an article by Gobinda Chowdhury, (University of Technology Sydney, Australia) published in Online Information Review Volume 36 Issue 4 (2012)
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to determine the environmental impact of printed content in libraries and thus to find out how a digital information service can help libraries and institutions play a key role in helping the environment.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected and analysed through a combination of environment scan and document analysis, and some mathematical calculations. Comparative data for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from printed books and journals in certain countries, and some specific university libraries in Australia and New Zealand are presented. A lifecycle analysis approach is used to identify various factors that are responsible for GHG emissions for printed as well as digital information resources.
Findings
The study found that dematerialisation, i.e. the replacement of printed content with digital information services, can help libraries and institutions to reduce their impact on the environment. However, it is also noted that further research is needed to develop benchmarks and comparative data for GHG emissions from print-based and digital information services.
Practical implications
The paper provides data relating to the potential savings in GHG emissions that can be achieved through dematerialisation of printed content in libraries. A series of research issues in the area are identified.
Originality/value
The paper opens up a new area of research on the environmental impacts of information services. For the first time raw data on GHG emissions from printed content held in university libraries are calculated.
Showing posts with label digital libraries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital libraries. Show all posts
Friday, 17 August 2012
Monday, 16 April 2012
Multilinguality in the digital library: A review
an article by Anne R. Diekema (Utah State University, Logan, USA) published in The Electronic Library Volume 30 Issue 2 (2012)
Abstract
Purpose
Together, increasing globalization and the internet created fertile grounds for the establishment of multilingual digital libraries. Providing cross-lingual access to materials is of particular interest to political entities such as the European Union, which currently has 23 official languages, but also to multinational companies and countries that have different languages represented among their citizens. The main objective of this paper is to review the literature on multilingual digital libraries and provide an overview of this area.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a thorough literature search in four different databases, a core set of literature on multilingual digital libraries was retrieved. Literature on various aspects of this topic was reviewed. The paper is organized based on emerging themes directly drawn from the literature. Where warranted additional literature is brought in to provide necessary background information or clarification.
Findings
Creating a multilingual digital library is a highly complex undertaking and typically requires a collaborative effort between different organizations and people with different areas of expertise. Enabling users to search across languages requires translation resources to cross the language barrier, which can be challenging depending on the language and resource availability. Additional challenges were found to be in data management (localization and language processing), representation (dealing with different fonts and character codes), development (creating international software, cross-cultural collaboration), and interoperability (system architecture and data sharing). Research in multilingual digital libraries was mostly system based involving experimental systems or system prototypes.
Research limitations/implications
Most likely the literature review does not include all possible journal articles on multilingual digital libraries even though the literature searches done to obtain these articles were thorough and deliberate. Journal articles without the descriptors used in this search and those articles not indexed in the four different databases used in the search will not be included here. The review excludes cross-language information retrieval research unless it is directly related to existing multilingual digital libraries, or a connection to digital libraries in general is made in the paper itself.
Originality/value
This paper provides the first literature review on the topic of multilingual digital libraries and provides a concise overview of relevant aspects in this area. The number of multilingual digital libraries is growing, as is the interest from the research community in these libraries to apply their research findings from cross-language information retrieval. This review article provides a valuable entry point to the field of multilingual digital libraries for researchers, practitioners, and other interested parties.
Abstract
Purpose
Together, increasing globalization and the internet created fertile grounds for the establishment of multilingual digital libraries. Providing cross-lingual access to materials is of particular interest to political entities such as the European Union, which currently has 23 official languages, but also to multinational companies and countries that have different languages represented among their citizens. The main objective of this paper is to review the literature on multilingual digital libraries and provide an overview of this area.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a thorough literature search in four different databases, a core set of literature on multilingual digital libraries was retrieved. Literature on various aspects of this topic was reviewed. The paper is organized based on emerging themes directly drawn from the literature. Where warranted additional literature is brought in to provide necessary background information or clarification.
Findings
Creating a multilingual digital library is a highly complex undertaking and typically requires a collaborative effort between different organizations and people with different areas of expertise. Enabling users to search across languages requires translation resources to cross the language barrier, which can be challenging depending on the language and resource availability. Additional challenges were found to be in data management (localization and language processing), representation (dealing with different fonts and character codes), development (creating international software, cross-cultural collaboration), and interoperability (system architecture and data sharing). Research in multilingual digital libraries was mostly system based involving experimental systems or system prototypes.
Research limitations/implications
Most likely the literature review does not include all possible journal articles on multilingual digital libraries even though the literature searches done to obtain these articles were thorough and deliberate. Journal articles without the descriptors used in this search and those articles not indexed in the four different databases used in the search will not be included here. The review excludes cross-language information retrieval research unless it is directly related to existing multilingual digital libraries, or a connection to digital libraries in general is made in the paper itself.
