bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
6. Open Learning — An Opportunity for Growth or a Case of Paradigm Lost?
Authors: Critten Peter
Published: March 2008

The ways in which the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) intends to move towards “an organismic commonality of value directions” (i.e. once people open themselves up to an experience, they discover others of like mind who are able both to support and reinforce them in their own development) are outlined. The MSC needs to ask their students the kind of questions that help them make their experience explicit and thereby make it accessible and open to others. A model is presented that can give a clue as to how to present open learning material to potential students to evaluate what is an offer and what is possible. Quality can only be appreciated and not experienced. It is a function of what is best for an individual in a particular context. It is a unique interaction between what is best from the provider's point of view, what is best from the learner's point of view and what is best in the particular context in which the material will be used.
Library facilities in the polytechnics of Ghana in view of their new roles as tertiary institutions
Authors: Alemna A.A. , Kisiedu C.O. , Antwi I.K.
Published: March 2008

In 1993, all of the six polytechnic institutions in Ghana were elevated to the status of tertiary‐level institutions. This study is an assessment of the state of polytechnic libraries in relation to their new roles as libraries of tertiary institutions. It seeks to investigate the adequacy or otherwise of personnel, finance, materials, accommodation, equipment and services in these libraries. The writers conclude that these facilities are woefully inadequate and have to be improved in order to enhance the academic performance of the students and staff of the polytechnics.
Consumer health information in the year 2000
Authors: Gann Bob
Published: March 2008

This paper argues that while there have been significant advances in the development of consumer health information services over the past decade, there is no room for complacency as we approach the new millennium. If we are to avoid the dangers of complacency, passivity and superficiality we need to develop new skills. The future consumer health information professional will need to be skilled in creating information products, interpreting information needs and reviewing and synthesizing information to support decision making.
Effectiveness and efficiency — new roles and new skills for health librarians
Authors: Palmer Judith
Published: March 2008

I would guess that it is almost impossible to attend any conference these days and especially one with the word ‘future’ in the title without someone, if not everyone, emphasising and remphasising that we are all living in a time of great change and uncertainty. Although it is the conceit of every generation to suppose themselves unique, anyone who has lived and worked in the NHS for the past 5 years might be forgiven for claiming that they have been subject to quite unprecedented change.
Graduate education in library, archive and information science in Ghana
Authors: Korsah JE
Published: March 2008

To meet the challenges of a wide variety of jobs involved in library and information work, trained personnel are a sine qua non. This paper discusses the training of library and information science personnel at the postgraduate level in Ghana's only library school, the Department of Library and Archival Studies (DLAS), University of Ghana, Legon. It touches on a number of issues like programmes and courses offered, duration, general admission requirements, facilities and resources available as well as mode of instruction and assessment. Problems militating against the smooth operation of this library school are also examined. It concludes that, in spite of these problems, the DLAS has been a great force in the development and enhancement of the library profession in Ghana.
Incorporating abstract generation into an online retrieval interface for a library newspaper cutting system
Authors: Hui S.C. , Goh A.
Published: March 2008

The newspaper is a very widely used medium for transmitting news and information in today's society. Some of the published information is very important and therefore required to be kept for future reference. The cutting and subsequent retrieval of newspaper articles is a tedious process. The retrieval process is also very laborious. Electronic newspaper cutting is required to replace the manual process. A library newspaper cutting system was developed at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The system enables librarians to cut, index and store news articles interactively. Readers can retrieve news articles via World Wide Web (WWW) browsers. Different abstract generation techniques, including location method, indicative‐phrases, keyword frequency and title‐keyword method, are incorporated into the retrieval interface to filter out irrelevant news articles. In this paper, different abstract generation techniques and their effectiveness as a means to generate indicative abstracts for news articles are discussed.
The information needs of parents
Authors: Marden Mary , Nicholas David
Published: March 2008

The information needs of consumers or the general public have been neglected by information researchers. Consumers are the users of public libraries, they are changing their sources of information and they are a very large group. This paper discusses two investigations into the information needs of parents — a sub‐group of consumers particularly important to the future of libraries. In the first investigation carried out by the authors the records of a telephone helpline were analysed to find out the subjects of the information that parents needed. These were: children's behaviour, family problems and school. The second investigation, funded by the British Library, involves discussion groups and interviews with parents of children under 5 in the London Borough of Haringey. These parents need information with particular characteristics: it should have authority. Local information is helpful. Information may be needed very fast when a child is ill. 1990s parents want current information. The viewpoint may be important. Considering sources of information, oral information still comes first, books remain reliable and grey literature (e.g. newsletters) is considered very useful. Information provides support for parents undergoing a major transition in their lives.
The inclusive Intranet: linking into legacy systems
Authors: Bater Bob
Published: March 2008

