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This paper presents the findings of a seven-year longitudinal survey conducted from 2016 to 2022, examining e-book acceptance among first-year undergraduate students in the information management program. Targeting students who were new to their educational journey and had minimal exposure to academic contexts, the study used convenience sampling to gather data from 301 participants. Employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), we assessed four dimensions of e-book acceptance: Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude Towards Using, and Behavioral Intention to Use E -books. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) validated these dimensions, indicating a robust model applicable to a broader undergraduate student population. The results highlighted strong interrelations among these factors, with significant implications for academic librarians. Notably, from their initial exposure, students associated e-books primarily with a source of new information, rather than as a time-saving tool. Although e-books were perceived as easy to use, this aspect did not strongly influence students' attitudes and intentions to use them as much as their perceived usefulness did. The study reveals that students, particularly in social sciences, have long viewed e-books as a vital technology for exploratory knowledge acquisition. While they perceive e-books as easy to use, this perception likely stems from their habitual use for managing learning activities, rather than from recognizing any added value of the technology itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of library items are held in storage locations, but how well are libraries providing access to those materials? A survey of North American research libraries was conducted to examine the services that were available at library storage facilities for researchers and students before the global pandemic, during the pandemic, and as libraries adjust and plan for the new normal as the pandemic recedes. In addition, results of previous studies of storage facilities are compared to understand historical trends in access to library materials held in storage. A better understanding of user services as a component of library storage facilities will allow libraries to better serve the needs of scholars and researchers as well as provide insight to those who may be planning future library storage facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is a library worth? This question has implications for all libraries and the clientele they serve, especially in times of economic uncertainty when libraries often have to justify their existence and demonstrate their worth. One method of assessing this worth is through value propositions, which have been primarily associated with the business sector, wherein an exploratory process is used to discover what customers need from an organization. This article will show how libraries can utilize value proposition strategies to think differently about how their resources and services create value for their respective patron segments. This renewed perspective may encourage librarians to reimagine their purpose, reorganize their focus, and redefine their worth. • Value Propositions as practical solution for articulating a library's worth • Use Value Canvas mapping to align patrons' needs with library resources • Understand library users and what they value • Analyze patron defined needs to foster a strong user-centered learning environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries are tasked with upholding a code of ethics for patron privacy according to the Library Bill of Rights and the American Library Association's (ALA) Code of Ethics. However, patrons' personal identifiable information (PII) is being shared through various channels. As libraries move to more technical and digital based collections this creates more challenges to safeguarding patrons' privacy. This technical environment is where information now serves as a platform for library assessment analysis, access for patrons, and demonstration of impact. This study examines the values of e-resource librarians about privacy, the environmental factors influencing decisions, and if the e-resource librarian has a role in their organization's privacy standards. Data was collected through surveys, and the study found that there is a direct correlation between an organization having a policy on privacy and the e-resource librarians' values being represented in their role. There are also indications that the e-resource librarian believes their employer shares their values on privacy. Lastly, the study revealed two major external driving forces on privacy policy are vendors and US privacy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This survey of graduate students' and faculty's use and non-use of ebooks is a follow-up to the data captured in 2011 from the same mid-sized public university in southeast Texas. In addition to providing a change comparison of faculty and graduate students' ebooks usage over the past decade, the study also aims to contribute to the growing ebook literature examining faculty and graduate students' perception and use of ebooks for different academic activities. Survey results showed that while the proportion of respondents who are library ebook users had increased significantly over the past decade, both ebook users and non-users' attitude towards e- and print books remained consistent. Most ebook users appreciated features such as keyword searches and copy and pasting, but the majority also valued the option to print out pages and chapters. Respondents' format preferences also shifted based on their academic needs, although some of the feature limitations that prompted some users to switch from or avoid library ebooks were caused by DRM restrictions that could be removed by publishers. The findings have implications beyond the institution for academic library ebook acquisition and communication with local user populations. Other marketing and future research implications of the findings are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the impact of post-COVID-19 pandemic on library users' education course, specifically on examinations and survey practices upon the resumption of on-campus instruction. A descriptive survey research design was employed with 384 students from Adeleke University responding to the survey. