scholarly journals Learning commons reference collections in ARL libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-430
Author(s):  
Cindy Pierard ◽  
Sever Bordeianu
Keyword(s):  
Random Sample ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Learning Commons ◽  
Reference Collection ◽  
Changing Role

Purpose This paper aims to explore the changing role of the reference collection in learning commons at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries. Design/methodology/approach A 15-question survey was sent to managers at academic research libraries with membership in the ARL. Respondents were asked about their learning commons and reference collections. To increase the sample size, the researchers conducted phone interviews with a random sample of individuals from the same target population, utilizing the same questions and generated additional results. Findings Most respondents had or were planning learning commons for their libraries. The role of reference collections varied. Of those who had retained a print reference collection, the majority believed them to be little-used. The researchers believe this may signal an end to a formerly cherished idea: the primacy of the reference collection within a library learning space. Research limitations/implications This study involved a random sample of public service managers at North American ARL academic libraries. While the sample is believed to be representative of the broader population, findings may not be generalizable to all ARL libraries or to other academic libraries. Originality/value Many papers have been written about information or learning commons spaces and their distinctive elements. Others have discussed the changing role of reference collections. This paper is unique in examining the changing role of the reference collection within learning commons spaces.

Revisiting the concept of a competitive “cash advantage”

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 38-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Calandro, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cash Reserves ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
Viable Method ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to profile how ample cash holdings can serve as a competitive advantage by first mitigating the risk of becoming a forced seller during times of distress, and then positioning a firm to take strategic advantage of forced selling and other forms of distress-generated opportunities. Design/methodology/approach – The author reviews the changing role of cash over time in corporate strategy, and how inadequate cash has caused or contributed to corporate failures. Findings – The findings of this paper, which are supported by historical and contemporary examples, are that ample cash reserves can be a powerful source of comparative advantage. Practical implications – This article supports earlier work published in Strategy & Leadership that shows how Graham-and-Dodd-based analysis is a viable avenue of academic research and a viable method with which to assess and formulate corporate strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, share buy-backs, risk management and, in this case, the strategic uses of cash. Originality/value – This paper offers leaders and financial executives a practical explanation of how ample cash holdings can serve as a competitive advantage.

Access policies and licensing issues in research libraries

2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Horava
Keyword(s):  
Collection Development ◽  
Electronic Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Acquisition Management ◽  
Development And Management ◽  
Access Policies ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper discusses the importance of incorporating licensing issues in access policies for electronic resources in research libraries. The implications for patron understanding of basic legal issues and the role of the library in managing and acquiring these resources are investigated and discussed.Design/methodology/approachA survey of various research libraries was undertaken to examine what is provided to patrons in terms of conditions of use for electronic resources. Literature relating to the management and provision of electronic resources was examined.FindingsIt was found that few libraries provide key licensing information to their patrons. This has important consequences in terms of the patron's lack of awareness of restrictions on use, as well as the costs, complexity, and consortial involvement in acquiring these resources.Research limitations/implicationsA comprehensive international review of the trends and practices of research libraries regarding access policies and licensing issues would build upon this paper's findings.Practical implicationsLibrary patrons are not receiving adequate information about the resources they are using. If more research libraries would consider what licensing information is made available to patrons, there could be changes in patron understanding and perception of the library. This will impact the profile of the library in academia, and the changing role of librarians in collection development in the digital environment.Originality/valueThe paper will be of value to research libraries involved in the acquisition, management and delivery of electronic resources to its patrons, and to librarians involved in collection development and management.

Visual literacy: academic libraries address 21st century challenges

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 479-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Visual Literacy ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Academic Communities

Purpose This paper aims to explore a study that examines the role of academic librarians who teach visual literacy within their information literacy curricula. Design/methodology/approach The author developed a survey that was distributed to five listservs during a three-week period, generating 118 responses from academic libraries. The author subsequently interviewed 16 participants. Findings The findings reveal that visual literacy is important across all disciplines. However, a majority of academic librarians who replied to the survey stated that they do not teach visual literacy. Only 37.3 per cent of the respondents indicated that they or their institutions include a visual literacy component in their sessions. Practical implications The paper identifies the most relevant visual literacy trends, and it includes examples of visual literacy skills and concepts being taught in academic libraries. It provides ideas to develop marketing strategies to increase student enrollment in library workshops. Originality/value This study has expanded librarians’ awareness of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. In addition, it explores the teaching of multiliteracies such as visual literacy within the information literacy framework in the academic library. The survey data demonstrate that academic librarians are slowly embracing visual literacy and including it in their information literacy instruction across all disciplines. The study recommends that librarians work on their professional development to become multiliterate to remain relevant within their academic communities.

