Denise A. Brush and Daniel G. Kipnis
This study aims to understand the level of graduate students’ awareness and usage of e-books purchased by the authors’ university library since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand the level of graduate students’ awareness and usage of e-books purchased by the authors’ university library since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors created a Qualtrics survey with 13 questions that was sent to the university’s graduate student email list. The survey was sent in the fall of 2023 and was open for one month. The list had 3,318 subscribers; 113 complete responses were received, for a response rate of 3.4%.
Findings
The results found that doctoral students (80%) are more aware than master’s students (64%) of e-book availability through the library, and usage rates are higher for doctoral students (78%) compared to master’s students (52%). In addition, the frequency of e-book usage since COVID-19 has changed, with more than half of respondents using e-books more often. The majority of respondents who use e-books do so because they are required as a textbook. While international students use their laptop or smartphone for reading e-books, domestic students prefer laptops. Student comments at the end of the survey revealed ways for libraries to help improve e-book awareness.
Research limitations/implications
The authors’ goal to have a response rate of 5%–10% was not achieved; the authors therefore did not use any statistics to measure the significance of the results. The survey did not ask whether students started their degree programs prior to 2020, but their start year could have influenced responses.
Originality/value
The present study looks at the current level of usage and awareness of specific populations (graduate students, online students and international students) regarding e-books. This study focuses on student perspectives regarding what devices they use to access e-books and how their usage differs across academic disciplines.
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Denise A. Brush and Jonathan Jiras
The purpose of this paper is to share the knowledge and lessons learned about the process of developing an institutional repository (IR) using a hosted solution, Digital Commons…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share the knowledge and lessons learned about the process of developing an institutional repository (IR) using a hosted solution, Digital Commons from bepress, and to make the case that Digital Commons is still the best IR solution for smaller university libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a case study based on Rowan University Libraries developing an IR using the Digital Commons platform.
Findings
To implement a hosted solution successfully, key actions include defining the repository’s scope and mission early in the process, including a variety of stakeholders in promoting the repository, integrating the repository with a faculty profile system and being able to effectively work collaboratively with both internal and external professionals in developing the system.
Originality/value
This paper will be valuable to academic librarians considering implementing an IR on, or migrating an existing repository to, the Digital Commons platform.
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– The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance to librarians about whether to keep or withdraw books on pre-Internet computer programming languages.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance to librarians about whether to keep or withdraw books on pre-Internet computer programming languages.
Design/methodology/approach
For each of the programming languages considered, this article provides historical background and an assessment of current academic library collection needs.
Findings
Many older languages (COBOL, FORTRAN, C, Lisp, Prolog, and Ada) are still in use and need reliable sources available for reference. Additionally, books about obsolete languages have educational value due to their influence on the development on newer languages such as C++ and Java.
Practical applications
This information will be useful to academic librarians who want to make the best choices about keeping or withdrawing computer programming books.
Originality/value
Most librarians responsible for managing computer science collections do not have a computer programming background, so they do not know which older languages are still important.
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The purpose of this article is to describe the quantitative evaluation of an engineering monograph approval plan using circulation analysis.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to describe the quantitative evaluation of an engineering monograph approval plan using circulation analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The circulation frequency of titles purchased under the approval plan was analyzed, and compared with the circulation frequency of all engineering books during the same time period, purchased both individually and through the plan.
Findings
It was found that 23 percent of the approval plan books circulated, compared with 6 percent of engineering books as a whole. There was considerable variation in circulation frequency between engineering disciplines, but approval plan books circulated much more frequently in all subject areas.
Research limitations/implications
This study assesses circulation only during the most recent complete year, which means that the approval plan books are all new books. However, more than half of the books in the engineering collection are less than ten years old, so age is unlikely to be the only reason for the much higher circulation of approval books.
Practical implications
Since this evaluation concludes that the approval plan does have value for Rowan University's users, such a plan might be worth considering by other academic libraries looking for a better way to obtain new engineering monographs which serve user needs.
Originality/value
While the circulation data described in this study reflect the unique needs of the Rowan University user community, they can serve as a useful benchmark for engineering librarians who want to assess the usage of their monograph collections. The study also has value for academic librarians who are evaluating an approval plan from YBP or another vendor.
