Library and Information Services (LIS) Transformation Charter

A Library and Information Services(LIS) Transformation Charter was posted yesterday on the Department of Arts and Culture website, marking the end of a long process of consultation, drafting and revision that began in 2008, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch.

Noting that there are 'all too few' public spaces for and processes of information education and literacy, the charter calls on members of the LIS profession, 'the rich and educated elite' and international aid organisations to 'take a strong lead' - in partnership with government - in making South Africa 'a reading and more information-literate nation'. With that in mind, it focuses on 'the right of access to information, where the redistributive motive is most prominent'. 'We will have to broaden the sharing of library and information services, strengthen their flexibility and improve access,' a media statement accompanying the charter emphasises.

The transformation charter is directed largely at public and community libraries; libraries at state education facilities and research institutions; 'special libraries' run by the state (including the Constitutional Court library, the Parliament library and the largely rehabilitative library for offenders in South Africa's prisons); and legal deposit centres. However, reference is made to private colleges established and registered under the 2013 Further Education and Training Colleges Amendment Act, as well as corporate libraries - possibly in the context of information sharing, although this is not clear.

More often than not, the charter envisages private sector participation as financial in nature. By way of example, 'the private sector should be invited to provide bursaries for training at various levels', and should include the LIS sector among the beneficiaries of corporate social responsibility programmes. It should also assist in developing a governance model to transform the LIS landscape.
An LIS Bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament 'soon'.

Universities are over-paying for journals

At the Higher Education South Africa conference in Pretoria recently, entitled “Higher Education Engaging with the National Development Plan: Exploring the possibilities and limits in research and innovation”, Habib said tertiary institutions would have to work together, despite policy clashes, to improve research possibilities.

"Universities in South Africa are grossly overpaying for access to journals because of the failure to present a united front and negotiate with academic publishers", said University of the Witwatersrand Vice-chancellor Professor Adam Habib, who also chairs HESA’s Research and Innovation Strategy Group.

Why don't academic librarians use social media in the workplace?

Academic librarians and their social media presence: a story of motivations and deterrents
By Niusha Zohoorian-Fooladi and A. Abrizah, University of Malaya

Abstract: Despite the widespread use of social media by students and their increased use in higher education, very little empirical evidence is available concerning the prevalence of use among academic librarians. The objectives of this study are: a) to identify the prevalence of social media used in Malaysian academic libraries; b) to examine the reasons for creating a social media presence among academic libraries; and c) to understand the obstacles to social media participation among academic librarians. Data were gathered via three focus study groups with 22 librarians from three research-intensive universities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The results indicated that at least four types of social media are deployed in libraries to reach out to the users: blogs, multimedia sharing sites, social bookmarking and social networking sites (SNS). Facebook, Blog, Delicious, YouTube and Twitter are the tools mainly adopted by these libraries. The motives for librarians to use social media were to promote library services, manage organizational knowledge and receiving instant feedback from users. Workflow obstacles, technology obstacles, organizational obstacles and personal obstacles deter librarians from participating in social media.

This study provides experiential evidence that Malaysian academic librarians are not very serious in engaging themselves with social media. Library managements need to provide support to mobilize librarians into a more active and participatory role in creating social media presence.

Some of the obstacles identified :   level of authority;  absence of a policy;  time; technical know-how; commitment issues; unfamiliarity

How UCT uses QR codes for accessing Library Services

Initiating mobile phone technology using QR Codes to access library services at the University of Cape Town by Shehaamah Mohamed, Subject Librarian: Brand van Zyl Law Library

Abstract:   This article reports on an innovative project which grew out of the desire to facilitate access to information using the Quick Response (QR) Code. Easily read by mobile phones with cameras, the QR Code provides a simple but effective means for library patrons to access library resources. The article explores the need to use the QR Code in the Brand van Zyl Law Library, University of Cape Town (UCT), for accessing academic library services. Although relatively new in South Africa, QR Codes have been used successfully by some local educational institutions. Against this background, the article reports on a needs analysis which was conducted at the Brand Van Zyl Law Library and recommends the accelerating use of QR Codes in the academic environment.

Selection of articles in press (J of Academic Lib, May 2014): distance students; students and ebooks; new academic library directors experience

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Distance Students' Attitude Toward Library Help Seeking   Original Research Article Available online 11 May 2014 Yingqi Tang, Hung Wei Tseng

A Library and the Disciplines: A Collaborative Project Assessing the Impact of eBooks and Mobile Devices on Student Learning   Original Research Article Available online 11 May 2014 Barbara C. Glackin, Roy W. Rodenhiser, Brooke Herzog

The Transition Experience of Academic Library Directors   Original Research Article Available online 10 May 2014 Curtis Brundy

The Science Citation Index - interesting information from Thomson Reuters

Interesting background information

The Science Citation Index (SCI) began in 1964 as a five-volume print edition of indexed scientific work. Fifty years later, we’re still the first and the best in the world of research discovery and analytics with Thomson Reuters Web of Science^TM.

