International Journal of Librarianship
Not a member yet
254 research outputs found
Sort by
Creating a Culture of Care: A Case Study of Finals Week Activities and Student Wellbeing Assessment
Full text linkThis case study investigates the role of Auburn University Libraries (AUL) in enhancing student wellbeing during finals week, a period characterized by elevated stress and anxiety levels among students. In light of rising mental health concerns within college populations, particularly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this research aims to assess the effectiveness of AUL’s targeted initiatives designed to support students during this critical time. The study addresses four core questions regarding student perceptions of the library's involvement, the perceived impact of activities on stress and anxiety, student recommendations for future initiatives, and the evaluation of the return on investment for resources allocated to these programs. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research draws upon both qualitative and quantitative data to provide insights into student experiences and the effectiveness of wellness initiatives. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on the importance of academic libraries in fostering mental health and wellbeing in higher education, ultimately aiming to inform future strategies and ensure the sustainability of supportive programs within the university’s educational ecosystem
Benefit and Cost Analysis of Resource Sharing
Full text linkLibraries are not exempt from rising costs. The situation presented is how libraries can continue to provide services while also finding efficiencies in labor and operational expenditures. Libraries must examine where budgets are currently being allocated and then evaluate what further steps can be taken to ensure prompt and reliable service while also remaining efficient. For libraries who participate in interlibrary loan or consortial resource sharing, it may be beneficial to use OCLC’s Interlibrary Loan Cost Calculator or to determine what the return on investment is for being part of a consortium. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used the ILL Cost Calculator and the return on investment provided by the statewide consortium to evaluate current operations and determine what further steps could be taken to provide materials in a timely manner
Conducting a Historical Map Collection Condition Assessment Survey at the Rochester Public Library
Full text linkHistorical maps retain tremendous research value in the digital era. While many libraries have digitized their maps to expand research access, challenges remain for preserving physical maps. This project report describes a collection condition assessment survey at a public library using free online tools and volunteer hours to identify preservation issues and develop strategies to improve collection care. Collection condition surveys can serve as a road map for further preservation, conservation, and digitization projects
Information Needs and Information Seeking Behaviour of Farmers in Baruten Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria
Full text linkThis study was undertaken to investigate the information needs and information seeking behavior of farmers in Baruten Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. The study used questionnaire as the data collection instrument while simple statistics – frequency table and percentages were used for analyzing the data. 300 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to respondents across 10 communities (Ilesa-Baruba, Okuta, Yashikira, Sinawu, Kosubosu, Gure, Boriya, Kuburufu, Gwanara And Chikanda) making a total of 300 respondents. while 272 copies representing 91% were returned and found useful for the study. Findings from the study revealed that the greatest information need of farmers in Baruten Local Government was information on credit facilities which had a mean value of 3.61. this was followed by information on new farming methodologies and marketing of farm produce which had mean value of 3.59 respectively. When seeking for information, the respondents preferred to seek out information from the professional associations. The greatest challenge faced by the respondents when seeking for information was language barrier and financial challenges which had mean values of 3.84 and 3.74 respectively. Finally, appropriate recommendations such as provision of information resources in the local language an increase in the number of extension workers, as well as the provision of good internet facilities were suggested to solve the challenges highlighted by the study
AI in Scholarly Publishing: A Study on LIS Journals' Guidelines and Policies
Full text linkAs Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as generative AI became more common, its use in academic settings also gained more popularity. Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) is an AI powered chatbot developed by OpenAI. It has many benefits for scholarly publishing. However, ChatGPT and related technologies have been identified as disruptive innovations with the potential to revolutionize academia and scholarly publishing (Haque et al., 2022). ChatGPT can only benefit authors when used responsibly. There are certainly ethical issues with using ChatGPT for scholarly publishing. First of all, authorship is a major concern. There are questions about the ownership of the work generated by ChatGPT (Schönberger, 2018). Besides, there may be concerns about copyright as well. When using ChatGPT, users may find it challenging to ensure that quotes, data, or other materials from external sources comply with copyright laws and receive proper attribution (Gillotte, 2019). When the language models are trained on a massive amount of data from unknown sources, it is almost impossible to track the original source. As a result, plagiarism may arise from using ChatGPT. It is not limited to copyrighted text, but also includes paraphrasing, methods, graphics, ideas, and any other product of intelligence that belongs to another person (Gasparyan et al., 2017). With the issues raised above, it is necessary to examine the current state of transparency regarding the use of generative AI in scholarly publishing. 
