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The article presents the discussion on ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest EDT) interacts with EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS). Topics include highlighting the importance of discovery services for providing unified search interfaces across various resource; and integration challenges due to differing metadata formats, the transition from Classic EDS to an updated interface with customizable "Supplemental Sources," and the implications for search functionality and user access.

A research project was undertaken by a university library system to develop a sustainable user experience strategy. A task force was convened to conduct a pilot project with members from both libraries in the system to assess staffing responsibilities, guidelines, processes, and data-gathering procedures. The team tested an electronic resources list common to both libraries. In describing the methods employed by the task force in their research, this article outlines the benefits and drawbacks of staffing configurations to initiate user experience practices in an academic library setting. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article looks at the role of public libraries in providing access to government information in the U.S. It outlines the shift that has occurred in government information from print to digital formats and discusses challenges this poses to libraries, including inadequate Internet access capacity. It looks at various approaches to evaluating library services. Other topics include the digital divide and library and information science (LIS) education.

The article looks at the legacy of library science scholar and outgoing "Library Quarterly" editor John Carlo Bertot, focusing on his work in the area of research aimed at having an impact on public policy in areas such as library funding. It discusses Bertot's studies of the extent of Internet connectivity and access at public libraries beginning in the 1990s. Topics include how research used to affect policy decisions differs from research with purely academic purposes.

The article looks at the legacy of library science scholar and outgoing "Library Quarterly" editor John Carlo Bertot, focusing on the importance of his work in relation to the advent of the Internet and digital services in libraries. Topics include Bertot's research on the extent and implications of Internet access in U.S. public libraries and his influence on library science education during his tenure at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies.

The article looks at the work of library science scholar John Carlo Bertot, outgoing editor of "Library Quarterly." It focuses on his work in assessing public libraries' Internet connectivity and engaging in a range of efforts to promote Internet use and digital access for the public through libraries. Topics include the 1990s Maryland state library network called Sailor and partnerships between libraries and related entities at the local, state, and national level in the U.S.

This paper introduces the WeChat mobile library service programme at Shanghai University Library and identifies problems and resolutions by reviewing the development process and experience and user feedback. A case study was conducted, and user feedback from a web survey was analysed to identify the programme's problems. Accordingly, recommendations and resolutions were developed. The author discovers that a WeChat account is crucial as an interaction platform between libraries and patrons, particularly on mobile devices. Patrons prefer to receive library services via WeChat rather than other channels. Their favourite features include online public access catalogue (OPAC), my library, and study facility availability. Libraries should conduct regular assessments to understand patrons' feedback or requests and make timely adjustments accordingly. The web survey and its data are novel in this area and provide a credible example to optimize WeChat library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various models of library services to business, but these are relatively underutilised in an Australian setting. They are however far better developed in the USA, where there is a long and successful history of providing small businesses with a variety of support services through publicly accessible libraries. This paper defines and explores the models of business services in libraries, reflecting on examples of these models in practice from both Australia and the USA. It then considers the future opportunities for developing and enhancing library service for business provision in Australia, based on these insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to high-speed ðbroadbandÞ Internet in public libraries requires a well-informed public to advocate, particularly in periods of government funding reductions and rapid technical and regulatory change. Libraries are encouraged by the National Broadband Plan to facilitate public inquiry on this issue by holding participatory forums. To collect evidence of the potential public response to library-led forums on this topic using a deliberative protocol, researchers conducted pre- and postforum surveys and content-analyzed recorded transcripts from thirteen library forums in north central Kansas. Results show positive influences of deliberation on participants' information seeking, political self-efficacy, subsequent issue advocacy, and general satisfaction with the forum experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

How should the information on the Internet be organized? This question and the possible solutions spark debates among people concerned with how we identify, classify, and retrieve Internet content. This paper discusses the benefits and the controversies of using a tagging system to organize Internet resources. Tagging refers to a classification system where individual Internet users apply labels, or tags, to digital resources. Tagging increased in popularity with the advent of Web 2.0 applications that encourage interaction among users. As more information is available digitally, the challenge to find an organizational system scalable to the Internet will continue to require forward thinking. Trained to ensure access to a range of informational resources, librarians need to be concerned with access to Internet content. Librarians can play a pivotal role by advocating for a system that supports the user at the moment of need. Tagging may just be the necessary system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries have evolved into a primary source of Internet access in many communities, generating wide-ranging impacts in the communities that public libraries serve. Based on the findings of the 2007 Public Libraries and the Internet study, this article examines the ways in which the Internet access delivered by public libraries affects their communities. This article describes the public access technology roles of public libraries and explores the relationships among community impacts, community expectations, and public policies related to libraries. The analysis emphasizes the effects of future Internet platforms and applications and online communities on the community impacts. This article also examines ways in which to measure these impacts from other perspectives, including developing a means of assessing the users' perceptions of the impacts of public library Internet access in their own lives and in their communities. [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.

