Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Women by virtue of their being are confronted with many challenges. This is particularly the case in South Africa where gender-based violence, women abuse and femicide are pervasive. This study sought to highlight the contribution of academic libraries in South Africa to SDG 5 on gender equality through Community Engagement (CE) initiatives. The study followed a multi-methods qualitative approach and online interviews with 20 heads of public university libraries, and focus group discussions with 33 Librarians in eight focus groups were its data collection methods. Findings showed that academic libraries in the country contribute to SDG 5 through visits and donations to safe houses and prisons, Take a Girl Child to Work initiative, providing internship opportunities to females, collection and donation of sanitary towels in schools, and panel discussions, visits and displays that tackle women’s issues. These results affirm the contribution of academic libraries to the SDGs through CE. CE can be adopted in academic libraries to provide direct contribution to the SDGs that are not always associated with their traditional teaching, learning and research support role.
Category Archives: Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
Academic libraries’ contribution to gender equality in a patriarchal, femicidal society
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Volume 56, Issue 1, Page 3-14, March 2024.
Women by virtue of their being are confronted with many challenges. This is particularly the case in South Africa where gender-based violence, women abuse and femicide are pervasive. This study sought to highlight the contribution of academic libraries in South Africa to SDG 5 on gender equality through Community Engagement (CE) initiatives. The study followed a multi-methods qualitative approach and online interviews with 20 heads of public university libraries, and focus group discussions with 33 Librarians in eight focus groups were its data collection methods. Findings showed that academic libraries in the country contribute to SDG 5 through visits and donations to safe houses and prisons, Take a Girl Child to Work initiative, providing internship opportunities to females, collection and donation of sanitary towels in schools, and panel discussions, visits and displays that tackle women’s issues. These results affirm the contribution of academic libraries to the SDGs through CE. CE can be adopted in academic libraries to provide direct contribution to the SDGs that are not always associated with their traditional teaching, learning and research support role.
Women by virtue of their being are confronted with many challenges. This is particularly the case in South Africa where gender-based violence, women abuse and femicide are pervasive. This study sought to highlight the contribution of academic libraries in South Africa to SDG 5 on gender equality through Community Engagement (CE) initiatives. The study followed a multi-methods qualitative approach and online interviews with 20 heads of public university libraries, and focus group discussions with 33 Librarians in eight focus groups were its data collection methods. Findings showed that academic libraries in the country contribute to SDG 5 through visits and donations to safe houses and prisons, Take a Girl Child to Work initiative, providing internship opportunities to females, collection and donation of sanitary towels in schools, and panel discussions, visits and displays that tackle women’s issues. These results affirm the contribution of academic libraries to the SDGs through CE. CE can be adopted in academic libraries to provide direct contribution to the SDGs that are not always associated with their traditional teaching, learning and research support role.
The relationship between the development level of American public libraries and the output of science and engineering publications
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This paper explores the exact relationship between the development level of American public libraries and the output of science and engineering publications. We use the sample data from 1996 to 2019 to build a time series model, and analyze the long-term equilibrium, short-term correlation and Granger causality relationships between them with stationarity test, cointegration test, Granger causality test, and impulse response function. The results suggest that there are a long-term equilibrium relationship and a bidirectional Granger causality between them. The two interact and promote each other. The impact of the development level of American public libraries on the output of science and engineering publications can be seen in fewer time periods, while the impact of the output of science and engineering publications on the development level of American public libraries take more time periods to show.
This paper explores the exact relationship between the development level of American public libraries and the output of science and engineering publications. We use the sample data from 1996 to 2019 to build a time series model, and analyze the long-term equilibrium, short-term correlation and Granger causality relationships between them with stationarity test, cointegration test, Granger causality test, and impulse response function. The results suggest that there are a long-term equilibrium relationship and a bidirectional Granger causality between them. The two interact and promote each other. The impact of the development level of American public libraries on the output of science and engineering publications can be seen in fewer time periods, while the impact of the output of science and engineering publications on the development level of American public libraries take more time periods to show.
The relationship between the development level of American public libraries and the output of science and engineering publications
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Volume 56, Issue 1, Page 120-130, March 2024.
