Re-conceptualizing statistical abstracts in the 21st century: An empirical study of sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics

Web-available information resources continue to diversify and proliferate; new segments of the population join the Internet; and technological capabilities of the Web expand. One arena in which these changes are being manifested is in federal statistical information dissemination. Statistical abstracts, a dominant form of information dissemination, are being reshaped in the face of these changes. In this study, a panel of experts from criminal justice and cognate fields participated in a four-round Delphi study to develop a mission statement for the next five years for one statistical abstract, Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics [Pastore, A. L., & Maguire, K. (Eds.). (2001). Sourcebook of criminal justice statistics. Retrieved January 28, 2004, from http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/]¹, and a list of associated requirements for attaining that mission. Participants see the role of statistical abstracts as continuing to be important in demonstrating the range of available statistical information and providing easy access to the most commonly used statistics. Their utility can be enhanced by technological advances. The findings have implications for the role of statistical abstracts in general.     

Public library services to new immigrants in Israel: The case of immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia

Spanish abstract not available at time of publication.

Neighborhood-based in-library use performance measures for public libraries: A nationwide study of majority–minority and majority white/low income markets using personal digital data collectors

The practice of aggregating public library use data to a system-wide level (central library and branches) can mask the library needs of more specific groups of users. This article introduces a study that addressed this need, by identifying libraries serving majority White/low income and majority–minority markets, and surveying those populations to identify types and levels of use. The study is critical for current library research and practices for these reasons: (1) the increasing diversity in race/ethnicity and languages spoken in U.S. communities; (2) low circulation rates exacerbated by increased Internet use; (3) mere existence of a library is critical to optimize use by populations without the library and reading experience; and (4) the recent release of the U.S. Public Library Geographic Database (http://www.geolib.org/PLGDB.cfm) with neighborhood level census and library use data for all U.S. library jurisdictions. The methodologies developed offer potential for the collection of critical data for the public librarian of today.     

Locating and Recognizing Text in WWW Images

The explosive growth of the World Wide Web has resulted in a distributed database consisting of hundreds of millions of documents. While existing search engines index a page based on the text that is readily extracted from its HTML encoding, an increasing amount of the information on the Web is embedded in images. This situation presents a new and exciting challenge for the fields of document analysis and information retrieval, as WWW image text is typically rendered in color and at very low spatial resolutions. In this paper, we survey the results of several years of our work in the area. For the problem of locating text in Web images, we describe a procedure based on clustering in color space followed by a connected-components analysis that seems promising. For character recognition, we discuss techniques using polynomial surface fitting and fuzzy n-tuple classifiers. Also presented are the results of several experiments that demonstrate where our methods perform well and where more work needs to be done. We conclude with a discussion of topics for further research.     

A Theoretical Study of a Generalized Version of Kleinberg’s HITS Algorithm

Kleinbergs HITS algorithm (Kleinberg 1999), which was originally developed in a Web context, tries to infer the authoritativeness of a Web page in relation to a specific query using the structure of a subgraph of the Web graph, which is obtained considering this specific query. Recent applications of this algorithm in contexts far removed from that of Web searching (Bacchin, Ferro and Melucci 2002, Ng et al. 2001) inspired us to study the algorithm in the abstract, independently of its particular applications, trying to mathematically illuminate its behaviour. In the present paper we detail this theoretical analysis. The original work starts from the definition of a revised and more general version of the algorithm, which includes the classic one as a particular case. We perform an analysis of the structure of two particular matrices, essential to studying the behaviour of the algorithm, and we prove the convergence of the algorithm in the most general case, finding the analytic expression of the vectors to which it converges. Then we study the symmetry of the algorithm and prove the equivalence between the existence of symmetry and the independence from the order of execution of some basic operations on initial vectors. Finally, we expound some interesting consequences of our theoretical results.Supported in part by a grant from the Italian National Research Council (CNR) research project Technologies and Services for Enhanced Content Delivery.     

