In 2004, the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) commissioned a survey to find out the current state of digitization in university…
Abstract
Purpose
In 2004, the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) commissioned a survey to find out the current state of digitization in university libraries in sub‐Saharan Anglophone Africa. This paper aims to report some findings of the survey.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires were sent to 107 libraries in 20 countries, with a 72 per cent response rate. Site visits and interviews took place in five countries, followed by a focus group discussion with librarians from four countries.
Findings
The study finds that university libraries in Africa have progressed towards establishing digital library services at very different speeds and levels. Libraries therefore have very different needs and ambitions. For the majority of libraries e‐resources are available but facilities for access are poor. The acquisition and implementation of a library management system would appear to be an essential building block in the construction of a digital library. All e‐developments have depended heavily on external funding and will continue to do so. Lack of funding and lack of or retention of trained staff is the key challenge for the future.
Originality/value
The report provides data on which the future plans of libraries and support interventions can be based.
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Based on the findings of a detailed review of the current state and future prospects of 19 university libraries in 12 countries of Africa undertaken in 1995, levels of adoption…
Abstract
Based on the findings of a detailed review of the current state and future prospects of 19 university libraries in 12 countries of Africa undertaken in 1995, levels of adoption and benefits IT has brought to libraries are weighed against the drawbacks. Implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed. IT will not reduce the need for hard copy books and journals. Its biggest potential is in providing links to the outside world and in increasing intra‐African exchange and communication.
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This sub‐theme paper addresses the question: for those who defend libraries as vital democratic institutions charged with providing free and equal access to information as a…
Abstract
This sub‐theme paper addresses the question: for those who defend libraries as vital democratic institutions charged with providing free and equal access to information as a public good, how do we act in the Internet age? As with Thapisa’s paper in this issue, to which this paper is partly a response, speculates on emerging issues and explores possibilities concerning Global Information, with particular emphasis on the educational aspects.
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Discusses evolving trends in library consortia building against the backdrop of recent developments in some African countries. The expected benefits and barriers to consortia…
Abstract
Discusses evolving trends in library consortia building against the backdrop of recent developments in some African countries. The expected benefits and barriers to consortia building are highlighted. The writers then suggest the way forward in successful consortia building among university libraries in Africa.
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In the novel, The Member of the Wedding, Carson McCullers probes the American malaise through the longings of a young adolescent girl. Twelve‐year‐old Frankie no longer sees the…
Abstract
In the novel, The Member of the Wedding, Carson McCullers probes the American malaise through the longings of a young adolescent girl. Twelve‐year‐old Frankie no longer sees the world as round and inviting as a school globe. No, the world is huge and cracked and turning a thousand miles an hour. Indeed, the world seems separate from herself. In the midst of chaos, Frankie sees her brother's upcoming wedding as a chance to feel connected, to feel that she matters. The story focuses on Frankie's efforts to be a “member of the wedding,” as she recognizes, “they are the we of me.”
Suggests the unsuitability of any of the major classificationschemes to adequately cope with the needs of a researcher in the fieldof women′s studies. Asks if women could devise a…
Abstract
Suggests the unsuitability of any of the major classification schemes to adequately cope with the needs of a researcher in the field of women′s studies. Asks if women could devise a radical new classification system scheme in which the conceptual base could be transformed, not merely tacked on to other disciplines or separated altogether. Concludes that at the extreme the Dewey system could well be seen to represent the patriarchal order of things that so many women are fighting to change.
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Defines sabbatical leave and describes its origin and rationale.Outlines its benefits to the professional librarian and libraryinformation science educator and the host…
Abstract
Defines sabbatical leave and describes its origin and rationale. Outlines its benefits to the professional librarian and library information science educator and the host institution. Discusses some major problems currently faced by them in Africa and offers suggestions. Briefly describes the writer′s experiences while on sabbatical leave in the Department of Library and Information Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
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Muhammad Naveed, Nusrat Ali, Shakeel Ahmad Khan and Khurram Shahzad
The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis to discover the published information on the subject of “Library Automation Software.”
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis to discover the published information on the subject of “Library Automation Software.”
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on bibliometric research to analyze the growth of literature on the subject area “Library Automation Software.” The data were retrieved from the leading database Web of Science to analyze the scholarly publications on the topic during 2001–2022. To analyze the bibliometric data on the subject, the VOSviewer, Biblioshiny and MS Excel software were used.
Findings
Results manifest that the topic of “Library Management Systems” has been greatly used by several authors as a title to publish their research work. The USA emerged as the most productive country. The most used keywords to retrieve literature on the topic were “Library Automation,” “Library Management Systems,” “KOHA,” “Integrated Library Systems” and “Open Source Software.”
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bibliometric study in Pakistan that has been conducted to measure the productivity of literature at the international level on library automation.
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Amani Alabed, Ana Javornik, Diana Gregory-Smith and Rebecca Casey
This paper aims to study the role of self-concept in consumer relationships with anthropomorphised conversational artificially intelligent (AI) agents. First, the authors…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the role of self-concept in consumer relationships with anthropomorphised conversational artificially intelligent (AI) agents. First, the authors investigate how the self-congruence between consumer self-concept and AI and the integration of the conversational AI agent into consumer self-concept might influence such relationships. Second, the authors examine whether these links with self-concept have implications for mental well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted in-depth interviews with 20 consumers who regularly use popular conversational AI agents for functional or emotional tasks. Based on a thematic analysis and an ideal-type analysis, this study derived a taxonomy of consumer–AI relationships, with self-congruence and self–AI integration as the two axes.
Findings
The findings unveil four different relationships that consumers forge with their conversational AI agents, which differ in self-congruence and self–AI integration. Both dimensions are prominent in replacement and committed relationships, where consumers rely on conversational AI agents for companionship and emotional tasks such as personal growth or as a means for overcoming past traumas. These two relationships carry well-being risks in terms of changing expectations that consumers seek to fulfil in human-to-human relationships. Conversely, in the functional relationship, the conversational AI agents are viewed as an important part of one’s professional performance; however, consumers maintain a low sense of self-congruence and distinguish themselves from the agent, also because of the fear of losing their sense of uniqueness and autonomy. Consumers in aspiring relationships rely on their agents for companionship to remedy social exclusion and loneliness, but feel this is prevented because of the agents’ technical limitations.
Research limitations/implications
Although this study provides insights into the dynamics of consumer relationships with conversational AI agents, it comes with limitations. The sample of this study included users of conversational AI agents such as Siri, Google Assistant and Replika. However, future studies should also investigate other agents, such as ChatGPT. Moreover, the self-related processes studied here could be compared across public and private contexts. There is also a need to examine such complex relationships with longitudinal studies. Moreover, future research should explore how consumers’ self-concept could be negatively affected if the support provided by AI is withdrawn. Finally, this study reveals that in some cases, consumers are changing their expectations related to human-to-human relationships based on their interactions with conversational AI agents.
Practical implications
This study enables practitioners to identify specific anthropomorphic cues that can support the development of different types of consumer–AI relationships and to consider their consequences across a range of well-being aspects.
Originality/value
This research equips marketing scholars with a novel understanding of the role of self-concept in the relationships that consumers forge with popular conversational AI agents and the associated well-being implications.