Evidence Based Library and Information Practice http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP en-US The <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/">Creative Commons-Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike License 2.5 Canada</a> applies to all works published by <i>Evidence Based Library and Information Practice</i>. Authors will retain copyright of the work. A.Brettle@salford.ac.uk (Alison Brettle, Editor-in-Chief) mdunawa@gmail.com (Michelle Dunaway, Production Editor) Mon, 15 Dec 2014 01:29:29 -0700 OJS 2.4.5.0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 Keeping Evidence Alive http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23424 No abstract. Alison Brettle http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23424 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:06:23 -0700 Editorial Responsibilities http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23869 . . http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23869 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 08:37:10 -0700 The Scholarly Communications Needs of Faculty: An Evidence-Based Foundation for the Development of Library Services http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/21764 Abstract Objectives – This exploratory research seeks to broadly understand the publishing behaviours and attitudes of faculty, across all disciplines, at the University of Saskatchewan in response to the growing significance of open access publishing and archiving. The objective for seeking this understanding is to discover the current and emerging needs of researchers in order to determine if scholarly communications services are in demand here and, if so, to provide an evidence-based foundation for the potential future development of such a program of services at the University Library, University of Saskatchewan. Methods – All faculty members at the University of Saskatchewan were sent personalized email invitations to participate in a short online survey during the month of November 2012. The survey was composed of four parts: Current Research and Publishing Activities/Behaviours; Open Access Behaviours, Awareness, and Attitudes; Needs Assessment; and Demographics. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated. Results – The survey elicited 291 complete responses – a 21.9% response rate. Results suggest that faculty already have a high level of support for the open access movement, and considerable awareness of it. However, there remains a lack of knowledge regarding their rights as authors, a low familiarity with tools available to support them in their scholarly communications activities, and substantial resistance to paying the article processing charges of some open access journals. Survey respondents also provided a considerable number of comments – perhaps an indication of their engagement with these issues and desire for a forum in which to discuss them. It is reasonable to speculate that those who chose not to respond to this survey likely have less interest in, and support of, open access. Hence, the scholarly communications needs of this larger group of non-respondents are conceivably even greater. Conclusion – Faculty at the University of Saskatchewan are in considerable need of scholarly communications services. Areas of most need include: advice and guidance on authors’ rights issues such as retention of copyright; more education and support with resources such as subject repositories; and additional assistance with article processing charges. The University Library could play a valuable role in increasing the research productivity and impact of faculty by aiding them in these areas. Diane Dawson http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/21764 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:07:30 -0700 The Possibilities are Assessable: Using an Evidence Based Framework to Identify Assessment Opportunities in Library Technology Departments http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22819 Abstract Objective – This study aimed to identify assessment opportunities and stakeholder connections in an emerging technologies department. Such departments are often overlooked by traditional assessment measures because they do not appear to provide direct support for student learning. Methods – The study consisted of a content analysis of departmental records and of weekly activity journals which were completed by staff in the Emerging Technologies and Services department in a U.S. academic library. The findings were supported by interviews with team members to provide richer data. An evidence based framework was used to identify stakeholder interactions where impactful evidence might be gathered to support decision-making and to communicate value. Results – The study identified a lack of available assessable evidence with some types of interaction, outreach activity, and responsibilities of staff being under-reported in departmental documentation. A modified logic model was developed to further identify assessment opportunities and reporting processes. Conclusion – The authors conclude that an evidence based practice research approach offers an engaging and illuminative framework to identify department alignment to strategic initiatives and learning goals. In order to provide a more complete picture of library impact and value, new and robust methods of assessing library technology departments must be developed and employed. Rick Stoddart, Evviva Weinraub Lajoie http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22819 Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:38:21 -0700 Library Users Attempt to Access a Wide Range of Information Beyond Books and Articles through a Single Search Box http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22176 A Review of: Lown, C., Sierra, T., & Boyer, J. (2013). How users search the library from a single search box. College & Research Libraries, 74(3), 227-241. