Academic library website functions in the context of users’ information needs

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Mierzecka ◽  
Andrius Suminas
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Vilnius University ◽  
Locating Information ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
The University ◽  
Desk Research

The digital revolution has had a particular impact on the functioning of libraries: it has changed both the means of communicating with the users, and the nature of the service itself. In the case of academic libraries, an online presence is crucial due to the increased rate of Internet usage among their stakeholders, academics and students alike. From their perspective, library websites serve as digital gates to library services and resources. However, an academic library website may fulfil a wide array of functions and their importance can be variously prioritized. The purpose of our research was to find out which functions of academic library websites are viewed as the most important by a selected group of users: the students. To answer this question, we identified the main functions of academic library websites on the basis of desk research and designed a survey conducted among students of the University of Warsaw (Poland) and Vilnius University (Lithuania) ( n=680). The picture of users’ information needs with regard to content of the academic library website revealed by our research allows us to draw conclusions about the functions of the academic library website distinctive from those already mentioned in the subject literature. From the perspective of a user-centric approach we distinguished five functions of the academic library website: (1) supporting the usage of the collection (online and traditional); (2) promotion of culture; (3) gateway for locating information on the Web; (4) education; (5) creation of library’s online image.

scholarly journals Constructing Data Curation Profiles

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 93-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Witt ◽  
Jacob Carlson ◽  
D. Scott Brandt ◽  
Melissa H. Cragin
Keyword(s):  
Academic Library ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Data Curation ◽  
Library Services ◽  
University Environment ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The University ◽  
Research Domains

This paper presents a brief literature review and then introduces the methods, design, and construction of the Data Curation Profile, an instrument that can be used to provide detailed information on particular data forms that might be curated by an academic library. These data forms are presented in the context of the related sub-disciplinary research area, and they provide the flow of the research process from which these data are generated. The profiles also represent the needs for data curation from the perspective of the data producers, using their own language. As such, they support the exploration of data curation across different research domains in real and practical terms. With the sponsorship of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, investigators from Purdue University and the University of Illinois interviewed 19 faculty subjects to identify needs for discovery, access, preservation, and reuse of their research data. For each subject, a profile was constructed that includes information about his or her general research, data forms and stages, value of data, data ingest, intellectual property, organization and description of data, tools, interoperability, impact and prestige, data management, and preservation. Each profile also presents a specific dataset supplied by the subject to serve as a concrete example. The Data Curation Profiles are being published to a public wiki for questions and discussion, and a blank template will be disseminated with guidelines for others to create and share their own profiles. This study was conducted primarily from the viewpoint of librarians interacting with faculty researchers; however, it is expected that these findings will complement a wide variety of data curation research and practice outside of librarianship and the university environment.

scholarly journals LIBRARY RESOURCES AND FUNCTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ACADEMIC LIBRARY: MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE DIGITAL AGE

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-245
Author(s):  
Demetria A. Corpuz
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Library Services ◽  
State University ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Descriptive Survey

Purpose of the study: The study evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of a library system in a state-owned university to ensure that the information needs and services of clients are adequate. It looked into the available resources and required facilities to assess changes and improvement. Likewise, the functional effectiveness of the academic library was also determined. Methodology: The study used a descriptive survey method to describe available library resources and the extent of the functional effectiveness of academic library services of the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) Philippines. The 175 respondents came from the most frequent library users. This study utilized the purposive sampling technique. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the adequacy and functional effectiveness of the library. Result: The result revealed that the library services surpassed the minimum requirements on holdings and Filipiniana collection, but did not meet the required library collection published within the last five years. Periodicals needed to increase subscriptions and ICT required improvement. Librarians are qualified to manage the library. The respondents perceived the functional effectiveness of library services to be useful and very effective. Novelty/Originality of this study: This research study gives an empirical data as bases on the provision of Sustainable Development Plan to cater to the nature of users in the digital age with the consideration to balance the physical and virtual resources. Practical implications: This paper will be most helpful to academic libraries to continually revisit the resources and services to be responsive to the vision and vision of the university, demand for curriculum change, and research endeavour.

