Evaluating Continuing Resources: Perspectives and Methods from Science Librarians

Five science librarians share their experiences with the evaluation of continuing resources at an academic university and discuss implications caused by the evaluation process. Four of the authors were new to collection evaluations at the time of the Serial Evaluation Project. These new librarians faced many challenges, both personally and professionally, in dealing with the cancellation process. Although the differences in approaches to collection analysis are discussed somewhat, they are not a focus of the article.     

A Web-Based Usage Counter for Serial Collections

Usage statistics of current unbound periodicals has been a topic of study for years in public and academic libraries. This article discusses various historical methods and offers an alternative using a simple Web-based method developed at Kent State University. The program is easy to use and keeps detailed statistics for serial librarians or circulation managers. The program is offered as an Open Source download.     

The effects of audience reaction shots on attitudes towards controversial issues

This study investigated the influence that audience reaction shots have on viewers’ attitudes towards controversial issues discussed on television. It was hypothesized that viewers would show stronger agreement with a side of an issue which was coupled with positive reaction shots. No evidence was found to support a main effect, but evidence was found to suggest that the effects of reaction shots is contingent on viewers’ beliefs that the audience holds the same position on the issue as they do.     

The Spiral of Violence: Equity of Violent Reprisal in Professional Wrestling and its Dispositional and Motivational Features

Though lacking empirical evidence, professional wrestling has been criticized for portraying excessive violence in harmful contexts. This study focused on the equity of violent reprisal perpetrated by liked versus disliked protagonists with socially sanctioned or unsanctioned motives. Results of a quantitative content analysis show that most violent interaction sequences were over-retributive. Violence that was not part of match competition was routinely initiated for normatively unsanctioned motives and showed predominant patterns of escalating violent retribution. These patterns held across perpetrator disposition. Thus, liked characters regularly aggressed for normatively unacceptable reasons. The consequences of these portrayals are discussed.     

THE LITERATURE OF FUND RAISING

The author argues that the profession of librarianship is in crisis. She seeks to identify the characteristics and analyse the qualities of this phenomenon in order to draw conclusions about future trends and directions for the profession. It is argued that this crisis is an outward sign of a deeper transformation which is taking place and which affects the discipline as a whole including education and practice. The recent evolution of the profession is traced against the background of the broader transition from the modern to the postmodern era. The object is to reveal how the widespread social, cultural and technological changes of the 21st century are impacting on the library, the librarian, the customer or client and the fundamental nature of information itself.     

A Phenomenological Study of Conservative Academic Librarians

Librarianship posits itself as a profession that strives for neutrality, particularly within customer service and information provision; however, factors such as political activity, conference programming, and disproportionate representations of specific viewpoints in the literature indicate that neutrality may be compromised. These factors may alienate librarians who do not subscribe to majority political opinions within librarianship. A phenomenological study was conducted to understand the career experiences of academic librarians who identify as socially or politically conservative. Themes linking service provision, ethics, workplace relationships, and professional engagement emerged that demonstrate the professional impact politicized activity has on practicing librarians in all specialties.     

Teaching the Network: A Brief Demonstration of the Internet's Structure for Information Literacy Instruction

A basic understanding of the Internet's physical and operational structure is one element of information literacy. In this article, “traceroute” and “whois” commands are demonstrated as tools that librarians can use to illustrate how the Internet is geographically distributed, how businesses enable and control information sharing, and how to check a source's credibility by determining website ownership. With these tools, students can gain a better understanding of how online information is created, accessed, and affected in ways that may be otherwise invisible.