Electronic Copyright Rights: Do You Have What You Need?

Publishing agreements have long operated with certain assumptions about what books are and what publishers do. These assumptions are increasingly at odds with the new technological forms in which books are created and marketed, from e-books and Kindle 2 read-aloud works to so-called “vooks” that incorporate on-demand streaming video and other internet-based features in conjunction with hard copy books. Publishers’ contracts need to be re-thought in light of these changed circumstances. Specifically, publishing contracts today should focus on the activities in which the publisher may engage, and not the form in which the work may be presented, a point that was made clear several years ago in the Random House v. RosettaBooks litigation. In defining these activities, contracts should track the language of the exclusive rights enumerated in §106 of the Copyright Act. Finally, to the extent that books are becoming “audiovisual works” publishers may be able to shift to a work-made-for-hire model for obtaining ownership, rather than relying on grants from individual authors.     

How Many Libraries Do We Need?

ABSTRACT

According to the American Library Association, there are 119,000 libraries in the United States. But how many do we need? In this vision session report, Arizona State University Librarian James J. O’Donnell addresses this question through the lenses of discovery tools, usability, and marketing strategy. He also addresses the need for a more global and collaborative approach to collection building in libraries. This deliberately provocative talk provides several different ways to think about the answer to the title question—and several answers.     

Reference Ethics - Do We Need Them?

No abstract available for this article.     

The Trouble With Bibliographies: Where Is Mezhov When You Need Him?

This is a review of twelve bibliographies that reflect the holdings of the Russian collection in Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaii focusing on Siberia, the Soviet/Russian Far East, and Russia in Asia and the Pacific, especially Russians in China. The chosen titles represent a mixture of the great, the average, and not-so-good that the author has used over the past four decades. While there is a question about the usefulness of bibliographies in this digital age, most of the old standards should still play a role in academic scholarship.     

What Exactly Do You Do Here? Marketing-Related Jobs in Public and Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

This study analyzes the presence of marketing-related job duties in public and academic library job listings and the experience required for these positions in order to better understand how libraries currently embrace marketing. A content analysis was performed on job listings from the American Library Association (ALA) JobLIST. The findings revealed 37% of job listings included marketing-related content, while only 11% of those listings also included stated experience or training in the marketing field. The findings will be of interest to library administrators looking to improve marketing strategies within their library without compromising the productivity of other library activities.     

Are You Who You Say You Are?

Abstract

A growing yet unresolved problem in access services today is controlling user access to resources in a networked environment. This paper describes the history of network authentication, explores the issues involved in selecting an authentication method, discusses the benefits and drawbacks of the various methods, identifies efforts by some integrated library services vendors and academic institutions to address this problem, and makes recommendations for selecting an authentication scheme for a college library. The discussions are based in part upon the results of a survey conducted with California community college libraries, various integrated library system vendors, and online resource companies. Technical terms are defined in a glossary.     

Do We Really Have an Internet Problem?

Summary

Due to the nature of the Internet, a disconnect exists between observed and actual usage in libraries. A variety of problems may arise surrounding Internet access in academic settings. However, the speed with which transactions occur, the privacy issues involved, and the vast amounts of information and services available make it impossible to assess the extent of any problem. With Internet tracking software, librarians may acquire data that will assist them in tracking problems, and in assessing user Internet behavior. This article reports on a study conducted with LittleBrother software at Northwestern University Main Library's General Information Center.     

“Do You Have Any Information on the Goth Lifestyle?”

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges of a Reference Librarian is trying to respond to an information request on an unfamiliar topic. This article will cover techniques to use when confronted with a request on a subject with which the librarian is completely unfamiliar. It will explore techniques that librarians can use to keep up-to-date with current events, styles, music, and trends. It will also deal with staying informed about relevant terminology, print resources, and electronic sources of information.     

How Do You Like Your Forgiveness? Communication Style Preferences and Effects

Two studies examined forgiveness recipients’ evaluations of, and responses to, four styles of forgiveness-granting communication: engaging, deemphasizing, conditional, and suppressing. In the context of close friendships, Study 1 showed that whereas the engaging style was highly preferred, the suppressing and conditional styles were not. Content analysis suggested that the latter two styles are perceived as unclear, inauthentic, and/or in violation of norms. Study 2 suggested that engaging forgiveness is preferable because it effectively addresses personal and relational face needs and reduces uncertainty. Implications for the conceptualization of forgiveness-granting styles and the practical construction of forgiveness expressions are discussed.     

Do We Still Need Reference Services in the Age of Google and Wikipedia?

With the continuing development of web resources and Internet search utilities, the role of reference services is changing in the modern library. Traditional ready reference is in decline, but the need for broad-based research support will continue for the foreseeable future. As librarians adapt to the evolving research environment, libraries are experimenting with alternative models of reference services. Far-reaching calls to adopt one model or abandon another, such as the traditional reference desk, are off target given that each library must adapt to its own local situation and determine how best to serve its constituents.     

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Successful Information Broker?

Successful information brokers possess a uni ue combination of entrepreneurial characteristics and reference skills. An individual may be a successful reference librarian, but may not possess any or enough entrepreneurial characteristics to insure success as an information broker. This article provides an opportunity for reference librarians, in particular, to assess the extent of their entrepreneurial characteristics. The self-analysis and discussion of what information brokers and reference librarians have in common and what they may not, I will help individuals determine if a career as an information broker is a viable one for them.     

Have You Heard?

This study seeks to understand “listening” as a practice and norm of journalism in the context of an eruption of journalistic discourse about listening surrounding the 2016 US election. An examination of US journalists’ own discourse about listening pointed to an understanding of the need to listen more, better, and to a more diverse set of voices. The widespread criticism of journalism’s performance frequently pointed to failures of listening as a root cause of the more general failure to adequately cover the campaign. Thus, listening involved a set of skills, but was also sometimes construed as a moral obligation. Overall, however, the discourse showed an anemic understanding of listening, often pointing to the public’s inability to listen to journalists.     

When Online Instruction Doesn’t Measure Up: How Can You Tell,and What Should You Do?

At Duquesne University, freshmen are required to take a one-credit information literacy course. This course has traditionally been offered mostly face-to-face, but has expanded into more online offerings. Unfortunately, the experience for students and instructors online was not as positive as those involved with the face-to-face version of the course. Assessment results on a variety of levels and anecdotal evidence indicated that students did not work as well together to learn as those did in the face-to-face version of the course. Not only did instructors receive lower student evaluation scores, but students did not perform as well on their final, collaborative project. While there will be barriers to learning online, especially when students work together in a group, instructors and instructional designers can take distinct steps to make the experience a positive one. Instructors must use particular interventions to increase student-to-student interaction that leads to learning.     

Are You Ready for 2000? Issues Raised by an Education That Is Multicultural

Multicultural education is defined. A true multicultural education rejects separation in favor of inclusivity and respect for differences.     

And You Thought That You Couldn't Publish a Book?

Abstract

The author describes her experiences in compiling and editing a book of contributed chapters, titled The Successful Academic Librarian. The process includes writing the book proposal, finding contributors, editing their work, and working with the publisher. A timeline of the process is presented, and the challenges and rewards of the project are discussed.