Daniel L. Shouse, Nick Crimi and Janice Steed Lewis
One might think that libraries should know all the journal titles to which they subscribe and how to access them, but this is not usually the case. Many libraries have a difficult…
Abstract
One might think that libraries should know all the journal titles to which they subscribe and how to access them, but this is not usually the case. Many libraries have a difficult time maintaining a list of current print journal subscriptions. The advent of electronic journals available directly from publishers and through aggregators has further complicated the situation. This article discusses the experience of Joyner Library at East Carolina University in trying to manage its print and electronic journal collection effectively. It reviews the procedures followed in creating a database for electronic journal management using Cold Fusion and SQL Server.
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Daniel L. Shouse and Linda Teel
The intent of this article is to show the direct outcomes of an inventory project, which served as the catalyst for collection development improvements.
Abstract
Purpose
The intent of this article is to show the direct outcomes of an inventory project, which served as the catalyst for collection development improvements.
Design/methodology/approach
An inventory project was undertaken with a major emphasis on the outcomes derived from the inventory.
Findings
Several types of problems were discovered, such as missing items, incorrect information (call numbers, collection codes, item types, etc. …), damaged materials, and weaknesses in the collection, which resulted in major improvements and changes in the development of the collection.
Originality/value
The results of the inventory project improved the accessibility of the collection to patrons by correcting many inconsistencies involving the shelving of materials, online records, call numbers, collection codes, item types, and bar codes. The location of missing items as well as identified areas of strengths and weaknesses assisted with collection development activities. The results of the project also provided an opportunity to hire a consulting firm to further assess the collection, which led to additional funds for supporting the collection. The single major benefit of the inventory process was that it provided the catalyst for instigating major changes in the curriculum collection development of the Teaching Resources Center.
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William Joseph Thomas and Daniel L. Shouse
Like many other academic libraries, Joyner Library at East Carolina University has experienced pressure in recent years to convert stacks space to other uses. The rise of…
Abstract
Purpose
Like many other academic libraries, Joyner Library at East Carolina University has experienced pressure in recent years to convert stacks space to other uses. The rise of electronic collections coupled with the changing perception of libraries from book warehouses to service points forces librarians to rethink their collection management strategies, concomitantly reducing print collections. The purpose of this article is to recommend specific strategies that will assist librarians engaged in a large‐scale deselection project.
Design/methodology/approach
First, librarians, staff, and graduate assistants developed a workflow to examine print journals for which the library has online archival holdings in order to de‐duplicate the collection. Librarians also determined which titles might be stored based on some online availability and length of print run. Third, librarians led a subject‐based review to determine which titles should be retained in the general circulating collections.
Findings
Examination proved that most online journals archives, including publisher packages, are adequate replacements for print serials volumes. Many other journal titles can safely be sent to storage rather than retained in the general circulating collections.
Practical implications
Libraries must manage their print collections differently in light of space issues and the conversion of scholarship from print to electronic format.
Originality/value
This article establishes clear principles to guide libraries' decisions on deselecting, storing, and retaining print serials volumes.
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Soo-Young Hong, Julia Torquati and Victoria J. Molfese
The importance of early and developmentally appropriate science education is increasingly recognized. Consequently, creation of common guidelines and standards in early childhood…
Abstract
The importance of early and developmentally appropriate science education is increasingly recognized. Consequently, creation of common guidelines and standards in early childhood science education has begun (National Research Council (NRC), 2012), and researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have shown great interest in aligning professional development with the new guidelines and standards. There are some important issues that need to be addressed in order to successfully implement guidelines and make progress toward accomplishing standards. Early childhood teachers have expressed a lack of confidence in teaching science and nature (Torquati, Cutler, Gilkerson, & Sarver, in press) and have limited science and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (Appleton, 2008). These are critical issues because teachers’ subject-matter knowledge is a robust predictor of student learning outcomes (Enfield & Rogers, 2009; Kennedy, 1998; Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2002) and is seen as a critical step toward improving K-12 student achievement (National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century (NCMST), 2000; NRC, 2000). We argue that the same is true of preschool teachers.
This chapter discusses: (a) theories and practices in early childhood science education (i.e., preschool through 3rd grade) in relation to teaching for conceptual change, (b) research on methods of professional development in early childhood science education, and (c) innovative approaches to integrating scientific practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas with early childhood professional development.
