Academic libraries in Romania

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 625-634
Author(s):  
Octavia-Luciana Madge
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
Medium Level ◽  
The Way

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the results obtained from a study on cooperation, collaboration and partnerships between academic libraries in Romania.Design/methodology/approachThe study is limited to the answers received from interviews with 11 of the 15 invited directors/heads of academic libraries from Romanian universities, but the findings can be extrapolated to assess the overall situation in this country.FindingsThe results’ analysis indicates that 73 percent of the participants (8 participants) consider cooperation in the activities of Romanian academic libraries as being at a low to medium level. National cooperation can be found only in relation to access to electronic information resources. Collaboration between libraries and other departments and services within universities exists, but collaboration with students and the teaching staff is less developed. Despite the small number of partnerships and collaborative projects in which Romanian academic libraries are involved, there is a desire to further develop such activities.Originality/valueThe study is the first of its kind undertaken in Romania and paves the way for further research on this issue.

Micro factors influencing use of electronic information resources among postgraduate students in institutions of higher learning in Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisha Ondieki Makori
Keyword(s):  
Return On Investment ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
The University

Purpose – To purpose of this paper is to evaluate micro-factors influencing use of electronic information resources among postgraduate students in institutions of higher learning in Kenya, and suggest strategies to enhance and improve the utilization of these vital sources in the university learning environments. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses document or desk review analysis, professional opinions and ideas and case examples regarding utilization of electronic information resources. Findings – The study indicates how practices such as information literacy and learning skills, consultative or partnership meetings, use of portable brochures and guides, research, teaching and learning approaches, seminar and workshop trainings, public relations and attitudes influence the use of electronic information resources. Among the strategic measures that are instrumental for effective utilization of these vital knowledge resources, it is the ability to provide tailor-made programmes targeting postgraduate students and reaching out or going to where the students are through regular meetings and social media advertisements and announcements. limitations/implications – This study is confined to postgraduate students in institutions of higher learning inclusively using document review guides and case examples of utilization and non-utilization of electronic resources. Practical implications – Possible strategies and solutions that enhance and improve use of electronic information resources among the postgraduate students include the need to integrate the use of information communication technology in research, teaching, learning and community services of the university, provision of compulsory literacy programmes to the students and regular partnership meetings with the faculty members, librarians and postgraduate fraternity. Social implications – Widespread use of electronic information resources in universities is proof enough that the libraries are proactively involved in advancement and creation of knowledge among the postgraduate students. One critical aspect of electronic information resources is the ability to facilitate return on investment if only the materials are effectively and efficiently used in supporting the goals and objectives of libraries and universities. These result in higher customer satisfaction, and better return on investment, leading to increased use of information services in the universities. Originality/value – Institutions of higher learning including libraries and universities are in a new dispensation of modernity and post-modernity increasingly dependent on electronic or digital information systems. In the modern knowledge and learning environment, information professionals, postgraduate students and other stakeholders need to agree to the simple rule that electronic information resources are the backbone of academic services in universities perhaps more than ever before. In the academic and educational quest in universities, electronic information resources fundamentally supplements print materials because most universities lack the necessary technological infrastructure.

Ensuring accessibility of electronic information resources for visually impaired people

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanus Andreas Kleynhans ◽  
Ina Fourie
Keyword(s):  
Digital Libraries ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Visually Impaired People ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
Impaired People ◽  
Partially Sighted ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose – The paper addresses the importance of clarifying terminology such as visually impaired and related terms before embarking on accessibility studies of electronic information resources in library contexts. Apart from briefly defining accessibility, the paper attempts to address the lack of in-depth definitions of terms such as visually impaired, blind, partially sighted, etc. that has been noted in the literature indexed by two major Library and Information Science (LIS) databases. The purpose of this paper is to offer a basis for selecting participants in studies of accessibility of electronic information resources in library contexts and to put discussions of such studies in context. Design/methodology/approach – Clarification of concepts concerning visual impairment following a literature survey based on searching two major databases in LIS. To put the discussion in context accessibility is also briefly defined. Findings – Although visually impaired and a variety of related terms such as blind, partially sighted, visually disabled, etc. are used in the LIS literature, hardly any attempt is made to define these terms in depth. This can be a serious limitation in web and electronic accessibility evaluations and the selection of participants. Practical implications – Clearly distinguishing between categories of visually impaired people and the ability of sight of participants is important when selecting participants for studies on accessibility for visually impaired people, e.g. the accessibility evaluation of web sites, digital libraries and other electronic information resources. Originality/value – The paper can make a contribution to the clarification of terminology essential for the selection of participants in accessibility studies, as well as enriching the literature on accessibility for visually impaired people in the context of LIS.

