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This text is a guest editorial that reflects on the influence and mentorship of Michael Buckland, a prominent figure in the field of library and information science. The author shares their personal experience of discovering Buckland's work and how it shaped their own research and career. They highlight Buckland's humility, curiosity, and willingness to take chances on others. The text also includes a brief mention of Buckland's concept of "information as thing" and its impact on the author's understanding of museum objects as documents. Overall, the text serves as a tribute to Buckland's mentorship and the lasting impact he has had on the field. [Extracted from the article]

Identifying trends in research through co-citation or content analysis of journal contents is quite a common practice in LIS research. In this study, however, we proposed the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a popular topic-modeling approach for identifying research trends of published articles in three scopus-indexed Indian LIS journals. A total of 1213 titles & their abstracts published between 2011 and 2022 have been considered. From these data, a corpus of frequently used 15 key phrases was identified from each journal using Count Vectorizer and then ten topics having higher coherence scores were extracted from each journal corpus using LDA techniques to understand to what extent these topics are different in these journals. The analysis of the study indicates that 'Library users' studies' especially in academic libraries; and 'bibliometric indicators for measuring research growth are a few common topics in these journals and, technological innovation; utilisation of electronic and print information resources; library management; or network analysis are some of the topics that are journal specific. From the t-SNE visualisation and pyLDAvis diagram, it was seen that the topics of DJLIT are significantly unique with discrete distributions than the other two journals. On analysing the growth of the top ten topics longitudinally, it was seen that research on digital libraries, analysing the global output, online search strategy, ranking universities, etc. are concurrent interests of research among researchers while academic library resources, including electronic resources and its use, open access are among diminishing research interests of authors. Since the topic-modeling approach can provide results devoid of bias, it can be used to identify research land scape longitudinally as well as obsolescence of topic in a domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the passage of Illinois House Bill 2789, signed into law as Public Act 103-0100, which aims to counter attempts to censor or ban books in school and community libraries. Topics include the implications of the law on library collection policies, the role of the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, and the broader context of book challenges and censorship in educational settings.

Purpose: The use of mobile technologies and learning devices has been increasing in every field of life, and library and information sciences are no exception. This study aims to explore the perceptions of library and information science (LIS) students regarding mobile learning (m-learning) along with their primary purposes, social media applications, advantages, disadvantages, barriers, impact and overall satisfaction with using these devices. Design/methodology/approach: A survey method was used, and data was collected from the students of 12 library schools in Pakistan for a total sample of 250 students. Findings: Their main purposes of usage, their needs, advantages, disadvantages, barriers, impacts and the level of overall satisfaction were also identified. The inferential statistics (t-test and ANOVA) also identified the difference of opinion on the basis of gender, programs, types and number of m-learning devices. Overall, the findings highlight the need for academic libraries to give mobile access (launching mobile applications) to better use library services. To ensure this, libraries must keep an eye on new advances in mobile technology, researchers' needs and related electronic library services and observe how these services are being used. Practical implications: Theoretical and practical implications have been highlighted to understand the perceptions of LIS students about m-learning devices. Originality/value: The mobile library service providers and management need to improve their services by offering services that fit the diverse needs of their users and should know how to attract modern library users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a quantitative questionnaire survey, this study investigates the perceptions and attitudes of a group of library and information science (LIS) students toward a variety of library user education (LUE) programs provided by Sun Yat-Sen University Library, located in Guangzhou, China. This study also compares the data of LIS students and non-LIS students (of various disciplines) to highlight their unique characteristics. In total, 457 responses were collected for this questionnaire survey (231 LIS, 226 non-LIS). Findings of this study reveal that the LIS student group placed a higher value on the importance of LUE programs. Unexpectedly, the LIS group gave slightly lower scores in rating certain aspects of LUE librarians' professional competence. This study provides valuable insights for librarians to develop library services to support LIS students' academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate what semiotic analysis can reveal about how welcoming and inclusive a science library space is for patrons. A space was examined in terms of its messaging to patrons of various genders, abilities, races, ethnicities, nationalities, and disciplines. Findings are presented about the space's messaging regarding the disciplines it serves, inclusion of patrons from minoritized demographics, and general expectations of visitors. Recommendations for library practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The paper presents a chronological overview of the program activities that were carried out in the Podsused Library during seven years as part of the Podsused Cultural and Natural Heritage program, which has been involved in multiple collaborative relationships in the community in which the Library operates since its foundation. Approach/methodology/design. Using the qualitative method of content analysis, the first part of the paper provides an overview of the contemporary paradigms on the interpretation of cultural heritage and international documents on its role in modern society and