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected. The study found that library users' education was significantly impacted post-pandemic in terms of examinations, questionnaire administration, lectures, and orientation exercises. The majority of students preferred computer-based tests (CBT) for exams and online methods for questionnaire administration, but the study also identified challenges such as rigid examination schedules, internet connectivity issues, and a limited number of computers available. The study, therefore, recommends that universities invest in technology infrastructure to improve internet connectivity, increase the number of computers available for students, and offer more flexible examination schedules to accommodate students who face internet connectivity issues. These measures would help ensure a smoother transition to online learning for library users in the case of a future pandemic and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We released a python library (MetaIBM) for individual-based modelling on GitHub. • The MetaIBM is suitable for a wide range of scenarios in metacommunity ecology. • The library is optimised and is adapted to high-performance computing devices. • The library can simulate a community with up to millions of unique individuals. • Four modelling examples were demonstrated to guide potential users. Individual-based modelling (IBM) is a powerful tool for simulating complex biological communities. By defining a population as comprising individuals that differ from one another, IBM can simulate the assembly and organisation of complex communities under various eco-evolutionary processes in a large spatial scale, with tremendous variables or parameters considered simultaneously. IBM disentangles a complex system into various sub-systems interacting with each other, allowing us to develop a unified library with a modular design for a wide range of complex scenarios in community assembly. In such a library, a number of parameters-controlled processes can be primitively coded as the sub-systems (or sub-models). Here, we released a Python-coded library as a framework for Metacommunity Individual-based Modelling (MetaIBM). As an open-source library, the MetaIBM has several merits, including: (a) it can be used to simulate a wide range of ecological problems of metacommunities. The metacommunity landscape and its environment gradients can be designed flexibly by users. Users can selectively turn off or on and set up parameters-controlled ecological processes according to their needs. (b) It adopts optimised algorithms and adapts to the high-performance computing devices, so that the users can explore a wide range of parameters space synchronously within a reasonable time. (c) It can be used to simulate a group of communities with up to millions of unique individuals, which is an originally plain portrayal of natural communities. To guide potential users, we provided the source codes of the library and a user manual. In the present article, we gave four examples to demonstrate how to design and model a metacommunity using the MetaIBM, simulating the community assembly in an islands-mainland model under the metacommunity framework with (a) neutral assumptions, (b) niche assumptions, (c) slow evolution scenarios, (d) rapid evolution scenarios. The examples showed that the MetaIBM can efficiently fit the community assembly, and reveal several intrigued species diversity patterns under the interaction of evolutionary processes and dispersal processes at multiple scales. The MetaIBM will be continuously maintained and updated to provide more functions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success or failure of any tool, service or system used in a library is predicated on the audience it finds. While web-scale discovery systems have developed widespread adoption in academic libraries, there is a sense from librarians that they continue to be in search of their true audience. Librarians play a key role in the utilization of web-scale discovery systems, and their experiences as an end user of these systems may influence their attitudes in many ways. The survey discussed in this article looks at the attitudes librarians have toward web-scale discovery systems when using them for their personal research, including feature preferences and inquiries into opinions regarding strengths and weaknesses of the system. The results of this survey provide some insights into why some librarians struggle with the idea using of web-scale discovery systems by themselves and by the patrons with which they work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is aimed at determining the future role of libraries in Pakistan as perceived by the Millennials (people born during the 1980's and late 1990's) considering the current ongoing digital development. The quantitative research design, based on survey has been used for the study. The population consisted of students from large and medium sized general universities of Lahore, Pakistan. Stratified purposive sampling technique was carried out to select the pool of the subjects e. A self-constructed and validated instrument was used to collect data. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS (16.0). The results revealed that Millennials want future libraries to allow easy access to a wide range of reading material in both print and digital form. They want to be able to round the clock access to electronic and print resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library snackables are pedagogical strategies that allow library users to digest information content in short bites. The purpose of a snackable is to communicate useful and understandable information over a short time frame, an aspect that often appeals to Generation Z students. This study launched six one-minute videos informing students about library services and resources. A mixed methods survey instrument (206 respondents) and YouTube viewing data (820 views) were used to gauge student opinion, analyze audience engagement, and evaluate knowledge retention. The findings reveal that students have a positive perception of short library videos, which further help with information transfer and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of researchers from an academic library surveyed students to understand how and why the members of their community use course reserve services. Students were happy with the service and used it as a replacement for purchasing textbooks. Frequent users requested more textbook offerings, and both users and nonusers indicated a need for increased promotion of the service. Users provided specific suggestions for improvement that should be examined. Findings illustrated the value of course reserve services as a way to help students with college affordability and to support instruction and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the conditions for using libraries in South Korea are improving in terms of the concept of a 15-min city, such as the expansion of