bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The study of integrated frameworks for library and digital archives
Authors: Yu Shien‐Chiang 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to recommend a proposed systemic framework for enhancing the application scope of library automation systems.Design/methodology/approachAnalysis of the differences leads to a discussion of the possibilities for integration. Applies related technological practices and standards which were developed for digital archives, and manages existing operational process in libraries and digital library/archives systems.FindingsIn order to integrate library and digital archives systems, the core of library systems should revolve around XML for the standard of cataloguing markup and operate with OAI‐PMH for union catalog and distributed retrieval.Originality/valueAnalyzes and proposes a framework on how to effectively integrate the standard technology of digital library/archives systems with library automation systems.
RFPs: a necessary evil or indispensable tool?
Authors: Calvert Philip , Read Marion 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess attitudes amongst librarians and system vendors towards the use of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for selecting a library management system; and to use the results as the basis of recommendations for best practice.Design/methodology/approachA focus group of librarians and a focus group of system vendors were asked open‐ended questions. Similar groups answered quantitative questions through an electronic survey.FindingsLibrarians and vendors both found some value in the RFP process provided it was done well.Practical implicationsBest practice is recommended in three aspects of the RFP process: communication, preparation, and documentation.Originality/valueNo previous research has assessed attitudes to the RFP process amongst librarians and vendors, and compared the results.
Preparedness for personalizing content in IIT libraries
Authors: Jeevan V.K.J. , Padhi P. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to assess the level of preparedness of the Central Libraries of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to personalize content and seeks to determine whether the personalization service prototype being developed at IIT Kharagpur can be extrapolated to the remaining IITs.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was sent to the Librarians of the seven IITs, designed to compare the available information resources and services, with special emphasis on user interests and personalization aspects. The survey was supplemented by study visits to a couple of the Institutes.FindingsKharagpur and Mumbai have implemented personalization services in some form while the remaining IITs plan to adopt them in the near future. There is also a strong case for extending Kharagpur's personalization service, currently in project mode, to the other IITs.Research limitations/implicationsIIT Madras and IIT Kanpur failed to return the questionnaires, so relevant information regarding these Institutes had to be collected from their web sites and other available sources. There is also scope for further research to accurately access the current status of personalization activities in all the IITs.Practical implicationsWith parallel interests and similar research and information facilities, personalization services in one IIT can be replicated and utilized by all the others, leading to greatly enhanced library services in all the Institutes.Originality/valueThis one of a kind survey underlines the need for and possibility of making content personalization a reality in advanced technical libraries. The results obtained are valuable to all IIT libraries in particular and academic/technical libraries in general.
An assessment of the use of information technology facilities for academic pursuit
Authors: Emojorho Daniel , Adomi Awhefe 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis study is aimed at looking at the extent to which staff of Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria, are acquainted with and use information technology facilities for academic pursuit.Design/methodology/approachThe main instruments used for collecting data were questionnaires and interviews. Simple percentage was the statistical method employed.FindingsData gathered through the use of the questionnaire and interviews reveal that most of the staff are not only aware of the existence of information technology (IT) facilities, but also employ them to satisfy their academic desires. From the study, epileptic power supply was adjudged the worst problem encountered in the use of IT facilities, while other problems include high internet service charges, unreliable telecommunication infrastructure, internet traffic congestion due to limited bandwidth and unsatisfactory performance of internet service provider.Originality/valueThe study acts as an eye‐opener to the staff and management of Delta State University, those of institutions of higher learning in Nigeria as a whole, as well as the government of the day, as to the true state of affairs relative to how far and well we have advanced in the application of IT for developmental purposes in a world that has gone so far in it, and try as much as possible to bridge the gap.
