scholarly journals Provision of Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairment in University Libraries in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 104-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anand M Dodamani ◽  
Sukanya M Dodamani
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Library Services ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Systematic Exploration ◽  
The Status ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
The University

The use of advanced IT applications has enabled the university libraries to provide innovative library services to their patrons. While the general students are getting all required services from the libraries, the students with visual impairment have continued to face challenges in accessing the library collection. The technology to help overcome these challenges is available today in the form of assistive technology (AT). Unfortunately, a majority of the university libraries in the country do not have this technology in their libraries due to which a huge amount of information stored in the books and journals subscribed by them has become out of reach of the students with visual impairment. The present study was conducted to ascertain the status of AT to support students with visual impairment in university libraries. The study which has covered around 185 universities, provides the first systematic exploration of the status of AT in university libraries in India. The major findings of the study in context of university libraries in India are: 12.97 per cent having Braille Books in their collection; 22.70 per cent have made provision for AT for students with visual impairment; 22.70 per cent have accessible library websites; 21.08 per cent have designated staff members to serve the students with disabilities; 22.70 per cent have ‘written disability policy or ‘documented minutes’ related to the ‘library services for the students with disabilities’.

University of Zululand Library and Inclusive Education: Responding to the Needs of Students with Disabilities

Mousaion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Eneya ◽  
Dennis N. Ocholla ◽  
Bertha Janneke Mostert
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Equal Access ◽  
Disability Policy ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Education Agenda ◽  
The University

This paper investigates the University of Zululand Library’s response to the university’s inclusive education agenda with respect to the accessibility of library services to students with disabilities. This was a qualitative study within the interpretive paradigm that used Michael Oliver’s social model of disability as an underpinning theory. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from students with disabilities and library staff. In addition, physical inspection of the library building was also conducted. Data analysis was done by thematic analysis. The study reveals that the University of Zululand Library services are not inclusive. Students with disabilities struggle to access library services. They faced such challenges as inaccessibility of library services, unavailability of resources in alternative formats and assistive technologies, and the lack of a disability policy. The study also found that the library faced the following challenges in providing services for students with disabilities: limited funding, a lack of staff awareness and training, the lack of a disability policy and a lack of collaboration. Formulating regulations to enforce the implementation of disability policy and legislation, developing institutional disability policies, and providing assistive technologies are critical in ensuring the accessibility of library services to students with disabilities at the University of Zululand. Unless students with disabilities have equal access to information, the university’s inclusive education agenda will remain a distant dream. Access to academic library services is critical to the full participation of students with disabilities in education. Likewise, inclusive university education can only be realised when students with disabilities have equal access to information. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities, which promote equal access to services and facilities to persons with disabilities. This paper raises awareness for both library staff and university management about the current status of library facilities and services with respect to accessibility for students with disabilities and how to address inclusiveness in library service provision.

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.

Accessibility of Internet Based Electronic Resources: A Content Analysis of Public and Private University Library Websites in Bangladesh

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Shamima Yesmin .
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Private University ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Electronic Resources ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
University Library ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
The University

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the websites of university libraries to ascertain that libraries are effectively utilizing their respective websites to provide easy access to all electronic resources available in the library. The objective was also to a represent a comparative analysis between public and private university library websites regarding the presence of electronic resources with their easy access via the internet. For the purpose of this study, a research instrument in the form of comprehensive checklist of eighteen e-resources was developed to evaluate their accessibility in the websites of public and private university libraries. Twenty university library websites, comprised of ten top-ranked public and ten top-ranked private universities in Bangladesh, were studied for data collection using content analysis method. The findings demonstrate that the presence of e-resources on selected university library websites is still in its early stage, but it has been growing rapidly. The private university library websites are ahead of public university libraries in terms of the integration of web-resources. It is hoped that the findings of this paper will serve to assist the University librarians and other similar institutions in choosing, selecting and acquiring the most appropriate format of information resources, and making these available to their websites, which will both satisfy the needs of their library users and fit within their library budget.

