Finding the key to the black box of board diversity and firm performance: A mediating effect analysis of technological innovation

A growing body of research has focused on the relationship between board diversity and firm performance. A series of empirical literatures have also examined a significant positive correlation between the two. But these results only demonstrate the relationship between the input of ‘diversity’ and the output of ‘firm performance’. Such research is more of a black box because board diversity must act on certain strategies or decisions to affect firm performance. Some scholars try theoretical analysis with the purpose of opening the black box. In order to verify the relevant theoretical analysis results, this study uses the mediating effect analysis model in the field of psychology, through multiple regression, impulse analysis, variance decomposition and other methods, to thus empirically test the mediating effect of technological innovation in the process of board diversification promoting corporate performance. We found that board diversity can improve firm performance by enhancing the level of technological innovation. Among them, technological innovation has played a complete mediating role in the diversity of board members’ functional and occupational background, and played a partial mediating role in the diversification of directors’ part-time jobs. Technological innovation is a key indicator bridging board diversity and firm performance. This study can explore and explain the inner workings of the significant relationship between board diversity and firm performance, and link research findings on similar phenomena. The research results may make the existing board governance theories more systematic, expand the extension of theoretical research, and provide some empirical research references for academics and practitioners.

The lived experience of Australian public library staff during the COVID-19 library closures

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the lived experiences of Australian public library staff during the COVID-19 library closures. The study examines the effect of mandated physical library closures on staff well-being, along with the challenges they faced as library operations moved to a remotely delivered model. The paper includes an examination of staff perceptions of their library's value in the lives of their users.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 15 Australian library staff from three library networks. A process of inductive coding resulted in a thematic description of the participants' experiences of continuing to work during a period of where their libraries were closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Findings

Australian public library workers experienced many challenges that affected their well-being during the period of library closures. These included challenges relating to moving library programming to a virtual delivery model, managing significant change in their work lives, managing the emotions of self and others, and concern for the well-being of library users. Positive outcomes relating to skill development and innovative thinking were also reported.

Originality/value

The operational responses to the COVID-19 library closures in Australia and elsewhere have been well reported. This paper takes a different approach by examining the emotional and well-being outcomes for public library staff during these periods of closure.

The perceived value of book borrowing services is stationary in the time of Covid-19: Empirical evidence from the Municipal Library in Prague

Public libraries represent a specific sector of public service provision, where library management is limited in its ability to influence consumers’ perceptions of the value of borrowed books. This study expands previous research on consumers’ perceived value and its measurement and focuses on the nature of the data examined, which has not yet received much attention. We fill this research gap and examine whether the perceived value of book borrowing services remains stationary over time by considering a sample of readers from the Municipal Library in Prague, Czech Republic. Moreover, we analyse whether the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the perceived value of book borrowing services. Our results contribute to the discussion an important finding that consumers’ perceptions of book borrowing services are stable and do not change over time. Interestingly, we also find that the Covid-19 pandemic has not led to a change in consumers’ perceived value. This study thus creates both theoretical and practical contributions and leads to the definition of several practical implications for managers of (public) library organisations.

JEL L86, H39, H44

Students' motivation for rubric use in the EFL classroom assessment environment

The effectiveness of a rubric depends on how it is enacted. Although students' efforts in rubric use vary, few studies have investigated the hidden motivations when rubrics are utilized for classroom assessment. This qualitative study attempts to categorize students' effort in rubric use and identify personal differences and contextual factors influencing the effort in the EFL classroom assessment environment. A total of 79 students at a Chinese university participated in the study. The data collected included their classroom oral presentation results and nine case study informants' retrospective interviews on their processes of rubric use. Focuses were drawn upon students' perceptions and practices of rubric use throughout the task process. Totally, three types of effort patterns emerged in light of students' self-ratings and descriptions of the use. The intense kind held firm trust in rubric utility and thus utilized the rubric to develop the targeted competence throughout the whole process. The medium type either selectively followed the rubric in optional phases of the process due to their judgments of the rubric and the task. The loose type was least responsive to the rubric since their actions seemed largely affected by their self-efficacy and prior experience. Results showed that students' effort in rubric use in classroom assessment was the outcome of cognitive appraisals of a rubric, students themselves, and a task. The study highlights trait motivation and task motivation in the effectiveness of rubric use in assessment practices. Implications on rubric employment and task design are drawn to tap students' motivation for rubric use to achieve assessment for learning.

