Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Technology Acceptance Model In The Domains Of Lis And Education: A Review Of Selected Literature, Sureni Weerasinghe Mrs, Menaka Hindagolla Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is a theoretical framework that is most extensively utilized in explaining an individual’s acceptance of an information technology or an information system. This study reviews numerous literature related to the TAM focusing on TAM applications in the domains of Library and Information Science (LIS) and Education. The different studies in these areas were evaluated to understand the modifications incorporated into this model. The study attempts provide insight on future trends in the technology acceptance model as well to help identify gaps in literature where future research could be conducted.

Reproductive Healthcare Information-Seeking Behavior In Undeserved Women: An Exploratory Study, Margaret S. Zimmerman

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the reproductive health-related information-seeking of low-income women which has been found to be affected by digital divide disparities. Included in this is an assessment of what reproductive health-related information needs they have, which sources they consult most frequently, if they trust the sources that they use, and how their information-seeking interacts with the variables of perceived risk and perceived barriers. While there have been many studies on the end effects of a lack of accurate and accessible reproductive health information little research has been conducted to examine the reproductive healthcare information-seeking patterns of women who live in …

Worth Fighting For: Factors Influencing Selection Decisions In School Libraries, April M. Dawkins

Theses and Dissertations

Intellectual freedom is one of the basic tenets of the library profession. However, most librarians will face attempts to censor or control access to information at some point in their careers. School librarians might choose to self-censor because they fear facing a challenge that calls into question not only their professionalism but also their personal values and ethics. While there have been numerous studies on censorship in other types of libraries, there is little research in the area of censorship and intellectual freedom as it pertains to the school library field. The purpose of this study is to understand the …

The Openness Of Religious Beliefs To The Influence Of External Information, Darin Freeburg

Faculty Publications

Religious beliefs have important and wide-reaching impacts on society. They also tend to be viewed as impervious to the influence of information external to a religious setting. Eight focus groups were held with attendees of two United Church of Christ congregations. Participants were asked about their core religious beliefs, and transcripts were qualitatively coded for the interplay of belief and infor- mation. Analysis found that beliefs that were focused on people, processes and events external to the congregation showed the char- acteristics of being more open to external information. Specifically, the breadth of these external beliefs allowed for a wider …

Decoding Virtual Reference: Using Chat Transcripts To Guide Usability Testing And Improve Web Design, Kate E. Wimer

Library and Information Science: Capstone Projects

This paper seeks to support user-centered library website design by exploring a low-effort strategy for identifying patron needs and the natural language used to describe them. The literature review cross-references library literature on chat reference with broader studies on website navigation and cognitive modeling, and briefly reviews other studies that have used chat transcript analysis as a usability tool. Word count analysis of two terms of chat reference transcripts showed several trends in patron language, particularly highlighting the benefits of usage-based navigational design. Recommendations for further usability testing are offered, as is an analysis of the method as a starting …

Circling The Reality Of Public Institutions Anchoring Gentrification: An E-Delphi Study Of Information, Culture, And Community Stakeholders Voicing The Way Forward In Detroit, Michigan, Celeste L. Welch

Theses and Dissertations

Information, culture, and memory centers increasingly anchor urban redevelopment projects in historically marginalized communities challenged with contemporary social and economic disparities. This dissertation situated libraries, archives, and museums within a socio-cultural context and examined the role of cultural heritage institutions in gentrification. Librarians, archivists, curators, and community advocates in Detroit, Michigan shared their viewpoints and experiences of gentrification in a legacy city. Using a modified Delphi process, the e-Delphi panel explored the need for assessing policy, service delivery, and programming in a city of color at-risk to gentrification-induced displacement.