scholarly journals Embedded Librarianship is Not Well Understood by Librarians at Chinese Universities, but Represents a Promising Service Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-167
Author(s):  
Judith Logan
Keyword(s):  
Academic Departments ◽  
Library Services ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Service Model ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
Chinese University ◽  
Adopted Model ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
Participation In Research

A Review of: Sun, H., Liu, Y., Wang, Z., & Zuo, W. (2019). Embedded librarianship in China: Based on a survey of university libraries. The Library Quarterly, 89(1), 53–66. https://doi.org/10.1086/700663 Abstract Objective – To determine the extent to which embedded librarianship is understood and implemented with a focus on service models, best practices, and barriers. Design – Survey questionnaire with follow up interviews. Setting – Provincial and ministerial university libraries in China. Subjects – Subject or liaison librarians from the 84 institutions with science and technology “information searching and evaluation centres” called S&TNS (p. 56). Methods – The authors identified potential participants through the eligible institutions’ library websites or by contacting the library’s managers. Then they randomly selected three librarians (n = 252) from each library to be invited to participate. 56 responded from 41 unique institutions. When respondents indicated that their library had embedded library services, the authors contacted them for follow up interviews. Main results – Results of the questionnaire revealed that most respondents were unclear about the concept of embedded librarianship with many mistaking traditional models of librarianship as embedded. Roughly half (n = 21) of respondents reported embedded librarians at their institution. Follow up interviews revealed five models of embeddedness: (1) subject librarianship, (2) teaching information retrieval or library orientation sessions, (3) participation in research teams, (4) co-location with academic departments, and (5) assisting university administration with decision-making. Only half of these libraries (n = 11) conducted some form of assessment. Conclusion – Embedded librarianship is a promising, but not yet widely adopted model in Chinese university libraries. More should be done to advocate for its implementation or libraries risk obsolescence.

The Contribution of Effective Library and Information Services to Academic Achievements at Some Selected Universities in Ghana

Libri ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mac-Anthony Cobblah ◽  
Thomas van der Walt
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Academic Work ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Library Services ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Doctoral Study ◽  
Academic Achievements ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
The University

AbstractThis paper, which is largely based on the findings of my doctoral study, investigated the contribution of effective library and information services to academic achievements at universities in Ghana. The main objective of this study was to assess and explore the effectiveness of library and information services and establish its contribution to efficient academic work. The researchers adopted a mixed methods approach in which both qualitative and quantitative research approaches are used in a single study. This study used a survey research design because of the large and wide-spread population involved. The results of the study established that there is a correlation between effective library and information services and academic achievements at the universities in Ghana. The study also establish that library users were generally satisfied with the services provided by the university libraries and the provision of study space, book lending and Internet services turn out to be the most effective and highly patronized services. The findings on the challenges facing the delivery of effective library and information services clearly indicate that inadequate staff training programmes were affecting the ability of library staff to deliver effective library services. Finally, this paper has made recommendations on how to improve upon the effectiveness of library and information services to enhance academic work at universities in Ghana.

scholarly journals Use of University’s Library Websites in Pakistan: An Evaluation

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ijaz Mairaj
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Public Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
University Websites ◽  
Academic Role ◽  
Education Commission ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
The University ◽  
Purposive Sample

This study presents findings from a user-based evaluation of the use of Pakistani university's library websites. A questionnaire [printed and electronic] was used to collect the data from 17 universities. A purposive sample of 60 users from each university based on their academic role difference [faculty, researchers, graduates and undergraduates] was drawn. The findings of the study show that use of university library websites in Pakistan was satisfactory. Patrons who frequently used the Internet and library were found as frequent users of the library websites. University websites were found to be vital sources of awareness about the presence of the library websites and computers physically available at the university libraries were the significant places to use the library websites. Regarding users' academic role difference, faculty connected to the library websites from departments/faculties, while researchers and students preferred to use them from university libraries. The library websites were mainly used to find course related materials or search in online public access catalogue (OPAC). However, on the basis of users' academic role difference, faculty used the library websites to search in Higher Education Commission (HEC) Digital Library offering international scholarly literature; researchers accessed them to search in OPAC, while students preferred them to find course-related materials. The study recommends creating dynamic websites in all university libraries of Pakistan with useful content and state-of-the-art services for wider use