This paper explores the exact relationship between the development level of American public libraries and the output of science and engineering publications. We use the sample data from 1996 to 2019 to build a time series model, and analyze the long-term equilibrium, short-term correlation and Granger causality relationships between them with stationarity test, cointegration test, Granger causality test, and impulse response function. The results suggest that there are a long-term equilibrium relationship and a bidirectional Granger causality between them. The two interact and promote each other. The impact of the development level of American public libraries on the output of science and engineering publications can be seen in fewer time periods, while the impact of the output of science and engineering publications on the development level of American public libraries take more time periods to show.
This paper explores the exact relationship between the development level of American public libraries and the output of science and engineering publications. We use the sample data from 1996 to 2019 to build a time series model, and analyze the long-term equilibrium, short-term correlation and Granger causality relationships between them with stationarity test, cointegration test, Granger causality test, and impulse response function. The results suggest that there are a long-term equilibrium relationship and a bidirectional Granger causality between them. The two interact and promote each other. The impact of the development level of American public libraries on the output of science and engineering publications can be seen in fewer time periods, while the impact of the output of science and engineering publications on the development level of American public libraries take more time periods to show.
Overlay journals: A study of the current landscape
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Overlay journals are characterised by their articles being published on open access repositories, often already starting in their initial preprint form as a prerequisite for submission to the journal prior to initiating the peer-review process. In this study we aimed to identify currently active overlay journals and examine their characteristics. We utilised an explorative web search and contacted key service providers for additional information. The final sample consisted of 34 overlay journals. While the results show that new overlay journals have been actively established within recent years, the current presence of overlay journals remains diminutive compared to the overall number of open access journals. Most overlay journals publish articles in natural sciences, mathematics or computer sciences, and are commonly published by groups of academics rather than formal organisations. They may also rank highly within the traditional journal citation metrics. None of the investigated journals required fees from authors, which is likely related to the cost-effective aspects of the overlay publishing model. Both the growth in adoption of open access preprint repositories and researchers’ willingness to publish in overlay journals will determine the model’s wider impact on scholarly publishing.
Overlay journals are characterised by their articles being published on open access repositories, often already starting in their initial preprint form as a prerequisite for submission to the journal prior to initiating the peer-review process. In this study we aimed to identify currently active overlay journals and examine their characteristics. We utilised an explorative web search and contacted key service providers for additional information. The final sample consisted of 34 overlay journals. While the results show that new overlay journals have been actively established within recent years, the current presence of overlay journals remains diminutive compared to the overall number of open access journals. Most overlay journals publish articles in natural sciences, mathematics or computer sciences, and are commonly published by groups of academics rather than formal organisations. They may also rank highly within the traditional journal citation metrics. None of the investigated journals required fees from authors, which is likely related to the cost-effective aspects of the overlay publishing model. Both the growth in adoption of open access preprint repositories and researchers’ willingness to publish in overlay journals will determine the model’s wider impact on scholarly publishing.
A perspective on computational research support programs in the library: More than 20 years of data from Stanford University Libraries
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Presentation of data is a major component to academic research. However, programming languages, computational tools, and methods for exploring and analyzing data can be time consuming and frustrating to learn and finding help with these stages of the broader research process can be daunting. In this work, we highlight the impacts that computational research support programs housed in library contexts can have for fulfilling gaps in student, staff, and faculty research needs. The archival history of one such organization, Software and Services for Data Science (SSDS) in the Stanford University Cecil H. Green Library, is used to outline challenges faced by social sciences and humanities researchers from the 1980s to the present day. To compliment this history, participation metrics from consulting services (1999–2021) and workshops (2000–2021) are presented along with updated workshop participant feedback forms (n = 99) and further illustrate the profound impacts that these services can have for helping researchers succeed. Consulting and workshop metrics indicate that SSDS has supported at least 27,031 researchers between 1999 and 2021 (average of more than 1175 per year). A t-test on the feedback form data indicates that participant knowledge in workshops statistically significantly increased more than one scale point from workshop start to completion. Results also indicate that despite our successes, many past challenges continue to present barriers regardless of exponential advances in computing, teaching, and learning—specifically around learning to access data and learning the software and tools to use it. We hope that our story helps other institutions understand how indispensable computational research support is within the library.