Cyber ethics adherence and the use of electronic information resources by undergraduates in public universities in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Ebiefung ◽  
Airen Adetimirin
Keyword(s):  
Public Universities ◽  
Academic Work ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
Ethics Guidelines ◽  
Cyber Ethics

Purpose This study aims to investigate the adherence to cyber ethics by undergraduates in public universities in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria when using electronic information resources (EIRs). Design/methodology/approach Descriptive survey research design was used for this study. A total of 7,771 undergraduates of University of Uyo (UNIUYO) and Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), Nigeria constitute the study population. The sampling technique used for the study is the multistage technique. A sampling fraction of 5% was used to arrive at a sample size of 389. Findings This study revealed that in UNIUYO, more than four-fifths of the undergraduates – 55 (84.6%) in science, 55 (82.1%) in engineering and 61 (81.3%) in education – noted that they used the internet on a daily basis, and in AKSU, almost all the respondents in science (50, 90.9%) and about four-fifths in engineering (45, 80.4%) observed that they also used the internet on a daily basis for academic work. Adherence to cyber ethics guidelines was high at UNIUYO in education (44.2) and science (43.0) and at AKSU in engineering (42.9) and science (44.7). Practical implications The use of EIRs in universities has brought enormous changes, especially on how information are accessed and used by undergraduates. As EIRs have become important component in university libraries and continuously used by undergraduates for academic work, there is the possibility that frequent accessibility and utilization could increase the chances of unethical usage. This study is therefore significant in taming the tide of abuse and misuse of e-information resources in universities. Originality/value The correlation between adherence to ethics guidelines and the use of EIRs was positively significant at both UNIUYO (r = 0.139*; df = 206; p < 0.05) and AKSU (r = 0.136*; df = 168; p < 0.05). A high level of adherence to cyber ethics by the undergraduates can be encouraged and maintained through the formulation of cyber ethics policy in the universities by academic librarians.

Confronting/Managing the Crisis of Indian Libraries

2018 ◽  
pp. 129-163
Author(s):  
Sumeer Gul ◽  
Sheikh Shueb
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
End Users ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
User Community ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
The Face ◽  
Steep Decline ◽  
Access To Knowledge

Consortia-based initiatives have been launched for pooling electronic information resources on cost-beneficial platforms. The ever-increasing diversified needs of the user community in the face of diminishing budget and increasing cost of resources, consortia based subscription is key to survive for the academic libraries. Consortia are need of the hour for the Indian libraries, as the situation in India is compounded by the devaluation of rupee against the major foreign currencies, resulting in steep decline in procurement of international scholarly journals. As a result, a number of cooperative initiatives have surfaced covering different disciplines and institutions. In view of the importance and mushrooming of consortia, the chapter tries to explore the various initiatives in India for providing access to knowledge under the purview of consortia to the end users.

Impact of advent of electronic information resources on performance of library users

