Developing an open source mobile app in library services: the case of a national university in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab Ajab Mohideen ◽  
Arslan Sheikh ◽  
Kiran Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
User Acceptance ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Acceptance Test ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National University ◽  
System Acceptance ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose A surge of library activities and technological advances have increased the demand for data accuracy and agility among library clientele. Therefore, novel approaches are needed to extend library services. This paper aims to introduce the implementation of a prototype mobile library application (app) designed using an in-house open source system, Koha. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a case study using a metamorphosis process to create mobile apps. This case study is tested based on the library services with a set of activities during the system acceptance test (SAT) and also user acceptance test (UAT). An application programming interface (API) used to support two-way communication, including system-to-component and system-to-system connectivity. The design, features and advantages of this mobile app are discussed, illustrated and analyzed. The case study reports the mobile app version development from the Koha Open Source Library Information System. Findings The app was tested using user acceptance test (UAT) and system acceptance test (SAT) by library staffs who found it functional, accessible, appealing and useful. Features such as Online Public Access Catalog search, library collection scanning, patron accounts, patron personal book collection, circulation, librarian chat, QR codes for borrowing books, social media integration and notifications of library activities and events were successfully tested. This process was useful for the creation of a mobile app based on the existing library System-Koha Open Source System. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to a case study of a national university in Malaysia. Practical implications This study has some practical implications for implementing library mobile applications, e.g. it will encourage librarians to implement library applications in libraries. Originality/value This study is useful for mobile developers and libraries that plan to offer mobile library services to their patrons. This paper presents a case study of metamorphosis existing process of library open source System-Koha Open Source System.

Library automation with cloud based ILMS Librarika: case study of Central University of South Bihar

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 13-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayank Yuvaraj
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Management ◽  
Library Automation ◽  
Evaluative Study ◽  
Data Ownership ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to carry out an evaluative study of the cloud-based integrated library management solution (ILMS): Librarika. Design/methodology/approach An evaluation checklist was designed from the review of existing ILMSs as well as literature review. The checklist was distributed to the library staff of the Central University of South Bihar. Findings Librarika was found to be comparable with existing open-source ILMSs but lacked transparency of data. Librarika had all the features of the commonly available open-source ILMSs, like KOHA. However, respondents pointed out that Librarika had a better circulation module and online public access catalogue (OPAC) features compared to other ILMSs. Concerns over data ownership, migration and portability in the cloud were considered as the major bottlenecks in its adoption. Practical implications The study will help other libraries in decision-making who are considering Librarika for their ILMSs. Originality/value Till date, no evaluative study has been carried out on any cloud-based ILMS.

Scholars and learners: a case study of new library spaces at Indiana University

2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 35-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Dallis
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Bring Your Own Device ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Indiana University ◽  
Planning Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This case study aims to describe the renovations and intended functions for rooms; explain the different design approaches implemented for the different end-user populations; provide an overview of traditional, new and non-library services for which spaces were designed; briefly explain training and planning; and describe the spaces and services that function well and those that do not. Indiana University Libraries completed two significant renovations in late 2014. They renovated the Learning Commons, which is a 27,000 square feet (SQF) facility designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students, and they created the Scholars’ Commons, which is a 15,000 SQF facility supporting graduate student and faculty research. Design/methodology/approach – Both spaces were thoughtfully designed to support new and traditional library services, as well as services supported by non-library units. Staff training and service planning took place during the construction process, with the goal of having outstanding services operating on opening day. Findings – The goal of creating flexible space was achieved, but it presents organizational and staffing challenges. Libraries seeking to create multifunctional environments must consider the practical implications of daily operation and use of such spaces. Research limitations/implications – This case study describes two library environments that are in their first year of operation and the assessment of the use and impact is underway. The stage of the work limits the research to be reported upon. Practical implications – The spaces described provide very practical information for other academic libraries that seek to renovate spaces and provide innovative services. Originality/value – Academic libraries that are in the planning stage of a learning space should take note of the variety of spaces, strategies for working with cavernous spaces, use of natural light and “bring-your-own-device” interior designs. In addition, the service hub model implemented in the Scholars’ Commons is a unique approach for digital scholarship centers.