public library functions and an increase in the number of libraries, the number of users per library is declining. This phenomenon represents the necessity of advancing the understanding of library use behavior from the policy aspects of facility planning, maintenance, and management. Hence, this study analyzes the effect of library services and distance on choices regarding library use and predicted changes in library use behavior through a choice experiment and a discrete choice model. The results reveal that library services, distance, and library-use status influenced library users' and non-users' decisions regarding library use. Through predictions of library use behavior, administrative districts that provide relatively low utility are identified, and the number of library users is estimated. Considering the impact of the interaction between library services and spatial patterns on potential users, it is possible to predict different library use patterns that can help make policy decisions regarding facility planning and management. • Preferences for libraries that apply the concept of a 15-minute city are analyzed. • Potential users' choice behavior of library is economically modeled and explored. • We divided the regular library user into single, transfer, and multiple user. • Library services and spatial patterns influence decision-making on library use. • Demand is estimated considering the differences across districts in the utility provided by libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined the ways in which academic librarians and users interact when using social media tools such as Twitter and Weibo as well as end-users' and librarians' perceptions of the types of interaction through social media. The study conducted an analysis of 1600 microblog posts sampled from twenty university library Weibo (Chinese Twitter) sites and twenty library Twitter sites in English-speaking countries. The results were compared using Chi-Square analysis. Results indicated that at present academic librarians in English-speaking countries use post information relevant to the library (news and events) and respond to information/research inquiries. And academic librarians in China are likely to use Weibo to communicate with users and to disseminate library news. Given the lack of previous research on how social media such as micro-blogging in general facilitates communication between librarians and library users in academic libraries between in English-speaking countries and China, this study provides valuable information concerning librarians' and end-users' interactions of information/knowledge sharing activities, which will enable libraries to be better positioned to promote user engagement through SNS usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ongoing discussion on library as place, there has not been a robust framework for understanding the meanings and the dimensions of library as place. The purpose of this study is to identify reliable and meaningful dimensions of academic library as place. The formative elements of academic library as place were elicited in terms of physical setting of place, person, and act. A cross-sectional field study was conducted at a state university in the eastern region of the United States. Principal component analysis identified three dimensions of academic library as place: information and services, reading and study, and relaxation. The conceptualization of academic library as place enables us to confirm constructs, and the established constructs advance theoretical discussions on library as place. The findings of this study are expected to provide empirical evidence of user perception of library as place, thus improving our understanding of users and strategies for the effective design of library space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries serve as important hubs for lifelong learning for older adults. Nevertheless, if library visits are perceived as discouraging and frustrating, they can be burdensome for this demographic. The perceptions of motivations influencing public library use among older adults was explored through 37 semi-structured interviews. Employing the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) motivation model, a qualitative approach was adopted. The analysis aims to shed light on the motivations and perceptions of elderly library users. The significance lies in being the pioneer in applying the ARCS motivation model to library use among older adults within the framework of public libraries, highlighting profound implications for library services catering to this demographic. The findings will contribute to new methodologies in library user research, increase knowledge and interest in public library use among older adults, and provide concrete suggestions for library administrators and policymakers. • Older adults' motivations for using public libraries are interconnected within the ARCS motivation model. • Older adults' attention emphasizes the variety and availability of library materials, programs, and services. • Older adults' relevance emphasizes the need for the educational and recreational value of public libraries. • Older adults' confidence emphasizes expectations, opportunities, and librarian support for library use. • Older adults' satisfaction emphasizes the convenience of library services, comfort of facilities, and feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study explores use patterns of an academic library following the addition of several non-library units. Of specific interest were the initial destinations of patrons, the number of destinations visited, and the primary purpose for coming to the library. We observed all destinations of patrons as they entered the building and administered an exit survey to gain additional insight into patrons' use of the library, including all first floor destinations visited and their primary purpose for visiting the library. We used selected statistics to further explore library use. Findings indicate that non-library units are a popular destination for library patrons but do not eclipse the overall use of library units; that the majority of patrons only visit one destination per trip to the library; and that the primary purposes for which patrons come to the library are studying and the use of library materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop face.evoLVe —a comprehensive library that collects and implements a wide range of popular deep learning-based methods for face recognition. The motivation of the software is to lower the technical burdens in reproducing the existing methods for comparison, while users of our library could focus on developing advanced approaches more efficiently. More