No less than any other means of communicating and presenting information, an Intranet must be geared to organizational objectives through proper information management procedures. For smaller organizations, an Intranet need not comprise all of the standard components, and can utilize complementary technologies to incorporate legacy documentation systems at minimal cost and effort. The importance of gaining management commitment should not be underestimated, and an evolutionary approach can be the key to success.
Hewlett‐Packard and the intranet — case study and alliances
Authors: Helm Paul
Published: March 2008

Hewlett‐Packard has implemented a corporate intranet to support mission‐critical systems that rivals the global Internet in scale. This paper discusses the drivers and results achieved through its implementation and looks to the near future for its next evolution. Hewlett‐Packard and Netscape Communications have recently announced an alliance aimed at ‘Delivering enterprise intranet solutions’. The second part of this paper describes the form this will take focusing on the technology areas currently under ongoing joint development.
The nature of prediction and the information future: Arthur C. Clarke's Odyssey vision
Authors: Bawden David
Published: March 2008

Looking beyond the immediate future, which for the world of information and computing means the next five years, is hazardous. This paper attempts to present a vision of some aspects of the information world of the medium future. 2010 has been chosen as the date, rather than 2001, since the likely events of the earlier date can be fairly well predicted.
Seed science literature on Nigeria, India, Australia, United Kingdom and United States: a comparative study of author collaboration
Authors: Harande Y.I.
Published: March 2008

The study compares author collaboration in the periodical literature of seed science on Nigeria, India, Australia, United Kingdom, United States of America. The study was based on the literature of seed abstracted in the 1993–1995 issues of Seed Abstracts. However, it was found that both the annual rates as well as the accumulation rates for the period of each of the five countries studied was generally high, although the figures obtained for the United States of America and the United Kingdom were higher than those of Australia, India and Nigeria. The study concludes that the literature of seed science is dominated by multi‐authored papers and that there is a trend towards collaboration in the countries studied.
Knowing your customers
Authors: Rowley Jennifer
Published: March 2008

Have library managers been sufficiently aggressive in identifying and understanding their customers, given that the future of individual services and the profession as a whole rest to a large extent on customer perceptions? What do library managers need to know about their customers? This article examines some of the key concepts concerned with customers and consumer buying behaviour. It starts by seeking to explore the concept of customer for library and information services, and notes the roles of users, influencers and deciders. Many library and information services deal with ‘internal customers’. In order to offer an effective service to customers, it is important to identify the benefits sought by different groups or segments, and to understand the consumer decision‐making process which is important in determining ‘purchase’ behaviour and the use of the service.
Comparative disadvantage and special opportunities and the information technology revolution: general considerations and the examination of visual impairment as a case study
Authors: Carey Kevin
Published: March 2008

It is generally assumed that the benefits of new communications technologies are universal and evenly distributed but this overlooks the concepts of comparative disadvantage and special opportunity. Dyslexic people, for example, were increasingly comparatively disadvantaged in increasingly text‐based societies and deaf people were comparatively disadvantaged as text gave way to an increasing use of audio information but the telephone presented a special opportunity for house‐bound people as did the electronic amplifier for people with weak voices. Poor people are almost always disadvantaged by new systems either because the initial equipment or the training to use it are rare and expensive, but both these costs generally fall as time passes, the market expands and the research and development costs fall out of the pricing. The Information Technology (IT) revolution, then, is not unique in its creation of serious, if temporary, comparative disadvantage as well as many special opportunities. In this paper I will use the example of visual impairment to analyse the impact of communications systems on an identifiable — but by no means identical — cluster before addressing the more general comparative disadvantage and special opportunities brought about by the IT revolution.
The Internet library of early journals
Authors: Jupp Bill
Published: March 2008

