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Librarians have been seeking solutions to improve library user experience. The popularity of mobile devices leads to the increasing demand for reliable and efficient wireless communication in libraries. The City Tech librarians make an effort to improve Wi-Fi network to address such challenge. The Wi-Fi survey results indicate that students are dissatisfied with the library Wi-Fi access and hope to get better wireless communication for their mobile devices. To seek approaches to the improvement of Wi-Fi speed and reliability, the authors adopted NetSpot Pro loaded with the library building map to audit wireless network performance. The Wi-Fi site survey shows the library Wi-Fi network has not only weak Wi-Fi signal strength, but also experiences severe interference and overlapping channels. The study suggests that the Library and campus IT can enhance the Wi-Fi network performance by adding more wireless APs and optimizing the locations of existing APs, Wi-Fi network setting, and wireless connection procedure. By upgrading the CUNY Fiber Network and network improvement strategy, the Library can provide effective wireless communication for student learning and research, and ultimately give students memorable library experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, the Riyad Nassar Library of the Lebanese American University - Beirut, Lebanon - conducted a student survey as part of its assessment plan to evaluate all functions offered to its stakeholders including space design. The results of said survey are discussed in this paper to ensure if the executed redesign of the library space, carried out during the last 5 years, helped in meeting students' perceptions and expectations. The authors will discuss the methods used to assess space change such as survey, behavioral observation and statistics as well as the challenges faced by the library during this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current ad-hoc, organically grown system of digital library inventory management is inefficient, ineffective, and costly, both in dollar terms and in the time and effort of librarians and users. UConn is building a data architecture framework that is integrated in a larger concept of how library data is acquired, managed, and delivered. Collection development policy, data architecture, and information architecture combine to create a strategic framework for collections-based library activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shared Library Management System (LMS) model is not a new concept. Lately, many libraries consortia have migrated to a shared LMS to reduce their services' total costs. The Hellenic Academic Libraries consortium has implemented a shared LMS service, hosted in a private owned cloud infrastructure for its members during the past years (known as the MITOS project). Recognizing the complexity and significance that joining a shared LMS represents, it is important for librarians and other decision makers to have access to the MITOS experience for operational, technical and financial aspects, during and after the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payson Library, the largest library at Pepperdine, primarily serves undergraduate students. It underwent a renovation between spring 2016 and fall 2017. Payson Library was closed during this renovation, and a Library Hub was established as a temporary service point and library information and teaching center on campus. Maintaining market share led to rolling out new services such as RAPID-ILL, repurposing a graduate campus library for increased study spaces, and reliance on a strong library liaison program. Predictably, there was a sharp reduction in patron visits, but there was success in providing reference, instruction, and access to the collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings of previous studies revealed that regardless of the objective, age does affect the information-seeking behavior of an individual. Likewise, this study found the same results. Although all of the younger Filipino aquaculture researchers preferred the Internet to begin their search process, it was found that they were more frequent library users, and more reliant on librarians than their older counterparts. Likewise, they preferred the combination of print and electronic formats when reading. Thus, they would print and save the retrieved electronic copy of information at least very often. The study is a valuable addition to the information-seeking behavior studies on Filipinos, and the first to tackle the effects of age on the information-seeking behavior of Filipino aquaculture researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries continue to be an important source of books for young people, though relatively little is known about how gender and age influence visitation frequency for this purpose. In addition, while supporting children to choose books is part of the role of both school and public librarians, little is known about the strategies and processes children use to select books, and the beliefs and attitudes that underpin them. Findings from the2016 Western Australian Study in Children's Book Readingoffer insights into these areas that can support librarians to guide book choice, and they encourage targeted intervention to ensure that boys and older children make use of their libraries to support their literacy growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With growing interest in applying user experience (UX) methods to improve library interfaces, spaces, and services, it is critical to gain a deeper understanding of the organizational factors influencing libraries' adoption and incorporation of UX expertise. This article reports the results of semi-structured interviews with 16 UX librarians and focuses on how the positions were created, the benefits they have brought to their library, their biggest challenges, and the extent that their work is understood throughout the library. The article concludes with a preliminary model of library UX maturity and six critical directions for the future of UX librarianship. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A well-crafted localized survey is an excellent opportunity to efficiently collect data about library user feelings and experiences on a large scale. 800 undergraduate students and employees of a mid-sized public university responded to an online survey about their feelings on library space, communication, services, and collections. Employing a variety of question types, the authors sought to include measures that would yield both pertinent and meaningful feedback. Results were analyzed and prioritized by significance and librarians culled the results for actionable findings and opportunities for further study or long-term benchmarking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reference librarians are tasked with teaching patrons how to access a variety of library materials. With the advent of electronic access to various resources, another worthwhile task has emerged: preventing library user anxiety. In an attempt to provide background on library anxiety a review of the current literature on the issue is offered. Emphasis is placed on the various services that are continuously developed as well as the many trends reference departments pursue, implement, and improve to ensure that fewer users experience overwhelming and anxious feelings when using the library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To change from collection-centric to user-centered research libraries and to survive in tough economic times, libraries face 2 major challenges: 1st, libraries need to change how they are viewed by their constituencies so they are seen as indispensable; and 2nd, libraries need to help the librarians and staff change their own mental models of their roles to remain relevant in these changing times. Metaphors are one way to help people connect terms in new ways so they develop new images of those terms. For more than 100 years, libraries have used metaphors to seek connections that will help people see libraries as something other than warehouses for books. This article will explore various metaphors being used in the library field and how these metaphors can help libraries introduce change to improve their chances of receiving the support needed to survive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians, as the scientific community's purchasing agent, seem to be in a no-win situation: they do not entirely trust their providers. and their customers want more for less; they are caught between the cultures of commerce and science. The historical traditions of these cultures are explored at length. The differing opinions on the ‘Big Deal’ demonstrate the problem but we are now seeing signs of cultural emergence. There are also signs of a rapprochement, and this can be furthered by taking a fresh look at concepts of ‘value’ and ‘cost.’ Librarians and publishers can work together for a common cause using new technology and new commercial models to help advance science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic e-mail discussion lists have been used by librarians and vendors for twenty years. These lists have proliferated, especially in the last ten years, to the point where there are more than 250 library-related lists in use today. This paper describes the various types of lists, looks at the demographics of several library lists, and discusses how these lists can impact libraries and librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]