A people's palace opens: the new Library of Birmingham

2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 65-67
Author(s):  
Mike Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
New Public ◽  
Official Opening

Purpose – The purpose of this report is to provide an account of the UK's new public library of Birmingham. Design/methodology/approach – Details the construction, exterior and interior design, contents and location, including special collections, and describes the official opening. Findings – A large public library building which moves away from old conceptions of libraries, accommodating a variety of functions in a striking and accessible building. Originality/value – Provides a description of the new Library of Birmingham, the largest public library in Europe.

Document supply and resource sharing in Portuguese libraries: the role of the National Library

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Maria Gaudêncio Soares
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Supply System ◽  
National Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Recent Developments

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to describe the development of the Portuguese document supply system with particular emphasis on the role of the National Library but also in its academic and public library sectors.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is descriptive in nature.FindingsPortugal emerged from a long period of monarchy and dictatorship, profited from being a EU member, and libraries are now exploiting the advantages of information technology particularly for the benefit of remote users.Originality/valueThis is probably the first overview of historical and recent developments in document supply in Portugal.

Responding to COVID-19 pandemic: interior designs’ trends of houses in Jordan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anas Atef Shamaileh
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entire Life ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Study Methodology

Purpose The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in the late 2019 was accompanied by various consequences that included almost the entire life aspects worldwide. To cope with the pandemic, imposing restricted measures was required, such as quarantine, lockdown and social distancing. The purpose of this paper is to identify the houses' interior designs responses in Jordan under Covid-19 Pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Under such conditions, people have to spend long periods inside their houses. This issue highlighted the importance and the vital role of houses interior design in meeting the various needs of residents under emergent and changing conditions. Findings This study revealed current and future responses that may be implemented to cope with the pandemic consequences in terms of houses’ interior design. Moreover, a conceptual model was proposed. Number of suggestions and further research were introduced considering the revealed findings. Originality/value This study aimed at identifying the houses’ interior design responses in Jordan under COVID-19 pandemic. The study methodology adopted both inductive and qualitative approaches to achieve its goals. Under the qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were undertaken by interviewing ten interior designers and academics.

Exploring influencing factors of offline knowledge service transactions on an online-to-offline knowledge-sharing economy platform

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1777-1795
Author(s):  
Changyu Wang ◽  
Jinming Mei ◽  
Jiaojiao Feng
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Tacit Knowledge ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Objective Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Transactions ◽  
Knowledge Service ◽  
New Public ◽  
Tacit Knowledge Sharing

Purpose Online-to-offline (O2O) knowledge-sharing economy platforms have emerged as a new public channel for matching up knowledge providers with knowledge seekers. It can facilitate offline provision and consumption of high-quality tacit knowledge around a topic upon online search and payment (called offline knowledge service transaction). However, limited research investigated this new knowledge-sharing phenomenon in the field of knowledge management (KM). The purpose of this paper is to enrich KM literature by developing a theoretical model to explore determinants of offline knowledge service transactions via O2O knowledge-sharing economy platforms from both quality and price perspectives. Design/methodology/approach The model was tested with objective data crawled from Zaihang – a leading O2O knowledge-sharing economy platform in China. Findings The results show that, in the context of O2O knowledge-sharing economy, transactions of an offline knowledge service are positively related to its provider’s popularity, but negatively related to the price. Moreover, knowledge seekers are more likely to accept and purchase a high-priced service of a knowledge topic with a higher overall review score and supplied by a provider with lower popularity and shorter response time. However, the length of offline knowledge service has no significant association with its transactions. Originality/value This study contributes to KM literature through investigating a new phenomenon of tacit knowledge sharing (including provision and consumption) in the context of O2O service and the sharing economy. The results give implications for knowledge providers and platform managers to facilitate online transactions of offline knowledge services.

Examining similarities and differences of citation patterns between monographs and papers: a case in biology and computer science

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-241
Author(s):  
Yuzhuo Wang ◽  
Chengzhi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Knowledge Flow ◽  
Citation Pattern ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Similarities And Differences

Purpose Citation content in academic papers and academic monographs promotes the knowledge flow among different publications. However, existing citation content analysis (CCA) focuses on academic papers and monographs have not received much research attention. We want to know if monographs are appropriate objects of CCA and whether existing methods of analyzing citation in papers are suitable for citation in monographs. Therefore, this paper aims to learn more about features of cited references and citation content in monographs and compare the characteristic of citation pattern between monographs and papers. Design/methodology/approach The authors manually annotate the references and syntactic citation content in academic monographs published by Morgan & Claypool and automatically extracted the references and citation content from academic papers published by Public Library of Science. Five features in two types citation pattern, namely, pattern of cited reference (including year, source and mention frequency of reference) and pattern of citation content (including location, length of citation content) are used to examine similarities and differences between monographs and papers. Findings The results indicate that between monographs and papers, differences are shown in location, length of citation content and year, source of reference, whereas frequency of mention of reference is similar. Originality/value Previous studies have explored the patter of citation content in academic papers. However, none of the existing literature, as far as the authors know, has considered the citation content in academic monographs and the similarities or differences among academic documents when studying the citation pattern.

Understanding complexity of administrative reform

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 630-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwangseon Hwang
Keyword(s):  
Public Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Administrative Reform ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Values ◽  
New Public ◽  
Functional Nature ◽  
Rational Calculation

Purpose This paper aims to examine the complexity of administrative reform and its implications. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on an extensive review of the literature. Findings The most conspicuous fashion might be new public management (NPM) and its successor, post-NPM. However, recent reforms which involve complexity created the challenge of “rational calculation” in terms of an understanding of administrative reform. The authors observe that the measure of coordination in a response to fragmentation increases complexity and the rationale behind that reform is based on the instrumental rationality. This hinders real meaning of administrative reform, thereby failing to provide lessons for the future administration. Whether market-based reform or neo-Weberian model of reform, the thing should be considered is the condition under which the reform works. Originality/value This paper reaffirms the importance of the political-bureaucratic system which has multi-functional nature and competing institutional values when the different recipes for reform are imported into different context and a compatibility test by leaders.