Presentation of data is a major component to academic research. However, programming languages, computational tools, and methods for exploring and analyzing data can be time consuming and frustrating to learn and finding help with these stages of the broader research process can be daunting. In this work, we highlight the impacts that computational research support programs housed in library contexts can have for fulfilling gaps in student, staff, and faculty research needs. The archival history of one such organization, Software and Services for Data Science (SSDS) in the Stanford University Cecil H. Green Library, is used to outline challenges faced by social sciences and humanities researchers from the 1980s to the present day. To compliment this history, participation metrics from consulting services (1999–2021) and workshops (2000–2021) are presented along with updated workshop participant feedback forms (n = 99) and further illustrate the profound impacts that these services can have for helping researchers succeed. Consulting and workshop metrics indicate that SSDS has supported at least 27,031 researchers between 1999 and 2021 (average of more than 1175 per year). A t-test on the feedback form data indicates that participant knowledge in workshops statistically significantly increased more than one scale point from workshop start to completion. Results also indicate that despite our successes, many past challenges continue to present barriers regardless of exponential advances in computing, teaching, and learning—specifically around learning to access data and learning the software and tools to use it. We hope that our story helps other institutions understand how indispensable computational research support is within the library.
Overlay journals: A study of the current landscape
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Volume 56, Issue 1, Page 15-28, March 2024.
Overlay journals are characterised by their articles being published on open access repositories, often already starting in their initial preprint form as a prerequisite for submission to the journal prior to initiating the peer-review process. In this study we aimed to identify currently active overlay journals and examine their characteristics. We utilised an explorative web search and contacted key service providers for additional information. The final sample consisted of 34 overlay journals. While the results show that new overlay journals have been actively established within recent years, the current presence of overlay journals remains diminutive compared to the overall number of open access journals. Most overlay journals publish articles in natural sciences, mathematics or computer sciences, and are commonly published by groups of academics rather than formal organisations. They may also rank highly within the traditional journal citation metrics. None of the investigated journals required fees from authors, which is likely related to the cost-effective aspects of the overlay publishing model. Both the growth in adoption of open access preprint repositories and researchers’ willingness to publish in overlay journals will determine the model’s wider impact on scholarly publishing.
Overlay journals are characterised by their articles being published on open access repositories, often already starting in their initial preprint form as a prerequisite for submission to the journal prior to initiating the peer-review process. In this study we aimed to identify currently active overlay journals and examine their characteristics. We utilised an explorative web search and contacted key service providers for additional information. The final sample consisted of 34 overlay journals. While the results show that new overlay journals have been actively established within recent years, the current presence of overlay journals remains diminutive compared to the overall number of open access journals. Most overlay journals publish articles in natural sciences, mathematics or computer sciences, and are commonly published by groups of academics rather than formal organisations. They may also rank highly within the traditional journal citation metrics. None of the investigated journals required fees from authors, which is likely related to the cost-effective aspects of the overlay publishing model. Both the growth in adoption of open access preprint repositories and researchers’ willingness to publish in overlay journals will determine the model’s wider impact on scholarly publishing.
A perspective on computational research support programs in the library: More than 20 years of data from Stanford University Libraries
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Volume 56, Issue 1, Page 267-283, March 2024.
Presentation of data is a major component to academic research. However, programming languages, computational tools, and methods for exploring and analyzing data can be time consuming and frustrating to learn and finding help with these stages of the broader research process can be daunting. In this work, we highlight the impacts that computational research support programs housed in library contexts can have for fulfilling gaps in student, staff, and faculty research needs. The archival history of one such organization, Software and Services for Data Science (SSDS) in the Stanford University Cecil H. Green Library, is used to outline challenges faced by social sciences and humanities researchers from the 1980s to the present day. To compliment this history, participation metrics from consulting services (1999–2021) and workshops (2000–2021) are presented along with updated workshop participant feedback forms (n = 99) and further illustrate the profound impacts that these services can have for helping researchers succeed. Consulting and workshop metrics indicate that SSDS has supported at least 27,031 researchers between 1999 and 2021 (average of more than 1175 per year). A t-test on the feedback form data indicates that participant knowledge in workshops statistically significantly increased more than one scale point from workshop start to completion. Results also indicate that despite our successes, many past challenges continue to present barriers regardless of exponential advances in computing, teaching, and learning—specifically around learning to access data and learning the software and tools to use it. We hope that our story helps other institutions understand how indispensable computational research support is within the library.
