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Editorial : Research on and in academic libraries
No full textThis special issue highlights research taking place on and about academic libraries. The role of libraries in research and higher education is evolving, adapting to the rapidly changing needs of the communities they serve. Library services are being innovated to reach out with relevant knowledge and resources at the right time. All three research papers in this issue are case studies focusing on the academic library’s contribution to the integration of students in academic life, preparation of students for scholarly discourse and digital literacy training. They all show how libraries are taking responsibility for first generation students by creating communities for their development of the tacit knowledge of the academic world or embedding literacy training in university courses. In addition to research papers, this issue of NJLIS includes contributions in the format practice papers. In our experience, the innovation and development happening in the practice field does not always fit the format of a research paper. Nonetheless we find that in the context of academic libraries, describing the progress of practice through cases and narratives is both interesting and relevant to the community of library and information specialists. Including practice papers has allowed for the presentation, on their own terms, of development projects in research libraries that do not have the form or format of research
EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL PHENOMENA ON TEXTILE EXPRESSIONS OVER TIME
No full textThis research project explored how natural phenomena influence textile expressions over time and aimed to develop alternative approaches to textile design and use. It investigated how textile lifespans can be adapted to their intended use, opening up to diverse rhythms of change that align with sustainable practices. Through this lens, the project reimagined how fiber properties and structural design can interact with environmental elements to shape textiles that evolve over time. The project consisted of a core long-term experiment documenting the transformations of textile samples exposed to organic matter, followed by an analysis of changes in colour and expression. The outcome is a material library that exemplifies these principles and contributes to a novel framework for co-designing responsive, temporal textile systems with nature.Nordic Network on Smart Light-Conversion Textiles Beyond Electric Circuits, 2021-202
Reclaimed concrete to new concrete : The life cycle and cost analysis of the recycled aggregate
No full textI samband med byggbranschens koldioxidutsläpp och de ständigt ökade kraven på hållbarhet, blir återanvändning av material en viktig del i övergången till en cirkulär ekonomi. Denna studie genomförs i samverkan med NCC och undersöker miljömässiga och ekonomiska aspekter av att använda restbetong som återvunnen ballast. Syftet med denna studie är att jämföra klimat- samt kostnadspåverkan vid framtagning av återvunnen ballast och jungfrulig ballast ur ett livscykelperspektiv för NCC:s täkt i Kungälv. Den återvunna ballasten i denna studie härstammar från betongavfall. För att uppnå målet och besvara på frågeställningarna har denna studie, genom de etablerade standarderna SS-EN ISO 14040 och SS-EN ISO 14044, tillämpat en livscykelanalys (LCA) och en livscykelkostnadsanalys (LCC). Systemgränsen har satts till ”vagga till grind”, där fokus har ligger på klimatpåverkan och kostnader från anskaffning av råmaterial till produktion av ballast. I datainsamlingen ingick både primärdata från NCC, i form av samtal med nyckelpersoner och fältbesök, medan sekundärdata inhämtades från miljövarudeklarationer (EPD) och etablerade källor såsom Boverket. Resultatet visar att den återvunna ballasten har en lägre klimatpåverkan (GWP) än den jungfruliga. GWP för den återvunna ballasten uppgick till 1,88 kgCO2e/ton medan den jungfruliga ballasten blev 2,49 kgCO2e/ton. Liknande resultat noteras för kostnaderna, där den återvunna 8,55 kr/ton ballasten uppvisar en kostnad på 8,55 kr/ton jämfört med den jungfruliga 19,17 kr/ton. Analysen visar att användning av återvunnen restbetong bidrar positivt till både klimat- och ekonomisk hållbarhet. Eftersom sprängningsmomentet inte beaktas resultera detta i minskade växthusgasutsläpp och lägre kostnader, vilket återspeglas i ett reducerat GWP samt ett lägre pris för den återvunna ballasten. Det framgår dock att transportlogistiken är avgörande för att uppnå en betydande klimat- och kostnadsfördel. Transportavstånden är betydande för reducering av både klimat- och kostnadspåverkan, vilket tydligt framgår i både LCA- och LCC-resultaten. Den ekonomiska analysen i denna studie är begränsad till direkta