Changing Greek libraries: A continuous dialogue

IFLA Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Glossiotis ◽  
Evgenia Vassilakaki ◽  
Eva Semertzaki

In the era of radical socio-economic-technological developments, the Library and Information Science sector in Greece is undergoing a series of changes in a dialectic relation with technological changes. Libraries in Greece have a long history, from the Academy of Plato and the Lyceum of Aristotle in the 5th century BC to the transition of the National Library of Greece at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre. This paper aims to provide an overview and record the milestones signifying the beginning of the changes happening in every aspect of the Greek LIS landscape. In addition, it aims to highlight the changes in the Greek library scene, extending from synergies and networks to new library buildings, as well as the role of LIS education and lifelong learning.

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-79
Author(s):  
Nathalie Marcerou-Ramel

AbstractFrance is probably the only European country to have today a national school for training of library and information professionals: Enssib, National Library and Information Science School. An atypical situation, as some countries decided to close their schools of librarianship and entrust the training of their professionals to universities only. How does Enssib train its library executives? The article first describes the recruitment, training and exercise framework for French library and information professionals. Then it focuses on the vast renovation project that Enssib has been launching for four years in order to adapt its training processes to the needs and expectations of the professional communities.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shri Ram ◽  
John Paul Anbu K.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to have a closer look at the awareness of referencing utilities among the library professionals in India. In a research environment, referencing and bibliography play an important role in the dissemination of research findings through scholarly writings. Citing references while writing scholarly articles has become more eloquent mainly due to the availability of a range of bibliography management utilities. Currently, there are various types of Bibliography Management Software (BMS) available for the management of the citation, referencing and compiling bibliographies. Librarians have a crucial role to play in helping the faculty, students and research scholars in the process of writing their scholarly articles and theses, especially in the area of referencing. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted through an online survey with an aim to assess the perception, awareness and use of BMS by the Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in India. Findings – In the academic environment, published results of research findings are crucial for the advancement of knowledge. The published research findings are often supported and disputed using the citation of previous studies. There are a number of supporting technologies that are intended to help in procuring needed citations and streamlining them for better research output. The role of the librarian in this endeavor is undisputed. This study shows that there is a need for strengthening the awareness of BMS at the institutional level and also hands-on experience is needed for library professionals to help in the process of research writing and advocate for adopting correct referencing style (citation style) while writing scholarly articles. Practical implications – The increased use of information and communication technology in the process of scholarly writing, especially in the search and retrieval of relevant articles and the availability of electronic journals and books, have resulted in an increased number of research articles being written by research scholars. The downside to this overflow of scholarly and creative writing is the incorrect way of using referencing style in the dissemination of research and the possibilities of malpractice and plagiarism. This study will help in creating awareness of the utility of citation and BMS in content writing, especially among library and information professionals, as they play an important role in facilitating research. Social implications – This study will be beneficial for the LIS professionals in understanding the effectiveness of their services when complemented by the use of technology-powered tools. Creating awareness of the use of BMS in content development in scholarly communication promises to create a flawless scholarly output as library professionals will help researchers in guiding research writings with correct referencing and citation. Originality/value – Use of BMS helps in the development of content in an organized, methodical and scientific way. The role of library and information professionals working with different researchers and scholars in advocating and practicing the use of BMS will go a long way in creating more streamlined content.


2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Håkon Larsen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of ALM organizations within a Nordic model of the public sphere. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper discussing the role of archives, libraries and museums in light of a societal model of the Nordic public sphere. Throughout the discussions, the author draw on empirical and theoretical research from sociology, political science, media studies, cultural policy studies, archival science, museology, and library and information science to help advance our understanding of these organizations in a wider societal context. Findings The paper shows that ALM organizations play an important role for the infrastructure of a civil public sphere. Seen as a cluster, these organizations are providers of information that can be employed in deliberative activities in mediated public spheres, as well as training arenas for citizens to use prior to entering such spheres. Furthermore, ALM organizations are themselves public spheres, as they can serve specific communities and help create and maintain identities, and solidarities, all of which are important parts of a civil public sphere. Research limitations/implications Future research should investigate whether these roles are an important part of ALM organizations contribution to public spheres in other regions of the world. Originality/value Through introducing a theoretical model developed within sociology and connecting it to ongoing research in archival science, museology, and library and information science, the author connects the societal role of archives, libraries, and museums to broader discussions within the social sciences.