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/crl-321 Abstract Objective – To identify how users use a single search box. Design – Transaction log analysis. Setting – A large research university in North Carolina, United States of America. Subjects – Search results from a customized single search box on the library’s home page, consisting of 739,180 searches and 655,388 hyperlink selections. Methods – The authors used custom logging software to generate transaction logs of all searches that took place over two semesters (August to December 2010 and January to May 2011) in QuickSearch, a custom-made, combined search application. The study tracked search queries and hyperlink selections, noting which modules in the discovery interface (articles, catalogue, databases, and others) were selected and, from these modules, which hyperlinks were clicked. Main Results – Transaction log analysis was conducted on over 739,000 searches during the two semesters and over 655,000 hyperlink selections from the results interface. The 20 most frequent queries made in QuickSearch were primarily for specific resources (database titles or journal titles), administrative information, and library services. The 153 most popular searches made up 10% of all searches. Hyperlinks to full-text articles (41.5%) and the catalogue (35.2%) accounted for about 76% of the links selected. About 23% of links selected were for other modules (e.g., FAQs, “best bets,” and journal titles). Hyperlinks that led directly to specific items were selected more frequently than hyperlinks to a full list of results. Conclusion – Analysis of user transaction logs suggests that users do not understand what is being searched in a combined search box and that search applications need to direct users more effectively to resources beyond the catalogue and article databases. Users attempt to access a wide range of information from a single search box, and the most commonly used modules in QuickSearch do not serve many of the most frequent queries. Many of the most common queries can be defined and addressed with a predefined list of results, improving the quality of results and the search experience for users. Ongoing evaluation and analysis of the search interface and subsequent optimization for the most frequent queries can improve user experience. Sara Sharun http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22176 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:01:45 -0700 Searching on Health Information Databases: A Search Interface Including Thesaurus Term and Tree Browsers is More Effective than a Simple Search Interface http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22173 A Review of: Mu, X., Lu, K., Ryu, H. (2014). Explicitly integrating MeSH thesaurus help into health information retrieval systems: An empirical user study. Information Processing and Management, 50(1), 24-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2013.03.005 Abstract Objectives – To compare the effectiveness of a search interface with built-in thesaurus (MeSH) terms and tree browsers (MeshMed) to a simple search interface (SimpleMed) in supporting health information retrieval. Researchers also examined the contribution of the MeSH term and tree browser components towards effective information retrieval and assessed whether and how these elements influence the users’ search methods and strategies. Design – Empirical comparison study. Setting – A four-year university in the United States of America. Subjects – 45 undergraduate and postgraduate students from 12 different academic departments. Methods – Researchers recruited 55 students, of which 10 were excluded, using flyers posted across a university campus from a wide range of disciplines. Participants were paid a small stipend taking part in the study. The authors developed two information retrieval systems, SimpleMed and MeshMed, to search across a test collection, OHSUMED, a database containing 348,566 Medline citations used in information retrieval research. SimpleMed includes a search browser and a popup window displaying record details. The MeshMed search interface includes two additional browsers, one for looking up details of MeSH terms and another showing where the term fits into the tree structure. The search tasks had two parts: to define a key biomedical term, and to explore the association between concepts. After a brief tutorial covering the key functions of both systems, avoiding suggestion of one interface being better than the other, each participant then searched for six topics, three on each interface, allocated randomly using a 6x6 Latin square design. The study tracked participants’ perceived topic familiarity using a 9-point Likert scale, measured before and after each search, with changes in score recorded. It examined the time spent in each search system, as recorded objectively by system logs, to measure engagement with searching task. Finally, the study examined whether participants found an answer to the set question, and whether that response was wrong, partially correct, or correct. Participants were asked about the portion of time they spent on each of the system components, and transaction log data was used to capture transitions between the search components. The participants also added their comments to a questionnaire after the search phase of the experiment. Main results – The baseline mean topic familiarity scores were similar for both interfaces, with SimpleMed’s mean of 2.01, with a standard deviation 1.43, compared to MeSHMed’s mean of 2.08 with a standard deviation of 1.60. The mean was taken for topic familiarity change scores over three questions on each interface and compared using a paired sample two-tailed t-test. This showed a statistically significant difference between the mean change in topic familiarity scores for SimpleMed and MeSHMed. Only 46 (17%) of the questions were not answered, 34 (74%) when participants were using SimpleMed and 12 (26%) when using MeSHMed. Researchers found a chi-squared test association between the interface and whether the answer was correct, suggesting that MeSHMed users were less likely to answer questions incorrectly. The question-answer scores