A unified score propagation model for web spam demotion algorithm

Web spam pages exploit the biases of search engine algorithms to get higher than their deserved rankings in search results by using several types of spamming techniques. Many web spam demotion algorithms have been developed to combat spam via the use of the web link structure, from which the goodness or badness score of each web page is evaluated. Those scores are then used to identify spam pages or punish their rankings in search engine results. However, most of the published spam demotion algorithms differ from their base models by only very limited improvements and still suffer from some common score manipulation methods. The lack of a general framework for this field makes the task of designing high-performance spam demotion algorithms very inefficient. In this paper, we propose a unified score propagation model for web spam demotion algorithms by abstracting the score propagation process of relevant models with a forward score propagation function and a backward score propagation function, each of which can further be expressed as three sub-functions: a splitting function, an accepting function and a combination function. On the basis of the proposed model, we develop two new web spam demotion algorithms named Supervised Forward and Backward score Ranking (SFBR) and Unsupervised Forward and Backward score Ranking (UFBR). Our experiments, conducted on three large-scale public datasets, show that (1) SFBR is very robust and apparently outperforms other algorithms and (2) UFBR can obtain results comparable to some well-known supervised algorithms in the spam demotion task even if the UFBR is unsupervised.     

An Ontology-Based Binary-Categorization Approach for Recognizing Multiple-Record Web Documents Using a Probabilistic Retrieval Model

The Web contains a tremendous amount of information. It is challenging to determine which Web documents are relevant to a user query, and even more challenging to rank them according to their degrees of relevance. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic retrieval model using logistic regression for recognizing multiple-record Web documents against an application ontology, a simple conceptual modeling approach. We notice that many Web documents contain a sequence of chunks of textual information, each of which constitutes a record. This type of documents is referred to as multiple-record documents. In our categorization approach, a document is represented by a set of term frequencies of index terms, a density heuristic value, and a grouping heuristic value. We first apply the logistic regression analysis on relevant probabilities using the (i) index terms, (ii) density value, and (iii) grouping value of each training document. Hereafter, the relevant probability of each test document is interpolated from the fitting curves. Contrary to other probabilistic retrieval models, our model makes only a weak independent assumption and is capable of handling any important dependent relationships among index terms. In addition, we use logistic regression, instead of linear regression analysis, because the relevance probabilities of training documents are discrete. Using a test set of car-ads and another one for obituary Web documents, our probabilistic model achieves the averaged recall ratio of 100%, precision ratio of 83.3%, and accuracy ratio of 92.5%.     

Accommodating Employees with Disabilities: Perceptions of Irish Academic Library Managers

This research study investigated the views and practice of third level academic library managers in the Republic of Ireland regarding reasonable accommodation of employees with disabilities (as defined in the Irish Employment Equality Act 1998 as amended by the Equality Act 2004 Equality Act. 2010. 2010 Chapter 15. 8 Web. Apr. 2010 <http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_act_2010.aspx> [Google Scholar]).

A mixed methods study (sample of 163 library managers) employed both an online survey (response rate 108/163) and follow-up telephone interviews (23% of respondents). Questions were based on a literature review.

Library managers were aware of a legal duty to accommodate. A majority of library managers subscribed to the social model of disability rather than the medical model. They were less aware of the needs of employees with less visible disabilities. A small majority of library managers reported the presence of an accommodation procedure at their college. A large majority of library managers would not spend more than 0–10% of the library budget on accommodation—in practice, this should be sufficient. A small majority believe that a legal obligation to accommodate is necessary. A majority would adopt a graduated approach (informal to formal) in relation to discriminatory conduct.

On the whole, the legislation was working in practice. However, further disability awareness training of staff was required, and further research should examine the views of library staff with disabilities.     

虚拟图书馆中网页的自动分类研究

概括了国内外对电子文本及Web网页进行自动分类的研究和试验,论述了虚拟图书馆中对网页进行自动分类与一般搜索引擎中对网页进行自动分类的区别,提出了一种用于虚拟图书馆中对网页进行自动分类的方法,并描述了按照此方法建立的“图书馆学情报学”虚拟图书馆的自动分类系统,对分类结果进行了分析。     

Current research issues and trends in non-English Web searching

With increasingly higher numbers of non-English language web searchers the problems of efficient handling of non-English Web documents and user queries are becoming major issues for search engines. The main aim of this review paper is to make researchers aware of the existing problems in monolingual non-English Web retrieval by providing an overview of open issues. A significant number of papers are reviewed and the research issues investigated in these studies are categorized in order to identify the research questions and solutions proposed in these papers. Further research is proposed at the end of each section.

