Library Review

Md. Shiful Islam; Susumu Kunifuji; Tessai Hayama; Motoki Miura

2011 Library Review

doi: 10.1108/00242531111153579

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the significant factors which encourage and motivate the library and information science (LIS) academics to respond to and embrace e‐learning (EL), to explore how EL tools and technologies support the LIS education process, and to measure weights of factors constraining the use of EL in LIS education. It also reports perceptions of how LIS academics manage EL‐knowledge resources, the problems they face in managing those resources, the ways to solve those problems, and their predictions about future usage of EL in LIS education. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology includes a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The authors used an exploratory online e‐mail interview method to gather experiences and data from LIS academics worldwide. The authors also used (www.docs.google.com) to prepare a questionnaire, and sent a link to the questionnaire to 85 LIS academics globally to gather their perceptions regarding EL in LIS schools. Findings – The findings confirmed that EL overcomes location and time constraints, provides opportunities for employed and/or busy people, etc. is a driving force in education, which encourages and motivates LIS academics to respond to and embrace EL in LIS education, and EL accelerates accessibility of a wide range of knowledge, supports the process of exchanging knowledge, and increases knowledge storage capacity to enhance the LIS education process. This paper concludes that the respondents hold highly positive perceptions regarding the future of EL in LIS schools. Originality/value – The paper explores the original perceptions of LIS academics, and their predictions regarding future usage of EL in LIS schools.

Glenn S. McGuigan

2011 Library Review

doi: 10.1108/00242531111153588

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address dimensions of crisis as applied to the profession of librarianship from a public administration frame of reference. For librarians to retain professional status, the human element of librarianship must be promoted through an emphasis on their educational mission, inspired by public administration's professional code of ethics. Within this process, librarians must promote themselves as educators, embracing the concept of information literacy as their field of jurisdiction. Design/methodology/approach – Reflecting an interdisciplinary approach, literature from public administration and library science is used to support these points. Findings – A robust professional education and affiliation with professional associations reinforces the informational asymmetries of professionals through specialized instruction and knowledge sharing, which will lead to not only a strengthened profession, but also to opportunities for leadership. Practical implications – To reinforce professionalism, the human element of librarianship must be promoted through an enhanced emphasis on the educational mission of librarians within the ethical framework of the profession. The place for this to occur is within schools of graduate education and professional associations. Originality/value – This discussion addresses dimensions of crisis as applied to the profession of librarianship from a public administration frame of reference. The rationale for this approach is that library and information science can benefit from elements of the public administration school of thought regarding professionalism, in general, and ethical codes, in particular.

Husain A. Alansari

2011 Library Review

doi: 10.1108/00242531111153597

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting career choice, job satisfaction, and perceptions of the public image of librarians in Kuwait. Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered via questionnaires sent to 117 professional librarians working in academic, public, and special libraries in Kuwait. Findings – The study identified factors which influenced the choice of career, sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Respondents reported that they were moderately satisfied with their current job. The results show that extrinsic measures, such as recognition of accomplishment, fair performance evaluation, and job security were ranked in the top and are the most important aspects of job satisfaction, whereas intrinsic measures, such as suitable daily working hours and nature of work, fell close to the bottom of the list. The cause of employee job dissatisfaction occurs in the area of benefits, contingent rewards, communication, salaries, working conditions, and promotions. Recommendations are made to improve the job satisfaction and the public image of librarianship in Kuwait. Practical implications – The results of the study may provide useful information and practical advice for library managers, library education programs, and professional associations in Kuwait. Originality/value – This paper is the only study on career choice, job satisfaction, and librarians' image in Kuwait. It is useful to increase the understanding and improve the career choice, job satisfaction, and librarians' image in Kuwait.

Richard Olorunsola; Akinniyi A. Adeleke

2011 Library Review

doi: 10.1108/00242531111153605

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on research that examined the issues of e‐journal subscription, subscription models and the future of print version of journals in Nigerian universities. Design/methodology/approach – A survey study was used to collect data from the selected 30 universities that covered the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The questionnaire contained questions that are pertinent to the issues being investigated. The 22 responses (73.3 percent) received were processed, analyzed and results presented. Findings – The study reveals that Nigerian universities subscribe to e‐journals, i.e. full‐text journals. They employ acceptable models for subscriptions, however, they use consortium more than any other model. Most libraries want to retain print format. Research limitations/implications – While the study is limited to 22 university libraries, it has applications to similar universities across Nigeria, be they public or private. Practical implications – This research provides information on the status of subscription to e‐journals in Nigerian libraries methods, and policy issues. The data and findings may help provide ways to manage e‐journals better in Nigerian libraries to serve user needs. Originality/value – At the time of the completion of this study no such work had been done before in Nigeria.

Colleen S. Harris

2011 Library Review

doi: 10.1108/00242531111153614

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ask how the academic library may better position itself to assist with the demonstrated need for improved research ability in doctoral students. The paper examines the literature on doctoral student retention, which demonstrates problems with research self‐efficacy in students, and connects this issue to the library literature demonstrating the impact of library instruction. Design/methodology/approach – The main approach is the review of the literatures in library science on the impact of instruction, and in the wider education literature on student retention and doctoral student attrition. Findings – It was found that library instruction does demonstrably improve student research skills, and that doctoral students are generally underprepared to conduct dissertation level research. There is a case for partnering doctoral students with academic librarians to improve dissertation completion rates and lower attrition due to lack of research skill. Practical implications – The paper demonstrates an obvious need for focus of library instruction on graduate students, and doctoral students in particular. The paper poses a number of research agendas that can be taken up by practitioners in the field, including various models for implementing instruction for doctoral students. Social implications – Attrition from doctoral programs has a burdensome impact on academic institutions, and has been demonstrated to have adverse social, psychological and financial impacts on the doctoral students themselves. The ability of library intervention to alleviate the problem has wide‐ranging implications. Originality/value – The paper brings a wider literature base to bear on the practice of library instruction, and raises important questions relevant to librarians and graduate faculty about the value of the library to more advanced research students and the current focus of most library instruction programs at the undergraduate levels.