Wisdom from Mount Nebo (Hiei)

Abstract

Dan Wade, one of the United States' leading foreign and international law librarians, gives advice on entering the field of foreign and international law librarianship.     

ON THE OCCURRENCE OF BROMINE IN CORRODED SILVER

Abstract

Attention is drawn to the finding of silver bromide as a regular corrosion product on buried ancient silver. The chemical processes leading to this, and their relation to the burial environment, are discussed.     

The Tao of speech

This essay argues that the study of “speech” as an act and as a subject matter may present the characteristics of a “Tao.” A “Tao” consists of a way of life leading to an increase in humane being for the individual and for society.     

The World of Charles J. Kappler: A Digital Portrait

ABSTRACT

Charles J. Kappler (1868–1946) is known almost exclusively for his Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties compilation, yet his life and his career were much fuller. Besides serving as Clerk for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, he was co-counsel for the Pious Fund of the Californias v. Mexico proceedings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and, in one role or another, played a substantial part in many significant federal Indian law cases before the United States Supreme Court in the years leading up to the establishment of the Indian Claims Commission. A digital Web site has been developed to present lesser known aspects of his personal and professional life.     

Managing Exploratory Units in Academic Libraries

Abstract

This article describes the role of exploratory teams in leading radical innovation within academic libraries, empirically expanding on Jantz’s research on the managerial and environmental conditions necessary for the creation of such units. Using historical and contemporary private-sector examples, as well as an in-depth case study from successful implementation of one such unit, this article documents the components, characteristics, and return on investment associated with academic library R&D. Finally, by tackling the concept of exploratory activities at the organization, team, and individual levels, the article presents actionable techniques for fully supporting, and adequately nurturing creative professionals whose job is to redefine 21st century librarianship.     

Communicating with medical library users during COVID-19

Background:The Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library serves a community of over 22,000 individuals primarily from the Yale Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing and the Yale New Haven Hospital. Though they are geographically close to one another, reaching these disparate populations can be a challenge. Having a clear and thorough communication plan has proved invaluable in transcending communication chasms, especially in recent times of crisis.Case Presentation:This article describes the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library''s methods for communicating and promoting its remote resources and services in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It details our communication strategies and messages leading up to, and after, the Yale campus was closed and specifies how we pivoted from reaching users inside the library to reaching our audiences remotely.Conclusions:Our communication plan has provided the foundation for all of our messaging, be it print or digital media. In recent moments of crisis, it has been especially helpful for planning and executing large scale messaging. Similarly, knowing whom to contact around our organization to promote our message in different and broader ways has been extremely beneficial.     

What Administrators Talk About When They Talk About Libraries

Summary

The author gives personal suggestions about ways in which librarians might think about their own work and role in leading their library toward the new hybrid of print and digital collections and services.     

Swimming Upstream

SUMMARY

“Swimming upstream” suggests a leadership model in our era of chaos and complexity that replaces the traditional hierarchical command and control way of leading in libraries. It requires the leadership actions of connection, contributions, and collaboration to build trust, success, and a healthy library system.     

The Necessity of Measurement

ABSTRACT

Measurement of library systems and services is a multidimensional management task. New paradigms of library service and the context in which libraries operate have made it necessary for librarians to find new measures while at the same time keeping the old. Factors that can be measured, such as needs, inputs, quality processes, outputs, quality of service, outcomes, and impacts, are described. This bibliographic essay covers the current trends while leading readers to resources where they can learn more.     

The Evolution of the Georgia Tech Library Circulation Department

ABSTRACT

The author reviews the evolution of the Circulation Department at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) Library and Information Center from 2001 to the present. It is shown how a traditional circulation department with poor customer relations transformed itself by adopting innovative policies and services leading to improved customer relations.     

Complicating audience: A critical communication pedagogy commitment

ABSTRACT

Courses: This activity is designed specifically for public-speaking courses, but it could be used in the general introductory communication course. It also holds potential for use in persuasion, argumentation, or strategic communication courses.

Objectives: This activity helps students understand audience as a more complicated concept—one that recognizes the power of a speaker in creating and challenging communities and interrogating power through their performative speeches in the courses named above.     

