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This study aims to examine the role of libraries in stimulating access to information concerning environmental justice issues. This study also provides valuable insights into libraries’ contributions to addressing environmental justice concerns and informs strategies for maximizing their impact in this critical area.

In conducting this study the role of academic librarians at the Federal University of Technology Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, using a descriptive design and qualitative research method. The population for this study consists of academic librarians who were chosen due to their expertise in information access and their potential impact on environmental justice initiatives within the academic community. Data were collected through focus group discussions with the participating academic librarians.

The findings of this study underscore the critical role of addressing information disparities within the context of environmental justice, emphasizing the transformative potential of information access in empowering communities. The analysis reveals a consensus among respondents regarding the multifaceted role of librarians in addressing environmental justice. Librarians are perceived not only as information custodians but also as active contributors to community engagement, awareness and social change. This study identifies both challenges and opportunities for libraries to enhance awareness of environmental justice issues among their patrons. While existing resources related to environmental justice in the library’s collection are generally viewed positively, there is consensus among participants that there is room for improvement. Finally, this study acknowledges gaps in the current collection regarding information on environmental justice. It underscores the need for up-to-date multimedia resources focusing on local issues and representing diverse perspectives.

Collaboration with scholars from diverse fields such as environmental science, sociology and public policy could enrich the understanding of the complex intersections between information access, environmental justice and librarianship.

Librarians have a responsibility to promote information access and environmental justice by curating relevant resources, promoting information literacy, engaging with communities, advocating for change, addressing digital access and equity issues, fostering cultural competence and collaborating with other stakeholders.

This study presents a compelling and forward-thinking perspective that underscores the critical role of librarians in addressing environmental challenges and fostering social equity.

This paper argues that the psychological impact of mobile phone loss and compromised personal information necessitates a comprehensive approach to mental health and data security. It advocates for the development of robust coping strategies, including digital detox practices and enhanced security measures, to mitigate the adverse effects.

This position paper explores the psychological implications of mobile phone loss, particularly focusing on depression and information access anxiety resulting from compromised personal information. The paper synthesizes existing literature and theoretical frameworks to examine the multifaceted impact of mobile phone loss on mental health and proposes strategies to mitigate these effects. This paper uses a qualitative approach, analyzing data from various studies that have investigated mobile phone addiction, data breaches and the psychological effects of mobile phone loss. The analysis focuses on identifying common themes and patterns related to emotional distress, anxiety and coping mechanisms. The psychological impact is contextualized within the broader framework of digital dependency and mental health.

The phenomenon of information access anxiety, especially in the context of mobile phone loss, represents a major concern in the digital age. Information access anxiety describes the psychological distress and anxiety experienced by individuals when they are unable to access indispensable information or digital communication tools, typically due to the loss or theft of a mobile device.

This study acknowledges several limitations that should be considered when interpreting its findings. First, the analysis is based predominantly on secondary data sources and literature reviews, which may not fully capture the nuanced experiences of individuals suffering from the psychological impacts of mobile phone loss. Future research could benefit from primary data collection, such as surveys or interviews, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these phenomena.

This position paper contributes to the burgeoning discourse surrounding the psychological ramifications of mobile phone loss, with a particular emphasis on the manifestation of depression and information access anxiety stemming from compromised personal information.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate knowledge sovereignty and its implication for clearing the mental cobweb through library engagement.

Review of literature

Knowledge sovereignty refers to people’s ability and aptitude to control, access and navigate information to enable them make informed decisions and channel their activities toward right choices. Library engagements within the new normal of knowledge sovereignty center on their knowledge-centric approach to create, scale, reframe and disseminate both new and existing knowledge to afford quick and gainful use within organizations and the larger society in a short period of time, thus eliminating the dilemma of digital information overload and its complexities, uncertainties and oftentimes, chaos.

This study comply with copyright requirement.

