Communication Commons^™

Handling Legal Questions At The Reference Desk And Beyond, Newkirk Barnes

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This article offers reference librarians practical advice on how to approach legal information requests that arrive via the reference desk, as well as through e-mail and chat. It suggests how to avoid the unauthorized practice of law by focusing on the activities reference librarians can safely perform when faced with legal questions from both their on-site and virtual users. The article discusses how reference librarians can conduct effective legal reference interviews both in person and online. Additionally, it suggests ways to include instruction in legal reference encounters, and possible sources for referral of questions that require professional legal assistance.

You Are What You Link: A Guideline For The Enrichment Of Information On Campus Portals—A Perspective From Iran, Alireza Hejazi, Mitra Dilmaghani

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The main concern over campus portals is quality of data and information they provide for their users who are mainly students. Usually content is so important at universities and colleges that it is regarded as the king, but which factor is the most crucial one for the effectiveness of portfolios? The increasing role of campus portals in directing students to their desired destinations has proved them to be effective tools of worldwide education and research. This makes a challenge for academic portal developers to utilize their portfolios with qualified data and information. It seems that the enrichment of information …

Udlib/Search: Enhancing Information Literacy In Delaware Public Schools Through Use Of Technology, Dianna Mckellar

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

[Introduction]

Technology is being introduced to students at an earlier age each year. In today’s society students need to acquire a comfort level with technology and strong information literacy skills, preferably at an early age. It is for this reason that schools are being encouraged to create programs that both pique students’ interest in and develop their knowledge of technology.

UDLib/SEARCH is an example of a statewide program that enhances information literacy through use of technology and could be used as a model for similar programs. UDLib/SEARCH provides 16 periodical and encyclopedia databases as well as training on the use …

Building Library Collections, The Ebay Way, Camila Gabaldón

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

eBay provides a fresh way to find and purchase items that build a library’s special collections and archives, supplement circulating collections, or replace journal issues that are missing. At Western Oregon University (WOU), we have used eBay to build our archives collections and are looking to expand our use to the general collections. This article uses some of our experiences to describe how eBay can be used to acquire library materials and includes lessons that we have learned, tips for optimizing your searches, and hints for eBay novices.

Movers And Shakers In The Library Publishing World Highlight Their Roles: Interviews With Print And Electronic Journal Editors - A Comparison, Julie Banks, Carl Pracht

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This paper reports the interviews of five Emerald Group and three electronic journal editors. Several topics were discussed, including the definition of a peer reviewed journal article, the role of the editor, the work involved in editing, the role of the editorial board, ways to get on the editorial board, the acceptance rate of the journal, and topics of interest for future publication. The experience provided insight into the working mechanisms of journal publishing and clearly showed that there are many similarities among the editors’ roles, relationships, workloads, and understanding of the peer review concept, no matter which format …

The "Best K" For Entropy-Based Categorical Data Clustering, Keke Chen, Ling Liu

Kno.e.sis Publications

With the growing demand on cluster analysis for categorical data, a handful of categorical clustering algorithms have been developed. Surprisingly, to our knowledge, none has satisfactorily addressed the important problem for categorical clustering – how can we determine the best K number of clusters for a categorical dataset? Since categorical data does not have the inherent distance function as the similarity measure, traditional cluster validation techniques based on the geometry shape and density distribution cannot be applied to answer this question. In this paper, we investigate the entropy property of the categorical data and propose a BkPlot method for determining …

Unlv Magazine, Lori Bachand, Regina Barcolas, Barbara Cloud, Holly Ivy De Vore, Gian Galassi, Cayrn Key, Jennifer Robison, Gillian Silver, Jason Vaughan, John F. Gallagher, Cate Weeks, Diane Russell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

A Uniform Approach To Logic Programming Semantics, Pascal Hitzler, Matthias Wendt

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Part of the theory of programming and nonymonotonic reasoning concerns the study of fixed-point semantics for these paradigms. Several different semantics have been proposed during the last two decades, and some have been more successful and acknowledged than others. The rationales behind those various semantics have been manifold, depending on one's point of view, which may be that of a programmer or inspired by commonsense reasoning, and consequently the constructions which lead to these semantics are technically very diverse, and the exact relationships between them have not yet been fully understood. In this paper, we present a conceptually new method, …

Dlp - An Introduction, Denny Vrandecic, Pascal Hitzler, Rudi Studer

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

DLP - Description Logic Programs - is the name for the common language that is able to integrate knowledge bases described in Description Logic with Logic Programs. In this introduction, we offer a very short overview of DLP, the motivation for it, the benefits it offers and how to use it.

Review Of Internet Invention: From Literacy To Electracy, By Gregory L. Ulmer, 2003, Alan Clinton

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

No abstract provided.