scholarly journals Kildekompasset - å navigere seg frem til riktig referansestil

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilde Daland ◽  
Birgitte Kleivset ◽  
Patricia Flor ◽  
Siv Holt
Keyword(s):  
Reference System ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Web Resource ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The University ◽  
Huge Challenge

One of the main tasks of an academic library is to guide students in critical evaluation and the ethical use of sources so that they can interpret, evaluate and create information in a correct and proper way. This should be integrated into the subjects, which is a huge challenge. Many students are told that they can freely select the reference style as long as they are consistent. But it is difficult to be consistent when you barely know what a reference style is. It is not easy for the librarian to answer how one refers to a governmental white paper in a self-designed reference system. To do this in a simple way, it is desirable to share the task between academic tutors and the library.  The recommendation of a reference style should come from the subject department of a faculty and from the sample collections provided by the library. The libraries at the University of Agder (UoA) and Telemark University College (TUC) joined forces to create a survey in which various reference styles were listed, complete with examples. The respondents were asked to choose the style they preferred  and would advise their students to use.  The response rate among the academic staff at the TUC and the UoA was 40%. We consider this to be a representative sample. The purpose of the final web resource aims to be as simple as possible. Students who do not know what a reference style is, and students who do not know which style they should choose, are now guided to make a confident choice of style.

scholarly journals Service Quality Assessment at the Learning Resourse Center in Can Tho University, Vietnam

2021 ◽  
pp. 82-92
Author(s):  
Thi Trang Huynh ◽  
Mai Huynh Nguyen ◽  
Bang Duy Vo
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Mekong Delta ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Information Control ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University

This paper reports the findings of assessing the quality of services offered at an academic library in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Using the quantitative approach, 31 criteria of updated LibQual model were considered in this research. Data collected in this study include online survey of 386 students from different courses and majors in the university. Research findings indicate that students were satisfied with all library services at a high level. The findings also reveal that there were 4 groups of factors influencing students’ satisfaction. They were Service Affect, Information Control, Library as a Place and Copyright. Of the four influential factors, Service Affect was identified as the strong factor while Information Controll was found to be the minor. Some implications for administrators and librarians are also provided with particular regard to the assessment of the quality of library services.

scholarly journals MEDIA KOMUNIKASI SEBAGAI AKSES LAYANAN REFERENSIVIRTUAL DI PERPUSTAKAAN UNIVERSITAS INDONESIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-36
Author(s):  
Lailatur Rahmi
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Communication Media ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Reference Services ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
Reference Service ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The University

AbstractThe Reference Service is one of the library services designed to assist the users of the library in meeting their information needs. The development of reference services is, especially, important in the tertiary educational institutions. The growth of incredible information and technological developments decline the number of users of the printed reference collections ; there are pros and cons when it comes to the technology that, supposedly, make things easier and practical. The study aims to describe the usefulness of communication media in virtual reference services at the University of Indonesia Library. The results of the study illustrate that the University of Indonesia library has provided communication media as access to virtual reference services through various communication media due to the influence of the development of technological sophistication  

Delivering equitable distance library services to off-campus users at the University of the Free State in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lianda Coetzer ◽  
Patrick Mapulanga
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Free State ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Satisfaction ◽  
Online Library ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived satisfaction of Advanced Certificate in Teaching students and facilitators regarding online library services offered by the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative approach with open-ended questions that generated some qualitative data. Data has been presented using descriptive statistics in the form of tables, graphs and charts and thematic content analysis for some qualitative data. Findings All learners in this study were adults between 45 and 55 years of age. Of the respondents, 13% lacked online experience, while about 85% had never used online library services and 35% indicated that Google was their primary source of information. The majority of respondents indicated information literacy as a core function of the academic library. High data cost in South Africa came out as one of the major issues affecting distance learners as well as login and password frustrations. The study confirmed computer anxiety, physical discomfort, information overflow and prompt response as some of the perceived challenges and levels of satisfaction respectively of Advanced Certificate in Teaching students and facilitators regarding online library services offered by the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. Practical implications The study revealed that a distance learning library policy is of the essence because it helps to put in place rules and regulations that guide the delivery of distance library services. Originality/value The offering of online and distance library services is a fairly new concept to the UFS library. This study bridges the gap between theory and practice regarding the perceived satisfaction of distance users on online library services and how to improve the current practice.

