Escaping the Zoo! Exploring Personal World Views and Other “Natural” Aspects of Culture

Courses: Intercultural Communication, Communication and Diversity

Objectives: This activity is designed to help students better understand the concept of world views in everyday life. It also provides an understanding of how world views may be connected to values, norms, and ethnocentrism in very personal and direct ways. Finally, it helps students to understand the cultural nature of what is often seen as simply a natural fact of life.     

South Pacific Law Materials Bibliography

Abstract

The South Pacific is an area of emerging importance to lawyers in North America and throughout the world. Dr. Care's bibliography provides a comprehensive introduction to the legal materials of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.     

COVID-19 Evidence Reviews website: a VA effort to catalog and curate COVID-19 evidence reviews

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a wave of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 research that organizations around the world have been synthesizing in evidence reviews to provide high-quality evidence to support policymakers and clinicians. The urgency of these efforts opens these organizations to the risk of duplicated efforts, which could waste valuable time and resources.Case Presentation:The VA Evidence Synthesis Program (VA ESP) formed a COVID Response Team that launched an online catalog of COVID-19 evidence reviews in March 2020 (https://www.covid19reviews.org/). The goal of this website is to capture the work of evidence synthesis groups in the US and around the world to maximize their collective contributions to patients, frontline clinicians, researchers, and policymakers during the COVID-19 pandemic and avoid duplicating efforts.Conclusions:This ongoing and evolving project provides a helpful catalog of evidence reviews at various stages of production; in addition, the website provides further value with informational icons, review collections, and links to similar resources. The VA ESP will maintain this website to continue to support the needs of policymakers, clinicians, and researchers both within the VA and around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Assisting with Information Technology in East Africa

Summary

There are opportunities for Law Librarians, no matter what their position, to assist with the development of information technology in many interesting locations throughout the world. This article describes two such opportunities experienced by the author in East Africa. The article also provides a starting place for those who wish to become involved as well as listing some issues one should take into consideration when considering such an opportunity.     

Endangered Species: Selected Resources for Libraries

SUMMARY

This article provides an annotated overview of recently published works related to the topic of endangered species. Books about specific species; particular regions of the world; the economic, political and social complexities of protection efforts; legal aspects of protection and conservation; and the cultural and societal impacts of endangerment, conservation and extinction are included. Recommendations are made regarding suitability for various types of libraries.     

Twenty Steps to Marketing Your Library Online

ABSTRACT

Libraries are quite practiced at outreach activities in the physical world, but now, just as our services and resources have moved online, so must our outreach efforts. This article provides a list of twenty practical things libraries can do to begin to delve into the world of online outreach. Topics covered include listing your library in Wikipedia, listing library events in local community calendars, listing librarians in expert-finding directories, pushing newsletters out via RSS, being present in online game and other environments, and much more. The requirements for online outreach at libraries will always be evolving, but this starter list will provide a place for all libraries to begin their foray into online outreach and marketing.     

Anything,Anywhere, Anytime: The Promise of the ANimated Tutorial Sharing Project for Online and Mobile Information Literacy

ABSTRACT

Reaching and teaching users in the diffuse, multigadget, online/mobile world is a significant challenge facing libraries. This article discusses how the ANimated Tutorial Sharing Project (ANTS) production model provides libraries with a sustainable approach to building large numbers of multimedia learning objects that are useful beyond one library. It will also discuss how ANTS file conversion and syndication efforts mean that these learning objects (1) can be made highly visible to users accessing content via a computer or smart phone and (2) enable libraries to establish a meaningful electronic presence for the purpose of providing point-of-need information literacy.     

Just another Brick in the Wall … or Not? A Paradigm Introduction Activity

Courses: Research Methods; Theory

Objectives: To begin the semester with an engaging activity that introduces students to basic metatheoretical assumptions and help them find themselves in the world of research     

The Web of Life: Natural Science Information on the Internet

Summary

As society has come to equate economic prosperity with the health of our living resources, national science policy has called for the development of a comprehensive digital knowledge base to support informed decision making and wise resource management. The Internet and World Wide Web demonstrate the earliest stages of this evolving virtual library of the natural world, offering an increasing array of high-quality, innovative resources and services in the natural science arena. This article discusses the leading providers of natural science information on the Internet and highlights some of the exemplary resources they are delivering online. The discussion concludes with a brief discussion of the role of the librarian in developing the Web of natural science knowledge online and provides a short Webliography of starting points for further exploration of this subject area.     