Author(s):  
Ruth Baker-Gardner ◽  
Cherry-Ann Smart

Plagiarism among students at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remains of great concern to faculty and administrators globally, as well as in the English-speaking Caribbean. Although this Cheating Behavior (CB) has been examined in multiple disciplines, few studies have examined it from the viewpoint of Library and Information Science (LIS) students. This is an important lacuna given CB's link to workplace practices and the imminent role of LIS students as information disseminators and protectors of creators' intellectual property rights. Using an explanatory sequential mixed method approach, this small scale case study sought to acquire a better understanding of LIS students' understanding, awareness and knowledge of plagiarism. The views of first and third year undergraduates and postgraduates were analyzed and assessed. The results demonstrated the need for early pedagogical interventions on plagiarism, greater collaboration between faculty and the library, and LIS students' engagement into the Community of Practice (CoP) and profession of librarianship.


Author(s):  
Gholamreza Amirkhani

This article deals with the history and activities of the National Library of Iran, was officially inaugurated in 1937 but whose collection dates back 150 years. It contains large numbers of manuscripts, old printed books, old itineraries from European tourists, documents, rare periodicals and materials in non-print forms. It has grown gradually through donations, exchanges, acquisition, and legal deposit. The library is an educational, research, and service institution, aiming to acquire, organize and disseminate information published or produced in Iran or in the fields of Iranology and Islamic study in other countries, to promote research and planning in library and information science, and to provide consultation and devise appropriate methods for all Iranian libraries. A new building, with an area of 97,000 square metres, is due to be inaugurated in 2003.


2020 ◽  
pp. 096100062096255
Author(s):  
Eun-Ja Shin

Recently, many articles co-authored by librarians have been published in non-library and information science journals. This may indicate that embedded librarians are actively working as research partners in various fields. However, studies have rarely discussed the roles and experience of embedded librarians and, unlike the USA and European countries, the activities of embedded librarians in Korea are not well reported. This study collected and analysed co-authored articles from Korean faculty and librarians. In addition to identifying the role of the embedded librarian by analysing the author-contributions texts of the articles, the study examined the backgrounds of librarians and the difficulties of collaborating through interviews with librarian authors. The results of the analyses show that the number of collaborative articles by faculty and embedded librarians increased over the years and, of these, almost 70% were medical publications. The roles of the librarians outlined in the author-contributions texts were as reported in previous studies but, in many cases, their role was more significant than traditional liaison work, such as reporting the study’s methodology or approving the final draft. In the interviews, the embedded librarians expressed that they had experienced some difficulties, such as lack of time, insufficient guidelines and an inadequate curriculum in their library and information science department. For librarians to be recognized as research partners, they need to communicate well with team members and have knowledge, skills and abilities related to the research. Further, to achieve this collaboration, the curriculum of departments should be reformed. If such efforts are made, it is expected that embedded librarians will continue to excel in their role as liaison librarians, which has contributed to supporting research projects.


2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 11-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Mannan Khan ◽  
Aslam Ansari

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effective and efficiency account of social networking (SN) tools and how it affects communication with others and anticipatory awareness. Design/methodology/approach – For the purpose of the study, a set of questionnaires was prepared by the authors and furnished to information professionals. Findings – The findings disclose that some SN tools are gaining popularity among Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in India. The most active professionals are aged 26-35 years; the habits of using SN are different from traditional searches for research purposes. The professionals provide opinion that SN is very effective to deliver LIS. Research limitations – The present study assesses the role of SN in LIS from information professionals of Indian science and technology institutions. Originality/value – SN is growing rapidly as a medium of communication between individuals to share their experiences and information regarding interests, and also helps to build ongoing relationships. In the field of LIS services, it may help to develop technology literacy and proficiency.


2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadeem Siddique ◽  
Khalid Mahmood

Purpose – This paper is the part of PhD research of the principal researcher. This paper aims to describe current status of library software being used in the libraries of Pakistan, role of national and foreign agencies in the development of library software in Pakistan, problems faced by the libraries in implementation and to highlight the recommendations by the experts in the field to overcome the problems. It also attempts to provide a bibliography on the topic to researchers in the field of library and information science. Design/methodology/approach – Available literature was reviewed. The articles were usually published in national and international journals of library and information science and contributed by Pakistani authors. Other sources consulted were books, conference proceedings, theses and dissertations and websites of libraries and professionals’ organisations. Findings – The situation in Pakistan regarding library software cannot be compared with the that in advanced countries. Lack of standard library software, the multilingual nature of the library collections, poor budgets, computer illiteracy, software piracy and unavailability of support from local vendors are the main hindrances in the effective implementation of library software. In the available literature, experts have recommended the formulation of a consortium or a body under the umbrella of the Government of Pakistan which could provide standard library software, along with technical support, innovation and upgrades of the software, to meet the needs of Pakistani libraries. Originality/value – This is the first paper that presents the current status of library software in Pakistan, problems faced by the libraries in implementation of library software and recommendations suggested by the experts to overcome the problems.


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