The influence of moment of inertia on baseball/softball bat swing speed

The speed at which a player can swing a bat is central to the games of baseball and softball, determining, to a large extent, the hit speed of the ball. Experimental and analytical studies of bat swing speed were conducted with particular emphasis on the influence of bat moment of inertia on swing speed. Two distinct sets of experiments measured the swing speed of colege baseball and fast-pitch softball players using weighted rods and modified bats. The swing targets included flexible targets, balls on a tee and machine pitched balls. Internal mass alterations provided a range of inertial properties. The average measured speeds, from 22 to 31 m s⁻¹, are consistent with previous studies. Bat speed approximately correlates with the moment of inertia of the bat about a vertical axis of rotation through the batter's body, the speed generally decreasing as this moment of inertia increases. The analytical model assumes pure rotation of the batter/bat system about a vertical axis through the batter's body. Aerodynamic drag of the batter's arms and the bat is included in the model. The independent variable is bat moment of inertia about the rotation axis. There is reasonable agreement between the model and the measured speeds. Detailed differences between the two suggest the importance of additional degrees of freedom in determining swing speed.     

Developing evidence-based librarianship: practical steps for implementation

Evidence-based librarianship (EBL) is a relatively new concept for librarians. This paper lays out a practical framework for the implementation of EBL. A new way of thinking about research in librarianship is introduced using the well-built question process and the assignment of librarian research questions to one of six domains specific to librarianship. As a profession, librarianship tends to reflect more qualitative, social sciences/humanities in its research methods and study types which tend to be less rigorous and more prone to bias. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) do not have to be placed at the top of an evidence 'hierarchy' for librarianship. Instead, a more encompassing model reflecting librarianship as a whole and the kind of research likely to be done by librarians is proposed. 'Evidence' from a number of disciplines including health sciences, business and education can be utilized by librarians and applied to their practice. However, access to and availability of librarianship literature needs to be further studied. While using other disciplines (e.g. EBHC) as a model for EBL has been explored in the literature, the authors develop models unique to librarianship. While research has always been a minor focus in the profession, moving research into practice is becoming more important and librarians need to consider the issues surrounding research in order to move EBL forward.     

Student Participation in Scholarly Communication and Library Digital Collections: A Case Study from the University of Washington Bothell Library

The University of Washington Bothell & Cascadia College Library recently partnered with a faculty member to develop a digital collection showcasing student-produced digital oral histories. This case study describes the role of the library as faculty partner, student resource, and repository/publisher. Archiving and publishing requirements—such as file formats, agreement forms, and metadata—were integrated into the assignment and included as part of each project's overall evaluation and grade. Librarians provided instruction to teach students about topics related to knowledge production and scholarly communication. Assessment included student feedback surveys and faculty feedback to librarians.