positively correlated to the topic familiarity change scores, indicating that those participants whose familiarity with the topic improved the most were more likely to answer the question correctly. The mean amount of time spent overall using the two interfaces was not significantly different, though researchers do not provide data on mean times, only total time and test statistics. On the MeSHMed interface, on average participants found the Term Browser feature the most useful aspect and spent the most amount of time in this component. The Tree Browser feature was rated as contributing the least to the searching task and the participants spent the least amount of time in this part of the interface. Patterns of transitions between the components are reported, the most common of which were from the Search Browser to the Popup records, from the Term to the Search Browser, and vice versa. These observations suggest that participants were verifying the terms and clicking back and forth between the components to carry out iterative and more accurate searches. The authors identify seven typical patterns and described four different combinations of transitions between components. Based on questionnaire feedback, participants found the Term Browser helpful to define the medical terms used, and for additional suggested terms to add to their search. The Tree Browser allowed participants to see how terms relate to each other, and helped identify related terms, despite many negative feedback comments about this feature. Almost all participants (43 of 45) preferred MeSHMed for searching, finding the extra components helpful to produce better results. Conclusion – MeSHMed was shown to be more effective than SimpleMed for improving topic familiarity and finding correct answers to the set questions. Most participants reported a preference for the MeSHMed interface that included a Term Browser and Tree Browser to the straightforward SimpleMed interface. Both MeSHMed components contributed to the search process; the Term Browser was particularly helpful for defining and developing new concepts, and the Tree Browser added a view of the relationship between terms. The authors suggest that health information retrieval systems include visible and accessible thesaurus searching to assist with developing search strategies. Joanne L. Jordan http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22173 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:02:03 -0700 Perceived and Actual Search Behaviors May Provide Markers for Healthcare Utilization and Severity of Illness http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22174 A Review of: White, R. W., & Horvitz, E. (2014). From health search to healthcare: explorations of intention and utilization via query logs and user surveys. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 21(1), 49-55. Retrieved from http://dx.doi/org10.1136/amiajnl-2012-001473 Abstract Objective – To gain an understanding of the relationship between online health information searching behaviour and healthcare utilization. Design – Survey and log data analysis. Setting – A software development campus and health information websites with servers in the United States of America. Subjects – Two separate subject groups were used for this study. For the search log analysis, participants were randomly selected English-speaking users of a Microsoft toolbar who had consented to provide their anonymous log data. 489 volunteers who indicated they could recall their last visit to a medical facility were invited to participate in the survey. Methods – To determine search behaviour, four months of data from 2011 were collected and analyzed from search engine logs. A unique user identifier allowed for analysis of individual search behaviour across multiple sessions, which then provided the opportunity to identify search behaviour changes over time. Search queries were labelled and annotated as symptoms, serious illnesses, and benign explanation based on curated lists identified in a related study. Erroneous synonymous entries were removed to increase labelling precision (e.g., astrology-related terms were removed for “cancer”). The researchers specifically noted searches signifying health utilization intent (HUI). Initial queries indicating HUI for each user were identified to determine whether or not there were changes in search behaviour prior to and following searches indicating HUI. Perceptions of motivators related to healthcare utilization (HU) were gathered through a validated, anonymous electronic survey. Through fifty open and closed questions, participants were asked how they search for medical information online, how they locate medical facilities and scheduled appointments, and how their search behaviour might differ before and after HU. Survey results were compared with search log data to identify and explain trends. Main Results – From log data, search queries focusing on symptoms increased prior to the first indication of HUI and decreased afterwards. The authors suggest that this increase may reflect a “heightened state of concern or uncertainty” (p. 51). As well, searches on relatively benign symptoms were observed to spike dramatically three weeks after the first identified HUI search, reflecting what the authors suggest may be related to users having been reassured through a visit with a health professional. The increase in benign symptom searching is supported by survey data. The number of symptom-related searches is shown to correlate with the number of HUI searches using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r=0.64, t(78)=14.43, p<0.001). Nearly 40% of survey participants searched online for information about a medical facility prior to a visit, and facility visits normally occurred within one (78%) or two (94%) weeks of the HUI search. Those visiting a facility for the first time were more likely to search for information related to the facility prior to the visit than those who had visited the facility previously. Knowledge level was observed to contribute to the results as well in that