Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This study investigates how workplace learning is enacted to make a novice Kente (a hand-woven fabric in Ghana) weaver information literate in the Kente-weaving landscape. Ethnography was used as the research design. Interview and participant observation were used as the data collection methods. For the interview, semi-structured interview techniques were used to solicit information from all three levels of weavers (Master, junior and novice weavers) in Bonwire Kente Centre in Ghana. Out of the 62 weavers at the Bonwire Kente Centre, 24 weavers representing 8 each from each level of weavers were purposively chosen. The findings of this study show learning is enacted to make a novice Kente weaver information literate of the Kente-weaving craft by the affordance of guidance provision, conversations, observation and learning by doing. This study contributes to the information literacy literature and workplace learning that learning and becoming information literate do not relate solely to the cognitive activities of the mind, but also to the body through the affordance of the workplace.
Innovative solutions of public libraries offered to business
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Today, in order to remain viable and meet the needs and expectations of a global, entrepreneurial and learning society, public libraries must change and reinvent their roles in society, find new solutions for business, and actively engage in partnerships between education, business and local government. This paper presents the findings of qualitative research using an interview method and uncovers the possibilities of innovative services offered by public libraries to the business community. The qualitative analysis of the experiences of business representatives revealed that in order to become competitive organizations, public libraries need to focus not only on satisfying the needs of different communities, but also on providing innovative services to the business community by playing the roles of an information facilitator, an organizer of cultural and lifelong learning activities, a project partner and a developer of virtual social network.
Today, in order to remain viable and meet the needs and expectations of a global, entrepreneurial and learning society, public libraries must change and reinvent their roles in society, find new solutions for business, and actively engage in partnerships between education, business and local government. This paper presents the findings of qualitative research using an interview method and uncovers the possibilities of innovative services offered by public libraries to the business community. The qualitative analysis of the experiences of business representatives revealed that in order to become competitive organizations, public libraries need to focus not only on satisfying the needs of different communities, but also on providing innovative services to the business community by playing the roles of an information facilitator, an organizer of cultural and lifelong learning activities, a project partner and a developer of virtual social network.
Workplace learning and information literacy in the Kente-weaving landscape
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This study investigates how workplace learning is enacted to make a novice Kente (a hand-woven fabric in Ghana) weaver information literate in the Kente-weaving landscape. Ethnography was used as the research design. Interview and participant observation were used as the data collection methods. For the interview, semi-structured interview techniques were used to solicit information from all three levels of weavers (Master, junior and novice weavers) in Bonwire Kente Centre in Ghana. Out of the 62 weavers at the Bonwire Kente Centre, 24 weavers representing 8 each from each level of weavers were purposively chosen. The findings of this study show learning is enacted to make a novice Kente weaver information literate of the Kente-weaving craft by the affordance of guidance provision, conversations, observation and learning by doing. This study contributes to the information literacy literature and workplace learning that learning and becoming information literate do not relate solely to the cognitive activities of the mind, but also to the body through the affordance of the workplace.
This study investigates how workplace learning is enacted to make a novice Kente (a hand-woven fabric in Ghana) weaver information literate in the Kente-weaving landscape. Ethnography was used as the research design. Interview and participant observation were used as the data collection methods. For the interview, semi-structured interview techniques were used to solicit information from all three levels of weavers (Master, junior and novice weavers) in Bonwire Kente Centre in Ghana. Out of the 62 weavers at the Bonwire Kente Centre, 24 weavers representing 8 each from each level of weavers were purposively chosen. The findings of this study show learning is enacted to make a novice Kente weaver information literate of the Kente-weaving craft by the affordance of guidance provision, conversations, observation and learning by doing. This study contributes to the information literacy literature and workplace learning that learning and becoming information literate do not relate solely to the cognitive activities of the mind, but also to the body through the affordance of the workplace.
Adoption of a quadratic usage framework for predicting blockchain use intention from the perspective of librarians in Southwest Nigerian universities
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This study examined the quadratic usage framework for predicting the blockchain use intention of librarians in Southwest Nigerian universities. A pure quantitative method was adopted using a survey research design and a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection from 169 librarians who were drawn through a total enumeration from fifteen university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. A Quadratic Usage Framework (QUF) which is rarely used in Information System research has used a lens to predict the intention of librarians to use blockchain technology for library services. The findings revealed that the four factors of the model, access, skills, policy, and motivation are all correlated with librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. Also, all four QUF factors jointly predict the intention to use blockchain technology by librarians for library services in academic libraries and are also good individual predictors of intention to use blockchain. The analysis of variance performed on multiple regression yielded an F-ratio value of 80.69. This was found to be significant at 0.05 levels. These results suggest that all four determinants/factors together made up 78% of librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. The most significant challenges to librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology reported are limited budget available to libraries and inadequate supply of electricity, limited skills possessed by the librarians, slow internet connections, and attitudinal change/mindset of the librarians.
