such as page switching and target clicking is simulated to obtain data. Simultaneously, eye-tracking technique was used to analyse how the way information was presented at different levels of difficulty influenced the subjects' search performance. The results show that subjects' performance gradually decreases as the difficulty of the numbers grows for both presentations, and it is found that the complexity of the content of the navigation bar may have influenced the subjects to some extent. In addition, the different position of the navigation bar where the target is located will result in a change in the search pattern. It is noticeable that dividing the single page into double pages can effectively alleviate the contradiction of 'large amount of information' and 'limited display' in designing the system interface. Therefore, this study provides certain guideline value for the interface design of digital control systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Germanistische Linguistik is the property of De Gruyter 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 chapter is a witness and testimony to epistemological issues that arose as virtual workplace violence in the form of Zoombombing during the increased use of the Zoom platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. An autoethnographic approach to the author's experience as a library and information science scholar and public speaker conveys ways in which virtual violence on Zoom created visceral trauma of epistemicide. The autoethnography begs the question of how we actualize self-care virtually as well as socially in the LIS workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public agencies are increasingly required to respond to multiple and evolving threats. Perceptions of risk are important triggers of organizational responses and motivate adaptive strategies. Integrating administrative data with a survey of public managers employed across the 300 largest transit agencies in the US, we examine how outsourcing decisions and reliance on scientific and professional sources of information influence public agencies' perceptions of extreme weather events' risks. Results show that reliance on scientific and professional sources of information is positively associated with perceived risk of extreme weather events. The effect of contracting on risk perceptions depends on agencies' outsourcing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the crucial role of Human Resource (HR) Information Professionals (HRIPs) in strategic workforce planning (SWP). Topics discussed include the integration of data and technology into SWP, the evolving role of HRIPs beyond traditional data provision, and strategies for leveraging HR technology to enhance decision-making and planning processes.

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco 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 built environment and the construction industry account for a significant share of global harmful emissions. Sustainable construction appears to be an effective strategy to achieve a more sustainable society, although it is still not used enough. It is crucial to understand what the main decision factors of those deciding about building practices are. Professional stakeholders such as architects, engineers, constructors, are the ones advising consumers and deciding about construction. An understanding about their decision factors is needed, in order to increase the implementation of sustainable construction. In this study we provide evidence about key decision factors of professional stakeholders in Slovenia when deciding for sustainable construction practices. By conducting an online survey (questionnaire) we identified and analyzed the main drivers and barriers of professionals when making decisions about sustainable construction solutions. With statistical analysis we found out that professional stakeholders included in the survey mostly already had previous experiences working with sustainable construction. They are familiar with sustainable construction concepts. The most important drivers were connected to the factor of occupant health, and the energy-efficiency of the buildings, while the biggest barrier in their decision making is related to higher cost of sustainable construction and lack of awareness. Professional stakeholders are concerned about climate change and their attitudes towards climate change are affecting their decision related to sustainable construction. Respondent provided many comments, clearly indicating that a simple definition of sustainable construction is needed, and more efforts should be done to raise awareness about sustainable construction. Results are contributing valuable information for professional stakeholders, policymakers and other important stakeholders in the construction ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: After the 2012 Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) CPR Guidelines, this is an update of evidence‐based consensus guidelines for Basic Life Support (BLS), advanced life support (ALS), and periarrest monitoring. Design: These RECOVER CPR Guidelines were generated using a modified version of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system for evidence evaluation and translation of this evidence into clear and actionable clinical instructions. Prioritized clinical questions in the Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) format were used as the basis to conduct systematic literature searches by information specialists, to extract information from relevant publications, to assess this evidence for quality, and finally to translate the findings into treatment recommendations. These recommendations were reviewed by the RECOVER writing group and opened for comment by veterinary professionals for 4 weeks. Setting: Transdisciplinary, international collaboration in university, specialty, and emergency practice. Results: A total of 40 worksheets were prepared to evaluate questions across the 3 domains of BLS, ALS and Monitoring, resulting in 90 individual treatment recommendations. High‐dose epinephrine is no longer recommended, and atropine, if used, is only administered once. Bag–mask ventilation is prioritized over mouth‐to‐nose ventilation in nonintubated animals. In addition, an algorithm for initial assessment, an updated CPR algorithm, a rhythm diagnosis tool, and an updated drug dosing table are provided. Conclusions: While the majority of the BLS and ALS recommendations remain unchanged, some noteworthy changes were made due to new evidence that emerged over the past 10 years. Indirectness of evidence remains the largest impediment to the certainty of guidelines formulation and underscores an urgent need for more studies in the target species of dogs and cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the methodology used by the Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) to re‐evaluate the scientific evidence relevant to CPR in small and large animals, to newborn resuscitation, and to first aid and to formulate the respective consensus‐based clinical guidelines. Design: This report describes the evidence‐to‐guidelines process employed by RECOVER that is based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and includes Information Specialist‐driven systematic literature search, evidence evaluation conducted by more than 200 veterinary professionals, and provision of clinical guidelines in the domains of Preparedness and Prevention, Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support, Post‐cardiac Arrest Care, Newborn