Knowledge of Open Access Journals Among Research Scientists in Ghana

There previously has been little research specifically about use of Open Access (OA) content in Ghana for information retrieval and for publication or information sharing, although several articles indicate that the infrastructure and the attitudes are in place. The objectives of this article are (1) to document research scientists’ awareness of OA journals, (2) to determine their attitudes toward OA journal use and publication, and (3) to determine the levels of use of OA materials. This article contributes to the growing body of literature on the potential of OA for the developing world in two ways: it provides information about OA adoption in Ghana, where little research has been done thus far, and it provides information about the beliefs of research scientists in a governmental organization, an area where little research heretofore has been done.     

Ask Dr. Discovery: the impact of a casual mobile game on visitor engagement with science museum content

Educational technology research and development - This study examines the impact of a mobile game app on science museum visitors’ level of engagement with exhibit content, compared to a non...     

Review of "The Small Library Manager's Handbook," edited by Alice Graves

As librarians, and especially collections-focused librarians, we almost daily face misperceptions and misunderstandings of libraries, of our work, and of the collections and services that we provide. From outdated ideas, to stereotypes, to incomplete images of the realities and value of our institutions and our profession, these representations may pose constant challenges and consternation. In this special review section, my colleague Dr. Angela Wiseman, Associate Professor of Education and an expert on children's books, joins me in reviewing a sampling of current children's books about libraries.     

Pedagogical devices as children’s social care levers: A study of social care workers’ attitudes towards boarding schools to care for and educate children in need

It has been proposed that boarding schools in England can be used to provide a stable education and care environment for vulnerable children in need, and the government is expanding their use. However, for vulnerable children to be placed in boarding schools, social workers will need to be willing to contemplate boarding as a viable care option. In this study we interviewed N = 21 social care practitioners including directors, senior and middle managers, frontline social workers, social worker-academics and family support workers who work with vulnerable children. Using thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews, seven major themes identified a range of issues and concerns held by social care workers about placing vulnerable children in boarding schools. We present these themes and consider the issues that will have to be addressed prior to changes in policy and practice. The study concludes that many of those within the social work profession are unlikely to consider boarding as an intervention for children in need. Further research in this area is a matter of urgency.     

Creating Personas on Which to Build Services for Latinx Users: A Proof of Concept

The current article presents a proof of concept wherein personas were created that could support library services and collections for Latinx community members in the Midwestern United States. Personas are first described and their use in the library literature is explored. The reproducible method employed in creating the personas is then presented in detail, followed by a short discussion of the results of the persona creation. Next, a high-level discussion of the project is presented, as well as reflections on how librarians can adapt this process in efforts to design products and services to meet the needs of specific groups.     

Journals,Subjects, and Authors of Research Literature on Public Libraries: An Analysis

Scholarly or research-based journal articles related to public librarianship and public libraries are posited in previous literature as not being useful to the public library practitioner, and potentially less valuable to the researcher than other forms of research. Building off previous research, this article explores journal-based public library research literature to determine the trends in authorship, coverage, and venues. Publication venues are relatively static, with Public Library Quarterly and Library Quarterly publishing most public library research literature. LIS educators and public librarians dominate authorship of public library research, and the topical coverage of that research is gradually evolving in response to new technologies and a renewed focus on user services.