searchers with self-reported low domain knowledge were not only more likely to search for a type of facility rather than a specific facility, but were also more likely to visit the facility sooner after an HUI search than those with high domain knowledge. Low-domain knowledge participants were also more likely to self-diagnose, more prone to alarmist behaviour related to symptom severity, and were more concerned with medical insurance. Survey respondents indicated that the focus of their searches prior to HU was primarily on symptom checking and potential diagnosis. Following facility visits participants’ searches focused more on specific conditions or treatments. In addition, respondents noted that the frequency of their medical-related searching for serious conditions reduced after they had been to see their physician, indicating that the initial perceived severity of illness was potentially alarmist. Conclusion – Search activity, both perceived and actual, may act as a marker to HUI and as an indication that HU has occurred as well as the severity of the HU outcome. Information gleaned from user logs could be used to adapt and model search engine output for users both before and after HU. Further analysis on potential search engine output and geolocation is suggested to determine the full application of such data analysis. Lindsay Alcock http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22174 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:02:22 -0700 Reference Desk Employees Need Both Research Knowledge and Technical Skills for Successful Reference Transactions http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23026 A Review of: Chan, E. K. (2014). Analyzing recorded transactions to extrapolate the required knowledge, skills, and abilities of reference desk providers at an urban, academic/public library. Journal of Library Administration, 54(1), 23-32. doi:10.1080/01920836.2014.893113 Abstract Objective – To determine the essential knowledge and skills required by reference positions serving academic and public library patrons. Design – Data analysis of recorded reference transactions using author-created categories. Setting – The reference desk of a joint academic and public library in downtown San José, California. Subjects – A total of 9,683 in-person and phone reference transactions recorded between August 20 and December 29, 2012. Methods – All reference transactions recorded in the tracking software Gimlet during the fall 2012 semester were downloaded and analyzed in Excel using 17 author-created reference service categories. Of the original 13,827 transaction entries, 4,135 were eliminated because the actual reference questions, an optional entry in Gimlet, were not recorded. Thus these transactions could not be properly categorized for analysis. Main Results – The most frequently occurred type of reference transaction (16.6%, or 1,607 out of 9,683) out of the 17 categories was assistance for printing, copying, scanning, and wireless network assistance. The next most regularly recorded categories were catalog searching for non-known items (15.0%) and general research (10.9%), which included formulating research questions and selecting the appropriate resources for searching. When clustering the 17 reference question categories into 4 broader thematic groups, “research-oriented assistance,” including question categories for catalog searching and general research, emerged as the most common question type (31.7%). Technical and equipment assistance (30.8%) was the second most popular category group, followed by facility and policy questions (19.2%), and quick search requests (18.3%). Conclusion – The study findings suggest that successful reference desk transactions would require library employees to master research knowledge as well as technical computer and equipment skills. Lisa Shen http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23026 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:02:41 -0700 Hands on Digital Information Literacy Training from Peers is Preferred by Public Service Library Staff http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23007 A Review of: Robertson, R. (2014). Reframing ourselves: Digital information literacy skills of frontline public library staff. New Zealand Library and Information Management Journal, 53(3). doi:10.1080/00048623.2011.10722203 Abstract Objective – To explore how and where public library employees acquire digital information literacy (DIL) skills. Design – Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Setting – Two public libraries in New Zealand. Subjects – Nine front line public library staff members. Methods – A convenience sample of nine library employees was interviewed about their existing DIL skills, how and where they learned them, any barriers to this learning, and how they defined DIL in others. Interviewees ranged in age from 40 to 64 and included both those new to libraries and those with over 25 years in the profession. The interview transcripts were analyzed for key themes and placed in the theoretical framework of Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (Robertson, 2014). Main Results – Five participants described their own DIL skills as average or below average. The remaining participants classified their skills as above average. Participants recounted acquiring DIL skills in the course of their work through formal workplace training sessions, peer support, or individual exploration; through personal exploration of tools on their own time; or through a mix of work and personal learning opportunities. The barriers they identified to their learning included insufficient time to train and practice the skills learned and the lack of access to relevant technologies. Participants noted problems such as accessing key hardware and insufficient Internet connectivity at work because of issues with organizational infrastructure and at home due to personal financial constraints. Participants largely preferred informal hands-on training by peers to formal training sessions, which were described by some as too