Focus Groups and Usability Testing in Redesigning an Academic Library's Web Site

ABSTRACT

As the World Wide Web has advanced since its inception, librarians have endeavored to keep pace with this progress in the design of their library Web pages. User recommendations collected from focus groups and usability testing have indicated that the University of Scranton's Weinberg Memorial Library's Web site was not working as intended, and the library's home page, in particular, was cluttered. Focus groups indicated that the process of accessing the library's databases from off-campus took too many steps, key resources were not located in key areas of the page, links were too close together, and the font was too small. Library staff determined it was necessary to rethink and redesign its pages. Self-reports from focus groups were insufficient to get at the mechanics of Web page use. Through usability testing, librarians were able to observe students and faculty completing simple research and directional tasks. Before “going live” with the new page in January 2007, users who had participated in the focus groups and in the usability testing were surveyed about the redesigned library Web page. The users indicated that the new Web page was less confusing, easier to use, and somewhat more intuitive than the previous library Web page. Web sites are always works in progress, and academic librarians should be proactive about making changes to their library Web sites to take advantage of emerging technology and to meet user expectations.     

Recommended core collection of Web sites for hospital libraries

Core lists of recommended resources have long been used as selection tools for collection development in hospital libraries. However, hospital librarians now rely on the Internet for access to up-to-date information to supplement materials available within their libraries. Many libraries now either maintain a library Web page or provide input for their institution's Web page. The difficulty is determining what sites to include on their page. This article is a basic guide to recommended links for hospital libraries. It is intended as a starting place for hospital librarians who wish to create (or add to) a Web page of good links to be used for answering reference questions, or as a list for library users. The list is available as a link from the Sharp Health Science Library Web page where it will be updated at least annually. Links will be checked on a regular basis.     

One Site to Rule Them All,Redux: The Second Round of Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Web Site

This article examines the usability testing of a responsively redesigned library Web site. Responsive design provides a unified user experience regardless of the device used to view a site. The study's aim is twofold: to determine if the responsively designed site and its external online services support users’ information seeking needs, and to discover if there is a singular experience across different devices. A cognitive walkthrough was the main testing instrument used in gathering input. Over two rounds of testing, students of various class years and technological skill from the New York City of Technology (City Tech), CUNY participated in the study. The first round of testing for this usability study on the library Web site was previously documented (Tidal 2015 Tidal, J. (2015) “One Site to Rule Them All: Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Library Web Site.” In Creating Sustainable Community: The Proceedings of the ACRL 2015 Conference, edited by D. Mueller. Paper presented at the Association of College and Research Libraries, Portland, OR, 25–28 March (pp. 593–604). Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. [Google Scholar]). This article presents the findings and comparisons between the first and second round of usability testing. The study found not only numerous improvements that could enhance the library Web site, but also the lack of a unified experience between tablet, smartphone, and desktop users, despite using a responsive design. Smartphone users were at a disadvantage in utilizing library resources. The study also found there was a significant usability impact in using a mobile-optimized discovery tool among users in comparison to its Web OPAC predecessor.     

Teaching Web 2.0 technologies using Web 2.0 technologies

Objectives:

The research evaluated participant satisfaction with the content and format of the “Web 2.0 101: Introduction to Second Generation Web Tools” course and measured the impact of the course on participants'' self-evaluated knowledge of Web 2.0 tools.

Methods:

The “Web 2.0 101” online course was based loosely on the Learning 2.0 model. Content was provided through a course blog and covered a wide range of Web 2.0 tools. All Medical Library Association members were invited to participate. Participants were asked to complete a post-course survey. Respondents who completed the entire course or who completed part of the course self-evaluated their knowledge of nine social software tools and concepts prior to and after the course using a Likert scale. Additional qualitative information about course strengths and weaknesses was also gathered.