Academic Libraries' Mobile Initiatives and Research from 2010 to the Present

2016 ◽  
pp. 118-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Blummer ◽  
Jeffrey M. Kenton
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Quick Response ◽  
Qr Codes ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
Support Students

An examination of the literature from 2010 to the present reveals a variety of academic library mobile initiatives. In addition to creating mobile library websites, librarians utilized iPads to support roving reference, rounding library services, as well as information literacy instruction. IPads were also offered to patrons for circulation and librarians conducted research to enhance their understanding of students' use of iPads. Articles documented the availability of Quick Response (QR) codes in academic libraries to support students' access to materials. Despite the diversity of these mobile initiatives, academic librarians' employed similar strategies to foster their development including: obtaining support, collecting data, as well as promoting and assessing the projects. One or more of these strategies remained characteristic of libraries' mobile initiatives identified in the literature during these years.

Internet of Things – potential for libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 404-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Wójcik
Keyword(s):  
Internet Of Things ◽  
English Language ◽  
Information Science ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Library ◽  
The Subject

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to subject the potential of Internet of Things (IoT) technology for libraries in terms of the possible scope and usage forms of this technology in public and academic library services. Design/methodology/approach – Based on analysis of the subject literature, the main areas of IoT applications in commercial institutions were identified, then an analysis of Library and Information Science English-language literature from the years 2010 to 2015 was conducted in order to create a profile of modern library services. The range of activities of commercial and non-commercial institutions were compared to ascertain if areas in which commercial entities using or planning to use IoT could also be an inspiration for libraries. In this way, a theoretical model of IoT use in library activities was developed. Findings – The research showed that IoT technology might have the potential to be used in library services and other activities, similar to how it is implemented in the commercial sector. Research limitations/implications – The aim of the paper is to determine the possible, not the actual, scope and forms of using this technology in public and academic libraries’ services. Practical implications – The results can be widely used in libraries as an inspiration for the use of IoT technology in modern library services. Social implications – The use of new technologies in libraries can help to improve the image of these institutions in the eyes of users, especially the younger generation. Originality/value – The use of IoT in libraries is a new issue that has not been studied much yet. The issue of using the potential of this technology for the needs of libraries has, in recent years, been raised at international conferences, become a subject of interest to librarian associations, and been widely discussed in the blogosphere, thus proving that this topic is important to practitioners. It is difficult, however, to find any scientific, comprehensive studies of this topic.

scholarly journals Factores que motivan el uso de la biblioteca universitaria

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Segoviano Hernández ◽  
Miguel Ángel Palomo González
Keyword(s):  
Academic Library ◽  
The Other ◽  
Library Services ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Research Project ◽  
University Library ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Library Use ◽  
Use Studies ◽  
The University

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a documentary search about factors that motivate the use of university library. Literature about these factors was not found, either not standards or indicators used to measure those factors’ impact. On the other side, evidence was found about the decrease in library attendance, reported by the university libraries themselves; however, no evidence about the causes of this phenomenon was found. In sucha context, this article presents a research project that will be applied in 3 universities at Northeast Mexico, in which a methodology to identify and analyze motivation in students to use the university library is proposed.Keywords: academic library, library use studies, library users, motivation, library services, user satisfactionResumen: En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la revisión documental sobre el tema de los factores que motivan el uso de la biblioteca universitaria. No se encontró literatura sobre estos factores y tampoco se encontraron normas o indicadores de referencia que permitan medir su impacto. Por otro lado, se encontró evidencia de un descenso en la asistencia reportada por las bibliotecas de las instituciones de educación superior, pero no se encontró evidencia de sus causas. Ante este escenario, en el presente artículo se plantea unproyecto de investigación que se aplicará en 3 universidades del noreste de México, en el cual se propone una metodología para identificar y analizar los factores que motivan, a sus estudiantes para utilizar la biblioteca universitaria.Palabras clave: biblioteca universitaria, estudios de uso de biblioteca, usuarios de biblioteca, motivación, servicios bibliotecarios, satisfacción de usuarios.

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