O que fazer quando não há Product Owner? um estudo sobre a ausência desse papel

A abordagem de gerenciamento ágil de projetos inova ao estabelecer um conjunto de novas práticas de gestão, como planejamento iterativo, visão do produto e participação ativa do cliente no processo de desenvolvimento do projeto. A participação ativa do cliente é implementada por meio da figura do Product Owner. Porém, como proceder quando esse profissional não está presente ou não está comprometido? Como suas tarefas são distribuídas entre os membros da equipe? Essas tarefas são realmente feitas? Qual o impacto? Essa pesquisa analisa equipes que não contam com o papel específico de Product Owner. Para tal, empregou-se uma revisão das tarefas designadas pela literatura para esse papel e, a partir desses resultados, fez-se uma pesquisa do tipo estudo de caso em equipes que fazem uso das práticas do gerenciamento ágil sem a presença do Product Owner. O trabalho identificou que nos projetos com o Product Owner pouco atuante houve prejuízo maior que um projeto em que não havia este papel formalmente definido, sendo distribuído para outros profissionais. Os resultados apontam a proposição de que o Scrum Master poder ficar sobrecarregado quando o Product Owner não faz suas tarefas a contento. Por fim, apesar do entendimento da importância e necessidade desse papel, foi possível perceber que os projetos estudados tiveram sucesso para os clientes mesmo sem a presença Product Owner. Recomenda-se estudos futuros que possam generalizar estes resultados identificando a melhor forma de distribuir os papéis do Product Owner em situações de ausência.

Modelling the effect of perceived organisational policies on knowledge management in libraries: Focus on the moderating role of transformational leadership and professional commitment

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of perceived organisational policies (POPs) on knowledge management (KM) with regard to the moderating role of transformational leadership (TL) and librarians’ professional commitment. The study was conducted in three stages. First, the research moderating variables were chosen through an explorative study and surveying the librarians. Following the design of the theoretical model, the Delphi method was employed to validate it. Finally, the model was tested with a sample of 205 librarians working at Iranian state universities. To examine the causal relationships between the research instrument variables, the structural equation modelling technique and Smart PLS software were used. The results of the study revealed that POP was moderated through TL and the librarians’ professional commitment and affected the processes of knowledge acquisition and identification, knowledge generation and sharing, and knowledge application. The results, further, confirmed the strong effect of POP on professional commitment and the effect of TL on KM. The findings indicate that moderating the negative effects of POP in academic libraries could pave the way for the improvement of librarians’ job performance. To date, no empirical investigations have examined the effect of POP on KM in libraries with regard to the moderating role of TL and the librarians’ professional commitment. This study is assumed to fill this gap.

Homelessness at the San Diego Central Library: Assessing the Potential Role of Social Workers

Nationwide, public libraries are experiencing an increase in “on-premise” opioid overdoses and other issues (e.g., suicide attempts) affecting unstably housed library users. The public library presents a unique opportunity to access an otherwise hidden population. In partnership with the San Diego Central Library, researchers led focus groups, in-depth interviews, and surveys with 63 library patrons experiencing homelessness or housing instability (n = 49) and library staff (n = 14) (January–June 2019). Using a consensus organizing framework and mixed methods approach, the researchers conducted in-depth interviews exploring the library’s strengths and opportunities for patrons experiencing homelessness, the barriers to meeting their aspirations, and whether having a social worker at the library or other policy changes in government or the library could help. Specifically, participants answered inquiries about the opportunities for the library to address substance use and human trafficking. In brief surveys, library patrons and staff provided views on the patrons’ educational needs, library staff’s training needs, and changes needed in government or library policies. Results revealed the desire of the library patrons (69%) and staff (93%) to have a library social worker who could link patrons to housing services, substance use harm reduction or treatment, and address food-insecure youth/families and human trafficking/sexual exploitation. Participants also valued peer advocates with lived homelessness experiences. Over 70% of the unstably housed patrons said they would like library patrons to participate in peer leadership training. Other significant themes were the need for crisis prevention and intervention, connecting patrons to resources and each other, and creating consistent assistance. Libraries urgently need more on-premise support to address patrons’ pressing housing, health, and mental health needs.