A brief overview is provided of the different approaches available for the digitisation of library materials, which indicates the benefits and shortcomings associated with these techniques. It is from this perspective that the reader is introduced to the relatively new rationale behind the Internet Library of Early Journals which is mounting material drawn from six 18th and 19th century journal titles. A large corpus of material is required to attract scholars to an electronic archive of this nature and the project aims to mount 120,000 page images. Pages are scanned from both paper and microfilm originals; the paper volumes using a Minolta PS3000P overhead scanner and the microfilm from a Meckel MX500XL‐G. The requirement for high volume, high throughput, low cost production of images excludes labour‐intensive operations and the images are simply OCRed without manual correction. An Excalibur EFS database is used to provide full text fuzzy searching of the uncorrected OCRed text. The project has just started full production and the author discusses the findings so far.
Electronic publishing on CD‐ROM and the Internet: the experience of two special libraries
Authors: Hart Keith
Published: March 2008

The Librarian of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), and the Library Manager of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, described their recent experiences of publishing their information electronically, on CD‐ROM and on the Internet respectively.
Defining competencies for special library professionals: Malaysian experience
Authors: ur Rehman Sajjad , Bakeri Abu Baker Ahamd , Majid Shaheen
Published: March 2008

Special libraries are undergoing some fundamental changes which require redefinition of the competencies of information professionals. The contextual variables necessitate identification of competencies in relation to the peculiarities of a situation. Some methodological improvements were also attempted to arrive at a reliable body of knowledge and skill competencies. Fifty top and middle managers of the ten largest special libraries in Malaysia were interviewed to validate competencies by using a scale indicative of the perceived extent of importance of each competency. The validated competencies have been presented in the following six areas: foundation, cataloguing, circulation, information service, collection development and serial control. Capabilities to relate information facility to the organizational mission and profile, managerial competence, effective exploitation of information technology, subject expertise, and a great deal of emphasis on service aspect figure as the most important arsenal for the future information professionals.
Online, CD‐ROM and Web: is it the same difference?
Authors: Clausen Helge
Published: March 2008

Some obstacles to the use of electronic information are discussed. The major differences between information from online, CD‐ROM and Web sources are outlined. Data from rhus Public Library's business information services (1992–96) are analyzed with special reference to information media. A decrease in the number of enquiries after 1994 is explained by (1) the growing number of online database end‐users, (2) the increasing supply of business information on CD‐ROMs, and (3) the spreading of the Internet. Recent information from the DGXIII Report about the markets for electronic information services are included. What is needed in general among future users of electronic information is a more professional attitude and new skills. A concept of “Web Information Literacy” is defined and two implications are discussed: (1) knowledge about the Internet and its resources, and (2)innovativeness as a major component in Internet user skills.
SINTO and co‐operation
Authors: Clayton Carl
Published: March 2008

In this presentation I will explain the work of SINTO and put it in its national context.
Metadata, recall, and abstracts: can abstracts ever be reliable indicators of document value?
Authors: Wheatley A. , Armstrong C.J.
Published: March 2008

Abstracts from seven Internet subject trees (Euroferret, Excite, Infoseek, Lycos Top 5%, Magellan, WebCrawler, Yahoo!), five Internet subject gateways (ADAM, EEVL, NetFirst, OMNI, SOSIG), and three online databases (ERIC, ISI, LISA) were examined for their subject content, treatment of various enriching features, physical properties such as overall length, and their readability. Considerable differences were measured, and consistent similarities among abstracts from each type of source were demonstrated. Internet subject tree abstracts were generally the shortest, and online database abstracts the longest. Subject tree and online database abstracts were the most informative, but the level of coverage of document features such as tables, bibliographies, and geographical constraints was disappointingly poor. On balance, the Internet gateways appeared to be providing the most satisfactory abstracts. The authors discuss the continuing rle in networked information retrieval of abstracts and their functional analogues such as metadata.
The Internet: it's early days, but there are some surprises
Authors: Nicholas David , Williams Peter , Martin Helen , Cole Peter
Published: March 2008

The Internet looks set to have a major influence on information seeking behavior, although there is very little hard data around as to what these changes will be or where they will occur. This British Library funded study set out to gather such data from the media using open‐ended interview techniques. Several hundred journalists, editors and media librarians were interviewed. The early findings indicate that the Internet is not impacting in the way forcasted. Change appears to be slow and variable; the issues of information overload and the authority of Web data seem not to worry users; and there is little evidence that other information sources are being significantly displaced because of Internet use. However, it is still too early to determine the full impact of the Internet although it is best judged away from the Information Centre/Library.
Communications 98; a review. Part 1
Authors: Cawkell Tony
Published: March 2008