energikostnader, såsom el och diesel vid krossningsprocessen samt transporter. Kostnader såsom underhåll, personalkostnader med mera, beaktas inte i denna studie eftersom dessa faktorer är gemensamma för båda alternativen. Därav bedöms de inkluderande energikostnaderna vara tillräckliga för att representera den huvudsakliga kostnadspåverkan för den jämförande analysen.In connection with the construction industry´s carbon dioxide emissions and the constantly increasing demands for sustainability, the reuse of materials becomes an important part of the transition to a circular economy. This study was conducted in collaboration with NCC and examines the environmental and economic aspects of using recycled concrete as aggregate in new concrete. The aim is to compare the climate and cost impact of producing virgin ballast and recycled ballast from a life cycle perspective for a quarry in Kungälv. To achieve the goal and answer the research question, this study has applied a life cycle analysis (LCA) and a life cycle cost analysis (LCC) in accordance with the established standards SS-EN ISO 14040 and SS-EN ISO 14044. The system boundary was set to “cradle to gate,” focusing on the climate impact and costs from raw material procurement to aggregate production. The data collection included both primary data from NCC in the form of interview studies and field visits, while secondary data was gathered from Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) and established sources as Boverket. The results showed that the recycled ballast had a lower climate impact (GWP) than the virgin ballast. The GWP of the virgin ballast was 2,49 kgCO2e/ton, while the recycled ballast was 1,88 kgCO2e/ton. Similar results were observed for the costs, with the virgin ballast showing a cost of 19,17 SEK/ton compared to the recycled ballast, where the cost was 8.55 SEK/ton. The results for both costs and climate impact are reported per ton produced material. The analysis showed that using recycled concrete contributes positively to both climate and economic sustainability. As the blasting moment was not considered, this resulted in a reduced GWP and a lower price for the recycled ballast. However, it was found that transport logistics are crucial for achieving significant climate and cost benefits. Transport distances are significant for reducing both climate and cost impact, which is clearly evident in both LCA and LCC results. However, the economic analysis in this study is limited to only direct energy costs, such as electricity and diesel in the crushing process as well as transportations. Costs such as maintenance, personnel costs, et cetera, are not considered in this study. This means that the costs analysis is not complete, but despite this, the included energy costs are deemed sufficient to represent the main cost impact of the production process
Technical comparison between themoisture management instrumentsMMT and WickView
No full textThe testing of fabric moisture management is crucial for textile development in healthcare, activewear, personal protective equipment (PPE), etc. Research and industry rely on efficient quantitative testing by moisture managementinstruments, yet a deeper understanding of these devices and their ability to assess fabric moisture management isneeded. This paper provides a thorough comparison of two fabric moisture management testing instruments, MoistureManagement Tester (MMT) and WickView, by looking at each instrument’s performance in assessing various aspects oftransverse and in-plane liquid transport. Based on the polyester and viscose fabrics tested in this study, the resultsindicate that MMT is more suitable for testing initial wetting and rapid transverse wicking in fabrics, whereas WickViewis unique in detecting directional in-plane wicking in one dimension and two dimensional in-plane wicking. The study alsohighlights limitations for both instruments. Limited spatial resolution for MMT and temporal resolution for WickViewaffect the test results’ accuracy. WickView’s ability to provide raw data allows for customizable analysis, which makes itpreferable for development and research, whereas MMT is more efficient for routine quality control. Furthermore, theimportance of adapting grading systems and general moisture management values according to the intended end use isemphasized. This study is useful for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of instrument-based fabric moisturemanagement testing
Examining Publishing Support and Questionable Publishing : A Normative Analysis of Information Provided by Swedish Higher Education Libraries