Corporate Co-Agglomeration and Green Economy Efficiency in China

This paper uses panel OLS, IV, and system GMM methods to empirically study the effects of manufacturing and producer service corporate co-agglomeration on green economy efficiency (GEE) in China. Chinese panel data from 2000 to 2019 are collected to assess the GEE and co-agglomeration degrees. The regression results show that there is an “inverted U-shaped” relationship between co-agglomeration and GEE. However, regional heterogeneity is found in the effects of corporate co-agglomeration on GEE. The mediating analysis indicates that corporate co-agglomeration could increase GEE through business entrepreneurship and innovation entrepreneurship. Variables such as transportation infrastructure, human capital, foreign direct investment, and environmental regulations are also found to have an elevating effect on GEE, whereas local fiscal expenditure on environmental protection has little effect. The findings in this paper indicate that entrepreneurship plays an important role in the process of co-agglomeration impacting GEE which differs in different regions and thus provide references for corporate and regional sustainable development.

Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Diversity in Academic Orthopaedic Surgery Leadership

BACKGROUND

Multiple investigations in the past 50 years have documented a lack of racial/ethnic and gender diversity in the orthopaedic surgery workforce when compared with other specialties. Studies in other industries suggest that diversification of leadership can help diversify the underlying workforce. This study investigates changes in racial/ethnic and gender diversity of orthopaedic surgery leadership from 2007 to 2019 and compares leadership diversity to that of other surgical and nonsurgical specialties, specifically in terms of chairpersons and program directors.

METHODS

Demographic data were collected from The Journal of the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges. Aggregate data were utilized to determine the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of academic leadership for 8 surgical and nonsurgical specialties in 2007 and 2019. Comparative analysis was conducted to identify changes in diversity among chairpersons between the 2 years. Furthermore, current levels of diversity in orthopaedic leadership were compared with those of other specialties.

RESULTS

A comparative analysis of diversity among program directors revealed that orthopaedic surgery had significantly lower minority representation (20.5%) when compared with the nonsurgical specialties (adjusted p < 0.01 for all) and, with the exception of neurological surgery, had the lowest proportion of female program directors overall, at 9.0% (adjusted p < 0.001 for all). From 2007 to 2019, orthopaedic surgery experienced no change in minority representation among chairpersons (adjusted p = 0.73) but a significant increase in female representation among chairpersons, from 0.0% (0 of 102) to 4.1% (5 of 122) (adjusted p = 0.04). Lastly, a significant decrease in minority and female representation was observed when comparing the diversity of 2019 orthopaedic faculty to orthopaedic leadership in 2019/2020 (p < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Diversity in orthopaedic surgery leadership has improved on some key fronts, specifically in gender diversity among chairpersons. However, a significant decrease in minority and gender representation was observed between 2019 orthopaedic faculty and 2019/2020 orthopaedic leadership (p < 0.05), which was a trend shared by other specialties. These findings may suggest a more pervasive problem in diversity of medical leadership that is not only limited to orthopaedic surgery.

Evaluating Users' Emotional Experience in Mobile Libraries: An Emotional Model Based on the Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance Emotion Model and the Five Factor Model

As a part of user experience, user emotion has rarely been studied in mobile libraries. Specifically, with the proposed emotional model in combination with the Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance (PAD) Emotion Model and the Five Factor Model (FFM), we evaluate user emotions on the mobile library's three IS features (i.e., user interface, interaction quality, and service environment). An experience procedure with three tasks has been designed to collect data. 50 participants were enrolled, and they were asked to fill in questionnaires right after the experience. The correlations among the PAD emotions were examined. Specifically, users have a low perception of pleasure (P), high perception of arousal (A), and low perception of dominance (D). However, these three emotional states were not always significantly correlated with each other. This study extends mobile library research by focusing on users' emotional experience. Specifically, the detailed PAD emotions have been examined. This study provides a new approach for application developers and managers to evaluate the user experience of an application.

Collections, care, and the collective: Experiments in collaborative fieldwork in area studies librarianship

While scholarship in library science continues to expand understanding of collaboration and its potential to transform the collective collection, librarian acquisitions trips have been largely absent from the conversation. In early 2020, three US-based South Asian studies librarians traveled together to India, jettisoning solo travel in favor of a model of collaborative fieldwork. Using this trip as a case study, the authors draw on interdisciplinary literature to explore how intersecting identities and the embodied nature of fieldwork shape outcomes for the collective collection. They reflect on how foregrounding care in the field can converge with efforts to build more ethical collections. Finally, the authors consider the possibilities of a shift toward collaboration beyond mere coordination, and offer suggestions for how a relational perspective might be advocated for in their work. At the intersection of theory and practice, this article helps readers understand the holistic work behind area studies librarianship, and offers a vision of improved practice in the field.