This review covers those aspects of communications which are relatively new and will probably have a continuing impact for at least two years — although this forecast, like nearly all other forecasts, is likely to be mostly wrong. A small amount of essential basic material is included — such as the section entitled ‘The bandwidth/speed imperative’, So much effort is being devoted to this subject, particularly in the case of POTS ( Plain Old Telephone System) improvements, that a few words about it seems to be in order.
Electronic networking in Nigeria: prospects and challenges
Authors: Adeoti‐Adekeye W.B.
Published: March 2008

The paper examined the need and the various attempts being made to go networking in Nigeria. It discusses the advantages derivable from shared resources between organisations institutions and various professional bodies. It cites the attempts of the Nigerian Intranet Group NUNets by the National Universities Commission and the co‐operation between the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile‐Ife and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics from Italy as worthwhile which should be encouraged. It however highlights some of the challenges facing these attempts in a developing country like Nigeria. Some of these are poor telecommunication systems, ineffective use of information technologies, inadequate financial backing and even lack of the technological know how. It finally advises that by the turn of the 21st century resource sharing electronically should be a common phenomenon in the developed countries.
Communications 98; a review. Part 2
Authors: Cawkell Tony
Published: March 2008

The writer of a review article in the IT area depends on a variety of information sources containing authoritative material, hyped‐up reports, or even partial or pure fiction. Sometimes articles are biased or the author has a particular axe to grind — for instance the person is associated with a company and the article is no more than a dressed up sales piece. Academics are usually reliable — although unlikely to damn themselves with faint praise if the next grant is round the corner. I will try to exercise good judgement when assessing my information sources, supressing my various prejudices if possible. But what is meant by the word new? For the purposes of this article ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) protocol (rules) and ATM switches in broadband networks, and aspects of Cable‐TV and cable modems have received a lot of exposure. They will not be discussed here. However, there is much interest in the contest between fibreoptic systems to the home and the conversion of telephone lines to wideband lines. These topics will be discussed.
The public reception of the Research Assessment Exercise 1996
Authors: Warner Julian
Published: March 2008

This paper reviews the public reception of the Research Assessment Exercise 1996 (RAE) from its announcement in December 1996 to the decline of discussion at end May 1997. A model for diffusion of the RAE is established which distinguishes extra‐communal (or exoteric) from intra‐communal (or esoteric) media. The different characteristics of each medium and the changing nature of the discussion over time are considered. Different themes are distinguished in the public reception of the RAE: the spatial distribution of research; the organisation of universities; disciplinary differences in understanding; a perceived conflict between research and teaching; the development of a culture of accountability; and analogies with the organisation of professional football. In conclusion, it is suggested that the RAE and its effects can be more fully considered from the perspective of scholarly communication and understandings of the development of knowledge than it has been by previous contributions in information science, which have concentrated on the possibility of more efficient implementation of existing processes. A fundamental responsibility for funding councils is also identified: to promote the overall health of university education and research, while establishing meaningful differentiations between units.
Policies for an information society
Authors: Moore Nick
Published: March 2008

We are undergoing profound technological change and countries all over the world are responding by developing policies that are intended to shape the development of information societies. The goals of these policies are remarkably similar, although it is possible to identify differences in the motivating factors. When considering the mechanisms that have been chosen to achieve the policy goals, it is possible to identify two broadly divergent models. One is based on neo‐liberal economic philosophies and emphasises the importance of market‐led solutions, exploiting private capital. This approach has been adopted by the G7 nations, the European Union and Western‐oriented economies such as Australia. The alternative model can be described as dirigiste. It is based on a much greater degree of intervention and, consequently, places more emphasis on the role of the state as a participant rather than as a facilitator. This approach is characteristic of the economies in East Asia. While it is early yet to identify the effects of the policies, it is possible to discern differences in the rates of social change and economic growth; the degree of stability and social cohesion and in what is becoming known as the cultural ecology of the information society. The broad lesson seems to be that, when dealing with a pervasive social, political, economic and cultural phenomenon, neo‐liberal policy mechanisms with their emphasis on narrow economic solutions are inadequate. The holistic approach that is characterised by the dirigiste model seems more appropriate.
Checking research progress on ‘image retrieval by shape‐matching’ using the Web of Science
Authors: Cawkell Tony
Published: March 2008

