Information literacy in managers’ education

This research reflects on information literacy (IL) when taking business decisions and, on the education of future managers. We focus on two aspects; characterizing IL skills and their link to academic performance. This research provides interesting conclusions. First, IL may be broken down into various dimensions – access, evaluation and use – and these skills are not independent: our research shows how persons skilled at applying information will lose their advantage if they are not skilled at interpreting or at prior selection. Second, our study also shows how the IL skills have differing effects on the different components of the academic performance.     

A Review of: “Going Beyond Google: The Invisible Web in Learning and Teaching. Devine,Jane and Egger-Sider,Francine.”

As technology rapidly changes, libraries remain go-to points for education and technology skill development. In academic health sciences libraries, trends suggest librarians provide more training on technology topics than ever before. While education and training have always been roles for librarians, providing technology training on new mobile devices and emerging systems requires class creation and training capabilities that are new to many librarians. To appeal to their users, many health sciences librarians are interested in developing technology-based classes. This column explores the question: what skills are necessary for developing and teaching technology in an academic health sciences library setting?     

Digital Scholarship Librarian: What Skills and Competences are Needed to be a Collaborative Librarian

Recently a partnership between digital humanities and digital libraries is being forged, coagulating in a demand for digital humanities centers within academic libraries and an increase in the call for “Digital Scholarship Librarians.” What skills and competences are necessary for librarians to fulfill this new role? and What training allows them to develop these skills? The paper examines the collaborative role of the digital scholarship librarian, what this new role entails and what it means to bring the two areas of practice together. After examining current literature and job applications surrounding this role, the skills needed to fill this role are identified in a case study of a digital humanities project which operated on the collaborative model with digital librarians, together making use of digital methods to answer questions specific to its field. The final section proposes a training agenda by matching current opportunities with the new skill which librarians interested in digital scholarship need to develop.     

Professional Development: A Qualitative Study of High Impact Characteristics Affecting Meaningful and Transformational Learning

Changes in the academic library landscape necessitate continual professional development for librarians. The library literature offers a plethora of advice about how to keep skills and knowledge up-to-date in this rapidly changing environment. Yet few large-scale studies have sought to understand the experiences of academic librarians as they seek out and participate in professional development that they consider to be meaningful or transformational to their careers. This study uses a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to understand these types of experiences. In the study, ten participants discuss professional development activities that they believe have had a meaningful or transformational impact on themselves and their careers. Their experiences are analyzed for common themes that may help others interested in professional development understand which characteristics of it may foster meaningful or transformational learning. The themes discussed that emerged most strongly from interviews with the participants include interaction, duration, reflection, discomfort, and self-awareness. Implications of and recommendations related to these themes are then explored.     

Fostering Innovation in Academic Libraries Through Knowledge Creation

Knowledge management (KM) and innovation have been recognized as critical success factors for libraries since 1990s and 1980s, respectively; however, neither is easily achieved. In this context, the current study aims to explore – using structural equation modeling – the extent to which various organizational, technological, and personal factors influence the creation of new knowledge and innovation in academic libraries. More specifically, vision and goals, culture, and structure (formalization and centralization) are explored in terms of organizational factors; IT support is examined in the technological context; and human resources skills and perceptions toward KM are investigated in terms of personal factors. For the collection of primary data a structured questionnaire was developed and distributed electronically to Greek academic library personnel. The final sample comprised 312 professionals from 28 libraries. Results indicate that a visionary leadership facilitates the creation of new knowledge through fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, and learning, providing opportunities for taking initiatives, and creating the appropriate technological environment. All these help libraries develop innovative services, thus responding more quickly and effectively to their changing external environment. Most importantly, library leaders should focus on building a common vision that will guide necessary practices and changes for innovation to be achieved.     

The Use of Supporting Documentation for Information Architecture by Australian Libraries

This article reports the results of an online survey that examined the development of information architecture of Australian library Web sites with reference to documented methods and guidelines. A broad sample of library Web managers responded from across the academic, public, and special sectors. A majority of libraries used either in-house or external documents or both, but the nature of these documents varied greatly. Most external documents were guidelines handed down by libraries’ parent bodies, though some documents produced by independent organizations were used. More general guides on best IA practice were also consulted. The extent of libraries’ control over their own Web sites also varied widely, from minimal control to complete autonomy. Although guiding documentation was considered useful in some ways, respondents were more interested in developing the necessary IA skills and competencies than in cross-site standardization. The lack of these skills and resource and management issues were a greater concern than a lack of documentation. The influence of parent bodies and the diverse purpose and context of library Web sites suggest that a generic set of guidelines for libraries would not be particularly helpful. Instead, librarians with greater IA skills would be in a better position to apply the most appropriate standards and guidelines according to their local contexts.     

