Provision of Library and Information Resources and Services on Suicide: Nigerian Libraries Perspective

This paper seeks to highlight the services and resources provided by Nigerian libraries on the prevalent incidents of suicide. The library is a hub of activities and its major purpose is to provide necessary and needed information to its teeming users. Library and information resources are those materials provided by the library both in printed and electronic formats which include the provision of information on suicide. These resources aid the provision of various information services such as current awareness service, selective dissemination of information, reader advisory service, and lots more. The diverse information services can be provided in collaboration with NGOs to create public awareness, provide signages on suicide and also train librarians on how to interact with users who are likely to possess such traits with the aid of the available resources that would help in suicide prevention, and also provide direction on how to get psychological help. From the literature review, very little is written on suicide by authors in Nigeria and it is a fact that Nigerian libraries do not give special attention to the provision of resources on suicide, especially the preventive aspect of it; therefore, a recommendation for a special corner in the library for such resources was proffered.

Signal information in the Web of Science Core Collection

The author specifies signal information in bibliographies supporting science and research, which enables to use Web of Science Core Collection efficiently. Subscription to the alerts on new arrivals to the Web of Science Core Collection is based upon the preserved search and citation history. The subscribers are researchers and librarians who provide science and research information support. Intensive use of bibliographic databases was expected to replace selective dissemination of information, as the key technological processes of these alerttypes are identical. The author argues that these methods of differentiated bibliographic information services may be combined in providing alerts to researchers; she refers to regular requests as an example. Journal contents in the database may become one more option of individual information retrieval. Subscribers to rapid signal information may receive the alerts on articles published in domestic and foreign journals. These two methods would open up new opportunities within the system of science and research information support.

Usage Pattern of Library Services in Degree College Libraries in Visakhapatnam District: A Survey

The present study deals with the user’s attitude towards the usage of library services in degree college libraries in Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh. The primary data collected through a questionnaire, distributed 1485 respondents and received only 1100 respondents, the response rate is 74%. The study mainly focuses on usage level of various library services available in sample degree colleges. The results showed that the students prefer to use book borrowing service heavily as compared to other library services. It is followed by reprographic service, reference service, internet services, selective dissemination of information service, and current awareness service at the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ranks, respectively.

Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Dissemination of Information in Selected Special Libraries in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria

Background of the study: This study examined the Application of ICT in Dissemination of Information in Selected Special Libraries in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Three Special libraries from the metropolis of the state comprised the sample population of the study; Central Bank of Nigeria Library, Michael Imoudu Institute of Labor Studies Library and Ghalib Chamber Library.Purpose: The study employed a survey research design using the Enumeration sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to obtain data from the respondents. The population of the study consisted of twenty-one (21) respondents which comprised of library professionals and library assistants. The usage of Email to render CAS is not a norm in these special libraries.Method: Data collected from the field were analyzed using descriptive method of analysis.Findings: Apart from CAS, it was found that selective dissemination of information (SDI) is not done with the aid of technological tools in these Libraries and these libraries rarely make use of OPAC to provide easy access to their resources, efficiency and effectiveness of ICT in the dissemination of information were not realized because of the low usage of ICT to drive operations in the library. The study recommended that there should be a standard alternative source of power for proper Usage of ICT facilities and management of special libraries should help their users in subscribed for a database that would assist them in having access to robust information.Conclusion: The study concluded that ICT facilities are put in place in the selected special libraries are not adequate and are as well not fully utilized. It was gathered that the usage of ICT facilities to render services like current awareness services (CAS) is not up to expectation.

Human-centric Faceted Approach for Ontology Construction

In this paper, we propose an ontology building method, called human-centric faceted approach for ontology construction (HCFOC). HCFOC uses the human-centric approach, improvised with the idea of selective dissemination of information (SDI), to deal with context. Further, this ontology construction process makes use of facet analysis and an analytico-synthetic classification approach. This novel fusion contributes to the originality of HCFOC and distinguishes it from other existing ontology construction methodologies. Based on HCFOC, an ontology of the tourism domain has been designed using the Protégé-5.5.0 ontology editor. The HCFOC methodology has provided the necessary flexibility, extensibility, robustness and has facilitated the capturing of background knowledge. It models the tourism ontology in such a way that it is able to deal with the context of a tourist’s information need with precision. This is evident from the result that more than 90% of the user’s queries were successfully met. The use of domain knowledge and techniques from both library and information science and computer science has helped in the realization of the desired purpose of this ontology construction process. It is envisaged that HCFOC will have implications for ontology developers. The demonstrated tourism ontology can support any tourism information retrieval system.

