Public Library Use of Geographic Information Systems in the United States

Abstract

Public libraries are a source of information and resources for the local community, they also play a role in the use of technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS) in that regard. GIS uses maps as output mediums for displaying demographic or similar information, as well as for spatial comparison or spatially based analysis. This is useful for gaining knowledge as well as for decision making. This article reports research into the awareness and use of GIS-type systems in public library settings in hopes of better understanding the benefits, drawbacks, and limitations to use of systems such as these. Primary findings suggest that there continues to exist limited understanding of the capabilities of GIS technology in public libraries and therefore very little demand for it exists in public librarians and patrons alike.     

Two societies: Duality,contradictions…and integration: A progress report on South Africa

This paper examines the extent to which the South African Library and Information Science (LIS) agenda maps to the national agenda for the reconstruction and development of the country, which is geared to the elimination of poverty and inequality. The nation has been described as comprising two societies: the one modern and well developed, the other characterised by masses of people living in dire poverty. The mandate of LIS in South Africa includes supporting and stimulating the technological and information development of all communities and providing effective LIS education to meet this goal. The government has embraced the concept of the Information Society, emphasising the link between economic growth and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and has pointed to the need for information literacy education. We present a critique of the fit between LIS policies and practices (including the curriculum) and the needs of an emerging democracy and its development goals, challenged by the duality of globalisation and marginalisation.     

Information-seeking behavior and the use of online resources: a snapshot of current health sciences faculty

Objective:

The research assesses the information-seeking behaviors of health sciences faculty, including their use of online databases, journals, and social media.

Methodology:

A survey was designed and distributed via email to 754 health sciences faculty at a large urban research university with 6 health sciences colleges.

Results:

Twenty-six percent (198) of faculty responded. MEDLINE was the primary database utilized, with 78.5% respondents indicating they use the database at least once a week. Compared to MEDLINE, Google was utilized more often on a daily basis. Other databases showed much lower usage.

Conclusions:

Low use of online databases other than MEDLINE, link-out tools to online journals, and online social media and collaboration tools demonstrates a need for meaningful promotion of online resources and informatics literacy instruction for faculty.

Implications:

Library resources are plentiful and perhaps somewhat overwhelming. Librarians need to help faculty discover and utilize the resources and tools that libraries have to offer.     

Online journals' impact on the citation patterns of medical faculty.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to determine the impact of online journals on the citation patterns of medical faculty. This study looked at whether researchers were more likely to limit the resources they consulted and cited to those journals available online rather than those only in print. SETTING: Faculty publications from the college of medicine at a large urban university were examined for this study. The faculty publications from a regional medical college of the same university were also examined in the study. The number of online journals available for faculty, staff, and students at this institution has increased from an initial core of 15 online journals in 1998 to over 11,000 online journals in 2004. METHODOLOGY: Searches by author affiliation were performed in the Web of Science to find all articles written by faculty members in the college of medicine at the selected institution. Searches were conducted for the following years: 1993, 1996, 1999, and 2002. Cited references from each faculty-authored article were recorded, and the corresponding cited journals were coded into four categories based on their availability at the institution in this study: print only, print and online, online only, and not owned. Results were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: The number of journals cited per year continued to increase from 1993 to 2002. The results did not indicate that researchers were more likely to cite online journals or were less likely to cite journals only in print. At the regional location where the number of print-only journals was minimal, use of the print-only journals did decrease in 2002, although not significantly. CONCLUSION/DISCUSSION: It is possible that electronic access to information (i.e., online databases) has had a positive impact on the number of articles faculty will cite. Results of this study suggest, at this point, that faculty are still accessing the print-only collection, at least for research purposes, and are therefore not sacrificing quality for convenience.     

The Natural History Museum: Taking on a Learning Agenda

Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the University of Pittsburgh are engaged in a research and practice partnership to bring new learning sciences findings and theories into contact with the design and deployment of innovative natural history learning experiences. In this article, we describe four strands of work: 1) connecting people to nature; 2) engaging people of all ages in complex and current scientific debates of regional consequence; 3) partnerships to build a strong regional learning ecology for nature and science; and 4) iterative professional development to support staff as they work with new definitions of learning and engagement in the museum.     

Distinct in beliefs/united in concerns: Listening to strongly DAP and strongly traditional k‐primary teachers

Abstract

Twelve early childhood teachers in kindergarten/primary grades who hold opposing philosophical beliefs about developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) were interviewed about their perceived barriers to effective practice. Specifically, they were asked to discuss work‐related “things that keep them from being the best teacher they can be.” All teachers selected scored as highly efficacious about education and themselves as teachers and had low occupational stress scores. Half strongly endorsed and engaged in behaviors closely aligned with DAP and half were highly traditional. Interesting differences in terms of the relative influence of preservice education and acceptance of inclusive practices were found across the two groups of teachers, but they united in concern for standardized testing as a barrier to effective practice. Listening to these teachers can and should inform those of us engaged in pre‐ and in‐service education and policy formation and point us in future directions for research into teacher differences. © 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.     

An Analysis of the Accreditation of Transferable Skills in Extra Curricular Activities within Higher Education

This paper examines an established Student Tutoring programme in the higher education sector. In particular it investigates the methods by which the development of key skills in participating Student Tutors may be assessed and examines the procedures available for a Student Tutoring scheme to gain accredited status. In light of the recognised deficit in certain transferable skills amongst graduates, this paper also aims to encourage administrators to take the tutoring framework a step further, giving selected student participants the opportunity to gain management experience through overseeing aspects of a tutoring scheme.     

Questioning techniques to promote thinking

Research has shown that children as young as three and four can think on many different levels if they are encouraged to do so (Pepler & Ross, 1981; Turner & Durrett, 1975). Educators can promote young children's thinking by asking appropriate questions and by providing learning activities that require children to think beyond the recall or memorization level (What Works, 1986). Asking good questions is an art — an art that can be learned and refined with practice and with conscious effort.Jean M. Shaw and Mary Jo Puckett Cliatt are associate professors in the School of Education at the University of Mississippi in University, MS.