importance for the local community that are applicable in the context of the development of the library program. The analysis includes scientific and professional literature in the field of librarianship, museology, and archival science. The second part provides a chronological overview of the projects within the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Podsused program that have been realized in the past seven years using the Library's documents and archives, public tender and report materials, as well as the published professional works on the program along with searching online sources. Results. The Cultural and Natural Heritage Program of Podsused was integrated in the local community from the very beginning. The local history significance of the projects is manifested not only in the choice of materials, but also in a wide network of collaborative relationships at the local level that contribute to a sense of common ownership. The involvement of the members and users of the library and the local community in collecting the materials and interpretation of cultural heritage have resulted in co-creation of the content of the program, and were carried out as part of the Library's activities. Originality. The practical contribution of the paper is the implementation of various local community involvement activities on the topic of heritage, which can be applied in other environments and contexts. It also shows the use of various participatory practices in the interpretation of local heritage with the purpose of its promotion, education of the local community on heritage topics, transfer of knowledge, strengthening awareness of the need to preserve cultural heritage, and encouraging personal creativity of users of all age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library and information science practice and research have transitioned from positioning the user in the life of the library to placing the library in the life of the user. A review of OCLC Research themes during the past twenty years identifies a shift in focus from the optimization and quantitative analysis of library collections, systems, and services to the study of the needs and expectations of users of library collections, systems, and services. Just as libraries operate within local and global networks and ecosystems, users, with diverse needs and expectations, are embedded in communities in various ways. This new environment changes the focus from individual decision making to collaborative decision making, centering and emphasizing the importance of relationships and experiences. OCLC's research has addressed these trends, providing a path for library leaders and staff to create their New Model Library that focuses on agility, collaboration, virtualization, and space within their work, collections, and engagement experiences. This framework offers a way to navigate the transition to the library in the life of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of digital humanities (DH) in libraries, emphasizing its importance in preserving historical humanities and archaeological resources. It covers various aspects of DH, including courses, machine learning applications, metadata practices and the potential for interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

The final paper is Research-in-Practice paper and explores the B I Use of social media by academic libraries in Australia i b . Finally, there is also a Research-in-Practice paper describing the use of social media by academic libraries in Australia. We kick off 2023 with a rich issue consisting of diverse research papers that cover many aspects of Library and Information Science, including library history, library accessibility, library research and LIS education, and also a paper by a researcher and user of academic libraries detailing a complicated project about compiling sociology PhDs in Australia, which involved expert help from some amazing academic libraries and librarians. [Extracted from the article]

The article will discuss the library digital lending of e-books according to three points of view: as a part of the library seen as platform of knowledge, as a way of reading, as a way to circulate books and promote reading. It will examine the technological and distributive aspects of digital lending and those connected to it, together with the relational aspects related to digital reading and digital lending. We are going to focus on the concepts of disintermediation (and new mediation) and digital platform; then on the concept of library as a platform and on the paradigm of social librarianship, that is essential for interpreting the phenomena in depth. After that, the focus will be on some aspects concerning the new book system, increasingly marked by the integration between the physical and digital dimensions. The core part of the article is entirely dedicated to digital lending. In particular, it highlights the connection between the features of the service and the various aspects concerning the digital lending platform, the digital publishing and the libraries. Thanks to the social librarianship approach, it is also possible to enhance the digital lending relational aspects linked to the perceptions of librarians and the needs of library patrons. Therefore, we must analyze the digital lending service from different points of view, paying particular attention to the way the library patrons use the service and the vision of librarians. All these aspects are fundamental for the development of a new library service in constant evolution such as the digital lending service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of library environmental factors on students' patronage of library services in the university of Uyo main library. The factors under investigation are library aesthetics, library lighting, library ventilation, library spacing and students' patronage of library services. Four specific purposes were coined using the factors. Four research questions and hypotheses coined from the specific purposes were stated to guide the study. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The study was conducted in Akwa Ibom State using the University of Uyo main library as a case study. The population was 150 respondents, comprising level 300, 400 and 500 students of the department of petroleum engineering, University of Uyo in the 2019/2020 session. Since the population size was manageable, all the population were used as the sample using census sampling. The researchermade instrument entitled "Library Environmental Factors and Students Patronage of Library Services Questionnaire (LEFSPLSQ)" was used for data collection. The instrument was face validated by 3 experts, 2 experts in library science and one expert from tests and measurement all from the University of Uyo. The instrument after validation was then administered to 20 students in the Department of Physics, university of uyo to determine the reliability. Cronbach alpha was used to ascertain the reliability coefficient. The result gave an index of 0.87. Based on the high reliability coefficient, the instrument was deemed fit for the study. The instrument was then administered to the students and retrieved within a period of 15 school days. The data collected was collated, coded and analysed using descriptive statistics of Bar chart and Mean to answer the research questions and Chi-Square to test the null hypothesis at .05 alpha level. From the findings of the study, it was concluded that there is a significant influence of library environmental factors on students' patronage of library services in university of uyo main library. It was recommended that Library administrators provide adequate lighting in the library for its patrons and the spacing in the library should support individualistic learning and provide for privacy of library patrons in the course of research or study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims into library science students at Patna University in Bihar's understanding and use of electronic resources and many other relevant topics. In this investigation, the researcher adopted a descriptive strategy. The main objective of the paper is to get an understanding of the use of electronic resources by the library user. Overall, 90 questionnaires were distributed, whereas only 72 were filled and returned as a sample. To collect data from the users, a systematic questionnaire was constructed. The study aimed to determine the users' requirements and level of consciousness and use of electronic resources. According to data, many users were satisfied with infrastructure facilities, required information, or other reasons for using e-resources and services. However, some users could not use the e-resources due to the lack of user education and awareness campaigns, language difficulties, and IT skills and understanding. As a result, libraries should actively launch well-planned user awareness and education initiatives, expand infrastructure, and subscribe to more eresources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of "incarnational ministry," which is often taught in cross-cultural ministry or missions training, offers practical value to academic liaison librarianship, namely: getting out of the library and going to where the users are, being a life-long learner, and modeling humility during interactions with patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practicing librarians, library science researchers, operations researchers, and economists have documented their extensive efforts to ensure that libraries serve users effectively and efficiently. The measures and methods used have, in some ways, grown substantially more complex and sophisticated. Such tools include development of statistical models describing the use, and predicting future use, of resources (largely books and journals), as well as incorporating more variables to better explain the use. The cost-per-use metric, however, has become ubiquitous and nearly universal for evaluating resources, especially renewable resources such as journals and databases. Composed of only two factors, cost and use (and, by implication, time), this measure provides context missing from either metric alone, yet is simple enough for most practicing librarians and the library stakeholders to instantly comprehend. This article provides a background to the forces that led to the development, use, and gradual acceptance of this metric, and concludes with a case study of its application in different collection development decisions at the author's institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to find out the current scenario of library resources and services viz. collection including infrastructure, staff position, library services available in the private university libraries in the state of Assam, India. Methodology: Physical survey of all the five libraries has been conducted for which a questionnaire was designed. Findings: With the increasing number of library users, there should be adequate number of library staff to maintain all the different collections and services of the library. Private university libraries e-books and e-journals facility is not sufficient to cater the increasing demands of the users. Research Limitations: The study is applied to private university libraries within the geographical barrier within the state of Assam. It is applied only on the basic level library resources and services expected from a library. Practical Implications: It will provide an opportunity to the library authority to fill up the gap in providing their basic library services. The method and technique of the study may be applied to any other libraries where the libraries are managed by library science professional with proper library procedures. Originality/value: The study is itself a unique one as no such study was conducted in the area of private university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to examine contemporary debates about the role of religion in public spaces, public discourse, and workplaces and the ideology of secularism at the heart of these debates. The article demonstrates the relevance of such debates for library workers and library patrons and the need to challenge the assumed neutrality of secularist ideologies to ensure libraries do not marginalize or exclude religious perspectives and minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1998, a group of adult library patrons and individuals in Loudoun County, Virginia, brought a suit against library trustees, board members, and the director of the county's public library, claiming that the library's use of Internet blocking software was an infringement on their First Amendment rights, leading to the federal court case Mainstream Loudoun v. Board of Trustees of the Loudoun County Library (1998). Using an in-depth case study approach and going beyond a review of the court documents, the author uses a series of qualitative interviews with individuals connected to the court case to gather more in-depth information regarding events surrounding this case of censorship in public libraries and investigate the phenomenon of librarians acting as censors themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As virtual worlds continue to proliferate globally, libraries are faced with the question of whether to provide information services to virtual patrons. This study, utilizing a mixed-method approach of