Planning library spaces and services for Millennials: An evidence-based approach

Library Management

Volume 34, Issue 6-7, 2013, Pages 498-511

 Planning library spaces and services for Millennials: An evidence-based approach

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine undergraduates' perception and use of two distinct library spaces - social and communal - in an academic library in order to provide more customized services. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted at D.H. Hill Library at North Carolina State University, including structured questions on perceptions and use of the library, perceptions of library layout and design, and respondent demographics, as well as open questions on the advantages and disadvantages of social and communal spaces. Findings: Undergraduates frequently use the physical library. Their usage patterns mirror common characteristics of Generation Y by going there mostly on weekday nights, with friends or in a group. Both communal and social spaces appear to be well-used for many different activities ranging from solitary academic work to technology-driven collaborative work and socializing. Some demographic variables, such as ethnicity and gender, are found to affect aspects of perception and use. For example, African American and Asian students tend to engage in activities that involve library technology, tools and resources, while White students simply use the spaces. Despite their excitement and appreciation of the social spaces in the library, students consider the quiet communal spaces integral to their experience of the library and stress the need of quiet space for academic work. Originality/value: This is one of a few systematic empirical studies on end-users' use of library space. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

We are all aggregators (and publishers) now: How discovery tools empower libraries

We are all aggregators (and publishers) now: How discovery tools empower libraries (no access unfortunately!)

Library Hi Tech News

Volume 30, Issue 7, 2013, Pages 7-9

 

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to argue that the new generation of discovery technologies empower libraries to behave like "aggregators" and "publishers". The paper summarizes Montclair State University's experience with the EDS discovery service and also includes examples from other institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses the experiences of several institutions to show the value of discovery tools and other technologies like institutional repositories in enhancing the role of academic libraries in higher education. Statistics and surveys culled from a variety of sources are cited in support of this contention. Findings: Many institutions are successfully incorporating discovery and other technologies (i.e. institutional repositories) in repositioning and reinvigorating the academic library. Practical implications: Academic libraries willing to make the investment in these technologies can capture the interest of their faculty, staff, and students. Originality/value: The paper provides an innovative perspective on the use of discovery and other complementary technologies that act in a synergistic way to strengthen the bond between libraries and their users. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

 

Brain drain in African academic libraries: A survey

Library Review (unfortunately no access to this)

Volume 62, Issue 6-7, 2013, Pages 362-374

Abstract

Purpose: This study was intended to identify and assess the extent and impact of the emigration of professional librarians on every university library in Anglophone Africa as well as the attitudes of library administrators toward national and international programs that have been or might be designed to make use of the skills of librarians in the African diaspora. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted by use of an online survey that was sent to 121 African academic libraries. Findings: The study conclusively demonstrated that African academic libraries have been impacted - both positively and negatively - by the effects of the "brain drain". It also revealed that the administrators of these libraries are highly receptive to the possibility of working with African emigrant librarians in various forms (i.e. permanent, temporary, virtual) of structured "return programs". Research limitations/implications: The survey's relatively low response rate precluded precise determination as to the degree to which the brain drain has penetrated African academic libraries. Additional study will be necessary to clarify the range of its impact and any differences between regions that might exist. Practical implications: The study's findings strongly suggest that academic libraries in English-speaking Africa offer a promising environment for return programs designed to ameliorate the effects of the brain drain. Originality/value: This paper is an original study that fills a gap in the literature of African library administration. It is of value to practicing librarians and researchers as well as individuals involved with international development projects. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Intel: The year of the Linux desktop is here

The Sept. 18 LinuxCon keynote sessions were kicked off by Intel Chief Linux and Open Source Technologist and Linux kernel developer Dirk Hohndel who said that client computing today is mostly Linux. Thanks to Android on smartphones and tablets, plus the rise of Chromebooks, Intel sees Linux as the leading end-user operating system.

http://www.zdnet.com/intel-the-year-of-the-linux-desktop-is-here-7000020849/

Beyond Google - 10 search engines for researchers

Beyond Google- 10 search engines for researchers
(Thanks to Markus Mostert from CHERTL for sharing this)

Tablets and phones dirtier than a toilet seat: study

British watchdog Which? claims that your smartphones, keyboards, and tablets are more contaminated with germs than a public toilet seat. 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2013/09/18/tablets-and-phones-dirtier-than-a-toilet-seat-study

Ten Useful Websites for Techie Librarians

Ten Useful Websites for Techie Librarians

Research and teaching staff in developing countries rate the value of libraries higher than in the West

Research and teaching staff in developing countries rate the value of libraries higher than in the West

Why would an academic library be interested in Instagram?