Crisis Librarianship: An Examination of Online Librarianship Roles in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study surveyed the members of a professional library organization for their perceptions of their online librarianship role. In particular, the survey sought to examine any change in online librarianship roles after March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Participants were administered a survey comprised of both quantitative and qualitative response options. Findings present a nuanced professional environment post-lockdown in which individual job duties largely remained the same; however participants reported increased demands stemming from workplace issues, including attrition and lack of resources.

Health sciences librarian research and instruction services in pandemic information environments

This study examined research and instruction services provided by academic health sciences librarians in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 205 respondents (N = 205) completed an anonymous online survey about academic health sciences librarian involvement in providing research and instruction services during the global pandemic. In-depth literature searching services (86%, n = 176), curated COVID-19 research through guides (66%, n = 135), and systematic review consultations (53%, n = 109) were reported as the top three research services in demand. Librarians supported online teaching and learning at their institutions by providing online instruction for a course (92%, n = 189), facilitating access to licensed resources (73%, n = 150), and identifying open access and open educational resources (62%, n = 127). Overall, this study contributes to understanding pandemic-responsive academic library services to meet the unique needs of health sciences education and research in evolving COVID-19 pandemic information environments.

COVID-19 impact on the Chinese top academic libraries: Libraries' response to space, collection and services

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was a major public health emergency on a global scale. The literature regarding the pandemic and its impact on academic libraries is still rising. This article examines the two-year process of developing a flexible service scenario and the broader picture by analyzing data on Chinese top university libraries' programmes and outreach initiatives prior to, during, and the normal COVID-19 pandemic (Sept. 2019-Sept. 2021). COVID-19 is found to have a significant impact on the physical space, collection development, and service of the library, demonstrating the characteristics of space access restricted by security measures, collection digitization, and online service. This research also examines the previous year's initiatives and programmes and discusses the next phase of "new normal" procedures. Hopefully, this study will give insight on how Chinese libraries responded to the recent pandemic, informing libraries' outreach and efforts to be better prepared to take imperative, swift, and decisive action in the post-COVID-19 era and beyond.

Learning Information Ethical Decision Making With a Simulation Game

Taking advantage of the nature of games to deal with conflicting desires through contextual practices, this study illustrated the formal process of designing a situated serious game to facilitate learning of information ethics, a subject that heavily involves decision making, dilemmas, and conflicts between personal, institutional, and social desires. A simulation game with four mission scenarios covering critical issues of privacy, accuracy, property, and accessibility was developed as a situated, authentic and autonomous learning environment. The player-learners were 40 college students majoring in information science and computer science as pre-service informaticists. In this study, they played the game and their game experiences and decision-making processes were recorded and analyzed. The results suggested that the participants’ knowledge of information ethics was significantly improved after playing the serious game. From the qualitative analysis of their behavioral features, including paths, time spans, and access to different materials, the results supported that the game designed in this study was helpful in improving participants’ understanding, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information ethics issues, as well as their judgments. These findings have implications for developing curricula and instructions in information ethics education.

Librarians’ competencies for implementing embedded librarianship in university libraries

The present study examines the extent of academic librarians’ teaching, research, communication, and interpersonal skills; key competencies required for the successful implementation of embedded librarianship in Tanzania. A mixed research approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches, was deployed to guide the collection of data from 166 librarians and 6 directors. Whereas cross-section survey questionnaires were used to collect data from librarians from six university libraries. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from directors. Regarding statistical analysis, descriptive statistics were performed to derive frequencies and percentages from quantitative data collected. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form. The findings suggest that librarians’ teaching skills and their knowledge of the research cycle are inadequate, while their communication and interpersonal skills are sufficient to allow them to effectively embed their services in their users’ (researchers, students, and teaching staff) activities. To effectively adopt embedded librarianship, the authors recommend the allocation of adequate funds to support diverse external and in-house training, the development of harmonized library and information science (LIS) curriculum, and the use of social media to interact with users.

An Integrated Assessment of the Competitiveness of a Sustainable City within the Context of the COVID-19 Impact