interviews, focus groups, and surveys, represents one of the largest studies of virtual libraries attempted to date. Taking a holistic perspective, the design and implementation of virtual library services and the information needs of 366 participants were examined with both traditional and virtual library users and librarians. Findings suggest that the information needs of traditional and virtual users differ significantly and the overall match between information provided and user needs of virtual branches are typically low. The study's impact centers on the findings that virtual library users represent a disparate group of first-time visitors whose primary information goals are exploratory; successful virtual libraries provide nontraditional information services utilizing the unique virtual reality context to emphasize and support social engagement and communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Library and Information Science Library is a department of the Hungarian Library Institute (HLI). It was founded in 1949. Its collection covers library and information science, librarianship, the relevant work processes, as well as their history. In the past 20 years the collection was enriched by several gifts and donations, and books from abroad from projectrelated funding. In the mid-2000s, with the foundation of the European Book History Collection, the history of writing, books, printing, press, publishing, book trade, libraries and reading gained a stronger focus in the collection than before. The main goal of the LIS Library is to provide professional information in a variety of ways: to users face to face, by phone and e-mail, editing occasional and regular bibliographies, constructing databases, compiling short trend reports and review studies, SDI, and background materials for decision-making. The staff wishes to transfer current information, tailored to the needs of users. More and more services are provided in the online environment. Information sources rely, among others, on the Library’s own publications: the national special bibliography of the field (MAKSZAB, twice a year, e-publication), the national professional journal Könyvtári Figyelő (Library Review, quarterly, in print and e-format), annual special bibliography of book history (in print and e-format). Currently, these publications can be edited and published almost fully automatically from the HUMANUS database. Users of the LIS Library include practising librarians, students and faculty, researchers, bodies managing Hungarian librarianship, leaders and staff of the national library and HLI. The LIS Library provides information on the libraries of other countries, on developments in the international library scene, as well as on Hungarian librarianship for interested colleagues from abroad. The LIS Library is keen to organize events which attract participants even from the general public (such as presentations of professional books, small exhibitions, museum nights, bibliotherapy classes etc.). In 2020, with the foreseeable modification of the Library Law, the LIS Library will possibly again be listed among the special libraries with national responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the period 1977 through 1983, the author worked in the predecessor of the Hungarian Library Institute (in the Centre for Library Science and Methodology) as a researcher in the Reading Research Department. In 2001, she returned to HLI as Head of the Department of Education. In 2005, she applied for the post of the Director of HLI with success. This article is a subjective recollection of the activities of HLI in the period 2006 through 2011. At that time, it was especially important to get acquainted with the professional documents of the EU and to join EU projects. Two projects are discussed in more detail. The PULMAN project aimed at promoting the case of public libraries with a special focus on improving library supply to the disadvantaged and those living in small communities. The CALIMERA project undertook to monitor technical developments and solutions already emerging from IST, and to assess their potential as widely transferable technologies for use by local institutions. In the period reviewed several analyses took place about the career of librarians, their training, the image of librarians in society, as well as about the qualification of librarians and their self-evaluation, based on the international guide compiled by the CERTIDOC project. It was a huge task as well to elaborate the system of education and further training of Hungarian librarians living in the neighbouring countries. From the strategy of library development for 2008 through 2013, and its Portal programme, she highlights the project work assisting reading research (the event called Year of reading for families), as well as support to adult education. She also mentions in short the meeting of the library institutes of Visegrád Countries in 2010, a reunion of the former centres for library science and methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citation management programs are tools used to organize references and to create citations and bibliographies. Libraries are often the central point for providing training and support in using these tools. To determine how we could improve our support and training services, we surveyed users to determine what software in being used, why they chose that particular program, what features are important, and how they use citation management programs to collaborate. Results indicate that users chose a particular program because it was freely available or recommended to them by others and that they thought that importing references and creating citations were important features. We also found a majority of respondents used citation management programs to collaborate and turned to the library for training and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally libraries have been dealing with the recorded knowledge. The changes in the formats of writing and access have historically influenced the libraries use of technologies. However, the wonderful invention of computer and information access technologies has drastically influenced recording, organization and access to knowledge. Since then the libraries are in a continued change mood. The shifts from physical to virtual, direct access to authors and instant access to globally available knowledge from remote locations are changing the whole scenario of the library profession. Academic libraries being in the forefront of the creation and use of scholarship and knowledge are confronting the innovations influenced by the disruptive technologies. These technologies have impacted library practices significantly. This