specifically, Face.evoLVe is well designed with an extensible framework under vibrantly evolving, so that new face recognition approaches can be easily plugged into our framework. The library is available at https://github.com/ZhaoJ9014/face.evoLVe. Face.evoLVe has been widely used for face analytics, receiving 2,700 stars and 683 forks and we have used Face.evoLVe to participate in a number of face recognition competitions and secured the first place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic libraries are currently experiencing a drastic change; this change has been necessitated with the introduction of the internet and the advancement of technology. Traditionally, academic libraries were the sole providers of information in the university environment. However, with the introduction of the internet, information access is scattered, and the academic library that previously used to enjoy the monopoly of being the only disseminator of information, now has competitors. The internet has changed the way information is accessed, packaged, shared and disseminated. Library users are changing the way they access information. Despite all these changes, academic libraries are yet to fully develop and embrace appropriate strategies to address these new realities. This paper highlights the significance of introducing innovative strategies in academic libraries for sustainability purposes, using business entrepreneurial theories, competing values framework and disruptive innovation theory in the transformation of academic libraries into a value addition organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores library users' perceptions and preferences of virtual reference services (VRS) in an academic library in Hong Kong and examines the impact of VRS on students' learning for the future improvement of the library's services. A qualitative semi-structured interview was conducted with ten students from different faculties of a comprehensive university in Hong Kong. Proceedings of the interviews were recorded using Zoom, transcribed, and analyzed into theme tables according to the 5E learning model. Results indicate that WhatsApp is the most preferred VRS due to its convenience, response immediacy, textual record, and minimal learning efforts. Phone, email, and Zoom are less preferred due to users' perceived embarrassment, formality, and time constraints. The findings demonstrate that VRS is vital in students' different learning stages. It arouses students' interest in learning and information search, allows the exploration of new learning resources, provides a good platform to solve learning problems, and offers efficient and instant help for learning. Unlike previous studies, this study identifies users' perceived impact of VRS on their learning process based on the 5E learning model. It provides important implications and suggestions to improve VRS and staff training to enhance the library's overall reference services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this research is to explore the idea of the participatory library in higher education settings. This research aims to address the question, what is a participatory university library? Design/methodology/approach Grounded theory approach was adopted. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with two diverse groups of participants including ten library staff members and six library users. Data collection and analysis were carried out simultaneously and complied with Straussian grounded theory principles and techniques. Findings Three core categories representing the participatory library were found including “community”, “empowerment”, and “experience”. Each category was thoroughly delineated via sub-categories, properties, and dimensions that all together create a foundation for the participatory library. A participatory library model was also developed together with an explanation of model building blocks that provide a deeper understanding of the participatory library phenomenon. Research limitations The research focuses on a specific library system, i.e., academic libraries. Therefore, the research results may not be very applicable to public, special, and school library contexts. Originality/Value This is the first empirical study developing a participatory library model. It provides librarians, library managers, researchers, library students, and the library community with a holistic picture of the contemporary library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical space in an academic library is increasingly important to fully support students' diverse needs for learning spaces. However, inefficient space design and planning give rise to crowded and underutilized spaces in a library, thereby probably lowering students' learning outcomes and wasting costly space. Understanding students' use of space can facilitate effective design and planning, which in turn will result in more efficient use of space. As students' spatial choices (i.e., the act of decision-making of an individual or group among two or more space alternatives for a certain activity) account for much of the space use in a library, this study explored the factors that influence their choice of space in an academic library using a paper-based survey (n = 252) at the central academic library, Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands. The five most important space attributes were “Amount of space,” “Noise level,” “Crowdedness,” “Comfort of furnishing” and “Cleanliness.” The spatial choice patterns also differed according to different user and activity profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference services have been developed in China for nearly a century; however literature shows that very little research has been done on users' perception of reference services in Chinese academic libraries. To fill the research gap, this study aims to examine how Chinese undergraduates perceive, understand and use the reference service. A survey was employed and conducted in a comprehensive Chinese university with about 19,000 undergraduate students. 