Factors Influencing Book Selection: A Practical Study of Integrating AI Models for Forecasting at a Large Public Library
Full text link[Purpose/Significance] Smart library represents a future development direction and an innovation mode for the library world. This article attempts to explore the intelligent transformation of English book acquisition work in public libraries.
[Method/Process] This article constructs a book selection decision-making indicators system for English book selection in public libraries. Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) are conducted in order to find the best book selection forecasting model. Then taking a large public library in Shanghai for example, it reveals the key indicators influencing the book selection, predicts the potential value of books, and provides a new perspective for the collection construction of English books under the background of developing smart library.
[Result/Conclusion] By supporting librarians in making more scientific decisions, it can enhance the quality of library collection resources as a new approach to the intellectualized development of English book collections in public libraries
Proposing A Critical AI Literacy Framework for Academic Librarians: A Case Study of a Database-Anchored GenAI Tool for Chinese Studies
Full text linkThis article investigates the application of Critical AI Literacy in research strategies in the field of humanities, exemplified by a case study of CNKI SMART, an AI-driven feature in one of the leading databases for Chinese Studies, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). As GenAI transforms information access, libraries and librarians bear increasing responsibility for fostering AI Literacy and Critical AI Literacy among patrons to support thoughtful engagement with GenAI-generated content. Addressing this critical gap, we propose a Critical AI Literacy evaluation practice—the RACBAC Standard—combining seven Critical AI Literacy Skills to assist researchers in humanities and potentially other disciplines. The RACBAC Standard evaluates GenAI outputs based on Relevance, Accuracy, Coverage, Bias, Authority, and Currency. Through a case study evaluating CNKI SMART’s responses to a given research question, we demonstrate the application of our proposed RACBAC Standards. Findings highlight the necessity of librarians’ role in assisting researchers to cross-reference and critically examine GenAI-assisted research using the proposed six standards. This article contributes to the emerging discourse on AI Literacy and Critical AI Literacy by advancing strategies that promote responsible use of GenAI tools across academic fields
Exploring the Information Literacy Skills Development Strategies of Senior High Schools in Tolon District of Ghana
Full text linkThis research paper delves into the Information Literacy (IL) skill development strategies implemented by Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. The study employs a phenomenological approach and qualitative method to explore the perspectives of students, teaching staff, and management within these institutions. Through purposive sampling and focus group interviews, the research investigates both the institutional and individual efforts in enhancing IL skills of students. The findings illuminate the proactive measures taken by SHS management, including fresh students’ orientation programs and dedicated library time and creation of conducive learning environment. There is no IL course in the curriculum of the SHS. The findings further reveal that teaching staff, recognizing the significance of IL, employ varied strategies to enhance students' IL skills. Despite these efforts, a noteworthy challenge emerges: teaching staff lack the requisite IL skills. Finally, students of these institutions rely on Google, teachers, parents and colleagues for the needed information. The research recommends a holistic approach to IL education, incorporating policy reforms, teacher training programs, and targeted interventions to address the identified challenges
Investigating Ineffectiveness of Electronic Security Systems in Safeguarding Library Materials at Mzumbe University Library: Challenge Of Using Electronic Security Systems In Academic Libraries
Full text linkThe study surveyed the challenges facing Mzumbe University Library in using ESSs with three specific objectives: to analyze the types of ESSs used at MU, evaluate the effectiveness of ESSs, and identify challenges facing MU Library in using ESSs. The study adopted qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches, and the questionnaire guide was disseminated to 41 library staff members. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select respondents. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22 program version 20 and Microsoft Excel. The result of the study shows that there are three types of ESSs used at MU library: Theft detection, smoke detection, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. Also, the study identifies the challenges facing Mzumbe University Library in operating ESS which, are personal, technical, management, and financial factors. The study recommended that the university management should consider the allocation of enough funds for the system maintenance, repair, and facilitating training programs for library staff concerning ESSs. In addition, the study also recommended the enforcement of policies showing a clear penalty for anyone found guilty of theft or damage of any library material even if he/she is a library staff.
 
