The University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) corporate memory in the spotlight: retracing the institution’s centenary history through visual documentation

University records constitute an integral element of an academic institution’s corporate memory. This business information needs to be well managed throughout its life cycle for the purpose of accountability, transparency, good governance and for reference purposes. This paper reports on a qualitative study that was undertaken at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa by examining an exhibition developed to mark the institution’s centenary. The purpose of the study was to evaluate and trace the provenance of the collections on display to gain an overall assessment of the extent of archival development at the UFH. It cannot be over-emphasized that organizations often struggle to write their centenary history due to lack of supporting documentation as the information is either incomplete, missing or misfiled, rendering it unusable. One of the key findings emanating from this study was that much of the material used for the displays is copyrighted to sister heritage institutions and private individuals, demonstrating the consequences of lack of development and preservation by the UFH of its own archives. Consequently, the need to revamp the institution’s records and archives management systems is mandatory. An encouraging development is that in 2018 there are plans to appoint a records manager, an institutional archivist and a manager of student records. The centenary exhibition has therefore been an opportunity to demonstrate the value of archives to the University of Fort Hare.     

An Overview of Canada’s Contemporary Book Trade in Light of (Nearly) Four Decades of Policy Interventions

Canada’s book trade is fascinating not only because it really consists of two book trades—the Anglophone and the Francophone—but also because it is a site of intense and sustained policy interventions designed to foster greater domestic control. Examining the country’s book policies, Statistics Canada data, trade association membership rosters and trade directories, this paper reveals that Canada’s contemporary book trade is characterized by three features: circa 40 years of government interventions in response to foreign dominance; the central role of foreign firms despite these interventions; and the dominance of Toronto and Montreal as domestic sites of book production.     

A Replication of Xu & Burleson (2001) “Effects of Sex,Culture, and Support Type on Perceptions of Spousal Social Support: An Assessment of the ‘Support Gap’ Hypothesis in Early Marriage”

In response to recent calls regarding the social sciences’ “replication crisis,” we have endeavored to replicate Xu and Burleson’s (2001) research study, “Effects of Sex, Culture, and Support Type of Perceptions of Spousal Support: An Assessment.” This study, which examines the support gap hypothesis and its different manifestations among men and women from the United States of America and China, has contributed greatly to scholarly conversations on social support, sex, culture, and support gaps. Results from our study partially replicate Xu and Burleson’s (2001) original findings and provide general empirical evidence for the support gap hypothesis. Differences in findings between the two studies and their implications are discussed.     

Content analysis of selective dissemination of information service (SDI) adoption by academics: The experience at redeemer’s university

ABSTRACT

The increase in information explosion has left information users with the option of adopting the best means to access and make ethical use of the right information. The role information plays in the society cannot be overemphasized. Information is required for individual, institution and societal development. Hence, efforts must be expended to acquire the right information in a world where information is being produced exponentially with almost no control. Accessing the right information is vital for any form of development hence the academic libraries’ role in ensuring an effective delivery of the right information to their users. Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) service is one of the means through which libraries achieve this. The study investigates SDI service adoption and use by academics at Redeemer’s University, Nigeria. Statistics kept in the Reference Unit of the library were used to elicit information used for analysis. Sixty-sis (66) out of a total of 135 academics working in the institution at the time the statistics were taken were used for analysis. The study reveals that majority of the academics who sought SDI service were staff of the college of Management Sciences. The study reveals that majority of the academics sought SDI service for the purpose of research. Comments of users from records kept in the unit shows that users’ information needs were adequately satisfied. Users’ comments also reveal areas of improvement on the service. Recommendations geared towards the improvement of SDI service in the university library were given based on the conclusion drawn.     

Flying in a V formation: themes of (in)equity,reality, and togetherness in adult siblings’ narrative explanations of shared parental caregiving

Guided by communicated narrative sense-making, the present study explored the themes that characterize adult siblings’ stories about their experiences with sharing care of aging parents. Interviews with 20 adult siblings revealed the varied and emotional nature of their shared parental caregiving stories. Adult siblings primarily constructed meaning of their caregiving experiences by drawing upon three overarching narratives: (1) the narrative of (in)equity, (2) the narrative of ideal versus real, and (3) the narrative of interconnectedness. These findings highlight the need for adult siblings providing care for their parents to work together as a team, exercise empathy in their interactions, and express gratitude for one another’s contributions. Several practical applications are discussed that can help siblings manage and overcome the relational challenges associated with caring for a parent.     

“There’s nothing I hate more than a racist:” (Re)centering whiteness in American Horror Story: Coven

This article examines race and racism in the popular cable horror-drama American Horror Story: Coven. Centered around a feud between a white witch coven and a black, voodoo group of witches, Coven overtly deals with the issue of racism, but presents racism as a phenomenon contained in the past; something that does not happen anymore. Using critical post-race theory and scholarship on colorblind racism, whiteness, as well as black feminist theory, I show that although the narrative of Coven explicitly decries racism, it simultaneously invests in colorblind racist narratives and dialogue. Whiteness is central in Coven, operating through discourse that ignores racial difference and contemporary forms of oppression and erasure. Coven uses graphic depictions of violence against black bodies, makes explicit connections between black sexuality and animals, and uses exotic and aggressive stereotypes of black women to tell its story. Thus, Coven’s narrative both condemns racism and relies on it. This article shows that the contemporaneous presentations of explicit anti-racist dialogue and racist imagery work to (re)place whiteness at the center of Coven, a TV show that purports to forward a message of equality and justice for those who are different.     

