Benchmarking local public libraries using non-parametric frontier methods: A case study of Flanders

Being faced with significant budget cuts and continual pressure to do more with less, issues of efficiency and effectiveness became a priority for local governments in most countries. In this context, benchmarking is widely acknowledged as a powerful tool for local performance management and for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of local service delivery. Performance benchmarking exercises are regularly carried out using ratio analysis, by comparing single indicators. Since this approach offers only limited assessments in absolute terms, it is difficult for decision-makers to track and improve overall performance. Therefore, the use of non-parametric frontier methods, namely free disposal hull (FDH) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) is presented as an alternative technique for benchmarking the performance of organizations in relative terms. The potential applications and strengths of these non-parametric frontier methods for benchmarking the efficiency of local public services are highlighted by applying FDH and DEA techniques to the local public libraries in Flanders. Incorporating all possible paths of expansion – both in space and in time – enables a focus on sustainability within efficiency benchmarking.     

Archives,libraries, museums and the spell of ubiquitous knowledge

This paper describes the convergence of libraries, archives, and museums in Germany from traditional brick-and-mortar institutions to a digital memory institution on the Internet. An implementation of such a digital memory institution is BAM—the joint portal of archives, libraries, and museums in Germany. BAM has the potential to serve as a single point of access to existing, but separate offerings of the several branches of cultural heritage, e.g. union catalogs, and a great number of separate digitization projects offering their content on the German Web. BAM can make an important contribution to the efforts of both the German governments (federal and states) and the European Union, which are in the process of establishing portals to cultural content on the Internet. The article gives an outline of the current undertakings and illustrates how the striving for ubiquitous knowledge delivered by Internet portals relates to the scientific tradition of documentation in Europe.     

How students use their libraries: A case study of four academic libraries

The purpose of this study was to explore the similarities and differences in student behavior in or uses of four academic libraries in the greater New York City area. Using on-site observations and semistructured interviews, the authors collected data about resources and tools used by students as well as their academic and nonacademic activities and contributing factors. Across all four libraries, the study identified that students were actively engaged in academic pursuits utilizing multiple library resources while working with print and digital tools. Students were also observed resting, eating, and engaging in other nonacademic activities. The variations in student behaviors across the four libraries can be explained by contextual variables that influence students' behavior in a library, including student demographics, academic requirements, work habits, and disciplinary affiliations.     

Surveying scholars’ perceptions of electronic environments: A case study of university libraries in Kerala (India)

This study was conducted to investigate research scholars’ perceptions of the information sources, services and infrastructures in university libraries in Kerala. A survey questionnaire was sent to research scholars working in four universities. The study revealed that the organization of resources and services in university libraries is not fully oriented towards supporting the process of research, and scholars were not satisfied with existing primary resources and personalized services. The study provides recommendations to enhance research-oriented library resources and services.     

高校图书馆投稿指南服务分析

本文在全国范围内抽取150所高校图书馆投稿指南服务功能进行了调查,分析了图书馆投稿指南服务功能的现状及存在的问题,并提出了相应的发展建议。     

A study on the application method of the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) to the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) in Korean libraries

The work-set algorithm to automatically convert a bibliographic database into a Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) structure has been developed and operated. However, in case the authority control is not properly performed as in Korean catalogs, it is impossible to FRBRize using only the automechanism. In such a case, a visual check must accompany the process; unfortunately, this requires extensive time and cost. Thus, in this case, it is desirable to cluster work-sets for a large-scale bibliographic database like a union catalog and to share the resulting work-sets with local libraries. To that end, this paper presents a method for extracting work-sets from the Korean union catalog using a semi-automatic mechanism. Additionally, it proposes methods to allow local libraries to apply the FRBR to their own OPAC using work-sets that result from the union catalog.     