Competencies for public library managers: diversity in practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 462-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Wilkins Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Original Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Competencies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Job Titles ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify competencies in common across public library managers. Design/methodology/approach – The request for public library managers to participate in this survey was posted to the public listserve. Participants were asked about the tasks they do regularly, to identify the skills currently seen as most important in their work. They were then given a list of competencies, and asked to identify those they felt were most important for current public library managers, for those in future managers. Findings – Some commonalities emerged, but there was not a substantial amount of overlap between skills identified by directors and non-director managers as important now or into the future. Research limitations/implications – Further research into managerial competencies focussed on specific job titles is necessary to see what kinds of skills each may value. Likewise, a broader look at public library managers may provide a better set of common competencies that will be useful for both training and hiring. Practical implications – Understanding strategies for managerial competencies will be useful in building successful training programs. Social implications – Learning in this study that it will be challenging to carry out training relevant to all types of public library managers is useful; instead it can be tailored to different levels of managers for more success. Originality/value – This is an original study, building on other work the author has carried out. The value is in understanding the real needs of managers, not just anecdotal stories.

Multiple constituencies model in the identification of library effectiveness

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 645-665
Author(s):  
Susan A Henricks ◽  
Genevieve M. Henricks-Lepp
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
First Century ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Digital Collection ◽  
Multiple Constituencies

Purpose – Public libraries can benefit from understanding the perspectives of various stakeholders leading to the development of measures for decision making and competing for funding as well as demonstrating accountability. The purpose of this paper is to examine library effectiveness from the perspective of multiple stakeholders from a list of indicators pertinent to today and to determine which are most important to a constituency of a single library and any differences among the various constituencies. Design/methodology/approach – A survey that listed indicators of effectiveness for a public library was given to four stakeholder groups of a city library: employees, library board, library foundation members, and the public. Findings – Of the 51 indicators, 39 comprised eight dimensions of effectiveness under the labels of: user experience, facility, digital collection, social media and board, community use, employees, administration, and collection management. The number of statistically significant differences was greatest between the library board and the public as well as the employees and the public. Originality/value – Indicators of public library effectiveness have not been updated for the twenty-first century.

Evaluating the success of markerspace in a public library

2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 587-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Lille
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Recent Trend ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
City Government ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Arising from the modern IT-driven society, libraries in Estonia face tremendous challenges. They are no longer viewed as collection facilities but rather as knowledge enhancers and creators. Libraries carry a significant potential to make a greater impact on communities by enabling informal ways of learning new skills and technologies. This paper aims to evaluate a pilot project at Narva Library MakerLab launched by the Narva City Government to motivate the citizens of Narva to learn new skills and improve their employment prospects. Design/methodology/approach The focus of the study was on understanding how a library makerspace makes an impact on users’ skills, knowledge and attitudes. Quantitative measures for indicators were designed to evaluate the new skills and knowledge that participants learn during the workshops. Semi-structured interviews aimed to show values, behaviour, perception and aims for the future. Findings As an outcome of the study, it was found that the MakerLab project was successful; the participants learned new skills, felt an increase in self-confidence and improved their teamwork abilities. Many users engaged with prototyping and initiated new projects. Originality/value Setting up a makerspace in a public library is a recent trend and not much research has been done in this area. The study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the impact of makerspaces in a library environment.

scholarly journals Public library planning: a routine practice?

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 237-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana R. Pacios
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Planning Theory ◽  
Routine Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Routine Basis ◽  
Case Libraries

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study whether organisations, in this case libraries, continue to plan after having done so at least once, and whether they conduct planning on a routine basis. Design/methodology/approach The websites of 71 libraries, that in 2006 had a strategic or long-term plan, were analysed to determine whether in 2016 they had a new plan in place. Where there was none or where the name of the plan had changed, e-mails were sent to the head librarian to ascertain the reasons. Findings A total of 71.83 per cent of the libraries in the sample had a new plan underway in October 2016, i.e., ten years later. A significant rise (+8.03 per cent) in the number of three-year plans was observed relative to 2006, perhaps because the crisis and resulting uncertainty have induced libraries to narrow their decision-making windows. A preference for the term “strategic plan”: over “long-range plan” was also detected in 2016. Originality/value The study provides empirical evidence of the existence of routine planning. The continuity of plans in a series of libraries shows that in practice planning is a systematic, continuous and iterative activity, as contended in planning theory.

Library Review: The banning of books in libraries

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.C. Berwick Sayers
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Professionals ◽  
Historical Nature ◽  
Open Shelf

PurposeAims to focus on the correct attitude of the librarian when selecting fiction.Design/methodology/approachThe article discusses the banning of books in libraries from the context of what was perceived as a moral decline in the literature at the time that the article was written in 1928.FindingsThe author's view is that no novel written has sufficient quality to be a source of trouble between a public library and its people. It should be bought if the reviewers praise it enough; it should be circulated freely until someone objects; and in that event it should be withdrawn from the open shelf, but it should be left in the catalogue. The person who wants it will ask for it, and if that person is of mature years, may be allowed, without question, to have it.Originality/valueThe article provides information of a historical nature, of value to information professionals.

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