It is crucial for a city to ensure economic stability and growth, along with social security and prosperity, not only for the present, but also for future generations. Increasingly, researchers are highlighting the need to apply sustainable urban growth principles to the field of urban development, arguing that this would reduce the negative impacts of urbanization processes (poverty, air pollution, unemployment, and crime). At the same time, cities are competing with one another to maintain their position in the urban hierarchy, not only in the short term, but also in the long term. The COVID-19 pandemic affected many areas of our everyday life: over 5.85 million deaths, increased unemployment, the introduction of restrictions, the closure of national borders, and various other circumstances have all undoubtedly affected to a certain degree those factors which serve to influence competitiveness. The aim of this article is to conduct an integrated competitiveness assessment of the Baltic capitals within the context of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the period 2015–2020, according to an integrated assessment model for urban competitiveness (MDK), which is based upon the principles of sustainable development. A systematic and comparative analysis of the concepts published in the scientific literature has been performed, the concepts of sustainable city and sustainable urban competitiveness have been formed, research and methods of urban competitiveness evaluation have been carried out, and a comprehensive competitiveness assessment of the results of the study showed that the evaluation of integrated competitiveness of a sustainable city in the context of the impact of COVID-19 (using the Baltic capitals as an example in the period 2015–2020), in terms of the multi-criteria SAW and TOPSIS evaluation methods, is in the highest position in 2016–2019. Vilnius is in second place during the whole period 2016–2019. Riga takes third place in 2015–2019 (except in 2020, when it exchanges places with Vilnius and takes second place). Meanwhile, the results of the COPRAS multicriteria method differ from those discussed above. In 2016, 2019, and 2020, Tallinn is in the highest position, and in 2015, 2017, and 2018, it is surpassed by Vilnius. Riga remained in third place from 2015 to 2019. In 2020, Vilnius took over this position.

Exploring librarians’ intentions to collaborate in research: A model integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Exchange Theory

While many studies have attempted to understand librarians’ academic engagement (e.g. publication), there is a dearth of knowledge about the determinants of the research collaboration behavior of librarians, especially in Chinese libraries. This study focused on Chinese academic librarians and investigated factors that affect their intentions to engage in research collaboration based on a conceptual framework integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Exchange Theory. A survey containing 318 respondents was used to evaluate the research model by partial least square based structural equation modeling. The results showed that the integrative model could explain 53% of the variance of academic librarians’ intentions to collaborate. The findings revealed that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control, and perceived benefits showed significant direct influence on Chinese academic librarians’ collaborative intentions. Perceived positive consequences (benefits, relationships, and reputation) in research collaboration had indirect effects on academic librarians’ intentions through attitude. Meanwhile, there were significant differences existing in path coefficients for librarians with different disciplinary backgrounds, professional ranks, and research projects. This study contributes to the existing literature by empirically studying factors that impact Chinese librarians’ intention to research collaboration and examining the intrinsic relations among these factors. It helps the universities’ managers and librarians finding ways to boost factors in supporting the research collaboration.

Professional Social Work and Public Libraries in the United States: A Scoping Review

This study aims to investigate how professional social work is practiced in U.S. public libraries using a scoping review method. Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework for conducting a scoping review, the research team undertook a scoping review of academic literature, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic conference presentations, and dissertations/theses, as well as so-called gray literature, including news articles and web search results. After every author's review, a total of 53 materials were included in the review. The findings from this study provide evidence that collaborations between social work and libraries are documented in the academic and gray literatures, and the collaborations have been rapidly increasing since 2015. The findings also show that these collaborations tend to operate in three main ways: (1) professional social workers and social work interns directly working with library patrons, (2) professional social workers providing consultation with or training to library staff, and (3) social workers providing linkages between library staff and community-based social services agencies.

Adoption of AI-Enabled Tools in Social Development Organizations in India: An Extension of UTAUT Model

Social development organizations increasingly employ artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools to help team members collaborate effectively and efficiently. These tools are used in various team management tasks and activities. Based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), this study explores various factors influencing employees' use of AI-enabled tools. The study extends the model in two ways: a) by evaluating the impact of these tools on the employees' collaboration and b) by exploring the moderating role of AI aversion. Data were collected through an online survey of employees working with AI-enabled tools. The analysis of the research model was conducted using partial least squares (PLS), with a two-step model - measurement and structural models of assessment. The results revealed that the antecedent variables, such as effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, are positively associated with using AI-enabled tools, which have a positive relationship with collaboration. It also concluded a significant effect of AI aversion in the relationship between performance expectancy and use of technology. These findings imply that organizations should focus on building an environment to adopt AI-enabled tools while also addressing employees' concerns about AI.