study is an effort to trace what has happened in the developed world in terms of information and communication technology applications in their libraries & their user expectations, and where we stand in this global phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a review of the professional values and responsibilities with which catalogers identify most, i.e., patron service and the integrity of the catalog, this paper explores the significance of the professional catalogers' role when faced with major challenges to their ability to provide service and maintain the integrity of the catalog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the validity of LibQUAL+™ scores, and specifically how total and subscale LibQUAL+™ scores are associated with self-reported, library-related satisfaction and outcomes scores. Participants included 88,664 students and faculty who completed the American English (n™ = 69,494) or the British English (nBE = 19,170) LibQUAL+™ language versions in the 2004 data collection cycle. Results suggest that LibQUAL+™ scores primarily measure satisfaction rather than outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influences of the antecedent factors on the complaints and resulting behaviors of 582 university library users in South Korea. There were statistically significant relationships between personal norms and negative word of mouth and indirect voice behaviors, between service importance and negative word-of-mouth behavior, and between perceived severity of dissatisfaction and most of the specific complaint responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores whether disconfirmation theory can explain satisfaction formation processes in library users. Both library users' needs and expectations are investigated as disconfirmation standards. Overall library user satisfaction is predicted to be a function of two independent sources--satisfaction with the information product received and satisfaction with the information system and library services used to retrieve the information product. Both sources are hypothesized to contribute independently to satisfaction in library users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with a study which described the development and application of a structural equation model on the satisfaction and loyalty of library users in the U.S. Effect of the collection of printed publications on satisfaction of library users; Results from an action-oriented perspective; Implications of the satisfaction and loyalty model on literature studies.

The field of library and information science (LIS) has built its practice and research perspective on a logico-analytic philosophy, which has generated useful, tangible technologies. Lately there is interest in nonempirical philosophies, such as hermeneutics and critical theory, to fulfill better LIS' serviceoriented mission of providing "information" to user populations. One dimension of critical theory, Jürgen Habermas' theory of communicative action, can expand LIS' conception of information and supplement logico-empirical research methods and research practices. This article examines how LIS, particularly research into librarian-patron interaction and information system design, favors an empiricist view of language and, as a consequence, may be limiting its effectiveness. It proposes how the field might expand to include communicative action in fulfilling its mission and research agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People have various images of libraries. However, previous studies have not focused on differences in the images of libraries owned by library users and experts in library and information science. Therefore, this study seeks to compare the image of the library as beheld by library users and experts in library and information science, and to examine the difference. The participants are one professor of library and information science in their 50s and three university students in their 20s. For this study, we conducted a survey using Personal Attitude Construct (PAC) analysis (Naito 2002) that combines qualitative research and cluster analysis. There are four procedures: 1. Free association from associative stimulus sentence, 2. Comparison of similarity rating between associative words, 3. Cluster analysis by dissimilarity distance matrix, 4. Semistructured interview using a tree diagram. Thus, both students and the expert introduced keywords relating to the space of the library. In addition, the expert perceived the library from the library management side, whereas the students had a user-centered perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on librarianship in the U.S. has struggled to diversify the ranks of its profession in a manner that satisfies the goals of organizational leaders in the American Library Association (ALA) and members of diverse racial and ethnic groups themselves. Topics include the Schonfeld and Sweeney have found that academic libraries show a slightly lower overall percentage of white librarians.

The information explosion in the form of ETDs poses the challenge of management and extraction of appropriate knowledge for decision making by information practitioners. This study presents a solution to the problem by applying topic mining and prediction modeling to 441 full-text ETDs extracted from the PQDT Global database during 2014-2018 in the field of library science using the RapidMiner platform. This study was divided into three phases. In the first phase, metadata analysis of the ETDs retrieved from the database was performed to identify the association of various entities such as universities, departments, types of degrees, and geographical areas with the ETDs. In the second phase, 8 core topics namely children literature; academic library; information retrieval; archival science; user study; digital library; library leadership; and digital communication were determined using latent dirichlet allocation (LDA) and each ETD was then annotated with the modeled topic. Lastly, a prediction model using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was created to classify the untagged ETDs going to be submitted in the database under the 8 modeled topics (a to h ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on critical librarianship and how it interplays with intellectual freedom. Topics covered include impact of activism on the goal of the library to promote social consciousness, how the social activism of librarians affect their responsibility toward intellectual freedom, possible alienation of community members and library users due to social activism of librarians and the importance for librarians to respect the choices and ideology of individuals.