Current status and needs of Chinese e‐government users
Authors: Anna Xiong Jian 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis article seeks to investigate unequal access of Chinese citizens to Chinese e‐government. The study promotes wide access to declassified and uncensored Chinese government information and services published on Chinese government web sites for Chinese citizens.Design/methodology/approachThis article reviews relevant literature and independent surveys as well as government survey reports in consecutive years. It investigates the current status and needs of the Chinese e‐government users – who they are, who are not and why not, as well as what they need to use and benefit from Chinese e‐government.FindingsThis article finds that the current Chinese e‐government is still at an immature stage and serves too few people. There is a need for Chinese e‐government information and services, but the awareness and usage of e‐government is very low among the Chinese people. People need all kinds of education and assistance, from general computer and internet literacy to specialized government information related education and assistance, all of which should be free or inexpensive.Research limitations/implicationsThis article suggests that research delving into the following questions needs to be done in future: what government information and services do people need; how do they search it; what are their experiences of using e‐government; what are their problems and solutions; and what improvements do they expect?Practical implicationsThe study exposes the problem of unequal access of Chinese citizens to Chinese e‐government.Originality/valueIt is important to regularly study the status and the needs of the users along with the Chinese e‐government development. Literature review shows that the research on Chinese e‐government tends to focus on the technical aspects. There is little research on the users. This article, from a librarian's perspective, provides better knowledge of the Chinese e‐government users and their deeper need to use and benefit from e‐government information and services.
Virtual reference services in China: helping the information‐poor
Authors: Zheng Songhui 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the construction pattern and the difficulties for China to develop virtual reference services (VRS).Design/methodology/approachThe paper first analyzes the definition and features of the digital library, and is followed by an introduction to the development of VRS in China. Through literature search and checking web sites, some 400 documents in CNKI have been analysed on VRS from the period of January, 1990 to June, 2005, and the situation in developing VRS and problems existing in the course of doing it in China have been summarized. On the basis of connecting theory and practice on VRS, the paper provides general tactics on how to develop VRS for libraries in China.FindingsThere are some problems existing for China to develop VRS, namely shortage of funds, the information poor, the digital divide, restrictions of information infrastructure, library management, shortage of technical knowledge and user training. The paper projects what may be needed for China to continue its development of VRS in the future. There is a need for appropriate infrastructures, strategies and mechanisms to be established in order to support the diffusion of VRS principles throughout China.Originality/valueThis paper provides some observations and insights on the design and development of VRS in China. It suggests that decision makers in government agencies need to understand the existing gaps in VRS in China. Constructive suggestions are made for China to construct VRS and improve the service level.
How the presentation of electronic gateway pages affects research behavior
Authors: Finder Lisa , Dent Valeda F. , Lym Brian 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to provide details of a study conducted at Hunter College Libraries in fall 2005, the focus of which was how presentation of initial digital resource pages (or gateway pages) on the library's web site impacted students' subsequent steps in the research process.Design/methodology/approachA group of 16 students from English and History classes at Hunter College were recruited to participate after having had basic library instruction. They were given computer‐based key tasks to perform in a proctored classroom setting, using the library's homepage. A second group of students was recruited to participate in two small focus groups. The methodology and exercises were developed in part using guidelines from a taxonomy of user behavior developed by librarians at Hunter College, and recommendations from usability literature by Krug, Neilsen and Rubin.FindingsResults from the computer‐based key tasks exercises were bifurcated. Completion rates for computer‐based key tasks using the in‐house developed Hunter College Library database grid, with less than 80 percent (37 percent‐73 percent) students successfully completing all the tasks, was inferior compared to performance using the Serial Solutions access page and the Academic Search Premier database, both commercially‐developed products, with most of the tasks successfully completed by at least 80 percent of the students.Originality/valueThis study is unique in that the focus is not on the usability of an entire library web site, rather, on the presentation of select, highly visible gateway pages that get a lot of use.