The Web of Science (WoS) database has been intro‐duced recently by The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), but no applications of it have yet been described as far as I am aware. It is compiled from 8,000 journals providing some 130,000 articles annually, covered in the combined Science (1974 onwards), Social Sciences (1972 onwards) and Arts & Humanities (1975 onwards) Citation Indexes. New journals continue to be added. At present the storage requirements for this data is about 11.5 Gbytes.
Comparison of pricing structures of information on various electronic media
Authors: Bertha Eva
Published: March 2008

Today information products are available on various electronic media. Choices include traditional online hosts, databases on CD‐ROM or locally mounted, and the Internet with its numerous information resources. The paper describes the pricing structure of the different electronic options together with the technical and personnel requirements to run an information service. Also the characteristics of such information systems concerning user, training and availability of the service are dealt with. The discussion of pros and cons enable an information manager to make cost‐effective decisions.
Moving from experiment to reality: choices for cultural heritage institutions and their government
Authors: Elliot Sherwood Lyn
Published: March 2008

At many recent museum conferences, participants have demonstrated exciting projects presenting cultural heritage knowledge in digital form, whether as online resources or fixed support products such as CD‐ROMs. Presentations have outlined the technical challenges which participants have resolved and have explored the specific content which has been assembled but it is striking to note how few speakers address either the business issues involved in the decisions to create such resources or audience response to the products. If it is true, however, as the Director of Editorial and Commercial Services for the Réunion des Musées Nationaux in France, Jean‐François Chougnet, has observed, that we are at the point of moving from the experimental phase to an ongoing reality, then in the very near future we will need to grapple with the economics of this new cultural industry and with the underlying business dynamics.
UDC — into the 21st Century
Authors: McIlwaine Ia
Published: March 2008

The problems posed by automation for those responsible for the maintenance of bibliographic classifications have been widely rehearsed both in the professional literature and at conferences. This paper will not repeat them, but will rather give some indication of the attempts currently being made to fit a classification that was devised in the nineteenth century for use in the twenty‐first.
Information professional — demands for new policies and new structures in the profession. Experiences and programs in eastern and central Europe and the developing countries
Authors: Simon Elisabeth
Published: March 2008

The gap between the information poor and the information rich is widening in the modern societies of western countries and continues to divide East and West, the developed and the developing countries. The transformation from collection‐oriented to access‐oriented libraries and information centers too often neglects the cultural precondition of differing societies, but must be taken into account in organising training and other forms of continuing education. In this context, workshops and training seminars are being organised by the Foreign Relations Office at the German Library Institute in Berlin and are described in brief here.
Strategic value and use of the Internet's environmental information
Authors: Bolstridge June C.
Published: March 2008

Information drives the environmental profession — and the Internet contains increasing amounts of environmental information, with direct access for anyone in the world. This paper describes the scope and some limitations of the applied environmental information available through the Internet. Specific Internet sites are identified for their value to environmental and safety professionals, including: legislation; regulations; technical resources; business opportunities; and environmental experts. Considerations are provided for evaluating strengths of specific environmental resources, as well as identifying their weaknesses and limitations. Some business and non‐environmental uses of environmental information are also identified to allow the full importance of such data to be recognized. The paper concludes with considerations about how the Internet's increased information access is becoming a force for change within the environmental profession.
Facing up to dilemmas: conflicting ethics and the modern information professional
Authors: Hill Michael W.
Published: March 2008

There are two categories of ethical behaviour which affect the MIP. The first and most often discussed, includes those principles which encourage working for the welfare and prosperity of society: “Ethics for High Days”. The second consists of those principles which regulate one's everyday working practices: “Everyday Ethics”. It is with the latter that this paper is primarily concerned. Especially is it concerned with the fact that in everyday work one finds that sound ethical principles conflict with each other. Because of this, doubt arises whether it is worth establishing a formalised code of professional behaviour. After reviewing the pros and cons the author concludes that there are sufficient benefits to justify formulating a code though it will be useful mainly for public relations and for defending one's right to act in a professional manner. A number of ethical conflicts the MIP may encounter are reviewed, especially those in which modern information and communication technologies may play a part. [Since both men and women are MIPs, the words “he” and “she” will be used indiscriminately in the text] “And being exceedingly credulous would stuff his many letters sent to A.W. with fooleries and misinformations, which sometimes would guide him into the paths of error.” Richard Barber (ed.), Brief Lives by John Aubrey. London: The Folio Society, 1975, p.11. In his introduction to this recent edition of Brief Lives, a 17th century classic of English literature, Barber was quoting a description of Aubrey's work as an information searcher for one Anthony a Wood (A.W.), an Oxford antiquary. If Aubrey is a typical example of our predecessors, it is just as well that nowadays there are professional societies of information scientists and documentalists dedicated, inter alia, to maintaining proper professional standards. Indeed, as those who have read it will know, Brief Lives itself, Aubrey's masterpiece, is little but a very scrappy, not wholly reliable, set of short biographies of many eminent men of that century, Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh among them. No modern information worker (or biographer) would be allowed to get away with a piece of work like it. Nor, I fear, would his more worthy product achieve such lasting fame. The problems of how thorough to be and when and whether to submit partial results are ones that affect information workers today just as much as in the 17th century, perhaps more so since professional time is very costly. So do a great many other problems which have an ethical component within them. In this paper I want to look at some of the everyday issues which members of the profession may face and to see whether the new communication technologies have made them easier or more difficult to resolve or even raise new problems.
Organising competitive intelligence activities in a corporate organisation
Authors: Pirttilä Anneli
Published: March 2008