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NOT for a long time have books and libraries featured in the correspondence columns of The Times and other newspapers as regularly as they have in 1960. Earlier in the year Sir…
Abstract
NOT for a long time have books and libraries featured in the correspondence columns of The Times and other newspapers as regularly as they have in 1960. Earlier in the year Sir Alan Herbert's lending rights' scheme had a good run, and we have clearly not yet heard the last of it. Indeed, a Private Member's bill on the subject is to have its second reading in Parliament on December 9th. More recently, the Herbert proposals have had a by‐product in the shape of bound paperbacks, and a correspondence ensued which culminated in Sir Allen Lane's fifth‐of‐November firework banning hard‐covered Penguins for library use.
On February 18, 2021, the NASA Perseverance rover traveled 292.5 million miles, safely landing on Mars, proving the power of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics…
Abstract
On February 18, 2021, the NASA Perseverance rover traveled 292.5 million miles, safely landing on Mars, proving the power of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in accomplishing such a historical feat. Glaringly absent from the photos, tweets, and commentaries showing NASA's team celebrations, however, are African American males. Their absence gives rise to the question “Where are the Black males?” – not just in NASA's celebratory photos, but in STEM-related careers altogether. Perhaps even more important questions are “What K-12 systems are in place that exclude Black males from being prepared – academically and socially – for careers with NASA and the like? And what strategies are necessary to engage them in STEM education?”
In this chapter, the author offers a historical overview of the STEM contributions offered by Black males, while explaining the competition of academic identity and Black male identity in successful school experiences. Four K-12 education barriers that derail African American males from their STEM trajectory are highlighted. As a conclusion, strategies to engage Black males in developing and nurturing an early interest in STEM are offered.
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The purpose of this paper is to present a case study about how academic librarians can contribute to the interdisciplinary research endeavors of professors and students…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a case study about how academic librarians can contribute to the interdisciplinary research endeavors of professors and students, especially doctoral candidates, through an intellectualized approach to collection development.
Design/methodology/approach
In the wake of protest movements such as the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, colleges and universities have begun to develop courses about these events, and it is anticipated that there will be much research conducted about their respective histories. Academic librarians can participate in those research efforts by developing interdisciplinary collections about protest movements and by referring researchers to those collections.
Findings
Through a case‐study approach, this paper provides a narrative bibliography about Southern Agrarianism that can help professors and students interested in the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street movements to see their research endeavors from a new interdisciplinary perspective.
Originality/value
The value of this paper lies in presenting a concrete example of the way in which academic librarians can become active research partners through the work of building collections and recommending sources in areas that professors and students may not have previously considered.
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Aimro Likinaw, Woldeamlak Bewket and Aragaw Alemayehu
The purpose of this paper was to examine smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change risks, adaptation responses and the links between adaptation strategies and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to examine smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change risks, adaptation responses and the links between adaptation strategies and perceived/experienced climate change risks in South Gondar, Ethiopia.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used a convergent mixed methods design, which enables us to concurrently collect quantitative and qualitative data. Survey data was collected from 352 households, stratified into Lay Gayint 138 (39%), Tach Gayint 117 (33%) and Simada district 97 (28%). A four-point Likert scale was used to produce a standardised risk perception index for 14 climate events. Moreover, using a one-way analysis of variance, statistical differences in selecting adaptation strategies between the three districts were measured. A post hoc analysis was also carried out to identify the source of the variation. The findings of this paper are supplemented by qualitative data gathered through focus group discussions and key informant interviews of households who were chosen at random.
Findings
The standardised climate change risk perception index suggests that persistent drought, delayed onset of rainfall, early termination of rainfall and food insecurity were the major potentially dangerous climate change risks perceived by households in the study area. In response to climate change risks, households used several adaptation strategies such as adjusting crop planting dates, crop diversification, terracing, tree planting, cultivating drought-tolerant crop varieties and off-farm activities. A Tukey’s post hoc test revealed a significant difference in off-farm activities, crop diversification and planting drought-tolerant crop types among the adaptation strategies in the study area between Lay Gayint and Simada districts (p < 0.05). This difference reconfirms that adaptation strategies are location-specific.
Originality/value
Although many studies are available on coping and adaptation strategies to climate change, this paper is one of the few studies focusing on the linkages between climate change risk perceptions and adaptation responses of households in the study area. The findings of this paper could be helpful for policymakers and development practitioners in designing locally specific, actual adaptation options that shape adaptation to recent and future climate change risks.