Unexpected collaborations: A science librarian and a reference archivist co-teaching

Libraries and archives are often grouped together as knowledge organizations with some shared goals and purposes, and in academic institutions this is no different. They might compete for the same resources or be managed by the same administrative teams; however, how much collaboration is there between libraries and archives in academia? Some might suppose that there is consistent collaboration and interconnected priorities and projects which foster that collaboration. Those librarians providing support for historians or history departments may have strong working relationships with reference archivists, but what about those working in other areas of librarianship? Would there be opportunity, for example, for an academic science librarian to partner with a reference archivist to elucidate the treasures hidden within archives relevant to scientists? We can definitively answer that question from our own personal experience. Since 2018, the authors, a science librarian and reference archivist, have worked together to introduce those beyond history departments the opportunities for archival research. In this column, we describe how we started working together, our various collaborative efforts over the years, and what we have learned along the way.     

Professional development through attending conferences: reflections of a health librarian

In this article, guest writer Ruth Jenkins from Berkshire Heathcare Foundation Trust reflects on two conferences she attended in 2014, LILAC and SLA. Through the process of reflection, she considers the benefits that attending conferences can have to library and information professionals in the health sector. In particular, she discusses the opportunities and areas for learning and professional development that conferences can offer including evidence‐based practice and current awareness, gaining new knowledge and objectivity, and networking and the unexpected benefits of conferences. Ruth also offers some practical hints and tips on ways to facilitate your attendance at conferences, including through awards and funding. H.S.     

Signatures of capacity development through research collaborations in artificial intelligence and machine learning

Extant studies suggest that the proximity between the researchers and their structural positioning in the collaboration network may influence productivity and performance in collaboration research. In this paper, we analyze the co-authorship networks of the three countries, viz. the USA, China, and India, constructed in consecutive non-overlapping 5-year long time windows from bibliometric data of research papers published in the past decade in the rapidly evolving area of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI&ML). Our analysis relies on the observations ensued from a comparison of the statistical properties of the evolving networks. We consider macro-level network properties which describe the global characteristics, such as degree distribution, assortativity, and large-scale cohesion etc., as well as micro-level properties associated with the actors who have assumed central positions, defining a core in the network assembly with respect to closeness centrality measure. For the analysis of the core actors, who are well connected with a large number of other actors, we consider share of their affiliations with domestic institutes. We find dominant representation of domestic affiliations of the core actors for high productivity cases, such as China in the second time window and the USA in the first and second both. Our study, therefore, suggests that the domestic affiliation of the core actors, who could access network resources more efficiently than other actors, influences and catalyzes the collaborative research.     

Evaluating librarian continuing professional development: Merging Guskey's framework and Vygotsky Space to explore transfer of learning

The aims and motivation for training and continuing professional development (CPD) for librarians are many and varied, depending on the organizational context and the needs of participants. How to evidence the transfer of learning from CPD activities to the workplace has long troubled academics in the management field but has not been a topic of focus in the librarianship discipline. The results of a study testing a new approach to the assessment of CPD outcomes for individual librarians, their workplaces, and their patrons are presented. Adapting Guskey's (2000) framework for assessing teacher CPD, two questionnaires were designed to assess the short-term and long-term outcomes of CPD. The analysis indicates that the approach was effective in identifying how participation in CPD inspires change first in individual professional practice and then organizational learning, resulting in service innovations for the benefit of the whole community. The process is conceptualized through Vygotsky Space.     

Making professional development more social: A systematic review of librarians' professional development through social media

To maintain relevancy with the ever-increasing competencies required of them, librarians on the job have frequently turned to professional development (PD) opportunities. One outlet that could potentially address barriers librarians face when accessing PD is social media, which can help librarians communicate across distances, are used at low to no cost, and can be accessed asynchronously as needed. Drawing from 25 studies conducted in 21 countries, this systematic literature review explored the empirical themes evident in the current research on librarians' adoption of social media for PD purposes. This review found (1) there is considerable potential in adopting social media for PD across contexts; (2) studies focused on the affordances provided by social media in areas where there is limited infrastructure, support, and resources for PD; (3) in congruence with prior research pertaining to the Technology Acceptance Model, librarians who felt more tech-savvy were more likely to adopt social media for PD; and (4) social media was viewed as democratic in creating a platform where diverse voices could participate. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practitioners and recommendations for future research directions.     

创建学习型出版企业迎接知识经济挑战

20世纪80年代以来,随着信息技术、知识经济、全球化进程的加快,企业面临着前所未有的竞争和挑战,传统的组织模式和管理理念越来越不适应形势的变化.管理界出现了许多新的管理理论和方法,如学习型组织、流程再造、团队协作、虚拟企业等,共同点都是将组织的学习和知识管理作为管理的核心.     