No full textIn this thesis, Badersten’s normative method (2006) was used to analyze textual material taken from the websites of eighteen higher education institutions in Sweden from an axiological (value theory) perspective. The study focused on the research support provided by academic libraries, specifically the information these libraries provided about different models of Open Access publishing and tools for identifying questionable publications. Earlier research shows that Open Access publishing is highly regarded and sought after in science, yet it is at times conflated with questionable publishing, despite questionable publishing long predating Open Access publishing. Studies done in the field of library and information science show that many of the tools used for detecting questionable publishers contain flaws that may cause problems if they are not used carefully. It is therefore relevant to study the information that academic libraries provide their researchers, as well as what norms and values guide it. To study the norms and values in the material, the collected terms used to describe different aspects of Open Access and questionable publishing were sorted into graphs and analyzed. Analysis of the data revealed in consistencies between different institutions in terms used for the same phenomenon, along with tendencies to provide tools that earlier research in the field has deemed problematic. No patterns of valuing information based on agent-neutral/agent-relevant language could be found in the material examined
Nurses experience of caring patient with critical illness in the emergency department : Literature review
No full textSjuksköterskor arbetandes på en akutmottagning vårdar patienter i möten som kan vara både krävande och oförutsägbara. Sjuksköterskor triagerar, bedömer och vårdar med en specifik kompetens inom omvårdnad. Patienterna inkommer med kritiska tillstånd som innebär fara för liv och hälsa och sjuksköterskor ska då vårda under denna pressade situation. Syftet med denna litteraturöversikt var att belysa sjuksköterskors upplevelse av att vårda patienter med ett kritiskt tillstånd. Vald metod för examensarbetet var litteraturöversikt genom en integrerad sammanställning av kvalitativ forskning. Litteraturen hämtades från databaserna cinahl och medline. Resultaten presenterar två teman med fem subteman baserat på tio artiklar. De två teman var glädjen och professionalismen samt attityder på akutmottagningen. I resultatet framkom det att sjuksköterskor upplevde stark tillfredställelse både i sin yrkesroll samt på ett personligt plan när de lyckas rädda en patient. Det framkom att sjuksköterskorna upplever att deras inre känslor inte får synas utåt med risk för att sin stress och oro påverkar patienten eller vårdandet. Sjuksköterskor ansåg även att omvårdnadsarbetet var sekundärt till deras arbetsuppgifter men att det även saknades rutiner kring hur omvårdnaden skulle utföras för patienter med kritiskt tillstånd. En försummelse av sjuksköterskornas egna känslor kan tänkas försvåra det vårdande mötet samt att den otillräckliga omvårdnaden bidrar till lidande för patientenNurses working in an emergency department care for patients in encounters that can be both demanding and unpredictable. Nurses triage, assess, and provide care with a specific competence in nursing care. Patients are admitted with critical conditions that pose a threat to life and health, and nurses are therefore required to provide care under these pressured circumstances. The aim of this literature review was to highlight nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with critical conditions. The chosen method was a literature review through an integrated synthesis of qualitative research. The literature was retrieved from the databases CINAHL and MEDLINE. The results present two themes with five subthemes based on ten articles. The two themes were joy and professionalism and attitudes in the emergency department. The findings showed that nurses experienced strong satisfaction both in their professional role and on a personal level when they succeeded in saving a patient. It also emerged that nurses felt their inner emotions should not be shown outwardly, as there was a risk that their stress and anxiety could affect the patient or the care provided.Nurses also believed that nursing care was secondary to their other work tasks, and that there was a lack of routines regarding how nursing care should be carried out for patients with critical conditions. Neglecting nurses’ own emotions may complicate the caring encounter, and insufficient nursing care may contribute to patient sufferin
Think of the children! : The phenomenon of book banning and the reasons behind censoring