Drawing upon findings from a national survey of U.S. public libraries, this paper examines trends in Internet and public computing access in public libraries across states from 2004 to 2006. Based on library-supplied information about levels and types of Internet and public computing access, the authors offer insights into the network-based content and services that public libraries provide. Examining data from 2004 to 2006 reveals trends and accomplishments in certain states and geographic regions. This paper details and discusses the data, identifies and analyzes issues related to Internet access, and suggests areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between OCLC Online Computer Library Center and its member institutions worldwide is formalized in the Members Council. This body, representing OCLC's constituent networks and service centers, has a key role in helping the OCLC Board of Trustees and management determine the future direction of the cooperative. Its core responsibilities include electing six trustees to the fifteen-member Board, and approving or rejecting changes to OCLC's Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations, the corporation's founding documents. The Members Council also represents the interests of libraries to OCLC. While the Board, Council, and management do not agree on all issues, their relationships are characterized by extensive interaction and mutual respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In all business communities, standards development is a collaborative activity that requires the participation of all players in the value chain. This article looks at how NISO's current work, supported largely through a collaboration of vendors and libraries, relates to trends and innovations in library services management. It also gives insights into how the information community accomplishes its standards goals through multiple channels. Featured sections include historical perspectives on information standards and discussion of major influences on the development of next-generation standards affecting library management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the opportunities, challenges, and results of a vendor-library development project to create an ecommerce' tool as an integrated facet of Innovative's Web OPAC. Westerville Public Library was engaged with the software development process from the outset, communicating administrative, technical, and service issues and needs while also testing the product with its customers. The project culminated in early 2004 with the installation of Innovative's Ecommerce product and resulted in the collection of large payments online and an increase in total fine revenue collected. Most notably, the team found that Ecommerce gathered nearly a quarter of all fines collected in 2004, and almost one-third of fines collected in the first half of 2005. The participants reflect on the nature and history of the partnership, outcomes, best practices, and future plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anatolian University Libraries Consortium (ANKOS) was formally created in 2001 following joint licensing projects by four libraries in 1999 and twelve in 2000. The consortium has grown to encompass eighty-nine libraries in 2005, and the number of its contracts has increased to twenty-five. Members include Turkish university libraries and research libraries attached to hospitals and government offices. A voluntary association, ANKOS is run by a Steering Committee composed of the directors of nine member libraries with the help of staff members from those libraries. The first agreements were for print+e-access for journals and for an aggregator database, and these were mostly informal subscription arrangements. An early activity was the development of a model Turkish National Site License. That license now forms the basis for negotiations with vendors, which culminate in formal license agreements. Beginning in 2004, ANKOS contracts are for electronic-only access and are often for multiple years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The E-rate program has provided tremendous benefits to libraries, allowing many libraries and library systems to acquire technological equipment and services that would otherwise be too expensive, increasing the availability of public Internet access through libraries. This article analyzes the data related to the E-rate program and the discounts that it has provided to libraries and library systems between 2000 and 2004. By examining the E-rate data in a longitudinal manner, this article explores the trends in the application for and the provision of E-rate discounts to libraries and library consortia at national and state levels. The data suggest that, despite a number of controversies over the years, the program has provided a significant level of support for libraries and library consortia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the use of filtering software ("censorware") and the World Wide Web. It argues that the United States government, religious groups, and corporations should not deter freedom of speech and access to information in libraries. The article describes how governments and religious groups try to prevent Web sites from reaching Internet users, and explains how corporations sell and use filters for their own benefit. It also introduces organizations that rate Web sites as an alternative to electronic filters, and presents people and groups that oppose filtering. In conclusion, it supports the idea that librarians and information professionals can educate Internet users without the interference of external entities and censorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to assess tire service quality of public libraries of Lahore by evaluating the disparities between the users' expectation and currently received services. The survey method based on questionnaire was used. Four of the largest libraries in Lahore, in terms of services, collection and other facilities, were the population of the study. A sample of four hundred library users was selected with one hundred library users for each library based on convenience sampling. A modified LibQUAL+ tool was adopted to collect the data. The findings revealed that users have very high expectations regarding the accessibility of library's electronic resources from home or office, library website, printed material, availability of electronic information resource, modem equipment, tools that allow the users to find the material themselves, and provision of the information in an easy manner. The findings are helpful for public libraries' authorities to redcsign/upgradc the quality of library services, policies and procedures according to users' expectations and requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic books (e-books) are vital information resources in every university library as they are utilised by users in search of information for conducting research activities, teaching, learning and assignment. This study investigated the relationship between utilisation of e-books and users' satisfaction in university libraries in North East Zone, Nigeria. Correlational research method was used. The population of the study comprised of five thousand three hundred and seventy nine (5,379) registered library users spread across the five sampled university libraries under study. Stratified random sampling technique was used in drawing the samples and the sample size for this study was one thousand three hundred and seventy two (1,372) registered library users drawn using Krejcie and Morgan (2006) table. Questionnaire was used as the research instrument. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics to answer the two research questions, while, inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) was used to test the formulated null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study revealed that users' utilisation of e-books and users' satisfaction with utilisation of e-books for research, learning, assignment and information in university libraries in North East Nigeria were generally moderate. The study also established that there was significant relationship between utilisation of e-books and users' satisfaction in university libraries in North East Zone, Nigeria. The study recommended teaching of information literacy for library users, acquisition of adequate and relevant e-books in the university libraries as well as discouraging users from using information obtained from online sources such as Google and other search engines as they are mostly ineffective for their research activities, teaching, learning and assignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last three decades, the digitisation of art collections has become a priority for an increasing number of museums all over the world. Regarded as a means of promoting public access to culture, the dissemination of collections on the Internet has also proven to be crucial for communicating with different audiences. Through museum websites, social media and common platforms—such as Google Arts & Culture or Europeana—digital images are now made widely accessible and come to acquire a life of their own; a life that transcends the original artwork, as it takes place largely outside the institutional sphere. Moreover, the open online circulation of these reproductions paves the way for multiple uses, reinterpretations and recreations. In this article, I will discuss the creative potential of open access to art collections, questioning whether museums are effectively dealing with these new cultural dynamics because, although many of these experiments can easily be found by browsing the Internet, they are rarely accessible through institutional channels. After a brief contextualisation, the text focuses on an emblematic case‐study: The Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni by Domenico Ghirlandaio, housed at the Thyssen‐Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. My research involves a comprehensive online tracking of artistic projects either inspired by or derived from this Renaissance masterpiece. Based on a critical analysis of Internet sources, as well as interviews with the museum and the artists themselves, I argue that exploring the links between institutional and alternative narratives contributes to multiple visions of the collections and fosters digital engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networking sites (SNS) are widely used by the library information science professionals for libraries for various purposes due to their characteristics, facilities and connectivity. This study provides views of library and information science professionals regarding usages of SNS tools and services for their libraries. It was discovered from the study that maximum number of library and information science professionals who responded in this survey were associated with academic libraries have known about SNS tools and services since more than four years from internet/search engines, use SNS several times in daily, for interacting with the users and getting feedback from the users , used SNS namely 'Facebook', for marketing of library services and products but did not have policy for using SNS into their libraries and lack of credibility of SNS tools and services emerged as major barrier to use SNS for libraries. Apart from this, maximum number of respondents said that SNS tools and services will be used for libraries in full extend in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitous data center optical interconnection is a promising scenario to meet the high burstiness and high-bandwidth requirements of services in terms of the user-access-oriented interconnection between user and data center, inter-data- center, and intra-data-center interconnection. However, in the current mode of operation, the control of the data center and optical network is separately deployed. Enabling even limited interworking among these separated control systems does not provide a mechanism to exchange resource information and enhance the high-level performance requirement of applications. Our previous work implemented cross-stratum optimization of optical network and application strata resources inter-data-center, which allows the accommodation of data center services. In view of this, this study extends to the ubiquitous data center optical interconnection scenario. This article presents a novel SUDOI architecture aimed at extensive user access from the perspective of heterogeneous cross-stratum and multi-layer networking modes. SUDOI can enable cross-stratum optimization of application and optical network stratum resources, and enhance multiple- layer resource integration in the ubiquitous data center optical interconnection. The functional modules of SUDOI architecture, including the core elements of various controllers, are described in detail. The cooperation procedure in user-access-oriented interconnection, multiple- layer resource integration inter-data-center, and intra-data-center service modes is investigated. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed architecture are also experimentally demonstrated on our OaaS testbed with OpenFlow-enabled optical nodes, and compared to the CSO scheme in terms of blocking probability and resource occupation rate. Numerical results are given and analyzed based on the testbed. Some future discussion and exploration issues are presented in the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Like all public libraries, rural public libraries in the Appalachian region can play a significant role in the economic development of their communities. Economic development in rural communities potentially benefit from many of the same resources and services all enjoy at public libraries, including free and public Internet access, space, education, question answering, and materials on many business-related subjects. This article reports survey findings of current activities that rural public libraries perform in one state, namely the state of Tennessee, as a case study to apply the lessons and insights to other parts of the United States. The discussion includes assessment of activities and some recommendations to streamline and stimulate all public libraries in conducting this assistance efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated 18 libraries in two public library systems in Oklahoma to find out how they are addressing health literacy and facilitating access to consumer health information; how library staff members view their roles and responsibilities relative to health information and health literacy; what challenges libraries face; and what strategies are being used. Staff members recognized several challenges to providing health information and to developing programs, including staff and patron difficulties with reference interviews, and patron lack of awareness of library resources. Staff members often had only a partial understanding of health literacy, and were unaware of system strategies to address health literacy or provision of health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the move of design thinking from the physical to encompass the emotional and behavioural, the designers' creation of a context for experience and why user experience (UX) is a discipline providing the user-centric and analytical data-driven approach needed when designing appropriate and effective products and services. He discusses various research methods that allow designers to work within the intersection of user, context and system to define design principles.