433 valid questionnaires were received. ANOVA was adopted to examine overall reference service satisfaction variation among respondents in different programs. The study reveals that library resources and reference services have been improved in China during the past twenty years, especially with the great support of Project 211 and Project 985 by the Ministry of Education of China. However, there is still more to do to change libraries from book repositories to modern user-centered information services and to improve historically underdeveloped user services in Chinese libraries. Libraries and librarians in China need to more actively embrace the philosophy that library resources are to be used and librarians are there to serve, to thoroughly promote reference services and render them more visible, and to diligently learn, adopt and apply technology to provide quality reference services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do libraries reconcile increasing access to information and encouraging the use of 21st century technology systems and tools while also preserving patrons' privacy? This question is challenging for all libraries to address, but academic libraries must grapple with it while also considering other complex issues: not only do these libraries need to comply with the ALA's Library Bill of Rights and supporting documents, but they must also adhere to federal-, state-, and institution-level policies regarding student privacy and information security. This article presents how one university's libraries worked to both develop a public statement on patron privacy and identify behind-the-scenes issues with the collection, storage, and disposal of library patrons' private information. The strategies used herein may be helpful to other academic libraries as they consider patron privacy in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this study was to identify: 1) usage of library e-resources by faculty and staff affiliation and status to identify research and teaching needs; 2) usage of library e-resources by student major, status, gender, registered disability and registered veteran to establish best outreach practices and areas that need service improvement and collection development in support of student learning; and 3) the correlation between use of library e-resources and student attainment as defined by grade point average (GPA). Demographic data was collected for these users based on their university NetID logins. The findings in this study conclusively document that students and faculty use library e-resources to a statistically significant extent and that a statistical relationship exists between student GPA and their use of e-resources. This information confirms the value of library resources to institutional teaching and research needs and can be used to document library value to the institutional mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A persona represents a group of target users that share common behavioural characteristics. The personas method, an approach to systems design, has been receiving significant attention from practitioners. However, only anecdotal evidence currently exists for the effectiveness of personas and there have been criticisms about its validity as a scientific approach to research. This paper attempts to demonstrate how incorporating personas may lead to better understand the information needs of humanities scholars. Humanities scholars in an advanced ICT environment in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan are sampled as a case. Previous studies show that the humanities scholars have a significant negative relation with ICT use; they are using it less than scientists and social scientists, and they demonstrate a significantly higher use of library facilities than other academics. There is also a lack of up-to-date international research on the humanities scholars' information needs that takes into account recent rapid increases in the availability of ICT infrastructure, especially the Internet. As such, the objective of this study is to understand the information needs of humanities scholars and the effect of the electronic environment on their information seeking behaviour using personas. This study is conducted within a conceptual framework based on an integration of existing models of information-seeking behaviour, along with additional new elements representing the information context environment, such as languages, decision to seek and format of information resources. The four personas that were uncovered in this study may be able to effectively communicate the actual information needs of the humanities scholars through the personal narrative, name, and face, which continuously will remind the academic library of what their users really want and need from their services. This study also lays the foundation for future research by identifying variables of interest, and building construct validity through the themes of information needs that emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student deep participation in library work allows students to actively participate in library operation and become deeply involved in library service and program development. There are usually two levels of deep participation: level I refers to the employment of student assistants in different areas of library routine work, ranging from shelving to IT support; and level II refers to the engagement of students as library partners or collaborators, working with librarians to complete independent project. Sharing Tsinghua University Library's experiences, we provide a holistic view of how the two levels of student deep participation are implemented at an academic library, with a focus on level II. We seek to generate a thorough understanding of the practices and benefits of student deep participation, and encourage academic libraries to create more opportunities to deeply involve students in library work, and to ultimately demonstrate the value and relevance of the library to the campus community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer, yet few Americans test their homes for radon, particularly in rural areas. The academic team and community partners engaged the public library systems in four rural counties to offer digital radon detectors for check-out as a means of increasing the public's access to free radon testing. The check-out procedures and instructional materials were created through an iterative process, and library personnel were educated on radon and home radon testing prior to launching the lending program. Library patrons reported high usability, feasibility, and acceptability of the program. Library patron-staff interactions mainly included discussions about the logistics of radon testing. Given that public libraries are invested in making communities thrive and promoting health, providing library lending programs for radon detectors is a novel, feasible, and acceptable way to reduce the risk of lung cancer in the community. • The radon detector library loan program was designed and evaluated using citizen science methods. • The radon detector library loan program was usable, feasible and acceptable to library patrons. • Library patrons were appreciative of having access to radon detector kits at no cost. • Public libraries can serve as partners to promote the health of communities. • Radon detector loan programs are innovative