Building A Contemporary Public Library Through Community Engagement: A Personal Journey

ABSTRACT

This article discusses how a broad understanding of community engagement has influenced the conception, realization, and services of one of the most internationally lauded modern public libraries, Dokk1, opened in 2015 in Aarhus, Denmark. Leveraging the power of networking and partnerships and the engagement of citizens and stakeholders is a key component in the success of the library. Input derived from the engagement process has informed decisions and influenced planning profoundly, contributing to the library’s evolution into a significant cultural and communal hub with 1.4 million annual visits from people from all walks of life. The article examines the journey toward this achievement through the lens of the author, who has been a central actor in the decision making and planning processes leading up to Dokk1     

Making the Cyrillic OPAC a Reality

SUMMARY

The steps leading to the development of a Cyrillic OPAC at Queens Borough Public Library are presented by the authors. Issues covered include Cyrillic character display, font requirements, searching strategies, web browser interface development, authority and subject control, promotion, and publicity. The importance of librarian and customer involvement and training are discussed.     

Leadership,an essential requirement for effecting change in media companies: An analysis of the Spanish market

Abstract

As afield of study, company leadership can be examined from many angles. In this paper our aim is to study leadership in the way it effects change. The qualitative value of the information compiled is considerable since it helps to understand the grounds on which the success of the directors who effected change of the Spanish media market was based. The interviews afford us a closer look at the minds of the leading players in action.

The cases analysed show that, in media companies, radical transformations do not come about without the existence of one or several leaders, capable of mobilising the organisation where they work.

Through the literature review, the companies'internal documentation and interviews with the directors we have been able to demonstrate that our hypotheses on leadership are not only reasonable but also help to explain, to a great extent, the profound transformations which the Spanish media market has undergone in the last 25 years.     

When Communication Meets Computation: Opportunities,Challenges, and Pitfalls in Computational Communication Science

ABSTRACT

The recent increase in digitally available data, tools, and processing power is fostering the use of computational methods to the study of communication. This special issue discusses the validity of using big data in communication science and showcases a number of new methods and applications in the fields of text and network analysis. Computational methods have the potential to greatly enhance the scientific study of communication because they allow us to move towards collaborative large-N studies of actual behavior in its social context. This requires us to develop new skills and infrastructure and meet the challenges of open, valid, reliable, and ethical “big data” research. By bringing together a number of leading scholars in one issue, we contribute to the increasing development and adaptation of computational methods in communication science.     

Social Media Marketing: Determining and Comparing View of Public Library Directors and Users

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The present study aims to determine and compare the views of directors and users of public libraries on the use of social media for the marketing of library services.

Methodology: Data collection was done through two researcher-made questionnaires, one from the viewpoints of directors and one investigating the views of users. The questionnaires’ validity was done by four libraries and Information Science professionals, and the reliability was determined by the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The statistical population of this research is made up of all directors and users of 12 public libraries of the city of Isfahan, one of the largest cities in Iran.

Findings: In users’ viewpoints, the “interaction capability” is the most important feature that social media marketing can have in libraries. From the viewpoints of the directors, “creating a true picture of the role of the library” and “informing users about library services” are among the most important reasons for the marketing of libraries in the social media. From the perspective of both groups, the Telegram is the most appropriate medium for the marketing of library services.

Results: To maintain their customers and their market position, libraries need to use more exciting tools such as social media for marketing. Library directors of this study emphasized on this fact and 79.1% of users expressed interest in receiving library information through social media.

Value: The findings of this study would help the library directors to better decide on the marketing of their library services in social media.

Type of the study: Scientific-Research     

Library as the Technology Hub for the Health Sciences

Abstract

Academic health sciences libraries have an important role in facilitating the use of technology in health sciences curricula. Serving as a technology hub, the library supports, advocates, and provides access to new technologies. The library introduces many faculty and students to new technology tools, techniques, and equipment for new multimedia creation. As the technology hub grows and expands, library personnel can provide expertise, which demonstrates the library's value in leading the exploration of new technology, including Do-It-Yourself multimedia tools, virtual reality, virtual anatomy, and 3D printing.     

Metadata Dreaming

ABSTRACT

The author presents the state of metadata schemes today and discusses the idea of a “third way” between free-text searching and full cataloguing. He concludes that there is no such compromise and suggests that metadata schemes will have to incorporate controlled vocabularies and detailed designators if they are to progress, thus leading to a confluence that will be, in essence, a new form of traditional cataloguing.     

Wolfgang Kasack (1927–2003): A Bio-Bibliography

ABSTRACT

A leading Slavist in Europe and North America, Wolfgang Kasack promoted a unified vision of Russian literature for the twentieth century. In addition to his prolific scholarship, he wrote over eighty reviews of reference works in Russian literature for research libraries for the print and online journal Informationsmittel: IFB between 1996 and 2003. Many of these reviews were published in English in abridged form in the journal Reference Reviews Europe Annual during that same period.