Learning and change through diversity,equity, and inclusion professional development: Academic librarians' perspectives

Building on the results of a qualitative survey of academic librarians in Canada and the U.S., this study focuses on the learning and subsequent change following professional development events (PDE) dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Carried out collaboratively by a group of American and Canadian researchers, the study is guided by hermeneutic phenomenology and the concept of retrospective reflection and builds on the critical incident approach supporting the survey design. Reporting on two large clusters of findings – those related to personal learning and change and those related to organizational change – the study highlights five types of learning and subsequent change that result from DEI PDEs: cognitive learning and change (awareness); behavioral learning and change (action); personal learning and change (self-awareness and self-improvement); social learning and change (interaction); and affective/emotional learning and change. The findings are mapped to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of change, which creates a foundation for making recommendations for future mixed methods research and impactful PDE design. The study records both achievements and regrettable omissions in the current PDE offerings, in the hopes that noticed gaps and existing shortcomings will be remedied moving forward.     

Health librarians: developing professional competence through a 'legitimate peripheral participation' model

This feature considers the legitimate peripheral participation model in developing professional competencies in health librarianship. It is described how this model was used in the development of a framework for mapping and recognising the competencies gained by new health librarians at the Royal Free Hospital Medical Library. HS.     

Building a bioinformatics community of practice through library education programs

This paper addresses the following questions:What makes the community of practice concept an intriguing framework for developing library services for bioinformatics? What is the campus context and setting? What has been the Health Sciences Library's role in bioinformatics at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill? What are the Health Sciences Library's goals? What services are currently offered? How will these services be evaluated and developed? How can libraries demonstrate their value? Providing library services for an emerging community such as bioinformatics and computational biology presents special challenges for libraries including understanding needs, defining and communicating the library's role, building relationships within the community, preparing staff, and securing funding. Like many academic health sciences libraries, the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill Health Sciences Library is addressing these challenges in the context of its overall mission and goals.     

The changing role of the subject librarian,with a particular focus on UK developments,examined through a review of the literature

Using a literature review this paper examines the changing role of the subject librarian within UK higher education institutions. Identifies models of subject librarianship in different countries for comparison with the UK role. Defines the role of subject librarian before the Follett Report and highlights the impact the report has had on the role. Considers how the role has developed since the Follett Report from the perspective of library managers. The relationship between subject librarians and the academic departments they serve, and the subject knowledge required to execute this function, have always been areas of concern. Since the Follett Report the increasing involvement of subject librarians in teaching students has added a new dimension to the relationship with academic departments. The liaison the subject librarian provides between the library and academic departments is an enduring facet of the role and helps to explain why it has persisted.     

创造科学的人生提高生命的价值--科学发展观与现代图书馆员人生

阐述了现代图书馆员应确立科学的人生观、发展目标；应科学处理好各种关系和控制好自己的感情与情绪；应掌握科学的工作方法、思维方法；对工作、对人生进行科学的总结。过好每一天，提高生命的价值。     

Information literacy in continuing professional development of medical practitioners: a Croatian example

OBJECTIVES: This paper reports on the training of medical practitioners in information literacy. The course is carried out by an academic medical library in collaboration with its parent institution and the local physicians' licensing body. SETTING: The University of Zagreb Medical School (UZMS) developed an extensive continuing education programme for residents and practitioners, in partnership with the Croatian Chamber of Physicians. Within this programme, the Central Medical Library (CML) offers a hands-on course on searching and appraisal of medical information. DESCRIPTION: Continuing professional development (CPD) helps physicians update and develop the skills and knowledge they require in their everyday practice. The ability to locate, critically evaluate, and use medical information is an important component of CPD. The CML has developed a course entitled "Finding and Appraisal of Medical Information" which has been reviewed and accepted by its parent institution and the physicians' chamber. The course has been introduced in 2005 on a half-year base. OUTCOME: The course provides participants with the information on the most important medical information resources and with the basic skills needed for their effective usage. An evaluation questionnaire is used to assess the effectiveness of the course.     

