Leveraging Strengths and Meeting Demands: The Construction of a Modern and Comprehensive Electronic Reserves Service at Central Michigan University

The digitization of information has transformed how colleges and universities function; virtual classrooms, online course management systems, and digitized content have become the norm. Electronic reserves are the fulcrum of this transformation. Colleges and universities now have the opportunity to utilize their resources in new and transformative ways in order to provide the most effective education experience possible. For these dynamic opportunities to be fully realized, however, institutions must address the unique challenges that digital media create. This article analyzes how Central Michigan University changed the way it operates to create a modern and comprehensive electronic reserves system.     

Enhancing Resource Sharing Access Through System Integration

The application and IT ecosystem of academic libraries typically includes multiple systems, with crucial functions requiring using or sharing information between them. However, library systems are often not well integrated, making workflows and system interactions less than optimal for both staff and patrons. The method to integrate systems that the IDS Project took was to create a middleware platform, IDS Logic, that can connect multiple library systems and open or vendor web services to create the best resource sharing experience for staff and patrons. One specific application that is hosted within the IDS Logic middleware platform is Article Gateway, which uses resource-sharing technology and workflows to deliver fast or instant access to research material to users with little or no staff time and removes as many barriers to user access as possible. Where resource sharing has typically sought to deliver articles in one-to-two days, libraries using Article Gateway typically deliver a significantly higher percentage of articles to patrons within a few hours.     

The Research of James C. McCroskey: A Personal and Professional Remembrance

James C. McCroskey passed away on December 27, 2012. He contributed immensely to the study of human communication. He led the field in in-field publications and citations. Perhaps his most lasting contribution is naming and measuring communication constructs. James C. McCroskey contributed substantially to Communication Research Reports as a past editor, editorial board member, and contributing author. This essay is a personal and professional remembrance of James C. McCroskey.     

Life and Honorary Members

Abstract

The relative importance of body size, body composition, cardiovascular-respiratory capacity, and running speed in determining individual differences in performance on 600-yd run and mile run tests was investigated using data on 196 children, ages 7 to 12 years. A multivariate, multistage path model was developed in which height, % fat, [Vdot]O₂ max (ml/kg FFW · min) and the 50-yd dash time were postulated as determinants of individual differences on the two distance-running tests. These four independent variables accounted for 71% and 66% of the variance in the 600-yd run and mile run, respectively. All four independent variables had significant associations with the two distance runs when the influence of the other independent variables was taken into account. The 50-yd dash time and % fat were found to be the most important determinants of both distance runs. It was concluded that determinants of the 600-yd run and mile run in elementary-school-age children are complex and that individual differences on these tests reflect a number of attributes in addition to cardiovascular-respiratory capacity.     

Development of an aerobic capacity prediction model from one-mile run/walk performance in adolescents aged 13–16 years

A popular algorithm to predict VO_2Peak from the one-mile run/walk test (1MRW) includes body mass index (BMI), which manifests practical issues in school settings. The purpose of this study was to develop an aerobic capacity model from 1MRW in adolescents independent of BMI. Cardiorespiratory endurance data were collected on 90 adolescents aged 13–16 years. The 1MRW was administered on an outside track and a laboratory VO_2Peak test was conducted using a maximal treadmill protocol. Multiple linear regression was employed to develop the prediction model. Results yielded the following algorithm: VO_2Peak = 7.34 × (1MRW speed in m s^?1) + 0.23 × (age × sex) + 17.75. The New Model displayed a multiple correlation and prediction error of R = 0.81, standard error of the estimate = 4.78 ml kg^?1·min^?1, with measured VO_2Peak and good criterion-referenced (CR) agreement into FITNESSGRAM’s Healthy Fitness Zone (Kappa = 0.62; percentage agreement = 84.4%; Φ = 0.62). The New Model was validated using k-fold cross-validation and showed homoscedastic residuals across the range of predicted scores. The omission of BMI did not compromise accuracy of the model. In conclusion, the New Model displayed good predictive accuracy and good CR agreement with measured VO_2Peak in adolescents aged 13–16 years.     

The Perspectives of Women and Their Health-Care Providers Regarding Using an ECA to Support Mode of Birth Decisions

This study used focus groups to assess the feasibility and acceptability of adapting an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) to support decision-making about mode of birth after previous cesarean. Twelve women with previous cesareans, and eight prenatal providers at an academic, tertiary-care medical center, viewed a prototype ECA and were asked to share feedback on the potential role in helping women prepare for decision-making. Both groups felt that although it was somewhat “robot-like,” the ECA could provide easy access to information for patients and could augment the visit with providers. Future work is needed to improve ECA visual appeal and clarify the role and timing for utilization of decision aids using ECA technology to enhance the shared decision-making process.     

Upper extremity kinematic trends of fly-casting: establishing the effects of line length

Fly-fishing is a popular form of recreation. Recent evidence has associated overhand fly-casting movements with upper extremity pain. However, little research exists on the motions and coordination common to fly-casting. The aim of this study was to establish upper extremity kinematic trends of fly-casting while casting greater line lengths. It was hypothesized that kinematic casting parameters would increase and time between peak angular velocities would decrease with greater line length. Eighteen males participated in the study. Three-dimensional motion capture was conducted to calculate shoulder, elbow, and wrist kinematics during casting conditions of 6.1, 12.2, 18.3, and 24.4 m of line. Multiple analyses of variance were used to assess the condition effect of line length on the kinematic variables (P = 0.05). Overall, total range of movement increased with increasing length of line cast. Peak angular velocity exhibited a proximal-to-distal trend: peak shoulder internal rotation followed by elbow extension, then wrist ulnar deviation. Time between peak shoulder and elbow angular velocities increased significantly as line length increased. Our findings indicate that specific changes in total range of movement accommodate the demands of casting greater lengths of line. Also, joint velocity coordination patterns of fly-casting appear to follow a proximal-to-distal pattern. These findings represent an initial foundation for connections between kinematics and upper extremity pain reported by fly-fisherman.