and attract community members who may not have otherwise utilized the library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preface: Not So Quiet On the Set: The Jazz Singer is arguably the most disruptive film of all time. Released in 1927, it launched the transition from the silent film era into the talkies. Much more than an incremental improvement, this musical introduced a radically new technology (synchronized dialogue) resulting in a game-changer for the film industry. While silent movies didn't disappear overnight, it was obvious that “living pictures” were the future of the box office. By the end of 1929 nearly all films were talkies (Griffith & Quick, 1971). Consider the impact on the established order. The musical Singin' In the Rain (1952) depicts this critical point where movie stars from one era struggled to adapt in the new environment (Sunset Boulevard, 1950). Actors had to reinvent themselves, and many headliners simply could not adjust. The production side was similarly upended, demanding new processes and workflows. Sound engineers, technicians, screenwriters, and voice coaches were now in high demand. The industry's support infrastructure was transformed as well (Eyman, 1999). Cinemas outfitted their buildings with new audio and projection systems. Studios developed new marketing and distribution models. Film critics altered criteria by which motion pictures were evaluated. The Academy Awards added additional categories. A new art form had emerged. Talkies opened creative possibilities that had previously been unavailable and even unimaginable. Academic libraries are encountering a similar inflection point. In our case it isn't a single technology that is disrupting our established system, but a barrage of advancements in publishing, pedagogy, and user preferences. Higher education itself is in trouble. Both Moody's and Standard and Poor's recently issued troubling outlooks for public and private institutions. The landscape is shifting around us, and the future of scholarship requires us to develop new skills, design new environments, and deliver new service capacities. In short, we need new models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Whether or not a librarian appears approachable in public service environments is critical to providing excellent service, conveying a welcoming space, and encouraging library users to engage with one of the key intellectual venues on our campuses. This study used an image-rating method to assess the influence of affect and attire on patron impressions of librarian approachability. Findings suggest that librarian behaviors do matter, with specific treatments resulting in increased or decreased perceptions of approachability. These findings not only support common sense assessments that an attentive and welcoming environment is essential to encouraging patrons to engage with librarians; they also provide information on specific behaviors that affect approachability, allowing librarians to distinguish between a range of presentation styles that can be readily employed in public service. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mobile Internet applications and service innovations are changing people's way of life. At the same time, they are also changing the way that people communicate and access information. People who visited libraries to find specific information in the past are now able to find the same information online. As the spectrum of human need grows, the opportunities for librarians to meet these needs are also growing. Libraries will need to be designed to accommodate the changing needs of their users. Mobile library services can meet users' information needs in a fast-paced society. In this investigation we identified 39 university libraries supported by the Ministry of Education's “Project 985” and evaluated their status as mobile library service providers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Auraria Library, which serves the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State College of Denver and the Community College of Denver, collaborated with several academic courses on its campus to investigate some aspects of Participatory Action Research and Service Learning. The goal was to have students (the largest library user group) formulate questions, analyze data and provide suggestions that would help the library make evidence based decisions. The projects would provide student produced information that would be used to renovate the library. Unexpected benefits included the valuable relationships that developed between the Auraria Library, students and teaching faculty. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With the growth of international student enrollment in Chinese universities, user perception has become an area of developing research in academic libraries. China's policy of opening up has led to the education and economic reforms allowing major universities to enroll international students. These changes have created an increasing need for libraries to be responsive to the information needs of these students. In order to serve these students better, universities will be expected to further understand how academic library services are currently perceived by international students. This is particularly the case at Wuhan University, which has experienced significant growth in international student enrollment. This study aims to discover the met and unmet needs as well as barriers encountered in library use by international students. Based on the information gathered, recommendations and future strategies will be formulated to improve the understanding of the information needs of non-native Chinese speakers in both the provision of services and the building of collections. The findings of this study reveal that Chinese academic libraries are considerably well perceived by international students. It also indicates that they have differing purposes, and differing needs for library services and information resources. This paper acknowledges that the study is limited to Wuhan University; however, there is a need for further studies on non-Chinese speakers, particularly, international students to obtain important information on their perception of library services and information resources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While virtual reference services (VRS) are becoming more and more common in academic libraries, implementing and maintaining well-used and effective VRS can be a challenge in the face of competing demands on time, staffing, and funding. Between 2011 and 2012, librarians at Washington State University, Pullman (WSU) have overhauled and reorganized VRS, committing more time, money, and energy to VRS than ever before. While past experiences with VRS at WSU Pullman have been mixed, data collected from recent years shows that the decision to prioritize VRS was worth it, leading to a vital and rapidly growing service. VRS at WSU shows sizable increases in usage between 2010 and 2012, indicating that VRS is now a necessary part of the WSU Libraries' mission to best serve their community of users. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Among specialized applications of the well-known SERVQUAL scale for measuring perceptions of service quality, the LibQUAL+™ survey system has found widespread use in assessment of the quality of libraries. Three main dimensions of library quality have been identified: Information Control, Library as Place and Affect of Service. Using data from an application of the LibQUAL+™ survey, we investigate the relative difficulty of answering questions in each of these three areas, estimate the importance of each dimension in contributing to overall satisfaction with the library, and study differences in responses between user groups. We determine that Affect of Service (AS), similar to empathy in the general scale, is the most difficult dimension to evaluate. This is unfortunate because we find that AS is also the most important dimension in determining overall satisfaction with the library. We find that user characteristics are relevant in influencing both response rates and ratings of the AS scale items. In a follow up experiment to the LibQUAL survey we study the effect of user characteristics, such as type of user (student or faculty) and experience (length of association) on Affect of Service ratings. We determine that there is an interaction effect with experience moderating the impact of user type on perceptions of AS. Similar results are found in the case of another university service, a computer help desk. Our findings have implications for the administration and interpretation of LibQUAL surveys. The results also have implications for front line library staff members who should be mindful to provide individual, caring attention to undergraduates who are not favorably disposed towards their library services until they are both experienced and familiar with the library. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Holocaust denial literature has been treated inconsistently in library collections. At one time Holocaust denial literature was classed and subject headings assigned with Holocaust literature. After specific Library of Congress classification numbers and subject headings for Holocaust denial and Holocaust denial literature became available in the 1990s, works of Holocaust denial and Holocaust denial literature became split in library collections, both in online catalogs and on the shelves. A review of the classification and subject treatment for five well-known works of Holocaust denial was conducted in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member catalogs. Collocation of material on the shelves is a popular discovery tool of library users. Works classed together are assumed to be about the same topic. When works of Holocaust denial are classed with works about the Jewish Holocaust, it may inadvertently lend them credibility. Librarians have an ethical duty to reclassify works that have been misidentified in their collections. Most libraries do not collect heavily in this subject area and it would not create an undue burden to reclassify and remark these titles. It would provide a valuable service to the library user. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A critical component of strategic planning is creating a shared-awareness among library staff of the potential societal, political, economic and technological changes that will influence how future users will create and consume scholarly materials, what will be expected of library services, and how facilities will be used. The ACRL Futuring scenarios were adapted at the beginning of the Ohio University Libraries strategic planning process to identify such themes and concerns. Those scenarios prompted a series of in-depth and interactive group discussions, which created a shared awareness of possible library futures and guided Ohio University's strategic thinking. Those interactive exercises led by Professor David Staley, and the subsequent discussions surrounding the scenarios, represent a best practice for other librarians and staff who are attempting to understand the external factors that shape society, higher education and the future of libraries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A content analysis was conducted of status messages posted by academic libraries on seventeen Facebook pages. In addition to being informational, libraries attempt to engage and establish rapport with students through Facebook. The university setting not only creates a context for messages, but also offers a mutual set of experiences and values shared by libraries and students. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Library use is strongly linked with student persistence in higher education, and Latino students have lower rates of academic library use and proficiency than other racial/ethnic groups of students. This study explores Latino undergraduate students' perceptions of the academic library and library staff and identifies the conditions which impede or facilitate the students' use of the library. Using a multiple case study design, this study describes the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate students who identify as Latino and attend a four-year public research-intensive university in the Midwest. The findings suggest that Latino students use the library through the influence of peers, interpret the library as a space for cultural support based on their experiences with public libraries, and do not fully understand the range of resources and support available. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