The possibility of using the Google Patents search tool in patentometric analysis (based on the example of the world’s largest innovative companies)

The possibility of using the Google Patents search tool in patentometric analysis based on the world largest innovative companies is substantiated. Of these companies, the dynamics of issued patents for 2-year intervals over a 10-year period (2001?C2010) were analyzed; with this method it was possible to classify these companies according to their patent activity. It is shown that along with the very high patent activity (from 1.0 to 1.2 mln patents in 10 years) of the Sony, Samsung Electronics, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Siemens companies, 76% of the most innovative companies of the world that are included in the TOP-50 Business Week 2010 have very low patent activities (from 0 to 0.2 mln patents in 10 years). The conclusion is that most patent active innovation companies have stably growing or established dynamics of patent activity.     

The Development of News as a Viable Format in Philippine Radio (1960s–Present): A Study of DZRH and DZBB

This article traces the development of news as programming content in Philippine radio from the 1960s to the present. Two radio stations, DZRH and DZBB, were chosen for the study. Aside from their popularity among Metro Manila listeners, they are also similar in content (news and information-oriented programs) and have long histories. The case studies show the socio-political, regulatory, economic, and technological influences on the metamorphosis of DZRH and DZBB into news-oriented radio stations. Attention was given to the changes in news program format, news production, and the ratings and advertising of the two stations.     

Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Maintained Research Institutes’ Libraries in India: Towards Digitization and Networking

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) was established for development of social science research in India. It provides grants to 27 research institutes and six regional centers in India. These institutes have established close links with scholars in the region through activities such as seminars, workshops, training, and consultancy programs. Some of the institutes are closely associated with national and state level planning development agencies and have thereby strengthened the links between research and policy-making. The present study includes 22 institute libraries and three regional libraries in different Indian states. The study analyses their annual acquisition of books; periodicals; CD-ROMs; annual budgets; computerization; hardware and software; Internet; library network; and interlibrary loan and photocopy facilities available in these libraries. Digitization provides a solution to traditional library problems such as conservation, preservation, multimedia documents, and remote access to information, collection, and storage space. ICSSR institute libraries are replacing conventional storage and network systems with digital systems. The progress is a bit slow. Only a few ICSSR institute libraries are subscribing to electronic journals and having electronic documents. ICSSR institute libraries have started computerized operations and are making vigorous attempts to have digitized collections. However, these libraries are required to understand literature growth and use patterns in the social sciences.     

‘Fractured communities’: uncertainty,stress, and (a lack of) communal coping in Palestinian refugee camps

This study examined how communal coping reveals itself in Palestinian refugee camps and the conditions that promote or prevent its occurrence. Individual and dyadic interviews were conducted with 40 mothers and one of their adolescent children living in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The results revealed that communal coping existed within the mother–adolescent dyad to a certain extent, but was rare within the larger context of the refugee camps. While families and neighbors did not typically verbalize their hardships and actively cope with them as a group, there was often an implicit recognition that they were all experiencing the same uncertainty and stress. Acting upon their uncertainty as a collective, however, was greatly hampered by mistrust within and outside the camps, due to widespread violence, privacy violations, vying for scarce resources, and disloyalty. Parents and adolescents also engaged in protective buffering whereby they attempted to reduce the stress of the family by keeping stress and fears to themselves rather than communicating about them. Even though protective buffering helped the refugees cope with chronic uncertainty and maintain a sense of normalcy, it prevented them from acting upon the problem as a group. Finally, parents emphasized that the child’s education provided hope for the future. Practical implications are discussed.     

Reference Question Answered: Discussion of Russian Funeral Rites As Depicted in the 2006 Film V poiskakh schast’ia (In Search of Happiness)

ABSTRACT. The author answers a reference question on the depiction of a funeral in the 2006 Russian documentary film V poiskakh schast’ia (In Search of Happiness), which takes place in the Jewish Autonomous Region in Siberia. Consultations and reference sources show that what was depicted was not Jewish, but a typical Russian civil funeral procession. Helpful publications included historical and historical‐ethnographic monographs and an ethnographic encyclopedia.     

Deterioration of building materials and artworks in the ‘Santa Maria della Stella’ church,Saluzzo (Italy): Causes of decay and possible remedies

An in-depth scientific survey revealed the deterioration mechanisms affecting the ‘Santa Maria della Stella’ church in Saluzzo, Italy, where various salt crystallization processes are strongly damaging the building materials and artworks. Rainwater seepage permeates the vault and interior, causing: (1) epsomite growth as interstitial columnar crystals (resulting in pictorial coating detachment) or superficial, powdery efflorescence; (2) formation of nesquehonite/hydromagnesite crusts on wall paintings; and (3) nitratine growth causing pigment staining and detachment. These processes involve selective Mg²⁺ mobilization from magnesian-lime mortars and bacterial-induced formation of nitrates from guano, with consequent precipitation of degrading salts. The study confirms how characterization of all deterioration agents is fundamental to planning a viable cultural heritage conservation and restoration programme.