Glyde - An Expressive Xml Standard For The Representation Of Glycan, Satya S. Sahoo, Christopher Thomas, Amit P. Sheth, Cory Andrew Henson, William S. York

Kno.e.sis Publications

The amount of glycomics data being generated is rapidly increasing as a result of improvements in analytical and computational methods. Correlation and analysis of this large, distributed data set requires an extensible and flexible representational standard that is also ‘understood’ by a wide range of software applications. An XML-based data representation standard that faithfully captures essential structural details of a glycan moiety along with additional information (such as data provenance) to aid the interpretation and usage of glycan data, will facilitate the exchange of glycomics data across the scientific community. To meet this need, we introduce GLYcan Data Exchange (GLYDE) …

Semantic Web & Semantic Web Services: Applications In Healthcare And Scientific Research, Amit P. Sheth

Kno.e.sis Publications

No abstract provided.

Discovering Informative Subgraphs In Rdf Graphs, William H. Milnor, Cartic Ramakrishnan, Matthew Perry, Amit P. Sheth, John A. Miller, Krzysztof Kochut

Kno.e.sis Publications

Discovering patterns in graphs has long been an area of interest. In most contemporary approaches to such pattern discovery either quantitative anomalies or frequency of substructure is used to measure the interestingness of a pattern. In this paper we address the issue of discovering informative sub-graphs within RDF graphs. We motivate our work with an example related to Semantic Search. A user might pose a question of the form: ' What are the most relevant ways in which entity X is related to entity Y?' the response to which is a subgraph connecting X to Y. Relevance of the …

I Connect Therefore I Am: Connectivity And Networking In Bodies, Technologies, Communities, And Selves, Anthony Lambert

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

The notion of connection refers to both metaphorical and material practices informing our understandings of the flows of energy and information within human bodies, communities, geographies, and technological networks. Cranny-Francis offers a definition of connection which accounts for the term's significance in the contexts of both Cultural Studies and multimedia literacy:

It refers to the ways in which texts generate meanings through their relationship with other texts, to the development of multimedia technologies that are characterized by their connectivity (the web, the net), and to the ways in which meanings are generated crucially by the connection between texts …

Social Marketing Applications And Transportation Demand Management: An Information Instrument For The 21st Century, Enda Mcgovern

WCBT Faculty Publications

Concern has been expressed by planners and policy-makers that the “add capacity” strategy used in building more roads to resolve traffic-induced problems is no longer a feasible option. This article explores private transport behavior in understanding how users can be persuaded to adopt a more blended approach (i.e., integrating car, public transportation, and alternative modes on a daily basis). The research methodology adopted focus groups and travel diaries in presenting a number of social marketing message appeals aimed at inducing a change in participants’ travel behaviors. While weaknesses are identified in the social marketing materials, this research concludes that social …

Technology-Augmented Courtrooms: Progress Amid A Few Complications, Or The Problematic Interrelationship Between Court And Counsel, Fredric I. Lederer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Online Defamation: A Case Study In Competing Rights, Julie Dare

Theses : Honours

As a consequence of the dominant role the United States has played in its development, the Internet has become synonymous with a liberal interpretation of freedom of expression, heavily imbued with First Amendment free speech principles. This has resulted in an environment that supports an adversarial, aggressive style of interaction; an environment which has become a "defamation prone zone" (Edwards, 1997). However, resolving online defamation disputes is problematic, particularly in cross-jurisdictional cases involving defendants based in the United States. Incongruities in the balance of free speech and reputation between the United States and most other countries, as expressed through defamation …

Copyright Law And Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Neda Ballard Panula

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Policies Governing Use Of Computing Technology In Academic Libraries, Jason Vaughan

Library Faculty Research

The networked computing environment is a vital resource for academic libraries. Ever-increasing use dictates the prudence of having a comprehensive computer-use policy in force. Universities often have an overarching policy or policies governing the general use of computing technology that helps to safeguard the university equipment, software, and network against inappropriate use. Libraries often benefit from having an adjunct policy that works to emphasize the existence and important points of higher-level policies, while also providing a local context for systems and policies pertinent to the library in particular. Having computer-use policies at the university and library level helps provide a …

Crossed Signals In A Wireless World: The Seventh Circuit’S Misapplication Of The Complete Preemption Doctrine, Matthew J. Kleiman

Duke Law & Technology Review

As the number of wireless telephone users continues to proliferate, so does the number of lawsuits against wireless service providers. While consumers seek to utilize various consumer-friendly state law causes of action, the wireless industry continues to push for a uniform federal regulatory regime. Ambiguous language in the Federal Communications Act of 1934 ("FCA") and disagreement among the federal circuits has led to much confusion over whether state law claims affecting wireless rates and market entry are removable to federal court by way of "complete preemption." This iBrief argues that FCA's preemption power is limited by its savings clause, failure …

Semantic Web Technology In Support Of Bioinformatics For Glycan Expression, Amit P. Sheth, William S. York, Christopher Thomas, Meenakshi Nagarajan, John A. Miller, Krzysztof Kochut, Satya S. Sahoo, Xiaochuan Yi

Kno.e.sis Publications

Due to the complexity of biological systems, interpretation of data obtained by a single experimental approach can often be interpreted only if viewed from a broader context, taking into account the information obtained by many diverse techniques. The vast amount of interpreted experimental data that is now available via the internet opens the possibility of collecting the relevant pieces of information that will enable scientists to form hypotheses based on the integration of this diverse information. However, the sheer volume of data that is available makes it very difficult to select the information necessary to make a coherent model of …

University Library Partnerships: Promoting Economic Development, J. Cory Tucker

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The article discusses an innovative partnership at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The collaborative project involves the UNLV Libraries and the Nevada Small Business Development Center, which is affiliated with the College of Business. The partnership was created to assist the University's goal of promoting economic development in the Las Vegas and Southern Nevada region.

