Librarian’s perspective for the implementation of big data analytics in libraries on the bases of lean-startup model
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-04-2019-0016 |
| Published date | 19 December 2019 |
| Date | 19 December 2019 |
| Pages | 21-37 |
| Author | Khurshid Ahmad,Zheng JianMing,Muhammad Rafi |
Librarian’s perspective for the
implementation of big data
analytics in libraries on the
bases of lean-startup model
Khurshid Ahmad
School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China and
Department of Library and Information Science,
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur Pakistan, Bahawalpur, Pakistan, and
Zheng JianMing and Muhammad Rafi
School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
Abstract
Purpose –This study aimsto propose a model based on philosophical thoughtsof Dr S.R Ranganathan and
the lean-startupmethod for the execution of big dataanalytics (BDA) in libraries. The researchpaves a way to
understand the role and requiredcompetencies of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionalsfor the
implementationof BDA in libraries.
Design/methodology/approach –In the BDA analytics context,a session with a proposed model was
presented to the audience to get the response of librarians about the required competencies and skills.The
research tool was developed based on the literature review to know the role of LIS professionals and their
required competencies/skills forBDA. The questionnaire was distributed in the BDA session to collect the
responses of theparticipating audience on the variables that focusedon the role and core competencies of LIS
professionalsin BDA. In the analysis of results, the independentt-test was applied to know the mean value of
the overall responserate.
Findings –The findings show that perceptions of LIS professionals in the understanding of BDA ranked
high in data privacy, data availability, data organization and data literacy. Digital data curation, policies
supervisionand providing the data consultancy also showeda significant relationship among these variables.
Besides, the correlation between the required skills for BDA, metadata skills, data ethics, data acquisition,
data cleaning, data organization, data analysis, digital curation, data clustering, data protection rules and
digital visualizationalso showed a beneficial relationship.
Originality/value –This study also helps to understand the perspective of LIS professionals for the
implementationof BDA in libraries and to fill the literature gap in the respective.
Keywords Big data, Analytics, Libraries, Entrepreneurship, Librarians, Competencies
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The advent of communications technology and digitalfootprints has accelerated the global
data on large numbers of digitalresources:
[...] big data has been used in data sets, and these data sets have become very large. The use of
traditional database management systems has been incapacitated. Their data sets are larger than
the ability of common software tools and storage systems to collect, store, manage, and process
data at a reasonable time (Kubick, 2019).
Big data
analytics in
libraries
21
Received27 July 2019
Revised15 October 2019
Accepted19 October 2019
DigitalLibrary Perspectives
Vol.36 No. 1, 2020
pp. 21-37
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2059-5816
DOI 10.1108/DLP-04-2019-0016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2059-5816.htm
This study is an attempt to determine the knowledge level and required competencies and skills
of Library and Information Science (LIS) Professionals for the implications of big data analytics
(BDA) in libraries. For this purpose, a model purposed on the based-on LIS philosophical
thoughts and Lean-startup model to address the new emerging trends. This important lean start
method for transferring production systems to customer value summarized in the Lean five
principles Wilson (1997) based on product/service value, value stream, the flow of service, quality,
and perfection (Ghezzi and Cavallo, 2018). With this, five laws of Dr S Ranganathan provide
libraries with useful measures to assess and promote their activities and services. Although the
library is working hard to restore its collection, in response to the popularity and impact of digital
network-based technologies, these laws provide essential and analytical services and provide
consistent benchmarks (Carr, 2014). BDA is a further expansion of existing technological
advancement. It has become a viable and cost-effective method for the variability of the high-scale
and large amounts of data. Hence, the challenges are found in the data assessment techniques in
library management and development practices, as the analysis of the legal and privacy issues
related to information security (Chen et al.,2015). Many organizations have realized the potential
benefits of big data and made the development to analyze all available unstructured data.
Yaqoob et al. (2016) presented an outcome of the study to identify the significance of BDA in
organizations. It also helps to know the status of big data technologies, applications, and solutions
for the problems related to data analytics. With this, the organizations learn how to start and
implement great data techniques and the analysis of hurdles. In this context, when shifting from
the traditional to the digital environment, a colossal amount of data generated in a global village.
In this perspective, the digital footprints of humans and the use of different digital resources help
to know the user trends and dynamic aspects of the society by the implementation of BDA. The
purpose of digital library resources providinganopportunityintheshapeofdigitaldatabase
access, and this practice can be a threat for LIS professionals in the case of below technological
competencies.
In this perspective, the study of Mathews (2012a) on entrepreneurs related to LIS
professional role is in the challenging situation of replacement if these opportunities do not opt.
Hisresearchpresentsmanypotentialsinstance where private vendors can be able to provide
the same service in the future. Hoy (2014) stated that librarians’role in this context educates the
patrons about the usage of digital resources in their research. This digital change bestows
challenges and opportunities for LIS professionals. In business, companies are managing big
data for the improvement of business and their services. Olmedilla et al.’s (2016) study revealed
that the content of online users is showing the digital footprints that are helpful to know the
trends of users about the product and services. Social scientists are keen to know the tools for
creating, organizing and preserving the behavior of the users. For the improvement of library
services Tenopir et al.’s (2014) studies reveal that data services are developed to know the data
of library users. These practices help librarians to improve library services. Therefore, the
digital era requires learning the competencies and skills of research data services for the better
use of libraries. This situation provides a reason to elaborate on the rapid change in the current
trend and practices of libraries.
As Mathews (2012b) postulates:
A strategic instructional venture is not only about training students how to search database
interfaces, but also about building their fluency with data, visual, spatial, media, information, and
technology literacies and transformation of scholarship.
This scenario shows that the role of librarians has changed with the development of the
technological environment. LIS professionals have to develop the skills that are needed by
organizations. The searchedresults on Google trends show that the trend of big publication
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