This study examined the quadratic usage framework for predicting the blockchain use intention of librarians in Southwest Nigerian universities. A pure quantitative method was adopted using a survey research design and a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection from 169 librarians who were drawn through a total enumeration from fifteen university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. A Quadratic Usage Framework (QUF) which is rarely used in Information System research has used a lens to predict the intention of librarians to use blockchain technology for library services. The findings revealed that the four factors of the model, access, skills, policy, and motivation are all correlated with librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. Also, all four QUF factors jointly predict the intention to use blockchain technology by librarians for library services in academic libraries and are also good individual predictors of intention to use blockchain. The analysis of variance performed on multiple regression yielded an F-ratio value of 80.69. This was found to be significant at 0.05 levels. These results suggest that all four determinants/factors together made up 78% of librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. The most significant challenges to librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology reported are limited budget available to libraries and inadequate supply of electricity, limited skills possessed by the librarians, slow internet connections, and attitudinal change/mindset of the librarians.
Adoption of a quadratic usage framework for predicting blockchain use intention from the perspective of librarians in Southwest Nigerian universities
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This study examined the quadratic usage framework for predicting the blockchain use intention of librarians in Southwest Nigerian universities. A pure quantitative method was adopted using a survey research design and a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection from 169 librarians who were drawn through a total enumeration from fifteen university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. A Quadratic Usage Framework (QUF) which is rarely used in Information System research has used a lens to predict the intention of librarians to use blockchain technology for library services. The findings revealed that the four factors of the model, access, skills, policy, and motivation are all correlated with librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. Also, all four QUF factors jointly predict the intention to use blockchain technology by librarians for library services in academic libraries and are also good individual predictors of intention to use blockchain. The analysis of variance performed on multiple regression yielded an F-ratio value of 80.69. This was found to be significant at 0.05 levels. These results suggest that all four determinants/factors together made up 78% of librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. The most significant challenges to librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology reported are limited budget available to libraries and inadequate supply of electricity, limited skills possessed by the librarians, slow internet connections, and attitudinal change/mindset of the librarians.
This study examined the quadratic usage framework for predicting the blockchain use intention of librarians in Southwest Nigerian universities. A pure quantitative method was adopted using a survey research design and a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection from 169 librarians who were drawn through a total enumeration from fifteen university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. A Quadratic Usage Framework (QUF) which is rarely used in Information System research has used a lens to predict the intention of librarians to use blockchain technology for library services. The findings revealed that the four factors of the model, access, skills, policy, and motivation are all correlated with librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. Also, all four QUF factors jointly predict the intention to use blockchain technology by librarians for library services in academic libraries and are also good individual predictors of intention to use blockchain. The analysis of variance performed on multiple regression yielded an F-ratio value of 80.69. This was found to be significant at 0.05 levels. These results suggest that all four determinants/factors together made up 78% of librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology for library services in academic libraries. The most significant challenges to librarians’ intention to use blockchain technology reported are limited budget available to libraries and inadequate supply of electricity, limited skills possessed by the librarians, slow internet connections, and attitudinal change/mindset of the librarians.
Academic libraries and the actualisation of Sustainable Development Goals two, three and thirteen
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This paper reports on academic libraries’ Community Engagement (CE) initiatives in South Africa and outline their potential to contribute to the actualisation of three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3 and 13). The research approach adopted was qualitative using online interviews with 20 heads of libraries in South Africa and eight online focus group discussions with library staff as data collection methods. It was found that South African academic libraries’ CE initiatives can be successfully mapped out against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results showed that through CE, academic libraries in South Africa play a role in addressing hunger, improving health and well-being and contributing to climate action, among other SDGs. CE, therefore, can play a role in SDGs that fall outside of academic libraries’ traditional teaching, learning and research support role. These results will serve as a call for academic libraries to consider participating in CE in order to contribute to development areas that they do not normally contribute to directly. This study provides unique insights on the contribution of academic libraries to SDGs. As a recommendation, academic libraries should consider mapping their CE initiatives against the SDGs.
