The heady system of high‐pressure Continental air that drifted across the Atlantic and collided with the traditional cyclonic patterns of U.S. literary academe in the mid‐1960s…
Abstract
The heady system of high‐pressure Continental air that drifted across the Atlantic and collided with the traditional cyclonic patterns of U.S. literary academe in the mid‐1960s precipitated a “Theory Revolution” that has brought a couple of decades of stormy and stimulating weather to the campus. The collision has produced occasionally furious debate and resulted for higher education in the kind of public attention customarily reserved for athletic scandals; it has kept tenuring processes in turmoil and publish‐or‐perish mills working round the clock.
Recent years have brought rapid growth to the bibliography of reference works for literary and cultural theory. Because of the expansion of literary scholars’ interests and of…
Abstract
Recent years have brought rapid growth to the bibliography of reference works for literary and cultural theory. Because of the expansion of literary scholars’ interests and of literature’s curricular domain, and the convergence of literature’s interests during the last 30 years with other humanities and social science fields, the reference collection’s PNs are filling up with content that, some would say, has lost its way from the Hs and Bs. Literature’s bid to become a more generalized study of culture in all its modes and at all its levels is highly controversial among scholars. This controversy surfaces particularly in recently published dictionaries and encyclopedias. In this article, Kieft treats other traditional classes of reference works as well and includes discussion of such “next step” works as general histories, guides, and anthologies.
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The proliferation or information, created and sustained with the help of technology, has placed increased pressure on librarians to teach/assist library patrons to use the…
Abstract
The proliferation or information, created and sustained with the help of technology, has placed increased pressure on librarians to teach/assist library patrons to use the information efficiently and effectively. With decreasing budgets and resulting smaller staffs, academic libraries have been hard pressed to meet the demand. In response to this need, the Ohio State University (OSU) Libraries has developed a microcomputer program that enables library users to identify, locate, evaluate, and select information independently. With the support of three federal grants and one private grant, the OSU Libraries has designed The Gateway to Information in order to guide users to the best information for their needs, regardless of format. The Gateway's evaluations demonstrate that it is an effective and user‐friendly information tool for a wide range of library patrons. The Gateway is now available on all of the Libraries' terminals.
Cindy Pierard, Jason Shoup, Susanne K. Clement, Mark Emmons, Teresa Y. Neely and Frances C. Wilkinson
This chapter introduces Building Back Better Libraries (BBBL) as a critical concept for improved library planning both prior to and following a disaster or other emergency…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter introduces Building Back Better Libraries (BBBL) as a critical concept for improved library planning both prior to and following a disaster or other emergency. Building Back Better, an idea widely discussed in the disaster recovery literature, seeks to use the difficulty of a disaster as an opportunity to go beyond the status quo and to promote changes that result in stronger, more resilient communities. The authors will define BBB elements and frameworks, building upon those to create a model for library disaster planning and recovery, and applying it to cases involving space and facilities, collections, services, and people.
Methodology/approach
Literature on the Building Back Better concept and frameworks, as well as library emergency response, was reviewed. This source material was used to develop a modified framework for improved library disaster planning and recovery. The Building Back Better Libraries framework is discussed and applied to cases involving library facilities and spaces, collections, and services, and its implementation through a disaster planning team is reviewed.
Findings
Though all libraries hope to avoid disaster, few succeed. One survey found that as many as 75% of academic library respondents had experienced a disaster or emergency. Evidence also suggests that few libraries are prepared, with as many as 66–80% of libraries reporting that they have no emergency plan with staff trained to carry it out. Even when plans are in place, the rush to respond to immediate needs following a disaster can overwhelm the ability to pursue effective long-term planning. Building Back Better, when framed for libraries, provides a planning tool to balance short-term response with long-term recovery and resilience. The Building Back Better Libraries framework focuses on the areas of risk assessment for library collections and spaces; recovery and rejuvenation for facilities, collections, and services; and implementation and monitoring, with particular discussion of the human element and the role of a library disaster planning team.
Practical implications
The proposed framework, Building Back Better Libraries (BBBL), can be used to strengthen disaster planning in a manner that balances meeting immediate needs with implementing longer term plans to create stronger and more resilient libraries.
Originality/value
Although aspects of BBB ideas are present in existing library literature, the concept is not formally defined for the library context.
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Llorenç Bagur-Femenías, Marian Buil-Fabrega and Juan Pedro Aznar
The purpose of this research is to analyse how to adapt teaching and learning methodologies to new generations of digital natives to promote their commitment to sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to analyse how to adapt teaching and learning methodologies to new generations of digital natives to promote their commitment to sustainable development. The research explores the existence of a relationship between digital natives’ characteristics, individual dynamic capabilities and their commitment to innovation and therefore to sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
A structural equation model is used to test the proposed hypothesis by a survey conducted with 532 digital-native higher education students.
Findings
The results show the existence of a significant relationship between digital natives’ competences, individual dynamic capabilities and a better approach to managing situations with regard to relationships with key stakeholders and the fostering of innovation and commitment to the social and environmental issues demanded by society.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of this study are that it is based on a sample from a specific Spanish university that cannot be representative of all digital natives from all universities and different cultural contexts. The variables measuring the characteristics of digital natives have only recently been used in the academic literature.
Practical implications
The research proposes including individual dynamic capabilities and innovation courses in sustainable development education to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goals. These research findings can be used as insights into the development of university programmes and courses.
Originality/value
This research is one of the first attempts at understanding how to promote education for sustainable development among digital natives and at identifying them as future change makers for sustainable development.