ARLG in Brighton, UK 2014. Academic libraries: the final frontier

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Suzanne Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Research Library ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Research Library Group ◽  
The Future ◽  
The University

Purpose – This paper aims to give an overview of the Academic Research Library Group Study Conference hosted by the University of Sussex, in Brighton from the 23rd-25th of June 2014. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative approach was used to describe events. Findings – This was an exciting and action-packed conference that discussed topics surrounding the future of academic libraries. There were several networking opportunities, workshops and an exhibition of sponsors. Originality/value – This report outlines the events of the conference and looks at the themes and issues surrounding the future of research libraries.

On eBooks in academic libraries: an article based on a presentation at the Library 2.014 Conference

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 12-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Ellen Frederick
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Electronic Format ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
New Learning ◽  
To Come

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate and discuss some of the commonly held misconceptions about using and managing eBooks in academic research libraries and to outline what skills, abilities and knowledge are required of librarians and other library staff who work with eBooks. eBooks are an important presence in the vast majority of academic libraries. It is reasonable to expect that this presence will increase in the years to come. The value of eBooks to many students, faculty and researchers is undeniable and their availability has created new learning and teaching opportunities which were not possible with print-only library collection. Design/methodology/approach – eBooks bring multiple benefits to the academic environment. Findings – eBooks provide portable information resources for students and researchers doing fieldwork. eBooks have the potential for relieving pressure on space in some libraries. Some eBook platforms offer students new and enhanced ways for interacting with library materials, including accessibility features. Originality/value – The addition of eBooks to academic library collections addresses a growing preference among some patrons for information in electronic format.

The changing role of marketing: Digital transformation of marketing

2020 ◽  
pp. 77-94
Author(s):  
Storbacka Robert ◽  
Kaj Anold
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Marketing Research ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Digital Marketing ◽  
Technology Firms ◽  
Back Office ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
Channel Environment

Digitalization affects every aspect of a firm’s business model–from front-end to back-office, from how firms create value for their customers to how they capture value– and doing so can reshape every facet of the firm. By adapting their business models to the possibilities of technology, firms are facing an accelerating transformation of their activities, offering new opportunities for “out-of-the-box” development of new processes and tools, which effectively challenge deeply engrained functional silo- based thinking. Despite the ubiquity of digital transformation, much academic research still seems to take a functional view (Verhoef et al. 2019), where information systems look into the development and adoption of specific technologies (Nambisan et al. 2017) or analytics schemes (Davenport and Ronanki 2018), strategic management research focuses on understanding the role of new digitalized business models (Foss and Saebi, 2017), and marketing research focuses on what is generally called “digital marketing” or the development of an omni-channel environment (Verhoef et al. 2015; Lamberton and Stephen 2016; Kannan and Li 2017).

University as a vehicle to achieve social innovation and development: repositioning the role of the university in the society

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lwando Mdleleni
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The University

Purpose This paper aims to explore the role of university in promoting, generating and sustaining social innovation (SI). It aimed to understand how higher education institutions have extended their contribution beyond the traditional function of teaching and research to perform in socio-economic problem-solving. It looks at the kinds of contributions which universities potentially make to SI processes, and the effects that this has on the direction and magnitude of SI, and by implication social development. This was done by drawing lessons from a SI project that the University of the Western Cape has been involved in, i.e. Zenzeleni Networks Project. Design/methodology/approach To address the research question with this framework, the author adopted an exploratory research design using a case study. This research is qualitative, exploratory and descriptive, based on a case study built with secondary data. Findings This paper submits that universities can potentially function as key role players in promoting SI initiatives and fostering social transformations. Universities contribute with different kinds of resources and inputs to foster new SI ideas. Originality/value The paper suggests that socially innovative university projects may contribute to community social sustainability maintaining social cohesion by increasing social capital and providing resources for the empowerment of the marginalised communities. In so doing, they contribute to overcome social exclusion and promote more sustainable forms of development at community level. More research is needed on how universities can build community networks with local community partners, who can use the insights of academic research to replicate interventions and move to scale.