The Empowering Role Of Enterprise Information Portals In Knowledge Management, Alireza Hejazi

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The increasing role of enterprise information portals (EIPs) in different applications of information, including knowledge management (KM), makes it a necessity to elaborate the issue in a more serious and scientific way. The contribution and role that these kinds of portals have in empowering KM provide a theoretical framework through which to offer a conceptual basis for present and future KM trends. So the main purpose of this article is to organize theoretical concepts discussed on EIPs in a summarized manner and provide a conceptual context for thinking and working on them. It should be noted that the perspective …

If It Ain't Broke ... : Changing Search Philosophies, John M. Weiner

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This study employs simulation analyses to determine the consequences of two search philosophies. The first is called the a posteriori approach and involves terms selected arbitrarily by the user without knowledge of the specific content of the documents. The second is the a priori approach and involves terms selected because the user knows that the author employed those exact terms in describing his/her findings. Further, the authors' combinations of these terms would be known. The results of simulation studies show that the a posteriori approach was comparable to a random walk. If the need to correctly identify documents was …

The Importance Of Marketing And Total Quality Management In Libraries, Rajashekhar D. Kumbar

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Introduction

Herb White, states in Library Journal, “... it should be fairly clear that librarians do not market and that they never have marketed.” He concludes, “What we need to tell people is not how wonderful our public libraries are but rather how wonderful they could be. The awakening of these dreams is the purpose of marketing” (Besant & Sharp, 2000). Since the 1960’s, the most widely taught marketing concept was the marketing mix theory: the 4Ps (product, price, place and promotion)—so clean, so neat, so inappropriate for libraries. Marketing theory cannot always be so succinctly described since relationships …

Clinical Librarianship (Cl): A Historical Perspective, Evaliga Lappa

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Introduction

A number of previous studies have collected data on a hospital’s use of databases and the librarian’s role in the process. These studies express common themes and suggest activities for librarians wishing to promote the use of new technologies.

The first theme: While it seems clear that some physicians are competent and satisfied users of new computer search systems, many more, unfortunately, are unaware of the potential time saving features and powerful search capabilities of their search systems. Health sciences librarians have been advocating the use of indexes and abstracts for as long as these products have been available. …

An Analysis Of Entry-Level Librarian Ads Published In American Libraries, 1982-2002, Claudene Sproles, David Ratledge

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Much discussion has taken place in the literature over the difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill vacancies within libraries. Emphasis has been placed on recruitment, internships, scholarships, and other partnerships by library science schools and libraries to attract new people to the profession. Even so, applicant pools are dwindling [Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004] and many institutions have been forced to rewrite job ads after initial postings to locate a qualified candidate. Factors hindering vacancy searches include:

• Graying of the profession, “Thousands of librarians will be retiring in the next ten years” [Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004]
• Budget constraints/less positions [Bureau of …

Nigerian University Libraries And The Challenges Of Globalization: The Way Forward, L. A. Ogunsola

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to examine the importance, implications, and opportunities opened to Nigerian libraries in the current Information Age as related to the concept of globalization. This paper shall attempt to address possible areas of importance and advantages that can propel Nigerian universities and their libraries into being a respective player in the global IT revolution and enhance their status in what is now widely called as Global Village. This paper stresses the necessity for Nigerian universities to be part of the new and emerging technologies which are challenging the traditional process of teaching and …

Language-Related Open Archives: Impact On Scholarly Communities And Academic Librarianship, Jung-Ran Park

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

The evolution of new forms of scholarly communication since the advent of Web technology has brought unprecedented opportunities for potential global connection among the rapidly growing number of electronic repositories among scholarly communities. Under the open archive infrastructures, scholarly resources that had been invisible to Web search engines and thus afforded limited dissemination and access are now becoming increasingly visible with speedy and wide distribution. This paper addresses the emergent issues and challenges faced by academic librarians: participation in archiving, organization, and preservation of open repositories; integration of Web-based repositories into traditional collections; and mediation and direction of academic users …

An Analysis Of Entry-Level Librarian Ads Published In American Libraries, 1982-2002., Claudene Sproles, David Ratledge

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Much discussion has taken place in the literature over the difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill vacancies within libraries. Emphasis has been placed on recruitment, internships, scholarships, and other partnerships by library science schools and libraries to attract new people to the profession. Even so, applicant pools are dwindling [Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004] and many institutions have been forced to rewrite job ads after initial postings to locate a qualified candidate. Factors hindering vacancy searches include:

• Graying of the profession, “Thousands of librarians will be retiring in the next ten years” [Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004]
• Budget constraints/less positions [Bureau of …