Results:

Respondents'' self-ratings showed a significant change in perceived knowledge for each tool, using a matched pair Wilcoxon signed rank analysis (P<0.0001 for each tool/concept). Overall satisfaction with the course appeared high. Hands-on exercises were the most frequently identified strength of the course; the length and time-consuming nature of the course were considered weaknesses by some.

Conclusion:

Learning 2.0-style courses, though demanding time and self-motivation from participants, can increase knowledge of Web 2.0 tools.

Highlights

• Course participants'' knowledge of Web 2.0 tools increased significantly.
• Medical Library Association members liked the online course format, particularly the hands-on exercises and self-pacing.
• There was no significant difference in course completion rate or course satisfaction among participants from academic, hospital, or other library settings.
• Few survey respondents pointed specifically to workplace technology blocking as a reason for non-completion, though this underestimates the effect of such blocking on hospital and corporate library staff.

Implications

• MLA members appreciate having online continuing education (CE) courses. New short, online CE courses were developed based on the findings of this survey.
• Hands-on exercises may improve learning and increase motivation.
• Time and self-motivation are necessary for completing online courses.

     

Toward a User-Centered Academic Library Home Page

ABSTRACT

In the past decade, academic libraries have struggled with the design of an effective library home page. Since librarians' mental models of information architecture differ from those of their patrons, usability assessments are necessary in designing a user-centered home page. This study details a usability sequence of card sort and paper and online survey methods conducted at the Auraria Library, which serves the University of Colorado Denver, the Metropolitan State College of Denver, and the Community College of Denver. The three top complaints about the existing Web page included information overload, lack of visual cues and guidance, and difficulty getting to what students knew was the heart of the library's Web page: online resources. Using qualitative and quantitative data from the card sorting sessions, the Web librarian, under the direction of the Web Advisory Committee, was able to create a more user-centered home page. Unique to this study are the use of undergraduate students in creating test instruments and a means of gathering information about what students value most in their library's home page.     

Creating an Online Electronic Reserve Tutorial for Faculty

Abstract

Library staff created an online tutorial and resource Web page for Docutek electronic reserve (electronic reserve software) users at Philadelphia University. Created as part of a larger training initiative revision conducted by the Instructional Technology Specialist, the online resource supports a faculty-driven model of electronic reserve usage. Additionally, the revised training initiative places an emphasis on using electronic reserve and BlackBoard as complementary tools better serving the educational needs of faculty and students. This article explores the decision-making process involved in the creation of the Web page and the training initiative.     

Rank-Stability and Rank-Similarity of Link-Based Web Ranking Algorithms in Authority-Connected Graphs

Web search algorithms that rank Web pages by examining the link structure of the Web are attractive from both theoretical and practical aspects. Todays prevailing link-based ranking algorithms rank Web pages by using the dominant eigenvector of certain matrices—like the co-citation matrix or variations thereof. Recent analyses of ranking algorithms have focused attention on the case where the corresponding matrices are irreducible, thus avoiding singularities of reducible matrices. Consequently, rank analysis has been concentrated on authority connected graphs, which are graphs whose co-citation matrix is irreducible (after deleting zero rows and columns). Such graphs conceptually correspond to thematically related collections, in which most pages pertain to a single, dominant topic of interest.A link-based search algorithm A is rank-stable if minor changes in the link structure of the input graph, which is usually a subgraph of the Web, do not affect the ranking it produces; algorithms A,B are rank-similar if they produce similar rankings. These concepts were introduced and studied recently for various existing search algorithms.This paper studies the rank-stability and rank-similarity of three link-based ranking algorithms—PageRank, HITS and SALSA—in authority connected graphs. For this class of graphs, we show that neither HITS nor PageRank is rank stable. We then show that HITS and PageRank are not rank similar on this class, nor is any of them rank similar to SALSA.This research was supported by the Fund for the Promotion of Research at the Technion, and by the Barnard Elkin Chair in Computer Science.