A Systematic Review on FabLab Environments and Creativity: Implications for Design

Fabrication laboratories (FabLabs) and makerspaces are used to transform ideas into tangible products. Used in a design–learning context, they can enhance cognitive and creative skills. Creativity is the pivotal ability to produce innovative outcomes in makerspaces, and several studies have attempted to understand the role of makerspaces and creativity in specific fields. However, a comprehensive study offering a holistic view of the contributions of the makerspaces as built environments that foster creativity is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review on FabLabs, makerspaces, and creativity to address this research gap. While the review was performed using five major databases, only peer reviewed journal articles were considered. The findings revealed that makerspaces help to develop person, product, physical, and social environments, as well as process aspects of creativity. Moreover, makerspaces induce problem solving, collaborative, and communication skills; they also offer appealing environments and technologies for developing creative solutions to real-life problems. We identified and analysed five major themes dealing with technical skills, technological and environmental elements, STEM learning, and skill development, and elaborated upon their importance for enhancing creativity in FabLab and makerspace environments.

How to measure service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty of public library users: Application of library customer satisfaction index (LCSI) lite model

This study develops a simplified Library Customer Satisfaction Index (LCSI Lite) for public libraries. Using data collected from questionnaires administered at four public libraries in South Korea, structural equation modeling was used to measure the scores. The suggested model was confirmed to have good acceptable fit, and that three dimensions of service quality (library personnel, library resources and user services, and facilities and equipment) influenced loyalty via customer satisfaction. After successful factor analysis and reliability testing, three items for library personnel, four for library resources and user services, two for facilities and equipment, two for customer satisfaction, and two for loyalty were analyzed. Means of each item in service quality were over 3.77, and those in satisfaction and loyalty were over 4.00. Direct and indirect effects of the dimensions of service quality were analyzed, with the effect of satisfaction on loyalty. LCSI Lite scores for the libraries as a whole (73.90 out of 100) and for each library were calculated using suggested formula. Finally, research and managerial implications, some recommendations and suggestions for further research, limitations, and conclusions were presented.

Remote cataloging productivity: an exploratory study in a national library

Purpose

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to prevent the spread of disease, the National Library of Indonesia Cataloging Department adopted remote working. There is a need to examine the productivity of remote cataloging as this form of cataloging becomes more prevalent.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted using a mixed methods approach. The authors analyzed data to assess cataloging librarians' productivity based on system logs. Then, the authors interviewed librarians to understand librarians' perspectives concerning productivity and remote cataloging, and also to seek insights into factors that may affect productivity while working remotely.

Findings

The analysis found higher productivity in terms of quantity of cataloging. Librarians' productivity during remote cataloging is not statistically related to individual factors of age, years of experience, or gender. The in-depth interviews found that other factors may hinder the quality and quantity of the remote cataloging, including the working environment, infrastructure, and lack of policies on remote working.

Research limitations/implications

The findings were based on a study conducted in the National Library of Indonesia, which may not apply to libraries with different infrastructures or existing policies in remote cataloging. However, the authors identified numerous factors that could be related to remote cataloging productivity. More work needs to be done to identify these factors that impact productivity by conducting further surveys.

Practical implications

The research provides evidence showing the productivity of cataloging can be higher in remote working mode. The study provides insights for library managers to decide whether to implement remote cataloging and what additional perspectives could be considered for the better implementation of remote cataloging.

Originality/value

The gap in the literature about remote cataloging and productivity has been bridged.

The Challenges of Chinese University Leaders During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: A Case Study Approach

The outbreak of COVID-19 had a profound impact on the practice of university leadership in China. This study employs a case study as the research method, interviewing five Heads of the Departments from the Z University in China to examine the challenges to leadership in Chinese universities during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores effective countermeasures. Research findings reveal that the challenges they faced manifested in the government's closed management requirements and the students' demands for freedom of entry and exit, the dynamic and flexible disciplinary development and the rigid teaching evaluation, and big data-enabled governance and the habit of human experience-oriented management. In response to these challenges, this study proposes suggestions for the Z University leaders in the post-pandemic era: establishing rules and regulations with a relaxed degree, tolerating ambiguity in online teaching, improving the ability of intelligent technology, and taking opportunities to learn.

Methods and strategies to promote academic literacies in health professions: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Universities enroll students from diverse backgrounds every year, with 300 million students expected in higher education by 2025. However, with widening participation, increasing numbers of students enrolling in higher health education and future health professions will be underprepared to meet demands of academic literacies, i.e. ability to read, interpret and critically evaluate academic texts and communicating the understanding verbally or in writing. The aim of this scoping review was to describe and explore methods and strategies to promote development of academic literacies.

RESULTS

Thirty-one relevant studies were included and analyzed according to scoping review guidelines. The results showed four strategies: (1) integrating learning activities to develop academic literacies in the regular curriculum, (2) changing the course design with new methods for teaching and learning, (3) establish collaborations amongst academics and librarian faculty, and (4) adding courses or foundation year focusing on development of academic literacies. The results are discussed in light of the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development, Goal 4, Quality Education, and widening participation.