Originality/value
This paper provides the first literature review on the topic of multilingual digital libraries and provides a concise overview of relevant aspects in this area. The number of multilingual digital libraries is growing, as is the interest from the research community in these libraries to apply their research findings from cross-language information retrieval. This review article provides a valuable entry point to the field of multilingual digital libraries for researchers, practitioners, and other interested parties.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Viable or vital? Evaluation of IM services from patrons’ perspectives
an article by Jung-Jung Chang and Chyan Yang (National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan) published in The Electronic Library Volume 30 Issue 1 (2012)
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this study is to gather information from library patrons to answer the questions of whether real-time reference services (instant messaging, IM) are beneficial to patrons and how valuable they are to fulfilling their task needs. The study was designed to elicit information about how patrons were dealing with the rapidly changing technological environment, and how helpful they felt IM reference services were to them.
Design/methodology/approach
The investigation uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the basic framework and extends it by the variable of perceived relevance (PR) which intends to extend understanding of the adoption of IM services. The sample consisted of three university libraries’ patrons on the basis of convenience, and 323 usable responses were obtained.
Findings
This research found general support for TAM. Specifically, the findings show that perceived ease of use of IM services is the key factor for the patrons’ attitudes about the IM service. Overall, the model explained 58 percent of the variance in behaviour intention. Thus, the results show that the proposed model does satisfactorily explain the adoption of the IM service.
Originality/value
The findings of this research provide some useful insights into a patron’s behavioural intention toward adoption of an IM service which will stimulate thought about real-time reference services that could be offered by other libraries. And it will be valuable for better understanding of factors affecting the determinants of IM acceptance, which allows libraries to devise more effective approaches to improving the patrons’ perceptions of a target system and thereby boost subsequent acceptance of the system.
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this study is to gather information from library patrons to answer the questions of whether real-time reference services (instant messaging, IM) are beneficial to patrons and how valuable they are to fulfilling their task needs. The study was designed to elicit information about how patrons were dealing with the rapidly changing technological environment, and how helpful they felt IM reference services were to them.
Design/methodology/approach
The investigation uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the basic framework and extends it by the variable of perceived relevance (PR) which intends to extend understanding of the adoption of IM services. The sample consisted of three university libraries’ patrons on the basis of convenience, and 323 usable responses were obtained.
Findings
This research found general support for TAM. Specifically, the findings show that perceived ease of use of IM services is the key factor for the patrons’ attitudes about the IM service. Overall, the model explained 58 percent of the variance in behaviour intention. Thus, the results show that the proposed model does satisfactorily explain the adoption of the IM service.
Originality/value
The findings of this research provide some useful insights into a patron’s behavioural intention toward adoption of an IM service which will stimulate thought about real-time reference services that could be offered by other libraries. And it will be valuable for better understanding of factors affecting the determinants of IM acceptance, which allows libraries to devise more effective approaches to improving the patrons’ perceptions of a target system and thereby boost subsequent acceptance of the system.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Students’ conceptions and experiences of Web 2.0 tools
an article by Sirje Virkus and Alice A. Bamigbola, (Institute of Information Studies, Tallinn University, Estonia) published in New Library World Volume 112 Issue 11/12 (2011)
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the results of a study that investigated the Erasmus Mundus Digital Library Learning (DILL) Master programme students' conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted phenomenography as a research approach to identify DILL students' conceptions and experiences of Web 2.0 tools. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 12 students from Africa and Asia within the DILL Master programme.
Findings
The data analysis revealed four categories of descriptions of Web 2.0 tools: communication, educational, professional and multipurpose. For each category of descriptions preferred Web 2.0 tools were identified.
Research limitations/implications
The study analyses only conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools of 12 DILL students. This small group of students was from Africa and Asia and, therefore, the results should not be generalised to describe all DILL students' conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools.
Practical implications
The results of this study can be taken into consideration when designing and delivering a DILL programme. In order to use technologies to support learning there is a need to understand and know what students do with these new technological tools.
Originality/value
This paper supports the idea of integration of information and communication technologies into education and highlights the potential of Web 2.0 tools to support teaching and learning in the higher education setting.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the results of a study that investigated the Erasmus Mundus Digital Library Learning (DILL) Master programme students' conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted phenomenography as a research approach to identify DILL students' conceptions and experiences of Web 2.0 tools. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 12 students from Africa and Asia within the DILL Master programme.
Findings
The data analysis revealed four categories of descriptions of Web 2.0 tools: communication, educational, professional and multipurpose. For each category of descriptions preferred Web 2.0 tools were identified.
Research limitations/implications
The study analyses only conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools of 12 DILL students. This small group of students was from Africa and Asia and, therefore, the results should not be generalised to describe all DILL students' conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools.
Practical implications
The results of this study can be taken into consideration when designing and delivering a DILL programme. In order to use technologies to support learning there is a need to understand and know what students do with these new technological tools.
Originality/value
This paper supports the idea of integration of information and communication technologies into education and highlights the potential of Web 2.0 tools to support teaching and learning in the higher education setting.
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