No full textThis essay aims to look deeper into the causes and effects of the phenomenon called book banning, where people call for books of certain genres to be taken away from easy access shelves at libraries and schools. The essay further intends to find answers as to how the book banning process can affect rules/laws concerning the contents of library collections and the actions of library employees. Due to the subject’s actuality in the states and how it is brought up in the media as well as in social media, the essay will make a comparison between the USA and Sweden, where the debate concerning the suitability of the contents of books is a lot more subtle and not as visible to the general public as the debate in the states. The results show that the cause for book banning historically has been mostly the same as it is today: to control the narrative and thus control the population in one way or the other. The most common claim from those who actively challenge books is to “protect the children” from dangerous or harmful influences. The book banning debate can affect the rules and to some degree the laws concerning libraries in a state in the USA, due to the way that the legal system is constructed. The library laws and rules in Sweden, however, cannot be affected in the same manner, due to the specified protection that Swedish libraries have in the constitution of rights to free information
Pov: your outfit has cultural capital : second hand clothing as an expression for style and social status among young adults
No full textDenna studie undersöker hur secondhand-stil används som en form av stilistiskt uttryck och markör för social status bland unga vuxna i Sverige. Studien har sin grund i Pierre Bourdieus teoretiska ramverk distinktion. De viktigaste teoretiska begreppen som används i studien är habitus, kapital, fält och distinktion, baserat på Pierre Bourdieus sociologiska ramverk. Med hjälp av dessa begrepp undersöker studien hur secondhand-stilen formas av sociala faktorer och hur status formas av denna stil. Studien bygger på kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuer med femton deltagare i åldrarna 18 till 30 år, alla med ett intresse för secondhand-stil. Resultatet visar att stilpreferenser är starkt påverkade av uppväxt, sociala grupper och närmiljö. Secondhand-kläder och stil används för att uttrycka främst identitet men också för att signalera medvetenhet och särskilja sig från mainstream-mode och andra stilgrupper. Secondhand-stilen blir ett verktyg för tillhörighet och distinktion. Speciellt inom en specifik grupp av secondhand-användare där stilen får sitt igenkännande och därför ses som en statussymbol. Stilen visar sig bära på både kulturellt och symboliskt kapital och är knuten till kunskap om stilen. Sammanfattningsvis fungerar secondhand-stilen som en typ av social position och kulturellt uttryck. Denna studie bidrar till en djupare förståelse för hur unga vuxna i Sverige använder secondhand-stilen för att navigera olika värden som hållbarhet, autenticitet och socialt erkännande nu när stilen blir mainstream. Studien bidrar också till en fördjupad förståelse för hur status skapas när secondhand-stilen används. This study examines how secondhand-style is used as a form of stylistic expression and marker of social status among young adults in Sweden. The study is framed by Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical framework, Distinction. The main theoretical concepts used in the study are habitus, capital, field, and distinction, based on Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological framework. With these the concepts the study investigates how secondhand-style is shaped by social factors and how status is formed by this style. The study is based on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants aged from 18 to 30, all with an interest in secondhand-style. Based on the data from these interviews the aim of this study could be answered. Which was to understand how second-hand style is used as a form of stylistic expression and how it contributes to status among young adults in Sweden. Findings show that fashion preferences are strongly influenced by upbringing, social groups and close environment. Secondhand clothing and style is used to express mainly identity but also to signal awareness and differentiate from mainstream fashion and other style groups. The secondhand-style becomes a tool for belonging and distinction. Especially within a specific group of secondhand-style users where the style gets recognized and therefore seen as a status symbol. Their style is shown to carry both cultural and symbolic capital and is tied to knowledge of the style. In conclusion, secondhand-style functions as a type of social position and cultural expression. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how young adults in Sweden use this style to navigate values like sustainability, authenticity and social recognition now when the style is becoming mainstream. This study also helps deepen the understanding of how status is formed when using this style.
