scholarly journals Highlighting the Need for Collaboration Between Archaeologists and Information Professionals

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-53
Author(s):  
Tamara Hluchaniuk

The discipline of archaeology intersects with information science as it deals directly with the information of human history and prehistory through material culture. This paper examines the link between the disciplines of information science and archaeology within the context of the archaeological curation crisis, which has been exacerbated by the lack of attention to the curation of archaeological collections. While the issue and solutions have been identified in the scholarly literature, few sources discuss collaboration between archaeologists and information professionals as a potential solution. This paper on conceptualizes archaeological artifacts as archival records and analyzes the issue through boundary object theory and the records continuum model. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the complementary nature of the two disciplines and subsequently highlight the importance of collaboration between archaeologists and information professionals, as both discipline have the potential to identify areas of need and establish best practices to resolve this curation crisis.

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.


2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie Druery ◽  
Nancy McCormack ◽  
Sharon Murphy

Objective - The term “best practice” appears often in library and information science literature, yet, despite the frequency with which the term is used, there is little discussion about what is meant by the term and how one can reliably identify a best practice. Methods – This paper reviews 113 articles that identify and discuss best practices, in order to determine how “best practices” are distinguished from other practices, and whether these determinations are made on the basis of consistent and reliable evidence. The review also takes into account definitions of the term to discover if a common definition is used amongst authors. Results – The “evidence” upon which papers on “best practices” are based falls into one of the following six categories: 1) opinion (n=18, 15%), 2) literature reviews (n=13, 12%), 3) practices in the library in which the author works (n=19, 17%), 4) formal and informal qualitative and quantitative approaches (n=16, 14%), 5) a combination of the aforementioned (i.e., combined approaches) (n=34, 30%), and 6) “other” sources or approaches which are largely one of a kind (n=13, 12%). There is no widely shared or common definition of “best practices” amongst the authors of these papers, and most papers (n=94, 83%) fail to define the term at all. The number of papers was, for the most part, split evenly amongst the six categories indicating that writers on the subject are basing “best practices” assertions on a wide variety of sources and evidence. Conclusions – Library and information science literature on “best practices” is rarely based on rigorous empirical methods of research and therefore is generally unreliable. There is, in addition, no widely held understanding of what is meant by the use of the term.


2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 119-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole A. Cooke

Purpose This paper aims to suggest that classroom instructors should reflect and revise their pedagogy to lead a classroom designed to produce future information professionals who will be prepared to serve their communities in a radical way. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the literature related to radical and humanizing pedagogies and then features an auto ethnographic case study which details how the author implemented some of the strategies. Findings Formal study of pedagogy can improve the library and information science (LIS) teaching and learning process. Practical implications Examining pedagogy in a formal way yields concrete suggestions for improving classroom management and content delivery. Social implications Using a radical pedagogy can improve relationships between teachers and learners, and learners will be able to model the classroom strategies in their own professional practice. Originality/value The study builds upon current examples of radical practice in the field and examines how such practices can be instilled even earlier in LIS graduate classrooms.


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.


Author(s):  
А.А. Кудрявцев ◽  
С.А. Володин

В 1943–1944 гг. сотрудники Института истории материальной культуры принимали участие в работе Чрезвычайной государственной комиссии (ЧГК). Это выражалось в составлении инструкций по установлению стоимости различных археологических памятников для определения нанесенного им ущерба в период оккупации, составлении их списков и анкетировании. В 1944 г. ИИМК по заданию ЧГК организовал восемь экспедиций в освобожденные районы РСФСР и УССР с целью обследования ряда поселений и курганных могильников, а также музеев с археологическими коллекциями, пострадавших в военные годы. Участие в деятельности ЧГК позволило Московскому отделению ИИМК сохранить основные функции научного учреждения в тяжелый период войны. In 1943–1944 the staff of the Institute for the History of Material Culture was involved in the work performed by the Extraordinary State Commission. The Institute staff prepared guidelines to be used in assessing the value of various archaeological sites to determine the damage caused to the sites during the occupation period, prepared relevant lists and conducted questionnaire-based interviews. In 1944 by order of the Extraordinary State Commission, the Institute organized eight expeditions to the liberated regions of the Russian SFR and the Ukrainian SSR in order to survey a number of settlements and kurgan burial grounds as well as museums with archaeological collections damaged during the war. Involvement in the activities of the Extraordinary State Commission enabled the Moscow Branch of the Institute to continue performing its main functions as a research institution during the hard time of the war.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Vann

This report presents a case study about building a working digital language archive in a hosted university institutional repository. Best practices in language documentation regarding information architecture, organization, and retrieval are considered in relation to university library commitments to resource acquisition/preservation and online cataloging/delivery systems. Despite challenges, findings suggest that constructing digital language archives in university institutional repositories may offer viable collaborative solutions for researchers unable to find suitable, pre-existing archives in which to deposit their language documentary materials. The report concludes that, in such situations, the ability to satisfy best practices may respond to the strengths/weaknesses of particular software implementations as much as it reflects the design team’s vision, as theory and method in language documentation increasingly become matters of library and information science.


2015 ◽  
Vol 116 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 37-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgenia Vassilakaki ◽  
Valentini Moniarou-Papaconstantinou

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the specific roles information professionals have adopted in the past 14 years. It aims to identify the roles reported in the literature concerning developments in the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopted the method of systematic review. Searches were conducted in February and March 2014 on different LIS databases. From a total of 600 papers, 114 were selected, based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thorough full-text analysis of the papers revealed six roles that librarians have adopted: teachers, technology specialists, embedded librarians, information consultants, knowledge managers and subject librarians. Findings – New and evolving roles were identified, mainly in the context of academic libraries. Librarians’ educational responsibilities and their active involvement in the learning and research process were highlighted in all role categories identified. Collaboration among faculty and librarians was reported as a way of ensuring successful instruction. Librarians’ personal views of their new and emerging roles were more frequently reported; further research is needed to shed light on academics, students and other users’ perceptions of librarians’ engagement in the learning process. Research limitations – The study considered only peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2014 in English. It focused on information professionals’ roles and not on librarians’ skills and their changing professional responsibilities. Originality/value – This review paper considers the development of the LIS profession in a changing environment and offers an understanding of the future direction of the LIS profession.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Devendra Dilip Potnis ◽  
Joseph Winberry

PurposeThis literature review aims to identify conscious, intentional, repetitive and transferrable information-related decisions and activities (i.e. information practices) for individuals to alleviate their information vulnerability. Information vulnerability refers to the lack of access to accurate, affordable, complete, relevant and timely information or the inability to use such information, which can place individuals, communities or society at disadvantage or hurt them.Design/methodology/approachConceptual literature review.FindingsThis review presents seven conscious, intentional, repetitive and transferrable information practices to alleviate information vulnerability.Practical implicationsDue to the transferability potential of the seven information practices, diverse populations in varied contexts could refer to, adapt and benefit from appropriate combinations of information practices and their manifestations. The framework can be used by individuals for alleviating information vulnerability. Thus, this paper responds to the call for conducting action-driven research in information science for addressing real-world problems. Information professionals can help individuals select and implement appropriate combinations of seven information practices for alleviating information vulnerability.Originality/valueWe propose (1) a parsimonious, episodic framework for alleviating information vulnerability, which depicts the inter-relationship among the seven information practices and (2) a three-dimensional plot with information access, use and value as three axes to map the manifestation and outcome of alleviating information vulnerability.


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