Presentation of data is a major component to academic research. However, programming languages, computational tools, and methods for exploring and analyzing data can be time consuming and frustrating to learn and finding help with these stages of the broader research process can be daunting. In this work, we highlight the impacts that computational research support programs housed in library contexts can have for fulfilling gaps in student, staff, and faculty research needs. The archival history of one such organization, Software and Services for Data Science (SSDS) in the Stanford University Cecil H. Green Library, is used to outline challenges faced by social sciences and humanities researchers from the 1980s to the present day. To compliment this history, participation metrics from consulting services (1999–2021) and workshops (2000–2021) are presented along with updated workshop participant feedback forms (n = 99) and further illustrate the profound impacts that these services can have for helping researchers succeed. Consulting and workshop metrics indicate that SSDS has supported at least 27,031 researchers between 1999 and 2021 (average of more than 1175 per year). A t-test on the feedback form data indicates that participant knowledge in workshops statistically significantly increased more than one scale point from workshop start to completion. Results also indicate that despite our successes, many past challenges continue to present barriers regardless of exponential advances in computing, teaching, and learning—specifically around learning to access data and learning the software and tools to use it. We hope that our story helps other institutions understand how indispensable computational research support is within the library.
The value of digital and physical library services in UK public libraries and why they are not interchangeable
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This study reports on a series of focus groups of UK public library users to understand how the forced closure of UK libraries caused by the COVID pandemic and the increased use of replacement digital services affected their library use. We specifically focus on digital exclusion and whether this increased as the result of physical library services being inaccessible. We show that although digital exclusion did increase as the result of library closures, digital exclusion was not the best way to characterise our participants’ experiences and digital choices was a more suitable concept. We show how public library users adapted to library closures, how they coped with these closures, and how they intend to use library services in the future. Our participants reported different patterns of use of digital and physical library services, had different experiences of these two modes of library service, and described their value in different terms. We explore what they valued in physical and digital services and show how simple arguments that digital services can replace physical ones do not match the experiences or wishes of those who use these services.
This study reports on a series of focus groups of UK public library users to understand how the forced closure of UK libraries caused by the COVID pandemic and the increased use of replacement digital services affected their library use. We specifically focus on digital exclusion and whether this increased as the result of physical library services being inaccessible. We show that although digital exclusion did increase as the result of library closures, digital exclusion was not the best way to characterise our participants’ experiences and digital choices was a more suitable concept. We show how public library users adapted to library closures, how they coped with these closures, and how they intend to use library services in the future. Our participants reported different patterns of use of digital and physical library services, had different experiences of these two modes of library service, and described their value in different terms. We explore what they valued in physical and digital services and show how simple arguments that digital services can replace physical ones do not match the experiences or wishes of those who use these services.
Characteristics of correction practice and its citation in library and information science journals
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
The correction practice of scientific publications is usually used to correct publication errors by issuing correction notices, and it is less explored compared to retraction practice. The aim of this study is to present an overview of correction practice and to explore the citation situation of correction notices in library and information science (LIS) journals, using 720 correction notices in the Web of Science from 2001–2020. Through bibliometrics and content analysis, we found the correcting rate of LIS was relatively low. The main types of corrected errors occurred in authorship, figure or table, references, etc. Most corrected errors were trivial or minor. The citation situation of correction notices was more complex than expected and could be classified into five types. It was relatively rare to cite both the corrected paper and correction notice in a standardized manner. The remaining four types of citation were unreasonable, which could influence citation practice and reduce the citations of corrected papers. We concluded that the appearance of the correction notice had affected the citation of the corrected papers to some extent, and researchers and databases needed to pay attention to this problem. We also provided some suggestions for improving correction practice.
The correction practice of scientific publications is usually used to correct publication errors by issuing correction notices, and it is less explored compared to retraction practice. The aim of this study is to present an overview of correction practice and to explore the citation situation of correction notices in library and information science (LIS) journals, using 720 correction notices in the Web of Science from 2001–2020. Through bibliometrics and content analysis, we found the correcting rate of LIS was relatively low. The main types of corrected errors occurred in authorship, figure or table, references, etc. Most corrected errors were trivial or minor. The citation situation of correction notices was more complex than expected and could be classified into five types. It was relatively rare to cite both the corrected paper and correction notice in a standardized manner. The remaining four types of citation were unreasonable, which could influence citation practice and reduce the citations of corrected papers. We concluded that the appearance of the correction notice had affected the citation of the corrected papers to some extent, and researchers and databases needed to pay attention to this problem. We also provided some suggestions for improving correction practice.