CONCLUSIONS

Aspects of widening participation and inclusion in higher education have been debated, and increasing numbers of students from diverse backgrounds are expected to enter health studies in higher education. We encourage integration of teaching and learning activities targeting parallel learning of course materials and development of academic literacies, beyond study skills. Embracing epistemic complexity and diversity as well as choosing strategic work with academic literacies may provide a starting point toward realizing sustainable development goals and widening participation.

Content recruiting: Obstacle to institutional repository development in university libraries in Nigeria and South Africa

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to bring to light the obstacles to collecting contents from faculty members in universities in Nigeria and South Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a survey research design. OpenDOAR database search, online questionnaire, and IRs investigation methods were used to collect data from 41 institutional repositories in universities in Nigeria and South Africa. Findings: The study found that the most popular content submitted to IRs in Nigeria and South Africa are electronic theses and dissertations, journal articles, special items (Africana collections, images, artifacts, paintings), conference and workshop papers, and research and technical reports. The comparison of institutional repository development between the two countries revealed that, South Africa is far ahead of Nigeria in terms of institutional repository development using contents emanating from the universities. South Africa is a leading African country in terms of Open Access (OA) policies and South Africa embraced open access movement earlier than Nigeria. The study identified some factors such as: lack of awareness of the existence of institutional repositories by faculty members; lack of mandatory self-archiving policy by institutions or funding bodies; considering copyright and intellectual property issues; some faculty members are skeptical on the principle of open access; some faculty members are not interested in IR; some faculty members believe it is too risky to submit their research work to IR; lack of technical skills for some faculty members to self-archive as obstacles which are peculiar to collecting contents from various contributors in both counties. Research Implication: The findings will inform University Librarians, University management and policy makers on possible ways to overcome the obstacles to recruiting content to IRs. Originality/value: The study reported on the obstacles of recruiting content from faculty members in universities in Nigeria and South Africa and the findings will inform stakeholders by designing strategies to overcome such obstacles and populate the IRs with different contents.

Should open access lead to closed research? The trends towards paying to perform research

Open Access (OA) emerged as an important transition in scholarly publishing worldwide during the past two decades. So far, this transition is increasingly based on article processing charges (APC), which create a new paywall on the researchers’ side. Publishing is part of the research process and thereby necessary to perform research. This study analyses the global trends towards paying to perform research by combing observed trends in publishing from 2015 to 2020 with an APC price list. APC expenses have sharply increased among six countries with different OA policies: the USA, China, the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Norway. The estimated global revenues from APC among major publishers now exceed 2 billion US dollars annually. Mergers and takeovers show that the industry is moving towards APC-based OA as the more profitable business model. Research publishing will be closed to those who cannot make an institution or project money payment. Our results lead to a discussion of whether APC is the best way to promote OA.

Searching for a Definition of Information Literacy as a Socially Cohesive Component of Community: A Complementarity of Experts and Student Approach

Information literacy can be seen as a fundamental prerequisite for a sustainable complex information society. As a lack of information literacy, information poverty represents a significant social and educational issue. Information literacy and information poverty will be the new dividing lines of a complex world, as the “rich north and poor south” metaphor became in the 20th century. A careful study of discourses in information literacy allows for effective educational and social policies aimed at its development. The aim of this study is to present an analysis of different approaches and discourses to define the concept of information literacy based on a review of papers from Web of Science. The study identifies four important directions of definitions or new grasps of information literacy, with an emphasis on social justice, the analysis of social and technological change, and a demand for higher quality information literacy education. Based on this analysis, the discourses present in the responses of undergraduate information studies and library science students (n = 132) collected between 2019 and 2022 are studied. The qualitative study shows that these underlying discourses are present in the students’ responses but, at the same time, offer specific perspectives on their fulfilment.