Continuing professional development for RMIT International University Vietnam library staff: Adding value through an international partnership: A case study

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of blended learning – the fusion of face-to-face and online learning experiences – to implement an effective and culturally sensitive program of professional development in an Australian university working in a developing country. It sought insight into pertinent pedagogical approaches for staff development across multiple locations including across national boundaries. The project demonstrated how learners can develop new capabilities and approaches by building on existing skills and knowledge as they interact in communities of practice. The immediate purpose was to design and deliver a continuing professional education program to meet the needs of librarians working at RMIT International University Vietnam in the context of the demands of the academic community and in the light of the challenge library staff experienced in seeking to meet explicit and tacit expectations. The project ran from late January to mid December 2010. The research questions were: ‘Is blended learning effective as an approach to continuing professional development when working across cultures in a multinational organization?’ and ‘What contribution do face-to-face and online components make to learning outcomes?’ The methodology used was an action learning approach. A 2009 consultant’s report into the RMIT Vietnam Library established professional developmental needs which were further detailed in February 2010 by the project leader from RMIT University, Melbourne using a skills audit. Workshops in Vietnam, visits to Melbourne by several Vietnam staff members, and an online forum were then delivered. Reflective practice and ongoing input from staff were utilized to form a feedback loop to modify the project timing and approaches as needed. Evaluation included participant feedback on workshops, tracking changes in Library services, a customer survey, a project-end survey of participants’ behavioral changes against learning topics as self-reported, and discussion with participants. The authors were actively involved in the project: Julia Leong as project leader and Loc Nguyen as project champion at the Saigon South Campus. Blended learning was found to be effective in meeting continuing professional developmental needs and in promoting positive changes in library service provision. Online discussions were effective for extending existing knowledge, gaining practical hints, and examining attitudes. Face-to-face workshops and visits were more effective for learning new material in a systematic way. It is recommended that consideration be given to applying the blended learning model used in this project to continuing professional developmental work in similar contexts.     

Understanding the domain development through a word status observation model

For the accurate scientific evaluation and advancement of science, it is crucial to understand the development state of a given disciplinary domain. Existing comprehension methodologies concentrate on quantitatively analyzing broad subject trends without considering the underlying complex status attributes of the words that support and enrich these surface-level trends. Through the perspective of the word role, this study deepens the examination of domain development in a more granular way. We use Word2vec to identify the representative semantic neighbors of a domain-specific feature word from literature. Then, a word status observation model is provided that classifies the role of these representative words as tree structures, including young leaves, dead leaves, roots, and trunk-branches, based on changes in their similarity ranking divergence and information entropy. The static word role provides a new insight into detecting the internal detailed organizational composition and maturing status, while the dynamic role shift helps track historical development changes in the domain. Taking attention in psychology as a case by extracting psychology articles from Microsoft Academic Graph, the empirical study illustrates the results of the observation model and yields intriguing findings. First, the static word role positioning shows that a word's status can be obviously different. Different status indicates areas currently keeping the states of thriving, obsolete, becoming firm supportive pillars (precipitating), and irregularly developing within the domain, respectively. Second, during different development periods, most of the words are maintaining the role of irregularly changing or tending towards precipitation. A certain proportion of words are tending towards prosperity, while only a small set of words are deviating from the prosperity state. The growth of attention-related studies as a whole is well-grown and gradually approaching maturity. Our study further supports researchers’ understanding of the domain development status from a more granular perspective of word roles.     

Delivering information skills training at a health professionals continuing professional development conference: an evaluation

In this feature, guest writer Aoife Lawton discusses the outcomes of an information skills workshop delivered at a continuing professional development conference for health and social care professionals in Ireland. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate perceptions of the effectiveness of the workshop. The study provides details of how, through collaborative partnership, the workshop was developed and delivered. Application of an adapted version of the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation is presented alongside details of what impact the event had on the attendees both immediately after the workshop and 3 months post‐workshop. The authors also reflect on the benefits delivery of the workshops had for professional health library practice and service improvement. H. S.     

深化人事制度改革 促进图书馆事业发展

本文针对当前图书馆人事制度中普遍存在的一些弊病，就馆长能上不能下的任命制，技术服务“以评代聘”的终身制，流于形式的考核评议制等问题，提出了自己个人的改革构想和建议。     

举办国际会议，促进新刊发展——以《极端条件下的物质与辐射》举办同名国际会议为例

学术会议是科研人员交流科技信息与情报的重要平台,是新创期刊快速建立专家网络、提升学术质量、扩大学术影响的重要途径。本文通过分析总结新创英文期刊《极端条件下的物质与辐射》创办同名国际会议的具体实践与经验,梳理了期刊同名国际会议策划与实施的要点和做法,阐述会议在期刊专家资源汇聚、高水平稿件组织、国际影响扩大和创新服务发展4方面对新创英文刊的促进作用,最后给出进一步建设品牌国际会议、促进期刊发展的思考建议。