The X-factor in academic libraries: the demand for soft skills in library employees

Abstract

As the need for employees with technology skills and other expertise has increased within the contemporary academic library environment, so too has the need for employees with “soft skills.” Soft skills refer to personal, learnable attributes, such as emotional intelligence, communication aptitude, persuasion facility, storytelling ability, collegiality, and even woo. While academic libraries are ever-changing, it is critical to bear in mind the importance of the human component. This article considers the need for soft skills within the contemporary academic library environment. It will draw upon successful instances of soft skills development from outside the academic library environment to synthesize new ways of enhancing library employees’ soft skills.     

Knowledge and skills for the digital era academic library

Technology has altered the traditional academic library beyond recognition. These dramatic changes have impacted significantly on the knowledge and skills requirements for LIS professionals practising in this environment. While there have been studies in other parts of the world which have investigated the knowledge and skills requirements for the digital era academic library environment, to date no comprehensive study has ‘drilled’ down into this area in the South African context. This paper reports on a preliminary study which is part of a wider study aimed at developing a comprehensive skills statement which would provide an objective framework against which professional LIS practitioners in the modern academic library environment in South Africa may both measure their existing competencies and also identify the need for further skills acquisition. The research question guiding this preliminary investigation was: What key knowledge and skills are required for LIS professionals to effectively and efficiently practise in a digital era academic library in South Africa? The triangulated findings (using content analysis of job advertisements and semi-structured interviews) from this preliminary investigation are used to ascertain an initial picture of key knowledge and skills sets required for LIS professionals in this environment. These preliminary findings also proved useful in teasing out some of the parameters for the wider study targeting the development of a comprehensive skills statement for higher education libraries in South Africa. The study reported here has relevance for the academic library context in other parts of the world as well.     

部分图书馆学研究者的学风亟需改变

部分图书馆学研究者热衷于演绎,放弃了固有的学术阵地,缺失学术批判精神,蔑视实践。这些学风问题亟需解决。     

Building dynamic capabilities of an academic library: A research agenda

Though academic libraries do not compete with others in the real sense, every ambitious librarian would want his or her library to be better than the others. How would a librarian be able to achieve this? Traditionally, librarians have focused on building excellence in processes and operations. However, such processes and operations can be imitated and implemented by other libraries, resulting in those competencies being short lived. Researchers in strategic management have developed theories on how organizations can build competencies that cannot be imitated, and thus be ahead of their competitors. One such theory – referred to as the dynamic capabilities – is adapted to identify the micro-foundations including the roles, activities and competencies required to build these capabilities for academic libraries. Four themes – searching & sensing, shaping, seizing, and transforming – related to developing dynamic capabilities of academic libraries have been identified. Potential research questions have also been formulated to direct future research.     

A Framework for the Analysis and Management of Library Security Issues Applied to Patron-property Theft

This paper adapts three conceptual frameworks from Environmental Criminology – Routine Activity Theory, Rational Choice Theory, and Situational Crime Prevention – to create a Crime Prevention Toolkit that helps librarians analyze and manage criminal activity in contemporary academic libraries. The toolkit is applied to a case study of patron-laptop theft at an urban academic library to demonstrate its use in analyzing criminal activity and creating a crime-problem intervention. The intervention was rapidly successful at eliminating patron-property theft. There were no patron-laptop thefts of any kind in the library after implementation of the intervention, in contrast to 12 recorded laptop thefts the previous academic year. This is the first time a research-based, conceptual framework of three theories from Environmental Criminology has been used to analyze and manage criminal activity in an academic library. It is also the first time a patron-property theft intervention in an academic library has been demonstrated effective in an empirical inquiry.     