2007 data from LibQUAL+™ and the ACRL Library Trends and Statistics database were analyzed to determine if there is a statistically significant correlation between library expenditures and usage statistics and library patron satisfaction across 73 universities. The results show that users of larger, better funded libraries have higher expectations for information resource availability, but not higher satisfaction scores. Furthermore, the data show no significant correlation between library usage statistics and user satisfaction. The researchers conclude that the lack of expected correlations could be attributed to limitations in the LibQUAL+™ method of measuring patron satisfaction, or the difficulty of using the quantitative measurements found in ACRL statistics to try and accurately predict user satisfaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper applied Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) to Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to identify service improvement techniques for an academic library. First, reader needs and their importance, and satisfaction degrees were examined via questionnaires. Second, the service improvement techniques for satisfying the reader needs were developed by interviewing experts. Following, a relation matrix was constructed by GRA. The empirical study specifies top 5 reader needs and service improvement techniques respectively, and some practical suggestions are raised for academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the extent of service quality in Spanish university science and technology libraries, based on the expectations and perceptions of their users: faculty and researchers. Users' information behavior is analyzed with the specially designed BiQual tool, which reveals specific needs such as the greater importance of electronic collections and improved electronic access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many surveys aim primarily at measuring general user satisfaction, this survey is dedicated to understanding music users' needs, usage patterns, and preferences towards various collections. Findings showed dissimilar use behavior and perceived importance of materials between academic- and performance-oriented music users. Needs for different score genres (formats) were also identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the outcome for integrated library systems (ILS). According to the author, integrated library systems are experiencing an increase in demand and expectations from its users. Topics include a brief historical overview of the author’s experience with library automation at the Virginia Tech (VT) University, the circumstances that led to the changes in the university’s library system, including an increasingly sophisticated user community, and the merits of the ILS. Why ILS must evolve, including meeting business needs, and an in-depth discussion of the architectural philosophy concerning ILS by Yale University’s System Librarian Ping Fu is presented.

In this article the authors discuss the challenges of libraries to remain relevant to their users in the face of various trends such as institutional repositories and the creation of digital libraries. The authors note that these trends, which are driven by the patrons’ needs, have caused the role of the librarian to change and eliminated the need for support staff. A discussion of a model for library staff that allows professional growth within the library is presented.

This paper analyses university library users' attitudes towards book vandalism in order to develop a basis for intervention. Using a customer oriented approach data was collected from users who attended an academic library exhibition on vandalized books at a University campus. Respondants were asked both for their reactions to the vandalism as well as to suggest measures to solve this problem. Punishment and surveillance were most frequently mentioned as preventative measures although users also recognized the utility of the exhibition in increasing awareness of book mutilation. Further implications of social marketing for libraries are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apparent death of academic libraries, as measured by declining circulation of print materials, reduced use of reference services, and falling gate counts, has led to calls for a more "social" approach to academic libraries: installing cafes, expanding group study spaces, and developing "information commons." This study compares these social models with the traditional academic library, whose spirit is best understood as "communal." It argues that this communal spirit is unique and greatly valued by academic library users. Efforts to create a more social academic library threaten this communal spirit and may do more harm than good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the frequency and characteristics of Internet use of students studying at the Department of Information Management at Hacettep University in Ankara, Turkey. It indicates that the students prefer electronic media in seeking information and use the Internet to do homework and prepare for their lessons. It adds that students find the easy accessibility of the information more important than the other qualities and they consider search engines as the most important means of information retrieval. Moreover, the study found no important differences on how the students reach the information through the Internet and the search engines they prefer, and the degree of search engines in fulfilling their information needs.

The article examines on how undergraduate students beliefs underlying their problem solving ability and style plays a role in influencing their perception and selection of information sources. It relates that evaluating and selecting quality information resources are essential and become key components in bibliographic instruction and information literacy training. The study indicates that students prefer to use sources that are not necessarily reliable and accurate, however, it suggests that users frequently turn to information sources they choose rather than those suitable for their tasks. In addition, the study helps to explain how students users with different characteristics view sources differently and help identify key factors and their influence on the source selection behavior.

The article focuses on a study of virtual reference transactions of non-traditional Caucasian and African American library users. The data for the study originated from requests sent by distance education students to a reference desk. It was found that on average, 10.5 messages were sent by African American users, while 7.5 messages were sent by Caucasian users. The study found that the African Americans asked more questions in the second messages, while their Caucasian counterparts asked more technical questions. The study suggests that African American students need more library support.

New product development is an omnipresent challenge to modern libraries in the information age. Therefore, we present the design and selected results of a comprehensive research project aiming at the systematic and user-oriented planning of academic library services by means of conjoint analysis. The applicability of the analytical framework used and the expressiveness of the attainable results are demonstrated by means of two surveys complementing each other. Both surveys together are representing the opinions of more than 3500 academic library users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]