多校区图书馆典藏研究

文章从典藏工作的意义和作用入手，联系实际，对高校多校区图书馆的藏书分配原则、新书入藏、馆藏调拨、藏书剔除、机构设置等典藏工作实践进行了研究。     

论地方高校图书馆与非物质文化遗产的传承保护——以安庆黄梅戏为例

作为国家级非物质文化遗产,黄梅戏的传承与发展对发扬中国戏曲文化有着重大意义,安庆地方高校图书馆在促进黄梅戏文化传承与保护中肩负着历史使命。文章分析了安庆地方高校在传承与保护黄梅戏方面所具有的独特优势,并针对面临的问题提出了具体的措施。     

Violence in television news: A case study of audience response

On February 2, 1968, about 20,000,000 Americans watched South Vietnam's Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Loan shoot a suspected Viet Cong in the head on a Saigon street. Color film of that execution was shown on NBC's Huntley‐Brinkley Report. There was also a black and white still photograph by Eddie Adams of Associated Press. The impact of that single news story on public opinion about the war will be argued for some time. In an attempt to analyze the audience reaction to the NBC film report, a content analysis of audience mail to NBC was performed. Further, questionnaires were sent to the letter‐writers for additional information and to further explore their reasons for writing.     

Workplace harassment in university libraries: A qualitative study of female Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in Pakistan

PurposeThe existence of workplace harassment in a feminized profession such as Library and Information Science (LIS) cannot be ignored. There is limited literature on workplace harassment in the profession, especially in the context of the developing world. This study investigates the status of workplace harassment and the level of awareness about the relevant legislation among working women of Pakistan.MethodologyA qualitative research approach was used and data was collected through in-depth interview. Thirty-four female LIS professionals working in the university libraries of Lahore, Pakistan, were approached. However, eight were given consented to participate in the study.FindingsMost of the working females did not agree to participate in the study due to privacy concerns and the taboo nature of the topic in Pakistani society. The findings revealed the females had witnessed workplace harassment which they perceived as both physical and psychological in nature. The study also reports the respondents' level of awareness about harassment-related legislation and policies in the country as well as strategies to enhance it. It also highlights the barriers faced by them while reporting harassment issues.ImplicationThis study presents theoretical, practical, and policy implications related to workforce harassment faced by women working in LIS.     

完善高校图书馆内部控制研究

文章在控制环境、信息与沟通、风险评估、控制活动和监督等控制要素的框架下对完善图书馆的内部控制进行了探讨.     

浅论当代图书馆的十五种营销模式

图书馆营销研究是当代图书馆管理学理论研究中一个重要的领域,也是当代图书馆管理实践的重要课题。当代图书馆有十五大营销模式：服务营销模式、文化营销模式、事件营销模式、整合营销模式、互动营销模式、合作营销模式、体验营销模式、网络营销模式、关系营销模式、知识营销模式、品牌营销模式、定制营销模式、价值营销模式、公益营销模式和内部营销模式。     

Digital infrastructure and attitudes towards access and sharing: A case study of selected engineering libraries in the Maharashtra state of India

This article includes a brief profile of selected engineering libraries in Maharashtra state of India and discusses salient issues related to strategic cooperation and consortia, with particular focus on the current situation. It examines the structural, financial and technical factors that have compelled the academic libraries to think about the formation of statewide consortia. The author surveyed forty-nine libraries to get an idea about the current status and explored the possibilities of forming regional consortia with a mission to enhance access to information and knowledge through cooperation for benefit of the engineering communities. The focus is on librarians' perceptions/opinion on the formation of state level consortia; ICT infrastructure; users' needs; collection development policies and the services provided by engineering libraries to the community.     

条码数据采集器在图书采购自动化管理中的应用

文章论述了便携式条码数据采集器特点及其在图书采购自动化管理中的应用,进而提出采集器在现购中存在的问题及应对措施.     

香港与内地高校图书谊若干问题的比较研究

论文从文献资源建设、管理机制、社会服务、服务形式以及用户教育等方面,对香港和内地的大学图书馆进行了比较分析,并提出了一些思考。     

Digitization of past question papers, dissertations and theses: A case study of 30 Nigerian university libraries

This paper evaluates the status of digitization in 30 Nigerian university libraries with a view to identifying the status, progress, prospects and challenges to digitize library materials and form the basis of providing a roadmap to successful execution of digitization projects. The study assessed the status of digitization of past question papers, theses and dissertations in Nigerian university libraries from May to September 2006 through a self-administered questionnaire, site visits and interviews. It was found that, though there are automation services in those universities, there is no digitization of these materials mentioned in the surveyed institutions. The major obstacles militating against digitizing in the university libraries include lack of funds, lack of appropriate facilities, lack of skilled manpower and lack of constant electricity supply. Respondents were anxious to have the services to commence because of their importance in facilitating teaching, learning and research.