In 2004, Zimbabwe suffered a number of undocumented challenges, including the externalisation of billions of United States (US) dollars. This was associated with the buying of assets abroad with foreign currency acquired in Zimbabwe. A number of prominent public figures were implicated in these transactions, leading to investigations which did not spare libraries from revealing information about patrons. Libraries connected to institutions, such as the police, hospitals and parliament, have information that is of interest to researchers and, like any other library, also store patron records, which are considered to be of public interest. This article reports on a study that explored a court case where information was provided by the Parliament of Zimbabwe library. The study used a case study methodology and reviewed information in the literature relating to confidentiality and public interest issues, as well as the use of a decision-making model and documents to identify existing operating procedures, if any. The study pointed to the debatable issue of public interest and the need for clear laws on the confidentiality and privacy of patrons in Zimbabwe. It also highlighted the importance for Library and Information Science (LIS) practitioners to understand the legal issues relating to the confidentiality of patron records. Accordingly, clear guidelines are important for decisionmaking when such practitioners are faced with the need to provide patron records. A simple decision-making model is thus recommended to complement existing legislation. Although the story of the court case appeared in local papers in Zimbabwe, placing the case study in a research context provides a useful tool for LIS students and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The library is instrumental to societal progress by providing reading and learning resources which enrich the user's mental vision and dignifies his habit, character, taste, attitude and perception of life. However, it does not seem obvious to some librarians that there are certain practice principles upon which modern library operations are anchored. The paper identifies invention of writing and printing from movable type as the two major epochs that brought about the library and its subsequent development respectively. It discusses the S.R. Ranganathan's five laws of library science as the practice principles upon which library operations can be deduced and through which the library has positively impacted on society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media is commonly used in academic libraries to market services, products, and events to users. A thorough review of the extant literature revealed that few libraries have incorporated a social networking strategy into their broader marketing strategy. Users of an academic library in an urban Midwestern university were surveyed to reveal how they use social networking sites. Respondents were asked the importance of libraries using social networking sites. Although the majority of users thought it was important for libraries to use social networking sites, their preferred method of communication with the libraries was flyers in the library. Library users below the age of 35 preferred to get information from the library webpage. Based on the results of this study, we recommend suitable social networking strategies for academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The library is instrumental to societal progress by providing reading and learning resources which enrich the user's mental vision and dignifies his habit, character, taste, attitude and perception of life. However, it does not seem obvious to some librarians that there are certain practice principles upon which modern library operations are anchored. The paper identifies invention of writing and printing from movable type as the two major epochs that brought about the library and its subsequent development respectively. It discusses the S.R. Ranganathan's five laws of library science as the practice principles upon which library operations can be deduced and through which the library has positively impacted on society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a study of how long library patrons at 28 college and university libraries kept books checked out before and after a policy change allowing for longer circulation periods and more renewals. The behavior of most patrons remained similar before and after the policy change, with only a slight (7–14 day) lengthening of the length of circulation for many patrons. A significant minority of patrons made more extensive use of the longer loan periods, demonstrating the usefulness of the policy change for many users. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article will describe how merging service points in an academic library is an opportunity to improve customer service and utilize staffing resources more efficiently. Combining service points provides libraries with the ability to create a more positive library experience for patrons by minimizing the ping-pong effect for assistance. The Access Services Department at the University of North Texas Libraries was charged with management of the circulation and reference services offered at the service desk. Streamlined planning and modernized management of the desk and its impact on customer service in a changing library environment will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the summer of 2010, to provide a “one-stop shop” service point to Woodruff Library patrons, the Circulation, Reference, and Learning Commons (LC) desks merged into the unified Library Service Desk (LSD) under Access Services. Last year, due to organizational changes in the library and IT, and anticipated support needs of the new LC spaces and technologies, Student Digital Life opened a separate LC Technical Support desk. The lessons of the year of the two desks, funding considerations, and the persistent goal to streamline the experience of our patrons resulted in transitioning the functions of the LC desk to LSD, thus evolving it to new organizational and operational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formative content oriented to users' studies in library and information science curriculum: a study of multiple case. The work discusses user's information studies through bibliographical critical review and its conceptual historical evolution. It maps the foundations of the area, as well as its reflection in the curriculum of undergraduate courses in Library and Information Science at the University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and University of Brasilia (UnB). The obtained data indicates that the user's studies should be taken into account in the Librarian curriculum programs and in the definition of Information Services offered by the library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]