Resuscitation, First Aid, and Large Animal CPR. Setting: Transdisciplinary, international collaboration in academia, referral practice, and general practice. Results: For this update to the RECOVER 2012 CPR guidelines, we answered 135 Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions with the help of a team of Domain Chairs, Information Specialists, and more than 200 Evidence Evaluators. Most primary contributors were veterinary specialists or veterinary technician specialists. The RECOVER 2024 Guidelines represent the first veterinary application of the GRADE approach to clinical guideline development. We employed an iterative process that follows a predefined sequence of steps designed to reduce bias of Evidence Evaluators and to increase the repeatability of the quality of evidence assessments and ultimately the treatment recommendations. The process also allowed numerous important knowledge gaps to emerge that form the foundation for prioritizing research efforts in veterinary resuscitation science. Conclusions: Large collaborative, volunteer‐based development of evidence‐ and consensus‐based clinical guidelines is challenging and complex but feasible. The experience gained will help refine the process for future veterinary guidelines initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advancements have fundamentally transformed healthcare systems and significantly altered the interactions between medical professionals and information interfaces. This study provides a comprehensive review of the role of human-computer interaction (HCI) in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of user-centered design and the integration of emerging technologies. The paper reviews the evolution of healthcare interfaces, exploring key assumptions in foundational HCI principles and theoretical frameworks that guide the design processes. The analysis delves into the application of HCI principles, particularly user-centered approaches, to enhance feedback mechanisms, ensure consistency, and improve visibility within medical settings, all of which contribute to creating practical, usable, and memorable interfaces. The review provides an overview of successful and unsuccessful cases, demonstrating what determines efficacy in healthcare interface design. The discussion extends to cover the role of interactive interfaces in streamlining clinical workflows, facilitating communication and collaboration, and supporting informed decision-making among healthcare providers. This paper focuses on historical views and milestones of interface design, emphasizing the significance of interactive interfaces. The discussion extends to cover the role of interactive interfaces in streamlining clinical workflows, facilitating communication and collaboration, and supporting informed decision-making among healthcare providers. Further, the review concludes with an examination of future trends in HCI for healthcare, particularly focusing on the rapid integration of emerging technologies and their implications for the ongoing evolution of interface design in this critical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the importance of critical information competence and its relationship with ethics in contemporary society. Initially, the relevance of ethics in determining the sciences to be studied and in shaping critical and ethical citizens is highlighted. The main objective of the work is to discuss how critical information competence can contribute to the development of Information Science professionals prepared for the challenges of the information age. The methodology used in the research consisted of a conceptual analysis, based on theories of ethics, information science, and education. Authors such as Aristotle, Ramonet, Elmborg, and others were consulted to support the reflections presented in the article. The analysis aimed to integrate these fields of knowledge to understand the importance of critical information competence in shaping informed and ethical citizens. The results point to the need to expand studies and practices related to critical information competence, aiming to educate citizens capable of acting consciously in the information society. The integration of ethics in information management is essential to ensure responsible and fair practices in handling information, promoting democratic participation and civic awareness. It is concluded that critical information competence is essential for building a fairer, more equitable, and democratic society, emphasizing the importance of developing Information Science professionals committed to ethical and social values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for educating all stakeholders about AI was promptly recognized, and higher educational institutions followed the government's efforts to write out policies and directives. Librarians and information specialists, with their decades-long experience in delivering information, digital, and media literacy training, are the most suitable carriers and promoters of AI literacy. In this paper the academic librarians' efforts to shape AI literacy to ensure its promotion and delivery to patrons are collected, summarized, and outlined. Academic librarians experience and skills teaching, consulting, and practicing scholarly communications, specifically the areas of copyright, data privacy, and other legal and ethical issues makes them valuable participants in the efforts to adopt AI on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mentoring is a dynamic and evolving experience despite cultural, social and environmental influences in the library profession and the organization. The needs of each society and institution determine the criteria for the programme. Minimal information exists in the Caribbean and some areas of Africa on informal and formal mentoring programmes in the library profession. This paper is a comparative study into mentoring in Trinidad and Tobago and Botswana for members of the library associations. The study confined its scope to library professionals. An electronic form which contained a total of nine (9) questions, with some questions having appendages to them, derived from the research objectives was disseminated for a comprehensive comparative analysis of the two societies. The findings revealed similar information in both countries on the need for mentoring in the information profession. Librarians in both countries are not conversant with the concept of mentoring and mentoring programmes that boost library professionals. This study will raise important issues that relate to mentoring programmes for information professionals in this career field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing recognition of the advantages offered by linked data within the library community, libraries have made a lot of effort to support cataloging and metadata professionals in transitioning to linked data, which has led to the development of linked data editors. Although the available editors facilitate linked data-based input templates and output formats, these tools nonetheless have room for improvement. In this Communication on Practice, the authors compare two notable linked data editors based on their supported features and functions. They then delve into considerations when designing user-friendly and ontology-agnostic linked data editors. Finally, the authors address the challenges encountered by libraries during the transition to linked data production and examine the broader implications of this transition for information organization professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]