This paper reports on academic libraries’ Community Engagement (CE) initiatives in South Africa and outline their potential to contribute to the actualisation of three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3 and 13). The research approach adopted was qualitative using online interviews with 20 heads of libraries in South Africa and eight online focus group discussions with library staff as data collection methods. It was found that South African academic libraries’ CE initiatives can be successfully mapped out against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results showed that through CE, academic libraries in South Africa play a role in addressing hunger, improving health and well-being and contributing to climate action, among other SDGs. CE, therefore, can play a role in SDGs that fall outside of academic libraries’ traditional teaching, learning and research support role. These results will serve as a call for academic libraries to consider participating in CE in order to contribute to development areas that they do not normally contribute to directly. This study provides unique insights on the contribution of academic libraries to SDGs. As a recommendation, academic libraries should consider mapping their CE initiatives against the SDGs.
Talking about picturebooks in libraries’ language cafes
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
How might picturebooks serve as reading and conversation materials in language cafes for international immigrants aiming to learn the local language? How might these books help foster meaningful exchanges between program volunteers and participants, and what might the broader significance of this be for immigrant inclusion and integration? To gain insight into these questions, this study investigates the experiences of volunteers and participants with using picturebooks as a basis for conversation at language cafes in Norwegian public libraries. The study is based on participant observation and qualitative interviews with language café volunteers and participants. Picturebook theory on representation of emotions serves as the theoretical lens for analyzing the selected texts used at the different language cafes. The findings reveal that a broad range of picturebooks are used for reading and conversation at language cafes and their use is generally experienced as fruitful by the participants, especially for learning new words and engaging in visual narratives. The experience of using picturebooks varies for volunteers, from pure joy to discontent, depending on whether they found the selected books interesting or useful for engaging with the participants. The study concludes that picturebooks can work well for facilitating dialog at language cafes, however the successful use of them depends on the competent selection of books.
How might picturebooks serve as reading and conversation materials in language cafes for international immigrants aiming to learn the local language? How might these books help foster meaningful exchanges between program volunteers and participants, and what might the broader significance of this be for immigrant inclusion and integration? To gain insight into these questions, this study investigates the experiences of volunteers and participants with using picturebooks as a basis for conversation at language cafes in Norwegian public libraries. The study is based on participant observation and qualitative interviews with language café volunteers and participants. Picturebook theory on representation of emotions serves as the theoretical lens for analyzing the selected texts used at the different language cafes. The findings reveal that a broad range of picturebooks are used for reading and conversation at language cafes and their use is generally experienced as fruitful by the participants, especially for learning new words and engaging in visual narratives. The experience of using picturebooks varies for volunteers, from pure joy to discontent, depending on whether they found the selected books interesting or useful for engaging with the participants. The study concludes that picturebooks can work well for facilitating dialog at language cafes, however the successful use of them depends on the competent selection of books.
Academic libraries and the actualisation of Sustainable Development Goals two, three and thirteen
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This paper reports on academic libraries’ Community Engagement (CE) initiatives in South Africa and outline their potential to contribute to the actualisation of three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3 and 13). The research approach adopted was qualitative using online interviews with 20 heads of libraries in South Africa and eight online focus group discussions with library staff as data collection methods. It was found that South African academic libraries’ CE initiatives can be successfully mapped out against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results showed that through CE, academic libraries in South Africa play a role in addressing hunger, improving health and well-being and contributing to climate action, among other SDGs. CE, therefore, can play a role in SDGs that fall outside of academic libraries’ traditional teaching, learning and research support role. These results will serve as a call for academic libraries to consider participating in CE in order to contribute to development areas that they do not normally contribute to directly. This study provides unique insights on the contribution of academic libraries to SDGs. As a recommendation, academic libraries should consider mapping their CE initiatives against the SDGs.
This paper reports on academic libraries’ Community Engagement (CE) initiatives in South Africa and outline their potential to contribute to the actualisation of three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3 and 13). The research approach adopted was qualitative using online interviews with 20 heads of libraries in South Africa and eight online focus group discussions with library staff as data collection methods. It was found that South African academic libraries’ CE initiatives can be successfully mapped out against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results showed that through CE, academic libraries in South Africa play a role in addressing hunger, improving health and well-being and contributing to climate action, among other SDGs. CE, therefore, can play a role in SDGs that fall outside of academic libraries’ traditional teaching, learning and research support role. These results will serve as a call for academic libraries to consider participating in CE in order to contribute to development areas that they do not normally contribute to directly. This study provides unique insights on the contribution of academic libraries to SDGs. As a recommendation, academic libraries should consider mapping their CE initiatives against the SDGs.