The Perspective of Library and Information Science (LIS) Professionals Toward Knowledge Management in University Libraries

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 1750015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khurshid Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Library Services ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Library Service ◽  
Knowledge Management Practices ◽  
The University

This study explores the general perspectives of library and information science (LIS) professionals on knowledge management in the university libraries of Pakistan. The study specifically examines the perceptions, understandings, role and responsibilities of Pakistani LIS professionals toward knowledge management. A questionnaire was used as an instrument to evaluate the perceptions, understandings, role and responsibilities of LIS professionals toward knowledge management. The questionnaires were administered to subject librarians who were included in the sample at the universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Generalising the findings of this study over the population of LIS community in Pakistan reveals that knowledge management is for the improvement of library services and productive purposes. Accordingly, the Pakistani LIS professionals use knowledge management practices for the improvement of their respective library service. The LIS community is also very familiar with the term “knowledge management”. It succeeded mainly to generalise that majority of the LIS professionals mentioned that they have used knowledge management in their libraries.

Organizational empowerment: A vital step toward intrapreneurship

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 529-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Zeinab Moghaddas ◽  
Masoumeh Tajafari ◽  
Mohsen Nowkarizi
Keyword(s):  
Random Sampling ◽  
Affective Commitment ◽  
Stratified Random Sampling ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Status ◽  
Research Population ◽  
Organizational Empowerment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The University

Intrapreneurship as a transformational strategy in non-profit organizations, including libraries, requires special arrangements through improvement of employees’ cooperation and tendency to entrepreneurial activities. Organizational empowerment is a mechanism which not only influences the staff’s attitude toward the organization through creating/enhancing loyalty, value congruence, and affective commitment but also leads to self-empowerment. Consequently, it seems that organizational empowerment in librarians can be one of the contextual factors which can directly lead to more intrapreneurship in libraries. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the status of organizational empowerment, intrapreneurship and the effect of organizational empowerment on intrapreneurship in the university libraries of Iran. The research population of this questionnaire-based survey consisted of 105 individuals who come from two different classes of librarians in two top universities in Iran. Participants were selected from each class through stratified random sampling. The findings demonstrated that organizational empowerment and intrapreneurship did not enjoy adequate status within these two university libraries. In addition, the effect of organizational empowerment on intrapreneurship was confirmed.

Convenience and accessibility of library services to students with disabilities at the University of Limpopo in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justice Phukubje ◽  
Mpho Ngoepe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Disabled Students ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Service Unit ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
The University

Students with disabilities require special convenient access to library services as compared to the general student population. Despite the special needs requirements, there is consensus among researchers that access to library services by students with disabilities is not yet fully available, especially in countries in the global periphery. This study utilised quantitative data collected through questionnaires directed to 92 disabled students registered for the 2013 academic year, an interview with the librarian responsible for the disabled students unit and observation using the IFLA checklist for access to libraries for disabled people to evaluate the convenience and accessibility of library services for students with disabilities at the University of Limpopo in South Africa. Even though the study established that a purpose-built library service unit for students with disabilities that complies with international best practice was in place, students with disabilities were not adequately satisfied with the library services they received as very few library materials had been transcribed into accessible formats. The situation was compounded by the fact that only one librarian was assigned to manage and run the library services for the disabled. The study recommends that the university should hire more librarians to assist students with disabilities in the audio-braille library. It is hoped that the study will stimulate policy makers to include students with disabilities in information access and collection development policies. A further study on the needs and academic progress assessment of students with one group of disabilities is recommended.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document