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Andrew Brenza, Michelle Kowalsky and Denise Brush
This paper aims to develop a better understanding of student worker perceptions of academic libraries in an effort to improve student worker training, position structure and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop a better understanding of student worker perceptions of academic libraries in an effort to improve student worker training, position structure and, ultimately, their perceptions of the library. The value of student reference assistants extends well beyond the completion of assigned library tasks. Specifically, student reference assistants can be important community voices and advocates for academic libraries, spreading, by word-of-mouth, the kinds of library services available to students and their relevance to the academic community. Consequently, it is essential to gain an understanding of how student workers perceive the academic library as a result of their employment.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses an informal, anonymous online survey of student reference assistants to gather information on student worker perceptions of the library. Questions focus on student workers’ understanding of library services and resources as well as on the library’s mission and purpose. An analysis of student responses is provided in light of four “ideal” perceptions which the librarians hold for all students.
Findings
Overall, student worker responses to the survey generally aligned with the ideal perceptions. However, misalignments suggest the need for training that focuses on the development of a broader understanding of the library’s role in the academic community.
Practical implications
The paper can help academic librarians gain insight on how student workers understand the role of the library within the larger academic community and how positive student worker perceptions can be leveraged for outreach purposes.
Originality/value
This paper examines an important aspect of student worker perception that has generally been overlooked in the literature.
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Sharon Purchase, Sara Denize and Doina Olaru
This chapter outlines a method for developing simulation code from case-based data using narrative sequence analysis. This analytical method allows researchers to systematically…
Abstract
This chapter outlines a method for developing simulation code from case-based data using narrative sequence analysis. This analytical method allows researchers to systematically specify the ‘real-world’ behaviours and causal mechanisms that describe the research problem and translate this mechanism into simulation code. An illustrative example of the process used for code development from case-based data is detailed using a well-documented case of photovoltaic innovation. Narrative sequence analysis is used to analyse case data. Micro-sequences are identified and simplified. Each micro-sequence is presented first in pseudo-code and then in simulation code. This chapter demonstrates the coding process using Netlogo code. Narrative sequence analysis provides a rigorous and systematic approach to identifying the underlying mechanisms to be described when building simulation models. This analytical technique also provides necessary and sufficient information to write simulation code. This chapter addresses a current gap in the methodology literature by including case data within agent-based model building processes. It benefits B2B marketing researchers by outlining guiding processes and principles in the use of case-based data to build simulation models.
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Shahamak Rezaei, Jizhen Li, Shayegheh Ashourizadeh, Veland Ramadani and Shqipe Gërguri-Rashiti
Women Entrepreneurship has received increasing attention over the past decade. In particular, a new area dealing with women entrepreneurs in the developing societies. The aim of…
Abstract
Women Entrepreneurship has received increasing attention over the past decade. In particular, a new area dealing with women entrepreneurs in the developing societies. The aim of this study is how is women entrepreneurship in developing economies? More specifically, we are excavating various questions at the individual and institutional level. The results of this study contribute to understanding the importance of the context on women entrepreneurs’ activities. Additionally, it systematically provides a comprehensive framework at multilevel analyses to cover all aspects of women entrepreneurship in developing countries. Ultimately, knowing women entrepreneurship in developing countries helps policymakers provide a firm ground for self-employment of women.
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As most teachers realize, classroom discussions have limitations including time restraints, reserved participants, or domineering discussants. With the advent of Web 2.0, the…
Abstract
As most teachers realize, classroom discussions have limitations including time restraints, reserved participants, or domineering discussants. With the advent of Web 2.0, the opportunities for class discussion have expanded to include synchronous and asynchronous discussion boards, blogs, and wikis. Discussion forums, as an extension of classroom discussions and activities, allow teachers to target multiple social studies skills while giving students opportunities to expand their own historical understandings via peer interaction. Whether the goal is to address specific historical thinking skills or push students to think about what it means to be an active citizen in a diverse society, discussion forums can play an integral role in the development of students’ understanding of society. I describe the reasons for expanding discussion into these new mediums and provide examples of students’ online discussions. Recommendations are offered for teachers who would like to begin using discussion forums in their own classrooms.