This study discusses the problems of organising competitive intelligence activities in a corporate organisation. Traditionally in many large corporations the collection, interpretation and analysis of competitive information has been assigned to a specialised intelligence or competitor analysis unit in order to exploit the synergy created by centralisation. This organising mechanism has, however, serious shortcomings that are considered in this study. It is debated that this centralised and systematic approach to managing and exploiting competitive information ignores the actual ways that managers and other knowledge workers utilise information resources in their work processes. An empirical study was made in a multinationally operating Finnish forest industry company in order to examine, what kind of competitive information managers and other knowledge workers need in their work processes, what were the most valuable information sources and how this information was actually utilised and communicated inside the corporation. The results of this empirical study are discussed. Some guidelines are provided to improve the process of coordinating and combining both systematically and unsystematically collected competitive information into a coherent organisational mechanism.
Responding to challenges: the training and educating of the information professional for the next millennium
Authors: Burke M. , Millar S.
Published: March 2008

“… in most fields the issue of the professional competence and qualification of individuals is viewed as an integral part of the quality assurance of organisations and the services that they provide.” This view has long been embraced within the librarianship profession. Librarians and information professionals have a strong culture of responding to new opportunities in professional development to ensure that their skills meet the continually changing environments in which they work. This is illustrated by initiatives such as the Library Associations programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Masters programmes for librarians entering management positions, increased availability of qualifications and training for paraprofessional staff and the adoption of the government instituted system of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SNVQs). Two further initiatives have been undertaken as a response to concern about the pace of change and the importance of sustaining an adequately skilled professional workforce. Firstly, the Library and Information Studies Training and Education Network (LISTEN), is working with employers, the profession and educational institutions to identify, CPD and post‐qualification competencies required when staff have been in post for several or more years. Secondly, the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib) which aims to accelerate the development and uptake of the ‘electronic library’ has recognised the need for CPD and has funded a number of training and awareness projects including EduLib. This paper will examine the role, education and training of information professionals from two distinct points of view. First the paper will concentrate on initial undergraduate training which students receive at an established Department of Library and Information Studies — with particular regard to the training and education of business information in order to prepare students for the global business world. The second part of the paper will deal with an aspect of continuing professional development for which there is an increasing demand in academic libraries — teaching skills for librarians. The paper will focus on EduLib — a development project which aims to provide a nationally recognised and accredited network of trainers in academic libraries.
Increasing the potential of special libraries in countries in transition
Authors: Pejova Zdravka , Kavcic‐Colic Alenka
Published: March 2008

The paper describes the efforts made in recent years to promote the concepts of information management, information policy and information strategy in order to help special libraries and information and documentation services in countries in transition in reinforcing their missions and roles. Part One emphasizes the relevance of those concepts in the specific situation resulting from the political, economic and organizational changes brought by the transition to a market economy. In Part Two the results of three surveys of the work of special libraries in Slovenia from 1992–1995 are analyzed. The results of the survey show that most special libraries and information/documentation services in Slovenia (and we can safely presume that the situation is similar in other countries in transition) currently operate along traditional lines as regards the concept and practice of library and information work. The adoption of strategic planning of information and information management concepts and practices by special libraries promises a way out of the existing, outdated modes of operation.
The Norwegian environmental meta information system
Authors: Nypan Terje M.
Published: March 2008