With growing dependency on social media for reportage, coupled with rising media errors with potential to threatening the boundaries of knowledge and reliable information, attention is now being drawn to credibility of using social media and other media outlet. This increasing attention is because of the apparent disorderliness in the information milieu as a result of powerlessness to regulate activities on social media coupled with the dilemma of tampering with fundamental right of individual to free speech. Unlike the traditional media houses with specific address and location, identifying the whereabouts of promoters of fake news is challenging as information can be manufactured at the remote locality and the consequence will be felt in all the four compass points of the world. Tracking down individuals peddling fake news for charges of slander, defamation or libel is difficult, as a result of the intercontinental nature of the social network.

This study used a qualitative research design, which is guided by the interpretive paradigm because it relies comprehensively on practical methods of content analysis in which concepts are discussed to convey an in-depth understanding of the topic being investigated and bringing new knowledge.

Ensuring that the citizenry is adequately information literate is sine qua non for reducing the threats posed by fake news access and use to the barest minimum. Ibenne (2016) notes that becoming information literate is a process that leads to empowerment of the individual to take rationally elevated decisions in information use and knowledge application. The authors may therefore conclude that falling prey to fake news plays majorly on ignorance among the citizenry, and on the other hand, irrational use of information. When citizens possess functional information literacy, they are able to subject the information they receive to critical evaluation to eliminate the undesirable, which fake news squarely fall under.

This paper sheds light on assessing the fake news infodemic as information disorder and a threat to reliable information access and use; therefore, information acquired from this study is imaginative and valuable to better understand how information professionals react to official and personal engagement.

This paper aims to explore the decline of the metaverse and the concurrent growth of online videos, examining their implications for libraries. It analyzes factors contributing to the metaverse decline, such as technical issues and privacy concerns, and explores the emergence and popularity of online video platforms.

This study applied the interpretive content/document analysis of literature harvested from different databases of Scopus, Web of Science and Directory of Open Access Journals. Given the shift in digital consumption patterns and their impact on libraries, the paper systematically reviews the literature to elucidate the changing landscape of digital engagement and its implications for library services and outreach efforts.

The paper identifies technical issues, privacy concerns and a lack of interoperability as key factors contributing to the decline of the metaverse. Conversely, the growth of online videos is driven by the emergence of platforms, increasing accessibility to high-speed internet and a diversification of content offerings. These trends reshape user preferences and behaviors, presenting both challenges and opportunities for libraries.

The decline of the metaverse and the rise of online videos underscore the importance of adaptation and innovation for libraries. To remain relevant in the digital age, libraries must transform their services to meet the demand for on-demand content and multimedia resources. The findings highlight the need for libraries to invest in digital literacy and media literacy programs, embrace emerging technologies and forge strategic partnerships with online video platforms. By adapting to changing trends and user preferences, libraries will continue to fulfill their mission of providing access to information and knowledge in the digital age.

This study aims to determine the requirements and find out the challenges for the use of digital library services for rural areas of Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo province. The research questions of the study are: What are the requirements for the use of digital library services in rural areas of Capricorn District Municipality? What are the challenges of accessing digital library services in rural areas?

Data was analysed thematically and deductively in this study, as researcher required to accomplish the purpose of the study through consistent structure (Zalaghi and Khazaei, 2016). In deductive analysis, the researcher starts with a set of categories, which are then used to categorize and organize data (Bertram and Christiansen, 2020). The researcher got familiar with data from the interviewing process and when transcribing data from audio tape. The transcription process was done for the coding purposes. Coding allows the researcher to simplify and focus on specific characteristics of data.

The study findings advocate for the establishment of digital libraries in rural areas. The library authorities are challenged to adapt digital ways of information provision. Since librarians have been providing digital content in libraries for use on users’ laptops and other gadgets, this implies that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has been lagging behind in finding innovative ways to provide information, especially in rural areas. To successfully keep libraries as sources of information, transformative measures have to be taken, and where possible, revisit the policies and keep drifting with the societal changes. The library authorities have to delve into new ways of providing LIS to the communities. Unquestionably, information and communication technologies have penetrated our societies and became a way of life. In addition, there are unlimited benefits which can be derived from digital technologies, especially given the lack of physical libraries in rural areas.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the academic research is original and has not been published anywhere before.