Digital Library Perspectives

Publisher:: Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Publication date:: 2021-02-01

ISBN:: 2059-5816

Issue Number

Latest documents

The Cologne Public Library as accelerator of digitisation
Editorial
Metaverse academic library: would it be patronized?
Purpose: This study aims to examine if students would patronize metaverse academic library (MAL) if it becomes available in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a descriptive survey research design. The population was made up of 1,037 undergraduate in Adeleke University. Descriptive statistic was used to analyse data. Findings: Findings indicated most students have never used virtual reality (VR) equipment, they are eager to use MAL for virtual academic research, library user education, accessing circulation services, reading serials and contacting reference librarians. The study concluded that MAL would be patronised by students if it is made available and therefore recommends that greater effort be made to make VR gear accessible and cheap for developing nations such as Nigeria. Originality/value: The study is novel as it contributes to scarce research on MAL.
Metadata creation practices at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources library’s institutional repository
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate metadata creation practices in a functional academic institution repository in Malawi, with a specific focus on the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) library. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a qualitative approach with a case study design. The study adopted a case study strategy that focuses on the in-depth, holistic and in-context examination of one or more cases. The researcher used non-probability purposive sampling to include all three LUANAR Digital Repository (LDR) staff at LUANAR library because they were thought to be knowledgeable about the LDR metadata work. The three library staff members directly involved in repository metadata were investigated for the study. Data collection techniques used in a case study approach included semi-structuring face-to-face interviews and documentary analysis. Data from interviews and documentary reviews were manually analyzed and presented in thematic categories based on the study’s objectives. Findings: Qualified Dublin Core (DC) was chosen by all participants as the only metadata structure scheme that they will use to create and implement metadata in the repository. DC application profile was the only scheme used to enforce uniform naming and capitalization conventions in the application of Qualified DC element definitions. The scheme, however, was discovered to be the Qualified DC default format in the DSpace system. All participants indicated that the Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Vocabulary is used. Participants highlighted that institutional repository system compatibility, the subject matter of the resources, resource types and staff expertise influenced the selection criteria for the metadata schemes. The repository policy had been developed but had yet to be adopted by the LUANAR management. Research limitations/implications: The current study was limited to LUANAR library. A wider study across public and private universities in Malawi is needed to ascertain the role of metadata policy, technical knowledge and metadata specialist institutional repositories. Practical implications: Metadata policy is to aid in the understanding of the data, ensuring that appropriate security measures are used to protect the data and for metadata harvesting purposes. Social implications: Academic libraries should lobby for management support towards metadata policy for institutional repositories. Originality/value: Very little is known about challenges affecting the growth of institutional repositories and standards adopted, including metadata harvesting. This paper bridges the gap in metadata standards for institutional repositories in developing countries.
Editorial
Libraries as third place and digital space: interview with Knut Skansen
Digital information literacy skills and use of electronic resources by humanities graduate students at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of digital information literacy (DIL) skill and use of electronic resources by humanities graduate students at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses the survey research design and 200 graduate students from the 12 departments that made up the Faculty of Arts in the University of Ibadan participated in the study. A self-devised structured questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. A pilot questionnaire was first sent to a small random sample of the respondents, with feedback used to fine-tune the final questionnaire. Respondents were requested to rate their level of proficiency in the use of digital devices, web-based tasks, information finding, evaluation and utilisation of available e-resources and challenges encountered. Ethical consideration of informed consent, institutional permission, confidentiality and anonymity of participants was strictly followed. Data collected were analysed and result presented using descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentage, mean and inferential statistics such as regression analysis and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient were used to test the research question and hypothesis, respectively. Findings: Humanities graduate students at the University of Ibadan possessed high level of DIL skills in respect of digital devices usage, web-based tasks, information finding and evaluation, but low in e-resources utilisation. This study identified inadequate knowledge of e-resources availability, irregular internet access, inadequate training on e-resources utilisation, inadequate staff assistance, lack of continuity in e-resources subscription and paucity of local contents in the e-resources as main challenges encountered by graduate students in the use of e-resources. To ensure that those who can most benefit from e-resources utilisation are not further marginalised, this study recommends that active steps should be taken to increase e-resources awareness, regular internet access, training/support, continuity of e-resources subscription and increased local content so that all may benefit from the opportunities of the information age. Originality/value: This paper has demonstrated that DIL skills can enhance effective utilisation of e-resources if users have adequate knowledge of e-resources availability, regular internet access, adequate training and assistance on e-resources utilisation, continuity in database subscription and adequate local contents e-resources.