The Norwegian Ministry of Environment has undertaken to build and implement a meta information system for environmental information/data. The objective is to increase availability of cross sector information and efficiency in use of environmental information/data. The system is to be accessible via Internet, but based on SQL‐database. Further the same system may be used locally by the governmental institutions and centrally at national level. Access will be public and free of charge, software will be free of charge. The metadata will be characterized according to European standards; amongst others, by use of the multilingual environmental thesaurus (GEMET) and a standard for mandatory field entries. Interoperability with other systems is assured by used of standard communication protocols (Z.39.50). To define objectives at a high precision level and to have a development guide, a technical “Systems Requirements” were defined. Development is done with users, and by means of prototypes, laboratory and field tests.
The continuing prominence of CD‐ROMs in academic libraries: the findings and evaluation of a survey
Authors: East Harry , Leach Kathryn
Published: March 2008

The introduction of the CD‐ROM medium into British academic library services was well received by both librarians and their clientele. Expenditure on this resource continues to grow and about half the databases obtained in this medium are now available through campus networks. The advantages of alternative forms of delivery — particularly those utilizing wide‐area networking — may, however, offer a challenge to this mode of delivery.
News, information and value
Authors: Hunt Robin
Published: March 2008

Discusses how the fierce competition for instant news and the inter‐relationship of news dissemination channels, from print to broadcast to Internet, can take a poorly authenticated story and magnify it to the point of spawning conspiracy theory, only to end up ridiculed. In such an environment the role of the information manager becomes central, as someone who understands the labyrinth trails of information, its iterations through the media and its evolution into objective facts which can be archived for the use of researching journalists. Thus information professionals add value to information far more than intelligent agents.
Some compass bearings for information policy orienteering
Authors: Rowlands Ian
Published: March 2008

Commentators in the library and information profession habitually voice concern about the perceived lack of a coherent and integrated set of ‘national information policies’ in the UK. These concerns are worthy but ultimately misplaced. The real problem is not our inability to come up with a nice neat package of the ‘right policies’, but our failure to think critically about the value systems that shape our perception of information policy problems in the first place. This article contributes to this new agenda by developing a concept mapping of the Field of information policy, based on term co‐occurrence data. This leads to a broader discussion about the values — rather than the specific laws and regulations — that underpin our conceptions of information policy.
The electronic academy revisited
Authors: Cronin Blaise
Published: March 2008

Fifteen years ago the author published an article in Aslib Proceedings entitled, ‘The electronic academy’, which assessed trends in distance education and open learning. The paper provided an overview of the then dominant delivery technologies (e.g., broadcast television, videotext, audiographics, teleconferencing) and also engaged the issues of cost and quality. It is instructive to revisit that article and reflect on the extent to which the world has moved on, particularly in terms of technology and pedagogy. Naturally, the 1984 article made no mention of either the Internet or the World Wide Web, both of which are necessarily centre‐stage today in any serious discussion of asynchronous or network‐based learning. While technological advances have played an important part in accelerating the adoption of new modalities of remote learning, there are other factors (e.g., economic, socio‐cultural) to be taken into account. This article offers a wide‐angled review of developments in distance education and distributed learning: specifically, it describes the structural dynamics of the emerging virtual marketplace for perpetual learning products and services. Though written from a primarily North American perspective, the paper highlights thinking and practice globally.
Internet law and information policy
Authors: Eisenschitz Tamara
Published: March 2008

A survey is presented of areas of Internet law of most interest to information professionals. Two sets of issues are presented; general concerns of information law as applied to the Web, and particular problems of law found only on a distributed network. Because of the global reach of the network, existing legal frameworks are only partially effective. Scope is identified for both authors and users to specify for themselves what levels of organisation and protection they require and to engage directly with other members of the community requiring information and access. It is suggested that information specialists of all types are well placed to lead the development of Web resources in the context of an information society.
British political parties and their web pages
Authors: Auty Caroline , Nicholas David
Published: March 2008

The General Election of 1997 was marked by much political activity on the web. An analysis of 20 party web sites a year later on shows that most parties have kept a web presence although few are really capitalising upon the web technologies. Sites are too often stale, out of date and predictable. In no way can cyberdemocracy be seen to have arrived; the web is too often just a publishing vehicle and communication is largely one way. The smaller parties are proving to be the most innovative.
Charging for access to university‐wide networked database services in British academia
Authors: East Harry , Ajibade Badekale , Leach Kathryn
Published: March 2008