Introducing e‐journal services: an experience
Authors: Patra Chandana 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis case study seeks to discuss the author's experience of providing e‐journal services to the scientists at the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute – a centre of excellence in the field of glass and ceramics situated in Kolkata, India. It describes the developmental activities involved in providing user access to the e‐journals and its impact on library operations.Design/methodology/approachThe article begins with background information on the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute and its parent body, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and then goes on to discuss the development of e‐journal services within the library of the Institute.FindingsThe author shows that providing training to the staff as well as library users and managing services of the e‐journals were the most important issues. The author also shows that e‐journals have added enormous resources to the collection and improved the service of the library, enhanced access to journal literature, and decreased the demand for photocopy services as well as document delivery of single articles.Originality/valueThis case study of the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute experience should be useful to others for deciding their activities to access e‐journals as well as the library community in general
Developing and evaluating an IT specification extraction system
Authors: Yang Chyan , Chen Liang‐Chu , Peng Chun‐Yen 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to establish an extraction system for an information technology (IT) product specification named ITSIES which combines the natural language process (NLP) with the ontology concept and also to evaluate the system's effectiveness in advance.Design/methodology/approachThe development of the system is based on a prototype design and performance validation. This study adopts four classes of IT specification (PC, Unix server, Monitor, and Printer) that follow IBM's and HP's product lines as the baseline information in order to construct the extraction system in GATE (General Architecture for Text Engineering) tools and to examine the IT product specification with other brands and patterns. Additionally indices are adopted such as precision, recall, and F‐measure as the matrices for evaluating system performance.FindingsThe performance shows that the average recall, precision, and F‐measure are all over 90 per cent, revealing that the JAPE (Java Annotation Patterns Engine) grammar rules in the IT domain are reasonably good and generally in line with expectations.Originality/valueThe paper proposes an integrative framework to examine IT product specification information and demonstrates that the system is effective for IT application.
Managing information and technology: critical roles for librarians in developing countries
Authors: Obiora Omekwu Charles 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe paper sets out to provide a critical overview of the contribution of information technology to the current shift from information to knowledge processing. It situates that shift in the context of the management challenges for librarians from the developing countries.Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted was to review the development challenges of developing countries, the in‐trends information handling and the transition from information to knowledge management systems. The next approach was to examine statistically, the internet usage status and information and communication technology facilities in Africa. Based on the data provided and discussed the final approach was to draw up critical roles for developing countries' librarians in the knowledge age.FindingsThe findings indicate the abysmal state of internet usage and ICT facilities in Africa in particular and the rest of the developing countries in general.Research limitations/implicationsLibrarians will be called upon to provide authentic and reliable information, evolve strategic alliances, participate in network activities and contribute to the bridging of the digital divide. They will emerge as technology experts, guides, scouts, researchers, analysts, knowledge engineers, editors, navigators, gatekeepers, brokers and asset managers. Conclusively, librarians will need to acquire new skills to access net resources, and develop new strategies and services to meet the challenges of the knowledge age.Originality/valueThe results and discussions imply that it is critically important for information professionals from developing countries to begin to re‐evaluate their roles in terms of how they contribute to the management of technology and information in the knowledge age. They must participate in information and knowledge creation, undertake information resources documentation, provide an information identification service and evolve new means of resource preservation.
E‐books: how to make them work: a seminar organised by the Multimedia Information and Technology Group (North West) on 10 November 2004 at Liverpool John Moores University
Authors: Allen Stephanie , Bucknell Terry 
Published: January 2007

PurposeAims to provide a review of the seminar which concentrated on the developments in e‐books within higher education and the lead taken by this sector in the development of e‐book practice.Design/methodology/approachThe article is based on the proceedings of the seminar.FindingsConcludes that the future challenges for e‐books include the need to find ways of getting users to choose library resources before the web; the need for libraries to improve awareness of new e‐resources; and the need to work closely with academics to embed e‐books in VLEs.Originality/valueProvides some useful insights into the development of e‐books within the higher education community.
“Beyond the photocopy machine” revisited: document delivery in a digital library environment
Authors: Dehlez Paula , de Leeuwe Just , Dekker Ronald 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo discuss the recent strategic developments of Library at TU Delft.Design/methodology/approachDevelopments at TU Delft are contrasted with the five key requirements for document delivery identified in an earlier article in 2001.FindingsThat the strategy in most libraries is to evolve rapidly to a digital library as far as possible. That there is still an important role for libraries as document suppliers. That much discussion between libraries and suppliers will be necessary in order to give document delivery a stable position within the digital library.Originality/valueGives an insight into the working and thinking of a major European document supplier operating from the Technical University in Delft.