Charting Past, Present, and Future Research in the Semantic Web and Interoperability

Huge advances in peer-to-peer systems and attempts to develop the semantic web have revealed a critical issue in information systems across multiple domains: the absence of semantic interoperability. Today, businesses operating in a digital environment require increased supply-chain automation, interoperability, and data governance. While research on the semantic web and interoperability has recently received much attention, a dearth of studies investigates the relationship between these two concepts in depth. To address this knowledge gap, the objective of this study is to conduct a review and bibliometric analysis of 3511 Scopus-registered papers on the semantic web and interoperability published over the past two decades. In addition, the publications were analyzed using a variety of bibliometric indicators, such as publication year, journal, authors, countries, and institutions. Keyword co-occurrence and co-citation networks were utilized to identify the primary research hotspots and group the relevant literature. The findings of the review and bibliometric analysis indicate the dominance of conference papers as a means of disseminating knowledge and the substantial contribution of developed nations to the semantic web field. In addition, the keyword co-occurrence network analysis reveals a significant emphasis on semantic web languages, sensors and computing, graphs and models, and linking and integration techniques. Based on the co-citation clustering, the Internet of Things, semantic web services, ontology mapping, building information modeling, bioinformatics, education and e-learning, and semantic web languages were identified as the primary themes contributing to the flow of knowledge and the growth of the semantic web and interoperability field. Overall, this review substantially contributes to the literature and increases scholars’ and practitioners’ awareness of the current knowledge composition and future research directions of the semantic web field.

Changing the face of academic medicine: an equity action plan for institutions

In recent years, there have been concerted efforts to better recruit, support, and retain diverse faculty, staff, and trainees in academic medicine. However, many institutions lack comprehensive and strategic plans to provide support to retain and recruit individuals from historically underrepresented groups. In this article, we itemize specific mechanisms through which institutions can support diverse individuals with the goal of improving inclusion and belonging in the workforce to better reflect the diversity of the intended patient and research participant population.

Student Experience and Satisfaction in Academic Libraries: A Comparative Study among Three Universities in Wuhan

In recent years, the spatial renovation of university libraries in various countries has focused on readers’ needs and followed the trend to develop learning spaces as a primary spatial form. In this study, we reviewed six spatial dimensions affecting student users’ learning experience. Specifically, we built a theory- and practice-based conceptual analysis framework to measure users’ satisfaction with recent spatial renovations at three university libraries in Wuhan, China. We used SPSS statistical software to conduct multiple linear regression analyses of spatial satisfaction. The findings show that five spatial dimensions significantly affect students’ satisfaction with library space, namely, service facility availability, quality of interior design, physical environment elements, spatial diversity, and learning space controllability. Service facility availability is the most critical factor affecting spatial satisfaction. In this study, we present empirical, evidence-based space elements that enhance user satisfaction with library spaces, and provide targeted design suggestions for future library space renovation and the optimization of space allocation and expansion of space services at university libraries in China.

A mapping review of literature on Blockchain usage by libraries: Challenges and opportunities

The Library and Information Science (LIS) community has started discussing some possible uses of Blockchain (BC) technologies in solving library-related problems and increasing the overall efficiency of libraries. This study aimed to systematically collect and review the relevant literature to comprehend the scope of BC for libraries, its benefits, as well as the challenges, and implications related to its use. The authors explored six reputed databases (Web of Science, Scopus, LISTA (Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts), LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), and Google Scholar) to conduct this review. This study was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After the final data extraction, 21 documents were considered eligible for the systematic review. A systematic review of the selected works indicated that the usage of BC in libraries ranged from record-keeping to processing payments and ensuring security and transparency. Some of the opportunities that can be hunted from BC were the elimination of corruption, enhanced security, improved efficiency of services, and better time management. Literature also indicated that a lack of awareness of technology, unskilled staff, and financial constraints could impede the adoption of BC by libraries. It is hoped that this study would provide a holistic overview of BC technologies for libraries, thus improving the effectiveness of the decision-makers. This study is first that collected (systematically) and reviewed the literature on BC usage in libraries. The review will help educational institutions and library professionals understand the usage, challenges, and benefits of BC for libraries.

How Advanced Technological Approaches Are Reshaping Sustainable Social Media Crisis Management and Communication: A Systematic Review

The end goal of technological advancement used in crisis response and recovery is to prevent, reduce or mitigate the impact of a crisis, thereby enhancing sustainable recovery. Advanced technological approaches such as social media, machine learning (ML), social network analysis (SNA), and big data are vital to a sustainable crisis management decisions and communication. This study selects 28 articles via a systematic process that focuses on ML, SNA, and related technological tools to understand how these tools are shaping crisis management and decision making. The analysis shows the significance of these tools in advancing sustainable crisis management to support decision making, information management, communication, collaboration and cooperation, location-based services, community resilience, situational awareness, and social position. Moreover, the findings noted that managing diverse outreach information and communication is increasingly essential. In addition, the study indicates why big data and language, cross-platform support, and dataset lacking are emerging concerns for sustainable crisis management. Finally, the study contributes to how advanced technological solutions effectively affect crisis response, communication, decision making, and overall crisis management.