英国高校信息素养标准的改进与启示——信息素养七要素新标准解读

认为英国SCONUL的信息素养七要素标准是世界上最具影响力的信息素养标准之一。简述其发展历程,在剖析其新版标准具体内容的基础上,分析英国高校面对的新学术形势,以及该标准据此在可迁移性技能、学术技能、嵌入教学、学术生态和可视化效果等领域所进行的改进,以期为中国高校的信息素养标准研究提供参考。     

From sailing boat to steamship: the role of the publisher in an open access environment

The Internet has been a huge success in the academic world, as it makes it possible for academics to share and find research materials; open access has therefore become a fact of life for academic publishing. But what is the role of publishers in this new environment? The key functions of publishing – organizing peer review, editorial support, graphic design, marketing, and distribution of academic information – do not just disappear; publishers still have a role here, but they need to take a more service‐minded perspective. Academics still need to find ways to ensure the dissemination of their output; it is important that they realize that this will cost money, whether it is brought in‐house or outsourced. The IMISCOE project, on which Amsterdam University Press has recently embarked, offers an entirely new publishing model oriented towards online dissemination of academic research results, as well as in book form.     

First Year in Higher Education (FYHE) and the Coursework Post-Graduate Student

Research surrounding the First Year in Higher Education has identified and defined the need to support the transition of students during their first year in a tertiary institution. This support not only assists in acculturating students to the Higher Education environment, but also aims to ensure that students develop the foundational skills required for academic success; which enables higher progression and retention rates. However, most of the efforts to date have focused on undergraduate students. The authors assert that postgraduate coursework students require similar support structures. Data collected over a three year study compares the self-reported information literacy skills of postgraduate students within a Faculty of Business to undergraduate students in the same faculty. The data is situated within a broader review of the literature and some recommendations for academic librarians and academic skills advisers are offered.     

Learn by Doing: An Assessment of the Impact of Access Services in Fostering Skills Development of Access Services Student Staff at Kennedy Library

The academic library continues to formulate strategies for providing and sustaining a creative learning environment for knowledge creation. But little has been said about its role in skills building through micro employment that is enabling students to develop and integrate their academic, personal, and social skills sets. This study examines the role that Access Services plays in boosting the learning experiences of student employees in readiness for workplace integration. A survey that seeks to assess their experience was administered to 32 student employees at Access Services. The results indicate that student employees, through information delivery functions, gain personal transferable skills crucial for employment.     

科技学术期刊青年编辑培养对策探讨

针对新时期科技学术期刊青年编辑成长的心路历程,将其划分为4个阶段,即新奇阶段、功利阶段、责任阶段和兴趣阶段.根据编辑部人才培养实践及青年编辑成长体会,探讨新时期青年编辑培养的对策.     

Academic mentorship: an effective professional development strategy for medical reference librarians

Academic mentorship is a professional development strategy that enables fledgling professionals to take advantage of the skills and expertise of the senior members for professional growth. Although widely practiced in many other professions, academic mentorship has not been widely reported in medical librarianship. Drawing upon personal experience, the author reports the success story of an academic mentorship program implemented in an academic medical library and argues for academic mentorship to be widely adopted in academic medical libraries. This paper first reviews the literature on the concept of mentoring in an academic setting, and then describes the background, rationale, methods, and results of the mentorship programs the author has experienced. Lastly, based upon an analysis of several surveys and studies on coping skills for quality job performance of health sciences reference librarians, the paper discusses mentorship as one effective means to ease a new medical reference librarian's transition from his/her pre-service experience to the professional world of medical librarianship. It calls on other health sciences librarians to consider developing their own mentorship programs to promote their professional development and personal growth.     

Using a Blended Group Learning Approach to Increase Librarians’ Motivation and Skills to Publish

While there is considerable research on interventions to support academic staff in writing for publication, there is limited literature on writing interventions for librarians. This article explores the potential of a blended learning approach to support librarians to develop the motivation and skills to write for publication. The program combines three elements: a formal writing seminar; a structured series of online exercises and mentoring support; and two peer-feedback days. The article suggests that the combination of online and face-to-face activities has the potential to be a sustainable model for helping to develop librarians as academic writers. It suggests that this type of model could provide a context, which is currently lacking, for librarians to develop their identity and skills as academic writers.     

Motivating Law Students to Develop Competent Legal Research Skills

The results of a recent survey indicate that most law students do not consider learning legal research skills important. This article addresses ways in which academic law librarians can help counter negative attitudes toward legal research. The article also contains suggestions for helping motivate law students to develop competent legal research skills. The author encourages academic law librarians to assert their role in legal education by reevaluating legal research programs and, where appropriate, implementing positive change.