This mixed research study used a concurrent triangulation design. A panel …

No End In Sight: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of U.S. National Newspaper Coverage Of The Iraq War, Anmol Rattan Kalsi

Theses and Dissertations

On May 1, 2003, standing in front of a banner declaring “Mission Accomplished” aboard the warship U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, President Bush announced an end to major combat in Iraq, referring to the war as “one victory in the war on terror.” Over seven years later, on August 31, 2010, President Obama in a televised speech also announced an end to the combat mission in Iraq. On October 21, 2011, President Obama once again reaffirmed that U.S. military personnel would be leaving Iraq, saluting the troops on their “success” and remarking on the Iraqi government’s readiness for governing. And finally, on …

Indian Doctoral Research In Social Sciences With Specific Reference To Library And Information Science, Jyotshna Sahoo, Santosini Mundhial, Basudev Mohanty

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The very purpose of the paper is to focus on the output of doctoral research in different fields of Social Sciences in India. Attempts have been made to project various indicators of Social Science research and more comprehensively Library and Information Science research by analyzing doctoral research works carried out during the period 2010-2012. While presenting quantification of research output in the form doctoral theses for the period of study, the paper highlights distribution of research output by discipline, language, ranking pattern of Universities, States, and supervisors by their output. The paper also indicates the core areas of research activity …

Exploring Undergraduate Students' Information Seeking Motivation: A Self-Determination Perspective, Ana Dubnjakovic

Theses and Dissertations

Human motivation is a widely debated construct in psychology and many disciplines in social science as well as education and health sciences have adopted various psychological theories in an effort to understand motivational forces behind many human activities from dieting (e.g., Schelling, Munsch and Margraf, 2011), psychotherapy (e.g., Martens, 2010) and academic achievement (e.g., Artino, Holmboe and Durning, 2012) to political participation (e.g., Hersh, 2012). Case (2012) devotes an entire chapter in his seminal text on information behavior to an overview of what he calls a “motivational puzzle” tying it to information need as the predominantly discussed dimension of motivation …

Equity Of Access To Cultural Heritage: The Influence Of The Museum Experience On Learning In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Liya Deng

Theses and Dissertations

Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States. Due to impairments in social interaction and communication, autistic children face challenges in traditional education settings where instruction is based mainly on one-way communication between teachers and students. On the other hand, current research indicates that the museum environment offers opportunities for free-choice, object-based, and inquiry-based learning suitable for the educational and social needs of autistic children. However, there is a paucity of professional literature assessing the impact of such unconventional settings as museums on the learning experience of autistic children.

To narrow this gap in our knowledge, …

Awareness And Usage Of Electronic Information Resources Among Postgraduate Students Of Library And Information Science In Southern Nigeria, Lucky O. Akpojotor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study aims at investigating the awareness and usage of electronic information resources among postgraduate students of library and information science in Southern Nigeria. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The census sampling technique was adopted for this study. Thus, the entire population of three hundred and seventy-five (375) postgraduate students of library and information science in Southern Nigeria were used as the sample for this study. The questionnaire tagged: Awareness and Usage of Electronic Information Resources by Postgraduate Students of Library and Information Science Questionnaire (AUEIRPSLISQ) was used as instrument for data collection. Four research …

Technology Triage: Assessing And Managing Library Systems And Projects, Michael Rodriguez

Published Works

"Technology Triage" presents triage as a framework by which to manage and assess information technology systems and projects in small academic libraries. Drawing on the triage methodology and examples presented in this chapter, library technology managers are better able to assess, prioritize, and manage technology repairs and enhancements in the high-stakes, low-budget environments of many small or rural academic libraries. Triage enables managers to allocate scarce personnel, time and resources with maximal efficiency to obtain the best results for staff and end users.

The Value Of Public Libraries During A Major Flooding: How Digital Resources Can Enhance Health And Disaster Preparedness In Local Communities., Feili Tu-Keefner

Faculty Publications

In October 2015, several counties in South Carolina experienced catastrophic flooding that caused severe damage, including loss of residential homes and other calamities. Using a framework for risk communication preparedness and implementation about pandemic influenza for vulnerable populations recommended by public health experts, this case study investigates public libraries’ value to their communities and their legitimacy as partners of public health agencies during and after a disaster. Public libraries’ situation-specific information services in the target areas affected by flooding during and after the disaster were explored. The methodology was qualitative-based. Focus-group meetings with public library administrators and librarians, one-on-one interviews …

Loex 2015 Conference Report: Denver, Co, Brianne Markowski, Judith Pasek

Judith E Pasek

No abstract provided.

Examining Inclusive Programming In A Middle School Library: A Case Study Of Adolescents Who Are Differently- And Typically-Able, Clayton A. Copeland, Karen W. Gavigan Dr.

