The Standing Conference of Eastern, Central, and Southern African Library Associations (SCECSAL) XXIII 2018: lessons learned

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 6-9
Author(s):  
Adefunke O. Alabi
Keyword(s):  
Information Exchange ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
National Development ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Associations ◽  
Sustainable Developmental Goals

Purpose This paper reports on highpoints of some of what emerged at the XXIII Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern African Library Associations (SCECSAL) conference held in Entebbe, Uganda. It presents narratives that evolved from selected presentations from over 40 papers scheduled for presentation at the conference and experiences of librarians working with people in different libraries within or outside the SCECSAL region in line with the theme of the conference. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain lessons learned by delegates at the conference, session delegates found most memorable, number of times respondents have been to SCECSAL and intent to attend the SCECSAL conference again. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents viewpoints from the conference and adopts a quantitative approach to ascertain specific lessons learned by delegates. The survey method was used to obtain data from library and information services (LIS) professionals who attended the conference. The population for the study was drawn from delegates met by the author at the conference. An online questionnaire created with the SurveyMonkey software was used for data collection. In total, 60 delegates were invited to voluntarily participate in the survey. A nine-item questionnaire was emailed to respondents. Of all, 27 people responded within the time limit for the study, giving a total response rate of 45 per cent. Findings Findings revealed that over half of the respondents were attending SCECSAL for the first time. Respondents indicated that the sessions that were the most memorable were Inclusive Library and Information Services for National Development; SDGs and Library and Information Services in the SCECSAL region; and Indigenous knowledge and the preservation of cultural heritage. LIS professionals who participated at the conference dispersed with the following lessons among others: there is need for inclusive LIS and domestication the Marrakesh Treaty. Another lesson is that librarians have a major role to play in the attainment of the United Nations 2030 agenda on sustainable developmental goals (SDGs). Originality/value With SCECSAL, LIS professionals in southern, eastern and central Africa are increasingly gaining access to information, exchange of ideas, skills and collaboration in the region. However, the future of the LIS sector depends on the determination by delegates to put into practice all the lessons that have been learned so as to meet the needs of the community where they find themselves. The XXIII SCECSAL has exposed LIS professionals in the region and beyond to services and trends that should be embraced in the SCECSAL region and beyond. This paper implies that effort put into organising the SCECSAL conference is worthwhile.

Integrating Wikipedia in the Information Service Space

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Ngozi Perpetua Osuchukwu ◽  
Grace Temilolu Ikenna ◽  
Nelly Gospel Godwin ◽  
Adefunke Sarah Ebijuwa ◽  
Olatunji Sunday Olabisi
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Learning Resources ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Input And Output

This chapter examined the input and output of WikiAfLibs training, the struggles, and lessons learned. The study used spidergram design of 5Ws and 1H (who, what, where, why, when, and how). Instruments used were online questionnaire and FGD. The participants were librarians in the #WikiAfLibs Cohort 1 drawn from Anglophone countries. It was discovered that live sessions, office hours, and learning resources were mostly favored among the activities (39% and 33%, respectively). Respondents used personal data subscriptions (75%) and received the training from their homes. Some have joined Wikipedia communities in their countries and have received funds. They struggled with cost of data subscription, fear of internet disruption, and not meeting the deadline of the assignments. They agreed that Wikipedia would give librarians more visibility, enrich services, and build partnerships. The findings imply that librarians' full embrace of Wikipedia will add value to information services. The study concluded that librarians should integrate Wikipedia in information service delivery.

Self-management and information services delivery of library and information science professionals in federal universities in Nigeria

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 454-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ucha Mbofung
Keyword(s):  
Personal Development ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Services Delivery

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on ongoing research examining the current level of self-management of library and information science (LIS) professionals in federal universities in Nigeria. The long-term objective of the study is to determine the effect of self-management on information services delivery of LIS professionals. Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive survey method was adopted to gather data from the LIS professionals in the selected 24 universities. The questionnaire was administered on 429 professionals (census) and all were received, processed, analysed and the results presented. Findings – The study reveals that majority of respondents have high level of self-management and applied relevant strategies that enabled them identify opportunities and act on them for personal and professional growth. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to practising professionals in the federal university libraries but has implications for implementing continuing professional development for all professionals in similar institutions across Nigeria. Practical implications – The study places emphasis on professionals, library management and library schools that they cannot downplay the relevance of self-management in the workplace, consequently training should be ongoing. Originality/value – The future of LIS professionals has not been viewed in the light of adopting self-management competence on such a broad scale, and with a view to assessing how this skill can help change the perception of professionals to its relevant contribution to personal development and professional growth.