• Web of Science was the first web-based citation indexing resource of scholarly and professional journals.
• Thomson Reuters was the first to formulate and introduce journal metrics as well as offer bibliographic management software.

The Web of Science connects publications and researchers through citations and controlled indexing in curated databases spanning every discipline, in most cases dating back to 1900.
Our new platform will give you advanced access to full text through Google Scholar. And for Web of Science customers, Google Scholar will display links directly into the Web of Science. The entire evolution of search  is at your fingertips.
Check out the 50 years of history, and view a video from a recent visit with Dr. Garfield discussing the origin of SCI and its evolution since 1964

One-Shot Library Instruction sessions? Are they worth it?

Student Engagement in One-Shot Library Instruction

 Abstract

As technology has increased students' access to both high and low quality information, the need for effective information literacy instruction has become more apparent. However, many librarians still struggle to solidify their place, and their value, in the instructional landscape of their parent institution. This struggle persists while library instruction for students remains limited to one 50–75 min session (one-shot instruction). Indeed, the notion that information literacy can be taught in one session is preposterous for most librarians. Nevertheless, as this constraint persists, librarians must work to improve the results students achieve within the one-shot model. This research explores ways in which one-shot library instruction might be bolstered through the promotion of higher levels of student engagement. This research utilizes a pre and post-test analytical model to compare an experimental, learner-centered approach to library instruction, supplemented with clickers, to a more traditional pedagogical approach. Statistical analyses show that while both the experimental and control groups witnessed significant improvement from pre to post-test, there was no statistically significant difference between these two approaches. These findings elicit further, perhaps more troubling, questions regarding the level of engagement possible in one-shot library instruction.

The Journal of Academic Librarianship - Available online 5 May 2014

2014 Open Access Week theme to be "Generation Open" (SPARC announcement)

2014 Open Access Week theme to be "Generation Open"

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

 "Generation Open" Theme highlights involvement of students and early career researchers

“Generation Open” Theme Highlights Involvement of Students and Early Career Researchers - See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpufGe

“Generation Open” Theme Highlights Involvement of Students and Early Career Researchers - See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpufGene

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

To be held from October 20 – 26, 2014, International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access Week has blossomed into an event celebrated at hundreds of institutions on every continent across the world,” said Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC.  “This year’s theme reflects the importance of putting our future scholars and researchers at the core of the shift to an open system of scholarly communication.”
- See more at: http://www.sparc.arl.org/initiatives/openaccessweek/2014/announcement#sthash.vpFboWtw.dpuf

Re-wiring for the Complex Workplace

Re-wiring for the Complex Workplace

Black's Law Dictionary 10th Edition: Making Everything Old New Again. Why Legal Dictionaries Still Matter

Black's Law Dictionary 10th Edition: Making Everything Old New Again. Why Legal Dictionaries Still Matter

Students Prefer Smartphones and Laptops to Tablets, Study Finds

Students Prefer Smartphones and Laptops to Tablets, Study Finds

Tablets are for entertainment purposes, not for writing papers and doing class projects

Because of tablets’ high prices, however, students prefer to stick to laptops and smartphones  

tablet use by students has not increased as the industry hoped it would, but has, instead, stalled and even begun a small decline

Open Access Button

Message from Nick Shockley (Director, Right to Research Coalition, Director of Programs and Engagement, SPARC)
See South African stats for Open Access Button on the screen shot below. 
(Please consider adding the OA Button to your task bar - click it whenever you cannot access the full-text of an article.)

____________________________________________________________________

 Hi all,

I’m excited to share that the Open Access Button, a student-led project to map collisions with paywalls and connect users with freely accessible copies of paywalled articles, is crowd funding its next stage of development. We have been involved with this project from the beginning and have been continually impressed with the utility of the tool the students have been able to create.  If you haven’t seen the Button already, I encourage you to check it out .

The students involved really want the Button to be a community owned resource and thought crowd funding the development of its next generation would be a great way of doing so while seeking additional sources of support for the project.  With the right support, I think the Button could become a useful piece of infrastructure for the Open Access community, and the project is a perfect example of the next generation leading the way on creating a more open system of scholarly communication.

The press release for the crowd funding campaign is copied below.  You can contribute directly through the campaign’s page on Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/button-2-0#home.  Finally, please share this announcement with any friends and colleagues who may be interested!