Discovery tools as electronic billboards to market your library

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 10-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven David Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Library Services ◽  
State University ◽  
Interlibrary Loan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Discovery Service ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The aim of this article is to describes Sprague Library’s experience in using EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) to market library services and resources in order to draw conclusions for other institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Uses the case study of Montclair State University in developing a strategy for using Discovery Tools as a library promotional tool. Also includes examples from other institutions. Findings – EDS (and other Discovery Services) can be helpful in highlighting library resources and services that may go unnoticed. Studies show a correlation between discovery tools and increased Interlibrary Loan (ILL) activity so it’s important to promote services like ILL within your discovery service. Practical implications – With a reasonable effort, libraries can use discovery tools to provide additional modes of communication with users. Originality/value – Highlights some of Sprague Library’s unique efforts in utilizing EDS to promote library resources and services.

scholarly journals Responding to COVID-19 in an African university: the case the National University of Lesotho library

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Buhle Mbambo-Thata
Keyword(s):  
Digital Libraries ◽  
Digital Content ◽  
Library Services ◽  
African Countries ◽  
New Normal ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Services ◽  
National University ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the National University of Lesotho Library’s shift to supporting of contact teaching to e-learning because of COVID-19. The university library increased access to digital content and broadened digital services. Design/methodology/approach This case study is based on reflective practice methodology in which practitioners learn from their practice, reflect and adapt to change as they improve on their practice. The library team members were reflective participants in the transformation of library services from on-site to digital services. The main research questions are “How did the digital libraries meet the needs of the digital community?” and “What will be the new normal after COVID-19 experience in digital libraries and their communities?” The literature review juxtaposes reports on transformation of library services to digital services. Findings The library transformed from on-site to digital services library. It also reports on observed increase in databases usage during lockdown. Research limitations/implications The nature of a case study is limited by time and geography. Practical implications This paper has implications and possible applications for other university libraries in African countries that are resources constrained such as Lesotho. Originality/value This paper makes a valuable contribution to lessons on how African universities’ libraries respond to pandemics such as COVID-19. It speaks to the need to strengthen existing infrastructure and digital content, while ensuring the library staff and the university community adapts to the new normal.

Corporate acceleration process: a systems psychodynamics perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1163-1180
Author(s):  
Piotr Wójcik ◽  
Krzysztof Obłój ◽  
Aleksandra Wąsowska ◽  
Szymon Wierciński
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Acceleration Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Social Defenses ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the emotional dynamics of the corporate acceleration process, using the systems psychodynamics perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies inductive multiple case study of embedded 10 cases of corporate acceleration, covering both incumbent and startup perspectives, occurring in the context of a corporate accelerator.FindingsWe find that (1) the process of corporate acceleration involves three phases, each of them is dominated by a different emotional state (hope, anxiety and acceptance), triggering different behavioral responses; (2) as a means to deal with negative emotions, entrepreneurs and corporate acceleration program's team members develop different mechanisms of dealing with contradictories in subsequent acceleration phases (defense and copying mechanisms), which are reflected in their behaviors. Coping mechanisms with goal reformulation (i.e. refocus from the officially declared “open innovation” goals toward mainly symbolic ones) is an effective strategy to manage negative emotions in third phase of the acceleration.Research limitations/implicationsOur sample is limited to two relatively similar accelerators established by telecom companies, and therefore, our theoretical and practical conclusions cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsWe supplement the studies of corporate accelerators that imply how to design them better and improve decision-making rules with recommendation that in order to improve their effectiveness in terms of learning and innovations, their managers need not only to learn how to manage structural and procedural differences but also how to overcome social defenses triggered by corporate–startups cooperation.Originality/valueBy documenting a multidimensional impact of acceleration process, and especially shedding light on psychodynamic aspects behind such liaisons, this paper contributes to richer understanding of corporate–startup relationships, typically examined through a rationalistic lens of strategy literature. The study contributes to interorganizational research and open innovation literature, by showing that corporate acceleration process is marked by phases based on the type of emotions intertwined with the nature and dynamism of its life cycle. It indicates how these emotions are managed depending on their type.

scholarly journals Sinabung volcano: how culture shapes community resilience

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-303
Author(s):  
Marta Mori ◽  
Ronan McDermott ◽  
Saut Sagala ◽  
Yasmina Wulandari
Keyword(s):  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aid Dependency ◽  
Relief Operations ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Cultural Experts ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put affected people and their context at the core of any interventions. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the Mt Sinabung volcano area in Indonesia was undertaken. As part of the case study, an analysis of interventions was conducted, which was complemented by semi-structured interviews with Karo cultural experts and humanitarian organisations. Findings Culture influences the manner in which the Karo people react to volcano eruptions with varying implications for recovery. In addition, relief organisations which understand people’s actions through a cultural lens have better managed to tailor programs with long-term impact, thereby avoiding aid dependency. Practical implications Practical examples of disaster management activities that adequately account for the beneficiaries’ way of living prior to the eruptions are provided. Aid actors are provided with guidance concerning how to better tailor their activities in line with a cultural lens. Originality/value The study provides empirical grounding for claims concerning the role of culture in planning interventions in Indonesia and other similar contexts.