Do students look for information differently? Information-seeking behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the COVID-19 information-seeking behavior of the students in a developing country. This study also explores how the use of information sources changes over time by the students of a public university in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach: An e-mail was sent along with an online questionnaire to 350 students in a public university in Bangladesh. After sending a couple of follow-up e-mails in May and June 2022, we got limited responses. Later in July, we distributed the same questionnaire in the printed form to the students in the seminar library, computer laboratory and in the classroom. Finally, we got back 270 responses, and the response rate was 77.14%. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (effect size) and nonparametric test (Mann–Whitney U test) were used to see the differences in using information sources over times and overall understanding of choosing the COVID-19 information sources by the demographic variables. Findings: This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic has made an increased demand for a variety of information, and the sources of information changes over time before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the students faced challenges while seeking COVID-19 information which mostly falls under the availability of mis–disinformation. Students used more social media tools during the COVID-19 than the pre-COVID-19 time, and there are some significant relationships found between the students’ demographic variables and students’ understanding of choosing the COVID-19 information sources. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to analyze changes in information behavior patterns of students in a developing country and understand the challenges faced by the students during the pandemic.
Plagiarism conundrum in Kenyan universities: an impediment to quality research
Purpose: Plagiarism has been on the rise, mainly because of increased access to the internet and digital sources. To combat the threat of plagiarism, various universities have implemented countermeasures such as capacity building, anti-plagiarism policies and the purchase of anti-plagiarism software. In Kenya, there appears to be a lack of cohesion among universities in combating plagiarism, a situation that threatens teaching, learning and research if not addressed adequately. This paper aims to review and identify anti-plagiarism practices in Kenyan universities; it further proposed various best practices and policy actions that ought to be adopted to win the fight and the misperception of plagiarism. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a mixed-method approach by surveying the librarians and interviewing the graduate school directors or deans to establish the strength and challenges in implementing plagiarism measures in the universities in Kenya. Before collecting data, the researcher checked the reliability of the tools by pretesting and readjusting the tools based on input from the participants. Findings: This study established that most universities in Kenya appreciate the fact that plagiarism negatively affects the quality of teaching, learning and research. However, despite the fact that there is goodwill in the effort to combat plagiarism, there were no unified mechanisms, strategies and implementation policies in solving plagiarism issues among universities in Kenya. Different universities have adopted different strategies in terms of policy, software and capacity. Further, it was noted that the well-established/funded universities had clear stipulated mechanisms as opposed to the ill-funded universities with limited funding and budget. Practical implications: This research provides an opportunity for universities to make an informed choice about the policies, required capacity and software to tackle plagiarism. The findings from the study will be used to improve the quality of academic writing and standardize procedures on plagiarism by proposing policy actions needed to maximize the benefits of the investments in this venture. This study recommends a collaborations approach among universities in the fight against plagiarism. Because the Kenya Library and Information Services Consortium already supports many university cooperation, they ought to take the initiative in formulating policy, choosing the appropriate software to use and developing the necessary ability in the battle against plagiarism. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first effort to evaluate the anti-plagiarism strategies being applied in different universities in Kenya. This study demonstrates the gaps and variations in university strategies in combating academic plagiarism. The findings can be applied to improve academic communication and indeed the quality of research output at other universities in Kenya and beyond.
Summer of migration: consolidating institutional repositories into a redesigned singular platform
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a state mandated merger of two institutional repositories from two separate campuses of a university into one new institutional repository. Due to a State Legislature mandate, the University of South Florida was required to merge institutional repositories from two campus into one new institutional repository. Design/methodology/approach: USF Libraries formed a committee, planned for the migration and executed of the migration. Findings: The authors discovered many unforeseen issues during the process of the migration such as difficulties with site redirects and hidden collections. Originality/value: This project was a large-scale migration of institutional repositories, under a tight deadline due to a legislative mandate, that has not been discussed in detail in the literature.