Why would an academic library be interested in Instagram?

How to Cite Social Media in Scholarly Writing

How to Cite Social Media in Scholarly Writing

The road to academic success is paved with stylish academic writing

The road to academic success is paved with stylish academic writing

Rhodes University Library Digital Content Division

Rhodes University Library Digital Content Division profiled on Facebook

Researchers Struggle to Secure Data in an Insecure Age

Researchers Struggle to Secure Data in an Insecure Age
..............
Academe is well into the Internet age. On any given day, UNC-Chapel Hill will be hit with 30,000 attacks on its firewall, something its IT staff knows well. That's not an unusual number for a large institution. But when it comes to protecting research data from malicious parties, be they foreign spies, gangsters, or hackers—or, for that matter, a federal agency—universities often rely on policies that have changed little from the days when, to secure records, you put them in a locked cabinet behind a locked door.
"We're really just all waking up as a community to both the power and challenges of dealing with this," said Daniel K. Nelson, director of the university's Office of Human Research Ethics...............

E-Learning in Africa: Massive, online and free | North Africa

E-Learning in Africa: Massive, online and free | North Africa

How solid is the cloud?

Despite mixed feelings in the market about migrating IT to the cloud and uncertainty about the security of that which resides off-site (even that which is governed by a hybrid cloud model), the level of security in the cloud is really a matter of who you decide to trust with company data.

This is the view of experts at operations who have established leadership positions in this increasingly competitive area of ICT.

http://www.it-online.co.za/2013/08/12/how-solid-is-the-cloud/

Is Apple ready for app changes?

New ways of delivering apps on mobile phones could spell trouble for Apple after it unveiled its latest iPhone. The new 5S has impressed onlookers with its fingerprint reader, while adding a better camera and a faster processor, but Dr Ronald Klingebiel, assistant professor of strategy at Warwick Business School, believes that Apple should go beyond product innovation and develop its strategy further as well. Commoditisation of mobile hardware and transformations in the way apps are delivered will reduce Apple’s ability to reap profits from smartphones.

http://www.it-online.co.za/?p=75325?utm_source=dailymailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article

Why Apple suddenly needs Google again

Once back-slapping friends, the relationship between Apple and Google was torpedoed by the ascendency of Android. Eric Schmidt resigned from the Apple board, Steve Jobs declared "thermonuclear war" against Android, and little by little Apple disentangled Google services from its products as retaliation.

It's that last point that that Apple must now reconsider.

http://www.zdnet.com/why-apple-suddenly-needs-google-again-7000020442/?s_cid=e004&ttag=e004

Judge Sets Restrictions for Apple on E-Books

As punishment for engaging in an e-book price-fixing conspiracy, Apple will be forced to abide by new restrictions on its agreements with publishers and be evaluated by an external “compliance officer” for two years, a federal judge has ruled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/07/business/media/judge-sets-final-restrictions-for-apple-on-e-books.html?ref=technology

Maze made out of 250 000 Books!!

Stunning! 

Want to get lost in a good book? Well, now you can literally lose yourself in a few good books thanks to Brazilian artists, Marcos Saboya and Gualter Pupo.
Books destined for art and other creative uses in the era of digital books ??

Duke sets the standard! New service to users: Digitize This Book

Setting a standard!       New Library Service: Digitize This Book

The Duke University Libraries are pleased to announce a new digitization-on-demand service that lets you have out-of-copyright books scanned and delivered to you digitally for free.

 

From stacks to scanner to your inbox. We’re piloting a new service to digitize public domain books for Duke users on demand.

Starting this semester, Duke University faculty, students, and staff can request to have certain public domain books scanned on demand. If a book is published before 1923* and located in the Perkins, Bostock, Lilly, or Music Library or in the Library Service Center (LSC), a green “Digitize This Book” button (pictured here) will appear in its online catalog record. Clicking on this button starts the request.
Within two weeks (although likely sooner), you will get an email with a link to the digitized book in the Duke University Libraries collections on the Internet Archive. You—and the rest of the world—can now read this book online, download it to your Kindle, export it as a PDF, or get it as a fully searchable text-only file. And you never have to worry about late fees or recalls!