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This study examines the correlation of the dimensions of foreign language anxiety and library anxiety among undergraduates at a public university in Malaysia. The Malay translated versions of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and the Library Anxiety Scale (LAS) were completed by 147 students pursuing a Foundation in Science course. Analysis revealed a significant correlation in all the dimensions of library anxiety with three of the dimensions of foreign language anxiety, namely speaking anxiety , self-evaluation anxiety , and learner anxiety . The findings in this study will enable librarians to be aware of the anxieties faced by students which can help in the planning and delivery of services and instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the factors that contribute to the adoption rate of e-journal publishing based upon responses from 82 Malaysian journal publishers. Drawing upon the theory of innovation diffusion, the study examines the role of awareness, three organization variables (publication size, age of the journal, and experience of editors), and attributes of e-journals (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability) as influences to the rate of e-journal publishing adoption. Findings show that only two attributes -- complexity and trialability -- emerge as significant contributors to e-journal adoption rates, and all three organization variables -- journal's age, publication size, and editorial experience -- are significant. Collectively, these five significant variables explained 57.8% of the variance in adoption rate. We discuss the results and implication of the findings with respect to the wider context of e-journal publishing. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a survey carried out on academics in five Malaysian research-intensive universities, investigating their readiness to self archive in Open Access institutional repositories. The study revolves around the following issues: (a) academics’ awareness of self archiving in an institutional repository within their institution; (b) their perceptions about self archiving scientific information into institutional repositories; (c) their perceptions regarding obligations to self archive in institutional repositories; and (d) the possible reasons that inhibit them in contributing to institutional repositories. The answers were identified from 72 academics through a web-based survey. The study reveals that the majority of academics in this study have no or little knowledge of, or experience with, institutional repositories and are unfamiliar with self-archiving opportunities. However most of them endorse the principle of Open Access and are willing to contribute content to an institutional repository if an opportunity arises or if mandated by their funding institutions. Those who agree to self archiving see it to be beneficial in the author’s life as it enhances visibility and recognition of the author’s work, but the main problem encountered is the fact that researchers feel it is time consuming. The major barrier to self archiving is fear of plagiarism. In light of these results, there is a need to create more awareness and to educate authors on the importance of self archiving. Ensuring free electronic access to public-funded research lies with the funding institutions, especially universities, which should set up appropriate repository infrastructures, advocate the public good and ethical implications of open access and even mandate self-archiving of research they fund. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a global measure for job satisfaction on the following ten work and worker related variables: affective commitment, continuance commitment, job involvement, job autonomy, job feedback, role clarity, role conflict, age, organizational tenure and job tenure. A survey was conducted to investigate how much of the variance in job satisfaction can collectively be explained by these variables in a Malaysian academic library setting. The survey was administered on 279 academic librarians from eight university libraries in West Malaysia. Findings were based on the responses from 139 usable questionnaires. The findings revealed that only six of the ten work and worker related variables were significantly correlated with job satisfaction: affective commitment, job autonomy, job performance feedback, role conflict, role clarity and organizational tenure. Findings also revealed that of these six correlates, only two have predictive relationship with job satisfaction: affective commitment and organizational tenure. Collectively these two predictors explain about 26% of the variance in job satisfaction. Although this study did not examine all the possible correlates and predictors of job satisfaction that have been identified in the organizational behavior/psychology and management literature, it nevertheless provides an empirical glimpse of the job satisfaction phenomenon among Malaysian academic librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]