Faculty Publications

Numerous national and international studies have shown the importance of school libraries and librarians in students’ educations, including literacy skill development and academic achievement. However, published research investigating school library accessibility and services from the perspectives of students who are differently-able are extremely limited, as are studies of inclusive library programming, or programming serving both typically-able and differently-able students. This case study examines inclusive library programming with adolescents in a middle school library. Findings indicate that the impact of inclusive school library programming was meaningful and often extended beyond the library’s walls. Inclusive library programming resulted in skill development among …

Need Demographic Statistics? Numbers For Grants, Reports, And Patrons In All Libraries, Stacey Knight-Davis, Daneen Richardson

Stacey Knight-Davis

Need accurate, free demographic information about your city, county, or school district? Whether you need statistical information for a grant application, facts to support a program, or need to help a student write a term paper, this session will help you find what you need. Statistics are often required to make a point. Finding the statistics you need can be a challenge. We will demonstrate several free online demographic and statistical resources at the state and federal level, as well as show you how to generate custom maps, and give you list of helpful people you can call for assistance.

Cross-Time Analysis Of Countries Co-Authorship Networks In Library & Information Science Research, Elaheh Hosseini, Amin Erfanmanesh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper studies the role of world countries in Library and Information Science research during 1963 to 2012 using scientometric and social network analysis (SNA) approaches. A total of 58757 papers which published by 83 Information Science and Library Science journals in JCR 2013 and indexed in the Web of Science were selected as the sample of the study. In this paper, the overall structure and evolution of the collaboration network of countries were investigated using macro-level SNA metrics. Additionally, scientometric and micro-level SNA metrics were adopted to analyze the performance of countries in the network. UCINET and VOSVIEWER software …

A Survey Of Knowledge Sharing Among The Faculty Members Of Iranian Library And Information Science (Lis) Departments, Soraya Ziaei

soraya ziaei

No abstract provided.

Are Ebooks For Everyone? Evaluating The Accessibility Of Academic Ebook Platforms, Ann Agee, Christina Mune, Jeanine Gonzalez

Ann Agee

Does ebrary work with screen readers? Can Wiley ebooks be downloaded? What ebook publishers allow printing? This poster offers a comparative evaluation of 16 major academic ebook platforms using criteria key to accessibility such as: text-to-speech options, text enlargement, full text searching, print capability and more. Results can be used to support and inform the decisions of acquisition departments and librarians when choosing what ebook packages to buy or promote to users. The poster will include a discussion of the evaluation process, a summary of the results, and information on the online guide created to make this information accessible to …

Library And Information Science Education And Escience: The Current State Of Ala Accredited Mls/Mlis Programs In Preparing Librarians And Information Professionals For Escience Needs, Hanna Schmillen

Library and Information Science: Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is multifaceted: 1) to describe eScience research in acomprehensive way; 2) to help library and information specialists understand the realm of eScience research and the information needs of the community and demonstrate the importance of LIS professionals within the eScience domain; 3) and to explore the current state of curricular content of ALA accredited MLS/MLIS programs to understand the extent to which they prepare new professionals within eScience librarianship. The literature review focuses heavily on eScientists and other data-driven researchers’ information service needs in addition to demonstrating how and why librarians and information specialists can …

Learning Outcomes Assessment At American Library Association Accredited Master’S Programs In Library And Information Studies, Win Shih

Win Shih

There is an increasing emphasis on learning outcomes assessment in the accreditation process in higher education in general and in library education specifically. This mixed methods study investigated the practice of outcomes assessment at master’s programs in library and information studies accredited by the American Library Association in the United States and Canada. Six salient themes emerged from the survey responses of Accreditation Liaison officers and the content analysis of 12 program presentations of MLIS programs. First, outcomes assessment has taken hold at MLIS programs in which 93% of programs have adopting a common set of learning goals and outcomes, …

Information Literacy Competencies Of Library And Information Science Postgraduate Students In South East Nigeria Universities: A Focus On The Knowledge And Skill Level, Chinwe Veronica Anunobi Dr, Obiora Kingsley Udem

Chinwe Veronica Anunobi Dr

The study investigated the information literacy competencies possessed by Library and Information Science (LIS) postgraduate students in Federal Universities in South East Zone Nigeria with a focus on the Knowledge and skill level. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Seventy two students which included all 2011/2012 PhD and Masters degree students from the Departments of LIS in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Data was collected using Achievement Test and Questionnaire. Percentages, frequencies and mean rating were used to answer research questions. T-test was used to test hypotheses. The major findings of the study include: …