FIZ AutoDoc: a web‐based full‐text broker service
Authors: Detemple Wendelin , Herlan Gerhard , Keil Ulrike 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo describe the services offered by FIZ Karlsruhe.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive.FindingsFIZ AutoDoc is suitable for end‐users without specific knowledge of document delivery services. The depth of integrating FIZ AutoDoc into a company's full‐text supply and the degree of using it are arbitrary and depend on each company's specific situation. The whole spectrum of sci‐tech literature is made available: journal articles, reports, patent documents, books, etc., whatever publishers and scientific libraries offer. The usage via a portal on the web, integrated in intranets, or linked with other information providers' systems, makes FIZ AutoDoc the solution for all full‐text requirements.Originality/valueProvides an insider description of an important document supplier both in Germany and internationally which uses the collections of other libraries to satisfy customer demand. Some trend statistics of demand are given.
Between open access and copyright: document supply in France
Authors: Schöpfel Joachim 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe article aims to provide an update on the situation of document supply and interlibrary loan in France in the first months of 2005. The main topic is open access to scientific information.Design/methodology/approachDescribes open access, consortial purchasing, national archives, portals, electronic delivery and legal issues. Some evidence is given on the impact of electronic journals on document supply.FindingsIn the France of 2005, the legal environment and the (science, technical and medical) STM lobby continue to strengthen the position of rights‐holders (publishers) and to increase restrictions and prices of access to scientific information, fixing unrealistic copyright fees around a US$30 level.Originality/valueProvides international interlending and document supply (ILDS) practitioners with intelligence on the current developments in interlending and document supply in France.
A new approach towards a national inter‐library loan system in The Netherlands: introducing VDX
Authors: Braun Paula , Hörnig Leo , Visser Friso 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to describe the development and implementation of a new service, (zoek&boek), that provides the Dutch public with a resource that allows them to search and request items from regional, provincial and national catalogues should their request be unavailable from their local library. The new digital system is able to handle both the logistic and cost considerations involved. By checking holdings and availability of the requested item, a rota is drawn up listing the libraries that can supply the item, whilst also considering the maximum cost a customer is prepared to pay for their request.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive approach is provided.FindingsThe article finds that Zoek&boek will be implemented during 2006 and available for public use from the autumn. A number of issues relevant to establishing a cultural shift in attitudes to resource sharing are discussed and the article looks at the resulting increased efficiency of such a collaborative approach, as well as the hurdles to be overcome in order to achieve the final implementation. In this project, a layered network was established consisting of a national organisation and national, provincial and local players. Key considerations of the initiative were national vs provincial and local requirements, multi‐system integration using standards, resource sharing policies, ease of use for customers, authentication policies, logistical and cost implications, and the requirement for a stable and versatile system.Originality/valueOf particular importance to public librarians internationally. This service goes well beyond what is available in most countries in giving direct access to regional and national resources for the individual citizen.
Implementing a collaborative digital repository: the dCollection experience in South Korea
Authors: Shin Eun‐Ja 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to describe the background, purpose, and achievement of the digital repository, dCollection, which preserves the research outputs of colleges and universities in South Korea. dCollection is a platform designed to assist college and university libraries in creating, managing, and maintaining digital collections.Design/methodology/approachThe article describes the experience of dCollection.FindingsThe findings describe several strategies to develop a nationwide digital repository taking into consideration the research outputs of colleges and universities in South Korea. One strategy is to encourage several large‐sized university libraries to participate as partners at the beginning of the project since they can be more influential than smaller ones to successfully set the project in motion. Another strategy is to provide advantages for small‐sized college and university libraries to participate in a collaborative digital repository without any additional expenditure. Small‐sized college and university libraries should be able to upload metadata and full texts to the KERIS server without the purchase of hardware and software and they can create and access a collaborative digital repository for free. Nationwide access of dCollection is valuable as it encourages both large and small college and university libraries to join in the project.Originality/valueThe article shares dCollection experiences with the wider community and to guide the best practices in the development of a national and global digital repository.
Our digital world and the important influences on document supply
Authors: McGrath Mike 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to identify and evaluate the influences acting upon document supply today.Design/methodology/approachThe article provides an analytical approach.FindingsIt is clear that paid for document supply will continue to decline for some time.Research limitations/implicationsThe article is based on desk research and hence cannot provide specific answers to some of the issues raised.Practical implicationsThe article demonstrates the need for document supply practitioners to consider their changing role and for document suppliers to consider the implications of a shrinking market.Originality/valueA broader view is given of the document supply market than is normally given and based upon the extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of the author.