Civic engagement through restaurant review page in Facebook: a structural equation modelling approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
A.K.M. Zaidi Satter ◽  
Arif Mahmud ◽  
Ashikur Rahman ◽  
Imran Mahmud ◽  
Rozina Akter
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Structural Equation Modelling ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
National Development ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Equation Modelling

Purpose Existing literature affirms that almost half of the young generation has remained unemployed worldwide. On the contrary civic engagement can be a powerful tool in combating this problem. However, the influencing factors that encourage the active participation of young adults yet to be identified. The purpose of this paper is to fill the research gap by creating and validating a research model by including three motives social presence commitment and online offline civic engagement. Design/methodology/approach The study took a quantitative approach to conduct a cross-sectional study. In total, 214 data were collected from the member of a Facebook group of Bangladesh named Foodbank, a restaurant review page through the online questionnaire. After that structural equation modelling techniques have been used to analyse the data, test the model validity and hypothesis. Findings The result shows that both commitment and social presence influence offline and online civic engagement. Excitement motives have a higher effect than information and convenience motive. Besides, 8 out of 10 hypotheses have shown significant results, with only the convenience motive not having any positive influence and effect on social presence and commitment. Practical implications Almost 47.6 out of 158.5 million are young people who are incapable of contributing fully to national development due to a lack of civic engagement. The outcome of this study will be useful for the Government of Bangladesh, as well as for non-governmental organisations and decision-making authorities to form assessments and develop policy on how to engage the young generation in civic activities to achieve further socio-economic development in the country. Originality/value This study contributes to existing literature with newly developed relationships between social presence-civic engagement and commitment-civic engagement. These unique relationships have been empirically tested and resulted insignificant. The study also identifies that it is vital to engage young people more in social works and increase their participation in offline and online activities.

Impact of CSR on consumer behavior of Bahraini women in the cosmetics industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 174-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatema Shabib ◽  
Subhadra Ganguli
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Buying Behavior ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Women Consumers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) awareness on the attitudes of Bahraini women consumers in the age group of 18-55 and their buying behavior toward cosmetics products. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative method is used for focusing on Bahraini women consumers aged between 18-55 years. Primary data comprising consumer’s buying behavior and attitudes were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using software like SPSS and Microsoft Office Excel. Findings The empirical findings revealed that Bahraini women are not aware of CSR. This lack of awareness leads to the exclusion of CSR as a factor in their purchase decisions. However, the awareness of CSR can become a reason for avoiding purchase of specific cosmetics when the consumer discovers that the producer has been involved in socially irresponsible business practices. Moreover, Bahraini women do not seek CSR-related information voluntarily from the cosmetics industry. Research limitations/implications This research paper is subject to sample size limitations; it focuses on women of a specific age group using cosmetics and is limited to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Survey method was used as the only primary data collection method. Practical implications This research provides a clear picture of how consumers behave in the absence of any or very little awareness of CSR. It can benefit cosmetics companies, both existing and new, for adopting future long-term marketing strategies to create public awareness of CSR. Social implications This research highlights the importance of raising awareness of CSR in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the possible implications of such activities on consumers’ purchases of cosmetics products. Originality/value This paper contributes significantly toward information regarding Bahraini consumers’ lack of awareness of CSR and sheds light on consumers’ behavior toward cosmetics products in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

scholarly journals THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF ATTITUDE ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN WHATSAPP USAGE, KNOWLEDGE, AND BEHAVIORAL IMPACT

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (21) ◽  
pp. 160-181
Author(s):  
Md Saydul Haque ◽  
Saodah Wok
Keyword(s):  
Information Exchange ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
High Level ◽  
Behavioral Impact

With millions of users worldwide, WhatsApp has truly become an outstanding and one of the quickest developing information exchange platforms that the modern world has ever seen. The application offers many useful features to people all around the world. More specifically, its use has remarkably changed how lecturers and students communicate and share information. With this in mind, this study attempts to investigate the effect of WhatsApp usage in a tertiary educational institution in Malaysia. The specific objectives of the study are to determine the level of usage, attitude, knowledge, and behavioral impact of WhatsApp communication; to analyze the relationships between behavioral impact, usage, knowledge, and attitude in using WhatsApp communication; and to test the mediating effect of attitude on the relationships between WhatsApp usage, knowledge, and behavioral impact. The underlying theory used in this study is the media richness theory. The study employed the quantitative research design with the survey method and online questionnaire as the research instrument for data collection. A total of 161 respondents from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) participated in the study. The results revealed a high level of WhatsApp usage, a positive attitude, high knowledge, and a positive behavioral impact of WhatsApp communication among IIUM postgraduate students. Attitude partially mediated the relationships of WhatsApp usage and knowledge with behavioral impact.

Promoting library and information services in a digital age in Zimbabwe

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-18
Author(s):  
Blessing Chiparausha ◽  
Josiline Phiri Chigwada
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Digital Environment ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reading Culture ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Life Education ◽  
Life Work

Purpose This study aims to demonstrate how librarians in Zimbabwe are promoting library and information services in a digital environment. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire administered using SurveyMonkey was used to gather data from the participants who comprised 14 academic, one public, three school and three special librarians. Findings The study confirms that there is competition for the attention of the citizens who have social media, television, social life, work, family life, education, and so on before them. Despite the challenges being faced, librarians in the country are prepared to promote their services and are therefore using a number of strategies to promote the use of library and information services. Originality/value Promoting library and information services is important considering the waning reading culture in Zimbabwe. The paper recommends possible ways of promoting reading culture in the digital age through the use of library and information services.