Alcts Crs Holdings Information Forum, 3-4 P.M. January 31, 2015, Connie Foster

Connie Foster

Cecilia Genereux (data management & access/metadata & intellectual access, University of Minnesota Libraries) introduced the session by confessing to a pun intended for her presentation: Alma: To Have and to Hold. The levity quickly shifted into some very detailed analysis of the way the Ex Libris Alma system handled specific types of serials during a migration from Aleph. The University of Minnesota started with Aleph (Ex Libris) in 2002 and moved to Alma on December 26, 2013. Frances McNamara (director, Integrated Library Systems and Administrative and Desktop Systems at University of Chicago), discussed migrating serials data from Horizon to Kulai …

Acceptance Of Knowledge Management Concepts In Religious Organizations: The Impacts Of Information And Willful Disengagement From Productive Inquiry, Darin Freeburg

Faculty Publications

This study analyzed how churches create cultures in which the recirculating of the same information is encouraged, or cultures in which new information is introduced regularly. It then analyzed how these cultures impact engagement with important knowledge management (KM) principles. Particular attention was paid to the factors that contribute to a church’s decision to engage in a critical questioning of assumed beliefs—productive inquiry (PI)—shown to be an important behavior in successful organizations. In eight, 90- minute focus groups, 28 congregants from Mainline Protestant churches were asked to discuss the information behavior surrounding their religious beliefs. Qualitative coding and analysis revealed …

Defining Information Policy: Relating Issues To The Information Cycle, Judith Pasek

Judith E Pasek

Impact Of Cloud Computing On Librarians At Small And Rural Academic Libraries, Deborah Deloise Tritt, Kaetrena D. Kendrick

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

It Takes A Library: Growing A Robust Institutional Repository In Two Years, Todd A. Bruns, Stacey Knight-Davis, Ellen Corrigan, Steve Brantley

Steve Brantley

In 2010, Booth Library began establishing an institutional repository, The Keep, an effort that involved multiple departments within the library. Potential content recruitment for the repository included large-scale digitization of archival materials and migration of previously created digital collections. Creation of the repository resulted in increased accessibility, better presentation of content that had existed on outmoded legacy Web platforms, and the rescue of damaged content that had been disintegrating on other digital storage formats. By utilizing personnel across many departments and incorporating content from the Archives and Digital Collections areas, Booth Library has developed a robust institutional repository in only …

Discovering Usability : Comparing Two Discovery Systems At One Academic Library, Mireille Djenno, Glenda Insua, Gwen M. Gregory, John Stephen Brantley

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

In the spring of 2013, the University Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago was in the unique position of having access to two discovery systems, Summon and WorldCat Local, at the same time. When tasked with choosing between the two systems, librarians undertook a usability study of Summon and WorldCat Local. The goal of this study was two-fold: to test the ease-of-use of each discovery system with an eye toward identifying one tool to retain for the longer term, and to learn about the search behaviors of different types of user groups. Eighteen subjects, consisting of undergraduate students, …

Discovering Usability : Comparing Two Discovery Systems At One Academic Library, Mireille Djenno, Glenda Insua, Gwen M. Gregory, John Stephen Brantley

Steve Brantley

In the spring of 2013, the University Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago was in the unique position of having access to two discovery systems, Summon and WorldCat Local, at the same time. When tasked with choosing between the two systems, librarians undertook a usability study of Summon and WorldCat Local. The goal of this study was two-fold: to test the ease-of-use of each discovery system with an eye toward identifying one tool to retain for the longer term, and to learn about the search behaviors of different types of user groups. Eighteen subjects, consisting of undergraduate students, …

Natural History Collections: Connecting With Faculty And Content, Stacey Knight-Davis, Todd A. Bruns

Stacey Knight-Davis

For well over a century, American biologists have built collection of plants, animals, fungi, insects, and other natural materials. Often, these collections serve as a record of the unique biodiversity of the local area and provide a record of change over time. Many taxonomic, genetic, and environmental discoveries lay waiting in the drawers and cupboards in which these specimens are stored. / / Uploading images of natural history specimens to Digital Commons allows them to be easily discovered in with a web search, leading the user back to the home collection. As an example, a search for 'big leaf magnolia …