general or held too far in advance of the implementation of new technology. The data suggested participants largely fell into Kolb’s accommodating or diverging learning styles because of their preference for “concrete experience” (Robertson, 2014). Conclusion – Libraries may improve staff acquisition of DIL skills by increasing hands on learning opportunities and providing dedicated time to review and practice skills learned. Other suggestions included identifying potential digital peer mentors among staff and providing them with the necessary resources (time, money, and a defined role) to support their colleagues, breaking training into parts allowing time for practice, creating training plans tied to performance evaluation, and using incentives to encourage staff to participate in self-directed training. Cari Merkley http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23007 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:02:58 -0700 Surveying North American Academic Library Websites for Instructional Outreach and Delivery Reveals a Broad Range of Approaches Employed http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22986 A Review of: Yang., S. Q., & Chou, M. (2014). Promoting and teaching information literacy on the Internet: Surveying the web sites of 264 academic libraries in North America. Journal of Web Librarianship, 8(1), 88-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19322909.2014.855586 Abstract Objective – To determine the extent to which academic libraries have used the Web to market and deliver information literacy both as a service and as a concept. Design – Survey of web content. Setting – Websites of North American academic libraries. Subjects – A random sample of 264 libraries selected from Peterson’s Four-Year Colleges. Methods – The investigators reviewed and analyzed content on academic library websites by recording the presence of various types of information. Presence was recorded for the term information literacy, tutorial content, guides and tests, and delivery of information literacy instruction. The frequencies of tutorials and guides were also reported. Main Results – Approximately 65% of the libraries used their website to promote instruction, while 30% did not mention information literacy or library instruction. A wide range of terminology was used to denote library instruction, but information literacy was not highly used. Approximately 5% of libraries had no public web presence. Research guides, tutorials, or both were provided by 64% of libraries. More than 300 tutorials in a variety of formats, including Adobe Flash videos, static web pages with little or no animations, webcasts, documents, and presentations were offered by 111 libraries. The tutorials addressed general research topics, databases, concepts and technical skills, among others. Conclusion – While the majority of academic libraries sampled have incorporated information literacy and library instruction into their web presence, it is unclear why nearly one third did not mention these activities. Further study is needed to benchmark how libraries are using the Web for instruction and outreach. Heather Coates http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22986 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:03:11 -0700 Relevancy Trumps Format When Teaching Information Literacy http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23045 A Review of: Tewell, E. C. (2014). Tying television comedies to information literacy: A mixed-methods investigation. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(2), 134-141. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2014.02.004 Abstract Objective – This study assessed the effects of showing television comedy clips to demonstrate information literacy concepts when teaching one-shot instruction sessions. More specifically, it examined whether the students’ retention and understanding increased when television comedy clips were used and whether students preferred instruction that included popular culture examples. Design – A mixed-methods investigation that employed multiple-choice questionnaires and focus group interviews. Setting – A small liberal arts college in the United States of America. Subjects – A total of 211 freshmen students enrolled in a First-Year Studies course. The students were divided into 16 class sections. The author collected a total of 193 valid responses to the pretests and posttests in his study. Methods – Half of the class sections (103 respondents) were taught selected information literacy concepts using television comedy clips and a group discussion led by the instructor. The other half (90 respondents) were taught using only an instructor-led discussion. The classes were randomly selected to belong to the experimental group (with TV comedy clips) or the control group (without TV comedy clips). An online pretest questionnaire, consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions, was administered at the beginning of the 90-minute library instruction session for both groups. An online posttest questionnaire, consisting of the same questions as the pretest but in a randomized order, was completed by the students at the end of the session. About a month later, one-hour focus group interviews were conducted with a small subset of the study’s subjects who volunteered to participate in the focus groups. The experimental focus group consisted of five study participants who had attended a library instruction session that involved showing the television comedy clips and the control focus group consisted of six study participants who had attended a library instruction session that did not include showing the television comedy clips. Main Results – The experimental group scored higher than the control group on the posttest with an average “increase of 1.07 points from pre- to posttest compared to a 0.13 mean increase in the control group” (p. 139), which means that the experimental group answered one more question correctly. Four out of the five participants in the experimental focus group also discussed the