The object model of the selective information dissemination

The author examines the object model of the selective dissemination of information (SDI) that forms the basis for designing user information awareness system of the RAS Library for natural Sciences. The SDI system users are offered two types of services: the first is to provide awareness on the list of journals defined by the user, and the second is awareness building on thematic enquiries being formed with the keywords that the user supplies. The suggested SDI system differs from the traditional systems of the kind: designers do not limit the list of journals or the list of primary sources to be addressed within thematic search with the list of full-text resources available by the library’s subscription. This object model and the corresponding SDI system prototype have been operating since 2016. Its successful operation enables to suggest the described object model as a standard model for SDI system.

Activities on Information Support of Siberian Science of the Department of Scientific Bibliography of SPSTL SB RAS

The article presents the activity of the Department of Scientific Bibliography (DSB) of the State Public Scientific-Technological Library of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPSTL SB RAS) for 60 years in information support of scientific research in Siberia and the Far East and creation of the system of regional bibliographic informing of the research institutions of SB RAS in relevant scientific areas. The authors describe the activity of the Department for study of bibliographic provision of science in the region and preparation of analytical reviews of natural science and Humanities. In the time perspective, the paper presents the activities of DSB on automation of bibliographic processes, the formation of databases (bibliographic, full-text), current and retrospective indices, creation of the scientific base of Siberian bibliography and informing of subscribers in the mode of selective dissemination of information (SDI) and differentiated services for executives (DSE).The authors highlight the Department activity for the preparation of Union catalogues of books and periodicals of Siberia and the Far East, in particular, the Union catalogue of Siberian and Far Eastern books, which is included in the list of core projects of the “Program of National Bibliography Development in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2020”. The article presents the main indicators of the research activities of the Department (publications in journals and collections of studies, presentations at international, national and regional conferences), successful cooperation with science supporting foundations, participation in integration projects; methodical assistance in holding seminars and consultations on bibliographic description, methods of bibliometry, altmetry. The authors outline the prospects of further activities of DSB within the library and information activities of SPSTL SB RAS: development of new electronic tools to solve the problems of scientometrics, the study and application of the developments and achievements in the field of information and communication technologies, etc.

Technological Features of the Renewed System of Selective Dissemination of Information in the Library for Natural Sciences of the RAS

The wide spectrum of full text and bibliographic information resources (e. g. Web of Science, Scopus), which Library for Natural Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences (LNS RAS) had in its subscription for the last few years, was a ground for the autors' efforts in developing of the modern system of selective dissemination of information (SDI system). At the same time, acquisition of information sources on traditional media has been steadily decreasing in recent years.Sources of bibliographic information in this SDI system are bibliographic databases Web of Science and Scopus, and full-text platforms of foreign scientific publishers (currently — several dozen, including John Wiley & Sons, Springer Nature and ScienceDirect).The users of the SDI system have opportunity to get two kinds of service: the first one is informing on the current issues of the scientific journals which are preselected by user himself; the second one is the thematic informing based on the keywords of user thematic requests. This SDI system has the important feature that distinguishes it from traditional definition of SDI systems: we do not restrict either lists of journals reported by users nor the bibliographic sources in thematic sets by the list of full text sources available via library’s subscription. The only condition for including specific journal in the SDI system for the first kind of service or including the bibliographic source in thematic sets for the second kind of service is existing of the source as electronic web entity. If user has made order for full text material from contents/thematic information set, the library retrieves such full text material via all available ways beginning with library’s subscription and finishing with interlibrary loan.We have selected e-mail sending of personalized information sets for our users, as it was the mode selected as preferable mode by our users themselves. Personalized information sets include ordinary fields of bibliographic record (incl. abstracts if available in protosource) and some fields for increasing navigation options of records: link to full text via DOI, link for article record in Scopus and PubMed, information about library’s subscription for source where specific record is published.