Talking about picturebooks in libraries’ language cafes
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
How might picturebooks serve as reading and conversation materials in language cafes for international immigrants aiming to learn the local language? How might these books help foster meaningful exchanges between program volunteers and participants, and what might the broader significance of this be for immigrant inclusion and integration? To gain insight into these questions, this study investigates the experiences of volunteers and participants with using picturebooks as a basis for conversation at language cafes in Norwegian public libraries. The study is based on participant observation and qualitative interviews with language café volunteers and participants. Picturebook theory on representation of emotions serves as the theoretical lens for analyzing the selected texts used at the different language cafes. The findings reveal that a broad range of picturebooks are used for reading and conversation at language cafes and their use is generally experienced as fruitful by the participants, especially for learning new words and engaging in visual narratives. The experience of using picturebooks varies for volunteers, from pure joy to discontent, depending on whether they found the selected books interesting or useful for engaging with the participants. The study concludes that picturebooks can work well for facilitating dialog at language cafes, however the successful use of them depends on the competent selection of books.
How might picturebooks serve as reading and conversation materials in language cafes for international immigrants aiming to learn the local language? How might these books help foster meaningful exchanges between program volunteers and participants, and what might the broader significance of this be for immigrant inclusion and integration? To gain insight into these questions, this study investigates the experiences of volunteers and participants with using picturebooks as a basis for conversation at language cafes in Norwegian public libraries. The study is based on participant observation and qualitative interviews with language café volunteers and participants. Picturebook theory on representation of emotions serves as the theoretical lens for analyzing the selected texts used at the different language cafes. The findings reveal that a broad range of picturebooks are used for reading and conversation at language cafes and their use is generally experienced as fruitful by the participants, especially for learning new words and engaging in visual narratives. The experience of using picturebooks varies for volunteers, from pure joy to discontent, depending on whether they found the selected books interesting or useful for engaging with the participants. The study concludes that picturebooks can work well for facilitating dialog at language cafes, however the successful use of them depends on the competent selection of books.
Gauging the research performance of BRICS in the domain of Library and Information Science through Performance analysis and Science mapping
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
The study gauges the research performance of the BRICS bloc in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) research using Performance analysis and Science mapping. The Web of Science database is used for the study and articles published between 2013 and 2022 have been selected for analysis. Data analysis and visualisation have been done using the Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer. The findings reveal an upward trend in publications. Furthermore, China has been the most prolific nation in terms of productivity and impact. Scientometrics is the leading source in terms of publications while the International Journal of Information Management is the most cited source. With regard to author productivity, Zhang Y has the highest number of publications while Lowry PB is the most cited author. Wuhan University is the most productive organization. In terms of collaboration, the USA is the primary partner for the entire BRICS group, particularly China and collaboration among the BRICS isn’t as significant as it is with the non-BRICS countries. This study provides insightful information about recent scientific developments in the field of LIS. Additionally, by using this research as a guide, researchers from different fields will be able to analyse how the body of knowledge on a certain subject has evolved over time. This study also outlines potential research directions in this field of research.
The study gauges the research performance of the BRICS bloc in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) research using Performance analysis and Science mapping. The Web of Science database is used for the study and articles published between 2013 and 2022 have been selected for analysis. Data analysis and visualisation have been done using the Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer. The findings reveal an upward trend in publications. Furthermore, China has been the most prolific nation in terms of productivity and impact. Scientometrics is the leading source in terms of publications while the International Journal of Information Management is the most cited source. With regard to author productivity, Zhang Y has the highest number of publications while Lowry PB is the most cited author. Wuhan University is the most productive organization. In terms of collaboration, the USA is the primary partner for the entire BRICS group, particularly China and collaboration among the BRICS isn’t as significant as it is with the non-BRICS countries. This study provides insightful information about recent scientific developments in the field of LIS. Additionally, by using this research as a guide, researchers from different fields will be able to analyse how the body of knowledge on a certain subject has evolved over time. This study also outlines potential research directions in this field of research.