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-143
Author(s):  
Nazir Ahmad Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Remote Access ◽  
User Performance ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Academic Degree ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
Timely Completion ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of advent of electronic information resources on “academic and carrier related core aspects of user performance”. Design/methodology/approach Seven sampled agricultural universities across northern India were surveyed personally by the investigator for collecting data about the questions under investigation through a structured questionnaire. The response of the users for each statement under investigation was collected with simple “Yes”/“No” option. The investigator also resorted to the telephonic and e-mail communication to collect prompt response and had a personal interaction with respondents to substantiate the collected responses and remove any ambiguity thereof. Findings It is found that the majority of respondents are of the opinion that due to advent of e-resources the users’ interest in studies has enhanced (62.90 per cent) and that the e-resources have played a significant role in timely completion/submission of their study related assignments (74.30 per cent). It is also evident that a good proportion of respondents agree that the advent of e-resources has laid a positive impact on performance of users in “academic examinations” (50.80 per cent), “competitive examinations” (52.80 per cent), and the “interviews” (46.18 per cent) they face. Statistically, it is also verified that the performance of users with respect to five aspects investigated in this study is significantly associated with advent of e-resources (p < 0.01), whereas it does not show any association with one aspect i.e. “timely completion of an academic degree”. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on mere opinion of users and need to be verified by devising a well-articulated methodology for verification of the user performance related facts both in print and electronic eras, independent of the users’ opinion. Practical implications The findings of this study shall prompt the budget allocating authorities of the libraries to reformulate their fund allocation policies. Findings of this study shall act as logical basis to enhance budget for improving the volume of e-resources. These also emphasize the fact that a provision of recurring fund needs to be created for facilitating single window based anytime anywhere access to the available e-information base, which may include annual subscription charges for availing (i) proxy software services for remote access and (ii) federated search engine for single window searching. Originality/value This is first work of its nature in northern Indian agricultural libraries. The findings will be useful for the authorities to decide about the degree of importance the libraries need to endorse with the procurement of information resources in electronic form. The study will really inspire the researchers and librarians to conduct similar studies in other specific domains of knowledge and come out with significant findings and suggestions.

User education program as determinant of electronic information resources usage in Nimbe Adedipe University Library, Nigeria

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurudeen Adeniyi Aderibigbe ◽  
Bosede Adebimpe Ajiboye
Keyword(s):  
Education Program ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
The University ◽  
User Education

PurposeThe focus of this study is the development of effective user education programs that will enhance the use of electronic information resources (EIR) in an era of electronic information for the students of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, which consequently could be adapted for students in other higher institutions of learning.Design/methodology/approachThis study was carried out during the first semester of the 2010/2011 academic session (November 2010 to February 2011), employing a survey method. The target population is postgraduate students (postgraduate diploma, Master's degree and Doctor of Philosophy students) of the seven colleges that run postgraduate programs at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Of a total population of 330 postgraduate students, 250 postgraduate students were selected randomly using a purposive sampling technique since the student population was not evenly distributed across the colleges. Administration and retrieval of the questionnaire lasted for six weeks.FindingsThe findings of this study have shown that the user education program of Nimbe Adedipe Library is not adequate; the library provides more library orientation than bibliographic instruction and information literacy skills. It was also found that few of the students received training on EIR usage while an analysis of the open‐ended questions revealed that the students got to know how to use electronic resources through their own efforts, periodic training in the library, and through the efforts of some library staff and friends. It was also found that use of EIR has a great impact on the respondents' academic activities, as reflected in their responses, where the students agreed that their academic work would suffer without the use of EIR.Practical implicationsIt is the belief of the researchers that empirical research on the use of library resources is crucial for the design and implementation of user education programs.Originality/valueThe results of this study will be a meaningful addition to the literature of library and information science in the area of user studies.

scholarly journals Using electronic information resources to solve cultural translation problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1293-1317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Olalla-Soler
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Cultural Translation ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electronic Information Resources ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Efficient Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of electronic information resources to solve cultural translation problems at different stages of acquisition of the translator’s cultural competence. Design/methodology/approach A process and product-oriented, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was conducted with 38 students with German as a second foreign language from the four years of the Bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and ten professional translators. Findings Translation students use a wider variety of resources, perform more queries and spend more time on queries than translators when solving cultural translation problems. The students’ information-seeking process is generally less efficient than that of the translators. Training has little impact on the students’ use of electronic information resources for this specific purpose, since all students use them similarly regardless of the year they are in. Research limitations/implications The study has been conducted with a small sample and only one language pair from a single pedagogical context. The tendencies observed cannot be generalised to the whole population of translation students. Practical implications This paper has implications for translator training, as it encourages the development of efficient information-seeking processes for the resolution of cultural translation problems. Originality/value Unlike other studies, this paper focusses on a specific translation problem type. It provides information related to the students’ information-seeking strategies for the resolution of cultural translation problems, which can be useful for translation training.

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