Some variables of comparison between developed and developing library systems

Abstract

This article traces the establishment and functions of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the development of national data bases. The data bases, accessible by the public, are introduced with their subject coverage and number of records. The first computer network in the Arab world, GULFNET, which provides communication among the academic communities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, including services available through GULFNET and KFUPM Library, are discussed in detail. The evaluation of the three most frequently used of KACST's data bases is made by using the statistics of the last 8 years. The founding of BITNET in the USA is explained, together with its GULFNET connection in the Arab world and use at KFUPM Library with different commands. Finally, while suggesting a few points regarding the effective use of GULFNET, KACST's data bases and the possibilities of INTERNET use, the future dominance of organizational networks for the purposes of educational and scientific etc., communications in the near future is emphasized.     

Mentoring GenX for Leadership in the Public Library

SUMMARY

Mentoring relationships have typically reflected the hierarchical world of which they were a part. Now the metaphor of the web, with its connections and decentralization of power, has blurred the lines between managers and workers. Mentorship within a web-like structure of connections can help to ensure that the public library evolves and thrives in a world that is flatter, looser, and fond of multi-tasking.     

Knowledge Management on the Web

Abstract

Knowledge management is another valuable concept within the business world. The authors outline major Web resources for finding information on knowledge management as well as Web-based publications.     

Video Family Memoirs: Service-learning in a Family Communication Course

Objectives: Students will: (1) analyze course theories (e.g. family narratives, roles, rules, and systems) in a real world, service-learning context; (2) enhance their group communication skills by working in a positive team setting; and (3) perform basic camera and editing skills.

Course: Family Communication     

Humanitarian Mapping as Library Outreach: A Case for Community-Oriented Mapathons

ABSTRACT

Maps and geospatial data are critical in disaster response situations. Accurate and updated maps direct first responders to areas of most need, reroute supply lines according to the post-disaster landscape, and help identify remote communities. Unfortunately, accurate and detailed geospatial data is not readily available for many parts of the world. Crowdsourced mapping programs such as Humanitarian OpenStreetMap (HOT) and Tomnod rely on volunteers to create this essential data, with a focus on the world's most vulnerable places. Groups of volunteers contribute to HOT and Tomnod in events called mapathons. This case study at Indiana University Bloomington's Herman B Wells Library asserts that the library is a natural home for humanitarian mapathons, as participants actively engage with spatial and data literacy concepts as they become spatial data creators. Through library mapathons, participants gain spatial and data literacy skills, engage with a global community, connect with other parts of the world, and are exposed to library resources. Hosting a mapathon requires very few specialized skills or knowledge, and has broad appeal. While Indiana University, Bloomington serves about 40,000 students, this case study provides tips and best practices for hosting humanitarian mapathons at libraries of any size.     

Phyllostachys Aurea— Didn't He Work with Socrates?

Abstract

Over half of all science librarians do not have science degrees. The author-one of these non-science science librarians-offers some stories and some advice about how a humanities major navigates the complex world of reference work in a science library.     

Evolution of a Profession

Abstract

Are we as art librarians truly in a new world? Or are we seeing the evolution of a profession as it learns to use and take advantage of new tools? Are we answering new questions, or the same questions but with new resources? This paper moves from a brief overview of the history of art librarianship up to the present day, and offers thoughts about where we may be headed in the future, as we ponder what is new and what is not in the world of art librarianship.     

Serving our Communities with Public Speaking Skills

Course: Public Speaking

Objectives: (1) To develop communication skills through practical experience that provides a service to the community; and (2) to inspire and equip students to use their public speaking skills for positive societal influence.     

Community Forum: Research Libraries in the Digital Age

ABSTRACT

This dialogue provides a summary and assessment of issues discussed relating to research libraries and research universities in a digital environment.