The deputy principal instructional leadership role and professional learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Leaf ◽  
George Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Team Building ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Instructional Leaders ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a study examining the perceptions of secondary principals, deputies and teachers, of deputy principal (DP) instructional leadership (IL), as well as deputies’ professional learning (PL) needs. Framed within an interpretivist approach, the specific objectives of this study were: to explore the extent to which DPs are perceived as leaders of learning, to examine the actual responsibilities of these DPs and to explore the PL that support DP roles. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used multiple perspective case studies which included semi-structured interviews and key school document analysis. A thematic content analysis facilitated qualitative descriptions and insights from the perspectives of the principals, DPs and teachers of four high-performing secondary schools in Sydney, Australia. Findings The data revealed that deputies performed a huge range of tasks; all the principals were distributing leadership to their deputies to build leadership capacity and supported their PL in a variety of ways. Across three of the case study schools, most deputies were frequently performing as instructional leaders, improving their school’s performance through distributing leadership, team building and goal setting. Deputy PL was largely dependent on principal mentoring and self-initiated but was often ad hoc. Findings add more validity to the importance of principals building the educational leadership of their deputies. Research limitations/implications This study relied upon responses from four case study schools. Further insight into the key issues discussed may require a longitudinal data that describe perceptions from a substantial number of schools in Australia over time. However, studying only four schools allowed for an in-depth investigation. Practical implications The findings from this study have practical implications for system leaders with responsibilities of framing the deputies’ role as emergent educational leaders rather than as administrators and the need for coherent, integrated, consequential and systematic approaches to DP professional development. Further research is required on the effect of deputy IL on school performance. Originality/value There is a dearth of research-based evidence exploring the range of responsibilities of deputies and perceptions of staff about deputies’ IL role and their PL needs. This is the first published New South Wales, Australian DP study and adds to the growing evidence around perceptions of DPs as instructional leaders by providing an Australian perspective on the phenomenon. The paper raises important concerns about the complexity of the DP’s role on the one hand, and on the other hand, the PL that is perceived to be most appropriate for dealing with this complexity.

scholarly journals Innovation and cross-functional teams

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 84-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Marasquini Stipp ◽  
Márcio Lopes Pimenta ◽  
Daniel Jugend
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Tax Management ◽  
Functional Teams ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The aim of this paper is to characterize how innovation may happen through cross-functional teams (CFT) in an organization of the public sector. Design/methodology/approach A case study helped to characterize several behavior patterns, team structures and respective links with generating innovation in internal processes and public answering contexts. Findings The results highlight that formal-temporary teams present a higher capacity to generate incremental innovation in products, whereas permanent-informal teams have a higher capacity to generate innovation in the internal processes and public answering contexts. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this research relate to the fact that this is a single case study, and although it is an important case to examine innovation and CFTs, by its very nature, it is not possible to extend and generalize the obtained data to other organizations. The evaluation of its propositions was merely qualitative, and future research is needed to validate its characteristics. Practical implications Several settings of CFTs are presented, as well as their ability to generate different types of innovation, such as the computerization of documents, petitions and papers, which decreases the time to answer the taxpayer. Moreover, CFTs can help to create products, such as computer programs that can be used not only locally but also in several public organizations related to tax management. Originality/value The field research provides the perceptions of the respondents regarding CFT characteristics that can lead to specific types of innovation, as well as the types of products or services that can be generated by these processes.

Delivering a shared library management system for Wales

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 385-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Wyn Owen
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Library Management ◽  
First Case ◽  
Library Management System ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose A case study of the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) project to procure and implement a shared library management system (LMS) for all universities in Wales, together with the National Health Service Libraries in Wales and the National Library of Wales. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to explore the drivers to this collaboration, outline the benefits achieved and the framework to realise further benefits. Design/methodology/approach Case study review of the process, together with a review of literature on consortia and LMSs. Findings WHELF has developed into a more mature consortium through procuring and implementing a shared LMS. The process has delivered tangible benefits and is driving more work to realise further benefits. Research limitations/implications As the WHELF Shared LMS project is only nearing the end of the implementation phase, many of the anticipated operational benefits cannot be reported. Practical implications Useful case study for other consortia or potential consortia. Originality/value WHELF is in vanguard of consortia developments in the UK, and this is the first case study of the project.

Size does matter – span of control in hospitals

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Holm-Petersen ◽  
Sussanne Østergaard ◽  
Per Bo Noergaard Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Leadership Capacity ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Span Of Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontline Leaders ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Centralization, mergers and cost reductions have generally led to increasing levels of span of control (SOC), and thus potentially to lower leadership capacity. The purpose of this paper is to explore how a large SOC impacts hospital staff and their leaders. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a qualitative explorative case study of three large inpatient wards. Findings The study finds that the nursing staff and their frontline leaders experience challenges in regard to visibility and role of the leader, e.g., in creating overview, coordination, setting-up clear goals, following up and being in touch. However, large wards also provide flexibility and development possibilities. Practical implications The authors discuss the implications of these findings for decision makers in deciding future SOC and for future SOC research. Originality/value Only few studies have qualitatively explored the consequences of large SOC in hospitals.

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