Emotional aspects of decision-making in consumer purchasing behavior
No full textI en allt mer digitaliserad konsumtionsmiljö är det avgörande för både forskare och praktiker att förstå de känslomässiga drivkrafterna bakom konsumenters köpbeslut. Denna studie undersöker hur känslomässiga, sociala och psykologiska faktorer påverkar unga vuxnas konsumtionsbeteende inom online-mode i små svenska städer. Genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod genomfördes tio semi-strukturerade intervjuer med deltagare i åldern 20 till 25 år, med syfte att förstå hur varumärkesanknytning, identitet och impulsköp påverkar beslutsfattande i digitala shoppingmiljöer. Resultaten visar att även om många respondenter beskriver sina köpbeslut som rationella, spelar känslomässiga underströmmar som bekantskap, estetisk överensstämmelse och ett behov av självuttryck en betydande roll. Impulsköp kopplades ofta till affektiva tillstånd som uttråkning, stress eller behovet av känslomässig belöning och utlöses ofta av algoritmdrivna innehåll eller tidsbegränsade kampanjer. Influencers framträdde inte som direkta påverkare utan snarare som subtila agenter för sociala normer, som påverkade livsstilsaspirationer och formade uppfattningar om vad som är önskvärt. Studien bidrar teoretiskt genom att omtolka etablerade begrepp om varumärkeslojalitet och föreslår att lojalitet bland yngre konsumenter ofta reflekterar konsistens, bekvämlighet och känslomässig trygghet snarare än djup affektion. Praktiskt belyser forskningen vikten av känslomässigt resonant kommunikation och en sömlös användarupplevelse för modevarumärken som riktar sig till digitalt infödda unga. Sammantaget positionerar studien online-modekonsumtion inte bara som ett ekonomiskt beteende, utan som en pågående, känslodriven förhandling av identitet, tillhörighet och självbild inom en digitalt mättad kultur.In an increasingly digitalized consumer landscape, understanding the emotional underpinnings of purchasing decisions is essential for both scholars and practitioners. This study explores how emotional, social, and psychological factors shape the online fashion consumption behavior of young adults living in small Swedish towns. Drawing on a qualitative research approach, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 20 to 25, aiming to understand how brand attachment, identity and impulse buying affect decision-making in digital shopping environments. The findings reveal that while many respondents describe their purchasing decisions as rational, emotional undercurrents such as familiarity, aesthetic alignment and a desire for self-expression play a significant role. Impulse buying was commonly linked to affective states like boredom, stress or a need for emotional reward and often triggered by algorithm-driven content or time-limited campaigns. Influencers emerged not as direct persuaders but as subtle agents of social norms, influencing lifestyle aspirations and shaping perceptions of what is desirable. The study contributes theoretically by reinterpreting established notions of brand loyalty, suggesting that among younger consumers, loyalty often reflects consistency, convenience and emotional safety rather than deep affection. Practically, the research highlights the importance of emotionally resonant communication and seamless user experience for fashion brands targeting digitally native youth. Overall, the study positions online fashion consumption not merely as economic behavior, but as an ongoing, emotion-driven negotiation of identity, belonging and self-image within a digitally saturated culture
Can't beautiful women work in a library? : A qualitative analysis of the embodiment of librarian stereotypes in contemporary film
No full textThis thesis examines the portrayal of librarians in contemporary films, with a particular focus on stereotypical representations. Through a qualitative analysis of 13 films produced between 2000 and 2023, 20 librarian characters are studied. The aim is to explore their appearance and lives, and to investigate whether older stereotypes, such as the traditional “old maid - librarian,” still persist in today’s films. The results show that while some progress has been made in how librarians are portrayed, many of the old stereotypes remain, influencing the public’s perception of the profession. The thesis also highlights how these cinematic representations can impact the profession’s status and self-image, particularly in a field dominated by women. This analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of how media representations can reinforce or challenge existing professional stereotypes