television comedy clips even though they were not asked about them. Conversely, when asked about what they enjoyed in the class, the majority of participants from both focus groups discussed the content covered in the session rather than any teaching methods employed. “The quantitative results suggest that student test results either increased, as in the experimental group, or remained relatively level, as in the control group, due to the type of instruction received” (p. 137). Conclusion – The author states that the results from the test questionnaires and answers from focus group sessions indicate that using television comedy clips may be a successful way of improving students’ retention of course content. However, the study’s results could not demonstrate that students liked classes with popular culture examples more than classes without them, since the majority of focus group participants found the course content more interesting than the manner in which the content was taught. The relevancy of the content presented in an information literacy session appears to make more of an impact on the students than the format in which it is presented. Giovanna Badia http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23045 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:03:26 -0700 Academic Library Websites Show Heavy Use of Web 2.0 Applications http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22833 A Review of: Boateng, F., & Liu, Y. Q. (2014). Web 2.0 applications’ usage and trends in top US academic libraries. Library Hi Tech, 32(1), 120-138. doi:10.1108/LHT-07-2013-0093 Abstract Objective – To explore Web 2.0 application use in academic libraries through determining: Web 2.0 applications used, the purpose of using these applications, and how the use of Web 2.0 is changing. Design – Exploratory survey of academic library websites using content analysis of websites, blogs, and social networking service platforms. Setting – Websites of academic libraries in the United States, blog platforms, and social networking services. Subjects – 100 academic libraries. Methods – The researchers based their selection of academic library websites on the US News & World Report’s 2013 list of the top 100 best colleges in the United States. The authors created a checklist to determine which Web 2.0 technologies were used by the academic libraries on their websites and for what purposes. The researchers searched for Web 2.0 applications on the main page and one subpage down from the main page. The researchers also used keyword searches on the library’s website to find Web 2.0 applications and searched blog platforms and social networking sites. Main Results – The authors found that Facebook and Twitter were the most popular Web 2.0 applications and that all of the libraries analyzed used social networking services. Blogs were the second most popular Web 2.0 tool at 99% participation rate, followed closely by RSS (97%) and instant messaging (91%). Libraries used these Web 2.0 tools for information sharing including: outreach, promotion, providing online reference services, subject guides, tutorials, highlighting resources, and posting announcements. Conclusion – The academic libraries analyzed in this study use Web 2.0 applications to a much greater extent than previous research had shown. The researchers expect to see increased use of Web 2.0 applications by academic libraries in the coming years. They suggest that future research focus on Web 2.0 use by historically black colleges in the United States and on collaboration between academic libraries and other academic units when offering Web 2.0 services. Diana K. Wakimoto http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22833 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:04:35 -0700 Public Libraries Could Better Serve Older Adults by Having More Programming Specifically Directed Toward Them http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22835 A Review of: Bennett-Kapusniak, R. (2013). Older Adults and the Public Library: The Impact of the Boomer Generation. Public Library Quarterly, 32(3), 204-222. doi: 10.1080/01616846.2013.818814 Abstract Objective – To determine whether programming at public libraries in the United States is aimed at older adults, and whether the programs help older adults maintain their health and well-being. Design – Web site evaluation. Setting – Public libraries in the United States of America. Subjects – The main library of each public library system located in the capital city of each of the 50 states in the United States of America. Methods – A scan of each of the web sites of the selected public library branches was performed by the author, to determine the number of programs specifically directed towards older adults. Main Results – The scan of sites indicated that there was very little programming specifically aimed at older adults and their needs. Mainly, offerings for older adults took the form of mixing in with adults of all ages. Computer technology class offerings were particularly lacking. The majority of libraries had programs to teach how to access library resources and electronic media (although not necessarily aimed at older adults), programs for those who are less mobile, as well as some adaptive technology for those with sensory disabilities. In addition, the majority of libraries had adult literacy programs, and active collaboration with community organizations. Conclusions – Public libraries can do more to develop programs specifically for older adults. They should take into account the wide diversity of older adults’ information and other needs. In particular, they should consider offering programs that focus on technological skills, and also should offer assistive technology for older patrons. There also needs to be more research on the needs of older adults, from the perspective of the patrons themselves and that of library staff. Ann Glusker http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22835 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:04:46 -0700 Digital Libraries that Demonstrate High Levels of Mutual Complementarity in Collection-level Metadata Give a Richer Representation of their Content and Improve Subject Access for Users http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22836 A Review of: Zavalina, O. L. (2013). Complementarity in subject metadata in large-scale digital libraries: A comparative analysis. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 52(1), 77-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01639374.2013.848316 Abstract Objective – To determine how well digital library content is represented through free-text and subject headings. Specifically to examine whether a combination of free-text description data and controlled vocabulary is more comprehensive than free-text description data alone in describing digital collections. Design – Qualitative content analysis and complementarity comparison. Setting – Three large scale cultural heritage digital libraries: one in Europe and two in the United States of America. Methods – The researcher retrieved XML files of complete metadata records for two of the digital libraries, while the third library openly exposed its full metadata. The systematic samples obtained for all three libraries enabled qualitative content analysis to uncover how metadata values relate to each other at the collection level. The researcher retrieved 99 collection-level metadata records in total for analysis. The breakdown was 39, 33, and 27 records per digital library. When comparing metadata in the free-text Description metadata element with data in four controlled vocabulary elements, Subject, Geographic Coverage, Temporal Coverage and Object Type, the researcher observed three types of complementarity: one-way, two-way and multiple-complementarity. The author refers to complementarity as “describing a collection’s subject matter with mutually complementary data values in controlled vocabulary and free-text subject metadata elements” (Zavalina, 2013, p. 77). For example, within a Temporal Coverage metadata element the term “19th century” would complement a Description metadata element “1850–1899” in the same record. Main Results – The researcher found a high level of one-way complementarity in the metadata of all three digital libraries. This was mostly demonstrated by free-text data in the Description element complemented by data in the controlled vocabulary elements of Subject, Geographic Coverage, Temporal Coverage, and Object Type. Only one library demonstrated a significant proportion (19%) of redundancy between free-text and controlled vocabulary metadata. An example of redundancy found included a repetition of geographic information in both a Description and Geographic Coverage metadata elements. Conclusion – The author reports high levels of mutual complementarity in the three cultural heritage digital libraries studied. The findings demonstrate that collection-level metadata which includes both free-text and controlled vocabulary is more representative of the intellectual content of the collections and improves subject access for users. The author maintains that there is no standard for collection-level metadata descriptions, and that this research may contribute to best practice guidelines in this area. It is unclear whether the digital libraries studied had written policies in place on how to describe collections and if those policies were adhered to in practice. The author expresses a need for further research to be conducted on collection-level metadata in other domains, such as science and interdisciplinary digital libraries, and on other scales (e.g., regional or state collections) and geographic regions beyond Europe and the United States. Aoife Lawton http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22836 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:05:00 -0700 Awareness of Open Access Issues Differs among Faculty at Institutions of Different Sizes http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23025 A Review of: Kocken, G. J. & Wical, S. H. (2013). “I’ve never heard of it before”: Awareness of open access at a small liberal arts university. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 32(3), 140-154. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1080/01639269.2013.817876 Abstract Objective – This study surveyed faculty awareness of open access (OA) issues and the institutional repository (IR) at the University of Wisconsin. The authors hoped to use findings to inform future IR marketing strategies to faculty. Design – Survey. Setting – University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a small, regional public university (approximately 10,000 students). Subjects – 105 faculty members. Methods – The authors contacted 397 faculty members inviting them to participate in an 11 question online survey. Due to anonymity issues on a small campus, respondents were not asked about rank and discipline, and were asked to not provide identifying information. A definition of OA was not provided by the authors, as survey participants were queried about their own definition. Main Results – Approximately 30% of the faculty were aware of OA issues. Of all the definitions of OA given by survey respondents, “none . . . came close” to the definition favoured by the authors (p. 145). More than 30% of the faculty were unable to define OA at a level deemed basic by the authors. A total of 51 (48.57%) of the survey respondents indicated that there are OA journals in their disciplines. Another 6 (5.71%) of the faculty members claimed that there are no OA journals in their disciplines, although most provided a definition of OA and several considered OA publishing to be “very important.” The remaining 48 participants (46%) were unsure if there are OA journals in their disciplines. Of these survey respondents, 38 answered that they have not published in an OA journal, 10 were unsure, and 21 believed that their field benefits or would benefit from OA journals. Survey respondents cited quality of the journal, prestige, and peer review as extremely important in selecting a journal in which to publish. Conclusion – The authors conclude that the level of awareness related to OA issues must be raised before IRs can flourish. They ponder how university and college administrators regard OA publishing, and the influence this has on the tenure and promotion process. Kathleen Reed http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23025 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:05:15 -0700 McClure and Samuels’ Study on Information Sources Used for Decision Making and the Connection to Organizational Climate Still Resonates Today http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22884 A Review of: McClure, C. R., & Samuels, A. R. (1985). Factors affecting the use of information for academic library decision making. College & Research Libraries, 46(6), 483-498. Abstract Objective - To investigate the use of information sources for decision making within academic libraries; specifically looking at what sources of information are used, whether information use is related to organizational climate, and what organizational factors lead to optimal information use in decision making. Design - Cross-sectional survey on a random sample of libraries. Setting - 18 medium to moderately large academic libraries from across the United States. Subjects - 356 academic librarians holding a variety of positions and levels of responsibility within their organizations. Methods - A questionnaire was mailed to participants in order to measure relationships between four main variables: information acquisition, information dissemination, information evaluation, and library climate. All instruments were validated and tested for reliability. Participants were given 10 library decision situations to consider, together with a list of potential information sources to inform the decision, and then choose which information source they would use primarily in each situation. Participants’ perception of their library climate was measured with five scales covering innovation, support, freedom, democratic governance, and esprit. Main Results - The study found that academic librarians prefer internal sources of information, such as interpersonal communication with library staff, and library committees, for making decisions. However, paraprofessional staff members were not seen as meaningful sources of information within this grouping. The participants rarely chose to consult external information sources, such as other professionals outside of the library, or library users. Information sources such as conducting research, continuing education, past experience, or personal opinion were not found to be important to the participants’ decision making. Written documents such as articles, books, and brochures were also seldom used. Democratic governance was the organizational climate dimension found to be most closely linked to information dissemination. Conclusion - The authors conclude that the study suggests that academic librarians are not using a full complement of information sources to assist with their decision making, and that the “information that is used tends to be ‘opinion-based’ rather than empirically based” (p. 495). Proximity of information plays a role, with information that is closer and easier to obtain being used more frequently. The authors strongly stress, with concern, that, “current academic library decision-making processes encourage ineffective activities since they preclude or limit clientele input, empirical research, and additional environmental input” (p. 495). Denise Koufogiannakis http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22884 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:30:15 -0700 Evidence for Development and Enhancement of a Popular Reading Collection in an Academic Library http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22924 No abstract. Timothy Hackman, Kelsey Corlett-Rivera, Elizabeth Larson http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/22924 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:32:01 -0700 Researching the Economic Contribution of Public Libraries http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23379 No abstract. Brian Ashley, Vivien Niblett http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23379 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:31:10 -0700 Newcastle Libraries’ Evaluation Strategy: Evidence Based Practice in Challenging Times http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23362 No abstract. Becky Anne Cole http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23362 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:30:48 -0700 Research Methods: Scoping Studies http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23308 No abstract. Virginia Wilson http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23308 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 15:10:03 -0700 Call for Submissions: Information: Interactions and Impact (i³) http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23867 No abstract. Alison Brettle http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23867 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:34:04 -0700 Call for Applications: Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL) Summer Workshop http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23866 No abstract. Alison Brettle http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23866 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:34:23 -0700 International Symposium for Health Information Management Research (ISHIMR) 2015 http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23868 No abstract. Alison Brettle http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23868 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:34:39 -0700 CILIP & Library and Information Research Group (LIRG) Research Award http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23865 No abstract. Alison Brettle http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23865 Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:34:54 -0700
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