Online LIS teaching and learning during COVID-19 in Nigeria: a study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chukwuma Clement Okeji ◽  
Juliet Chinedu Alex-Nmecha
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Electronic Teaching ◽  
Teaching Learning

Purpose The purpose of the study is to investigate the use of social media platforms in teaching/learning in the period of lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a survey method and an online questionnaire was designed using SurveyMonkey for data collection from students in the Department of Library and Information Science (LIS) in some universities in Nigeria. In total, 1,290 students and five lecturers participated in the survey from five universities in Nigeria. To supplement the data from the questionnaire, the five LIS lecturers were engaged in an interview. Findings The study found that Zoom and WhatsApp were used by the lecturers to deliver lectures to their students. Lecturers are always available, the opportunity to store lectures and files for re-use at convenience, allows for collaborative learning, sharing learning materials, freedom in asking lecturer questions and conducive learning at home were mentioned as some of the benefits of receiving an online lecture. Some challenges associated with electronic teaching and learning were also identified. The LIS lecturers interviewed mentioned some benefits and challenges of engaging in electronic teaching during the period of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Practical implications The research offered educators an additional method for teaching and learning in situations where physical contacts are not possible. Because electronic learning platforms are free and can be used at liberty, they require self-discipline and more responsibility from students and lecturers, which might be a challenge. It requires lecturers to generate new skills, be cognitively sensitive and well-sequenced. Social implications Teacher/students relationship can be improved significantly with the use of social media platforms for teaching and learning. Originality/value The study reported the use of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Zoom in the teaching/learning process in the university system in a developing country context.

An assessment of the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Bangladesh

2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 48-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Uzzal Hossain ◽  
Md Arman Hossain ◽  
Md Shariful Islam
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Bangladesh. It aimed at determining the information sources, preferred information format, frequency of seeking information and access to information and communication technology and online information services by the MPs. The study also intended to assess the role of parliament library for satisfying the information needs of the MPs. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was adopted for data collection; the respondents were interviewed by the researchers with the guidance of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was read out for the respondents and filled up by the interviewers based on the answers they received. Fifty MPs were selected for the study using simple random sampling. The data were analysed with the help of weighted mean. Findings The study found that the MPs mainly seek information to make a parliamentary request/inquiry, to make a speech and to make a decision. The most important sources of information were minutes of sessions, mass media, personal letters and information networks; and they preferred printed formats rather than online documents. The result also showed that only a few MPs were aware of the information services provided by the parliament library and were satisfied with the services they received. Originality/value There has been no study carried out on the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of MPs in Bangladesh prior to this research. The study will help the policymakers to improve the library services for MPs in Bangladesh.

Information literacy at work

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 760-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdus Sattar Chaudhry ◽  
Sarah Al-Mahmud
Keyword(s):  
Information Management ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to investigate the information behaviour of Kuwaiti engineers with a focus on information sources and finding information from these sources, management of information found and re-finding of information from personal collections. Design/methodology/approach – Survey method of research was used to conduct the study. Data were collected using online questionnaire and interviews with a selected number of participants. Findings – Results indicated that engineers collected and received information from a variety of sources. They saved selected information for future use in folders and structured them by using work-related categories. Use of information management tools was not common. A majority of participants expressed the need for training courses in information literacy. They felt that lack of institutional support to facilitate access to information was considered a major difficulty in information seeking. Originality/value – No similar study could be found in the literature, as earlier studies either investigated personal information management practices or information seeking behaviour. This study looked at information literacy in a wider context.

scholarly journals The smart library project

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 535-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruslan Aleksandrovich Baryshev ◽  
Sergey Vladimirovich Verkhovets ◽  
Olga Ivanovna Babina
Keyword(s):  
Information Exchange ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Digital Storage ◽  
Automated Learning ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Typical Type ◽  
Social Use ◽  
Personal Accounts

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the phenomenon of smart libraries, which began in the 2000s, alongside the development of computer technology, digital storage the internet and human–computer interactions. The smart library is a system of library and information services developed to support research and training activity. This paper describes the need to introduce innovative library and information services at universities through users’ personal accounts. Design/methodology/approach An analysis of more than 200 publications mainly written by foreign scientists was conducted, given the dearth of Russian literature on the smart library and its services. The analysis revealed that in Western countries, the term smart library represents a wide range of meanings – from the understanding that it is a typical type of networking to assumptions about the total services provided by libraries in an urban environment. Findings The paper presents a review of both classical library services and those that are focused on the needs of modern education and science. Research limitations/implications The research results may be the best limited to university libraries. Practical implications The research results have practical use in the Library and Publishing Complex of the Siberian Federal University. Consequently, a new library information environment has been developed and integrated into the university’s information space. Social implications The research results have social use in Siberian Federal University. The personal account can be regarded as a functioning system of interaction and information exchange among the automated systems of the Library and Publishing Complex, automated learning management system and integrated educational environment. Originality/value This paper presents a certain set of technical solutions and some services available through personal accounts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document