UK Higher Education has a well‐established network (JANET) accessible to its students and staff. Its existence made it possible for a trans‐university body (JISC) to sponsor the development of datacentres at various sites around the network. Through licensing agreements made with the owners of popular databases (typically marketed by commercial vendors), these databases are now accessible to the Higher Education community through JANET. Preserving the tradition of making print‐based media freely available in academia, there are no direct charges to endusers of electronic sources. There are, however, considerable charges (licensing fees) entailed for the community as a whole. JISC's policy has been that, while access is ‘free to the end‐user at the point of use’, an annual subscription is levied to each Higher Education site which provides access to these databases. In most cases this subscription is met from the budget of the institution's library and information services. The paper considers the impact of this centralised information provision on the growth of end‐user services and some limitations of the current charging policies.
Internet access for older people
Authors: Blake Monica
Published: March 2008

This paper examines, via the published literature and interview, the relationship between older people and the technology needed to gain access to the Internet (mainly personal computers), then discusses opportunities for access in public places such as libraries.
Auditing a plan’s value
Authors: Reinharth Leon , Kallman Ernest , Wulwick Vicki
Published: March 2008

Strategic planning has become an indispensable tool for management, and while its effectiveness is widely assumed, its contribution is rarely quantified. In order to assess the value of strategic decision making in terms of its contribution to a firm’s sales, net income, and earnings, Leon Reinharth and his associates have prepared a case study of the 10‐step strategic planning process undertaken about seven years ago by a leading multinational insurance brokerage company. The firm is Alexander & Alexander Services, Inc., a highly profitable organization both before and after implementation of its 1976 strategic plan. Readers can draw their own conclusions about the order of magnitude of the plan’s value by comparing the financial results of two five‐year periods in the firm’s history (see Table 3). The benchmark period, 1970 through 1974, was the pre‐plan era, and the years 1976 through 1980 are the ones Dr. Reinharth believes were most affected by the plan. There is some evidence that the firm’s strategic decision making capabilities gave it a definite competitive advantage. A 1979 Fortune survey found that among the five largest publicly held insurance borkerage firms in the United States, A&A had the highest average return on equity from 1975 to 1977 and the highest average annual growth in dividends from 1973 to 1978. Dr. Reinharth’s case study outlines the problems that A&A identified in 1976 and summarizes the management philosophy that guided the strategic responses of the plan. For a detailed version of this case history the reader is directed to The Practice of Planning, by the authors, and published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1981. The most recently reported financial results for A&A are presented in the separate section, Alexander and Alexander in 1981.
Manufacturing Implications in Determining Corporate Policy
Authors: Hill T.J.
Published: March 2008

Recently two groups of senior managers were asked what they understood by the phrase “manufacturing policy”. Following the initial silence their replies in both instances, centred around comments such as:
Assessing UK industry's Inventory Management Performance
Authors: Ray D.L.
Published: March 2008

The aim of this paper is to lay out the facts, so far as they are known, about industrial stockholding; from this we discuss whether the UK's performance in managing a key area of the country's scarce resources is one in which we can take pride or, as this paper suggests, if the contrary is the case and our competence must be questioned.
An Evaluation of the Effects of Skill Variety and Labour Mobility in the Operation of Industrial Man/Machine Groups Using a Simulation Model
Authors: Sassani F. , Rathmill K.
Published: March 2008

With the increasing use of automatic and NC machine tools the adoption of flexible, multi‐skilled operators has also increased. However, the variety of machining capacity and manpower skills frequently identifiable in industrial studies presents a problem which has no general analytical solution. This work carried out in collaboration with a leading manufacturing company examines the capabilities of various combinations of setters, operators and setter/operators in the context of given machine capacity and product mix constraints. A description of the problem situation is followed by an account of the model's development, subsequent application and validation against actual performance. In addition to providing a useful analysis of the general characteristics of the groups considered, specific information relating to the likely effects of changes in manpower parameters was provided to assist management in the review of its manufacturing system design. Generally, this work demonstrates that although there are a number of attendant difficulties, a practical approach to computer modelling is becoming increasingly relevant as shop‐floor sophistication increases.
Senior Management Paper Section: The Grouping Concept in Manufacturing
Authors: Hollier R.H.
Published: March 2008

In each issue we shall usually be giving over one short paper to a major topic of general management interest, primarily addressed to senior management in a company and concerned with a particular technical aspect of manufacturing systems treated in a non‐technical way. Our first paper in this section concerns the concept of grouping.