Assessment committees: good practices from ARL libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle H. Brannen ◽  
Sojourna J. Cunningham ◽  
Regina Mays
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Association Of Research Libraries ◽  
Library Assessment ◽  
Current State ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Assessment Activities

Purpose Assessment activities in academic libraries continue to grow as libraries explore assessment endeavors. Ranging from basic stats gathering and reporting to surveys, focus groups, and usability studies and beyond. Many practitioners are finding it necessary to create new processes and programs, with little guidance. The purpose of this paper is to paint a broad picture of assessment activities in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) university libraries with the goal of creating a resource for libraries developing or improving their assessment programs. Design/methodology/approach A survey was developed that asked questions about assessment personnel, activities, mission, and website. A total of 113 surveys were sent to academic library members of ARL. Survey results were analyzed to compile a list of recommended good practices for assessment and working with assessment committees in academic libraries. Findings The investigators had a response rate of 43 percent. The open-ended nature of the survey questions allowed for the respondents to specifically narrow down the problems and opportunities inherent in library assessment committees. Originality/value This study takes the temperature of the current state of assessment programs in ARL libraries, demonstrating the growth of assessment programs. It begins to document the practices of these libraries, particularly in regards to the sometimes informal and hard to track use of committees and other in-house collaborations, as a first step toward developing best practices for the field. The results illuminate productive areas for further study, including investigating how to measure a culture of assessment and maximizing impact of assessment information presented on assessment websites.

Back to basics

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Lucky ◽  
Craig Harkema
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Community Organizations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
Active Research ◽  
Allocation Decisions ◽  
Heritage Collections

Purpose To describe how academic libraries can support digital humanities (DH) research by leveraging established library values and strengths to provide support for preservation and access and physical and digital spaces for researchers and communities, specifically focused on cultural heritage collections. Design/methodology/approach The experiences of the authors in collaborating with DH scholars and community organizations is discussed with references to the literature. The paper suggests how research libraries can use existing expertise and infrastructure to support the development of digital cultural heritage collections and DH research. Findings Developing working collaborations with DH researchers and community organizations is a productive way to engage in impactful cultural heritage digital projects. It can aid resource allocation decisions to support active research, strategic goals, community needs and the development and preservation of unique, locally relevant collections. Libraries do not need to radically transform themselves to do this work, they have established strengths that can be effective in meeting the challenges of DH research. Practical implications Academic libraries should strategically direct the work they already excel at to support DH research and work with scholars and communities to build collections and infrastructure to support these initiatives. Originality/value The paper recommends practical approaches, supported by literature and local examples, that could be taken when building DH and community-engaged cultural heritage projects.

Is top-management remuneration influenced by board characteristics?

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastien Deschenes ◽  
Hamadou Boubacar ◽  
Miguel Rojas ◽  
Tania Morris
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Top Management Teams ◽  
Top Management ◽  
Management Compensation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Board Characteristics ◽  
Good Corporate Governance

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine if certain board characteristics have an impact on the total remuneration of top management and the ratio of stock-based remuneration to total top-management remuneration. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on data from the largest public Canadian companies, the constituents of the TSX/60 index. The study controls for firm size and profitability. Findings – The authors concludes that total remuneration of top management is directly linked to board-member total remuneration and the board average number of director-tenure years. The study also shows that the ratio of stock-based to total top-management remuneration is positively affected by the percentage of independent directors, total remuneration of board directors, the ratio of stock-based remuneration of directors to their total remuneration and the average number of tenure years of the board of directors. Practical implications – If regulators are determined to curb the excesses in top-management remuneration by means of promoting boards with certain characteristics, they should implement measures facilitating the control of directors’ remuneration and tenure, to discourage cronyistic behavior. Good corporate governance requires that the board act as a counterbalance to top management, ensuring that a substantial percentage of top-executive total compensation is variable, and not fixed. According to our findings, the boards that are the most likely to hold managerial avoidance of variable pay in check are those favoring director independence, variable director remuneration and longer director tenures. Social implications – The present article examines specifically the latter aspect, namely, the role of board characteristics (independence, size, compensation, board director ownership and tenure, etc.) in the determination of top-management compensation. This relationship is important because it allows us to further the analysis of corporate governance. If the above-mentioned traits of boards have a meaningful relationship with the compensation of the top management, one might conclude that certain practices in the composition of boards could influence good corporate governance practices. This is relevant for regulatory agencies, for investors and for corporations. Originality/value – The article adds to the extant literature in a number of ways. Firstly, it considers the role of the traits of the board in the determination of the compensation of the top-management teams, and not only of the chief executive officer, as is the focus of previous literature. Secondly, the article focuses on the power interplay between boards and managers, and, more particularly, on the ability of boards to be an effective mechanism of corporate governance. Finally, the article examines the potential impact of board traits in the determination of top-management compensation in the context of Canadian firms, a subject that has received less attention from academic research, which has mostly concentrated on analyzing the issue in the US context.

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