Social Media and Library Collaboration

The use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp has become an integral part of everyday communication in Zimbabwe. These platforms allow libraries and librarians to work collaboratively. Anchored on the diffusion of technology theory, this chapter analyzed the availability of social media in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Library, Ministry of Environment Library, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Library, and Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency Library. The researcher interviewed six library professionals and found out that government librarians are using social media platforms to promote access to information and support freedom of information. The study noted that government libraries are still facing challenges such as lack of administrative support and lack of clear collaboration policies. These challenges are affecting collaboration initiatives. Accordingly, the researcher recommended managers to support their libraries with financial resources if government librarians are to effectively apply social media in their work areas.

Promoting Open Educational Resources Through Library Portals in South African Universities

In the South African context, there is still a lack of development of OER, and it is not well noted if library portals are a relevant place for hosting OER. There is a significance need for further scientific investigation about the appropriate channels of hosting OER in library portals. To further investigate the problem, this study opted for website content analysis to determine if library portals within the academic libraries accommodate OER in their portals. Out of 26 Institutions, so far only three institutions have accommodated OER in their repositories. This study concludes that policymakers and academics should play a significant role in engagement in promotion of OER to higher education institutions' digital libraries. This chapter concludes that library portals should strive to keep up with international initiative of openness. This study recommend that all South African universities and their academic library portals should have a common OER TAB (space) within the institutional repository.

Libraries and the Preservation of Public Intellectual Space and Heritage

There is one aspect of Libraries that needs particularly to be highlighted, namely the role of the public library as a par excellence site that upholds the public intellectual space when contrasted to the more restricted academic space. It is a primary means by which public intellectuals and, through them, civil society, may hold even academia to account when the latter becomes confined by dead habits or restricted by institutional, bureaucratic, elitist or other, structures. It needs to be emphasized that academia and scholarship are not necessarily congruent. The interplay between academia and scholarship is crucial and that is made possible by the public library. Open libraries, especially public libraries, are at least as vital as the academia. The importance of a library or a museum is not necessarily related to its location or its size. “Preservation” and “intellectual heritage” need to be decolonized in order to realize epistemic justice.

Knowledge Sharing Practices Amongst the Library and Information Professionals of Pakistan in the Digital Era

We are living in the age of an ever-changing knowledge-based society. Information, and most preferably knowledge, has been considered as a noteworthy resource for the development of any person, profession, institute, nation, and even all humanity on a larger scale. Knowledge sharing (KS) is a significant activity and an integral part of knowledge management. KS is substantial in building the capacity and learning development of library and information professionals. The aim of this article is to find out knowledge sharing practices among the library and information professionals working in different libraries in the Pakistani digital era. The study will be limited to the perceptual aspect of the issue, specifically from the respondents' opinions and their sentiments. Finally, the article highlights the role, skills and challenges for information professionals while sharing knowledge in the digital era of Pakistan.

Knowledge-Sharing Behavior for the Growth and Development of Library and Information Science Professionals

The main goal of this chapter is to assess knowledge sharing (KS) behavior among Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals and to assess how KS behavior contributes to professional growth and development in Bangladesh. Defining factors may encourage knowledge sharing behavior and can establish an important area of further LIS research. A modified survey questionnaire is developed and used to collect data on professionals' demographic and academic information, perception, attitude, intention, and intrinsic motivation to share knowledge. The authors found a significant relationship between the attitude of professionals toward KS and their intention to share knowledge. It is believed that the findings will help knowledge managers charged with the design of flexible KS system. This is the first time an effort will be made to assess professionals' perception on KS behavior in Bangladesh. The authors feel that this study may encourage the establishment of KS behavior in Bangladesh and beyond.

National Research and Knowledge Systems

Strong national research and knowledge systems are important in national development. If libraries are well integrated in national research and knowledge systems vibrant spaces of intellectual interrogation, research synthesis and translation can be created. Such an institutional landscape is key in linking research and policy, and this is critical for national development. Research and knowledge systems connect and facilitate sharing of lessons learned, what works, where, when, and how among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers thereby strengthening strategic collaborations to drive vital national development initiatives. Research and knowledge systems where libraries are an integral component create robust communities of practice where there is effective use of research and knowledge in policy and practice. This chapter focuses on how libraries can be part of a national research and knowledge system through institutional collaborations and partnerships and how such a system contributes to sustainable development through promotion of evidence informed policy and practice.

Media, Libraries, and Archives

This chapter seeks to explore how the dawn of the 21st century and how the proliferation of information communication technologies (ICTs) has necessitated a fundamental rethinking on the interface existing between the media, libraries, and archives. There has been a gradual but rapid paradigm shift, following the information revolution made possible by the digital revolution, which have brought unparalleled radical transformation to the operations, procedures, products, and services of the information profession. Given the timeliness of media work and intense competition to break the most recent information to the world at real time, media personnel ought to add flavor to their work through retrieval of stored but relevant information found in libraries and archives. This chapter seeks to place on record the relationship, which exists among the “holy trinity.” The chapter also intends to recommend solutions to enhance the relationship between the holy trinity.

Library Consortia as Cooperation and Collaboration Initiative for Libraries

This chapter discusses the different aspects of cooperation and collaboration initiatives for libraries that includes associated opportunities, issues, and challenges. A proposed model for library consortia is depicted to illustrate the benefits that can help institutes to overcome these issues and challenges faced by the libraries for smooth functioning. The proposed cross-resource sharing model may provide an appropriate platform for both institutes and publishers that can enhance the library cooperation and collaboration in a much more effective way by overcoming the fund issues and to enable a suitable platform in improvising the library services. By achieving a successful and appropriate library consortia model, the cooperation and collaboration initiatives for the libraries gives an effective result and better services to its users.

Can Interlending and Document Supply Be Undervalued

The multifarious task of information services, which academic libraries are saddled with, continues to require the support of interlending and document supply from other libraries, in order to meet users' increasing information needs. The rationale that spurs this drive was the shifting nature of operations from traditional to virtual/technological platforms. This article employed the qualitative research approach grounded on documents/textual content analysis of literature extracted from databases of Scopus, Science Direct, and LISTA. Findings revealed that academic libraries should utilize interlending and document supply to fulfill growing and diverse demands for information. The ability to fulfill information needs requires diverse knowledge and the skills of librarians, information resources, and infrastructure to strengthen interlending and document supply. The study recommends the adaptation of grey literature as part of the collection development, cooperation with library associations and securing funding for academic libraries in Nigeria as the way forward.

Inhibitors and Promoters of Quality Research Outputs for Women in the Library and Information Science (LIS) Profession in Africa

This chapter aims to explore inhibitors and promoters of quality research output for women in general and with specific reference to the library and information science (LIS) discipline and profession in Africa. It is envisaged that findings might help influence established, novice and potential women researchers in Africa to engage in collaborative production of quality research outputs, particularly women in the LIS profession. The chapter is organized into sections. First, the introduction and background, in which the uneven global bibliometrics about women in the research profession is highlighted. Then problem statement, research aims, and research methodology are described. After which, a theoretical framework, a literature review including inhibitors and promoters, are discussed. The chapter recommends women to work towards positioning themselves on the global scholarly landscape.