Contents of LIBRI: international journal of libraries and information
services, 54 (4) December 2005
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TITLES (Abstracts below)
Google Scholar: The New Generation of Citation Indexes
Alireza Noruzi
Digital Repositories: Not Quite at Your Fingertips
Nancy John
Advertising on Library Websites: Comparing library websites in Europe
and the USA Vitalija Svencionyte
Rolling Stock: Library and Information Services for Gypsies and
Travellers Kerry Weller University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Constructing the Pillars of a Knowledge Society: The Challenge of
Providing Access to ICTs in Rural Mongolia C. A. Johnson, L. Ariunaa,
and J. J. Britz
Collaboration Across Europe: Experience From Practice
Christine Goodair, Jorunn Moen, Susanna Prepeliczay and Thomas Rouault
ABSTRACTS
Google Scholar: The New Generation of Citation Indexes
Alireza Noruzi
Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com) provides a new method of
locating potentially relevant articles on a given subject by identifying
subsequent articles that cite a previously published article. An
important feature of Google Scholar is that researchers can use it to
trace interconnections among authors citing articles on the same topic
and to determine the frequency with which others cite a specific
article, as it has a "cited by" feature. This study begins with an
overview of how to use Google Scholar for citation analysis and
identifies advanced search techniques not well documented by Google
Scholar. This study also compares the citation counts provided by Web of
Science and Google Scholar for articles in the field of "Webometrics."
It makes several suggestions for improving Google Scholar. Finally, it
concludes that Google Scholar provides a free alternative or complement
to other citation indexes.
Digital Repositories: Not Quite at Your Fingertips
Nancy John
The digital repository is a key technology used by today's libraries to
collect, organize, archive and make accessible electronic files of
different types. This paper argues that while the vision of the role of
the digital repository has grown sharper and more articulate, the actual
practical outcome has not met the hyperbole. Building blocks continue to
be developed, but user access to repositories is still in its early
development. There are promising exemplars of this technology, but more
effort is needed. Particularly promising is some vendor open source work
that may provide the tools needed to open up these digital resources.
But fundamental change in how the existence of these repositories and
their content is made known to the online user community is needed;
traditional metadata access and harvesting is not enough. Infusing the
content with an information context may be one way to assure that
repositories are a significant part not only of the library of the
future but also of the world's information landscape.
Advertising on Library Websites: Comparing library websites in Europe
and the USA Vitalija Svencionyte
Although libraries have traditionally been outside of the world of
commercial advertising, the current rise in information value, demand
and cost creates the possibility for information providers to use
Internet advertising on library websites. However, even in a society
where the need for advertising is taken for granted, some still question
whether libraries and information centers should use it. This article
provides an overview of the use of advertising on library websites in
Europe and the U.S. Using data collected from a survey of 243 library
websites done in 2003, the article discusses the current amount of
advertising and the use of self-and commercial advertising on these
websites. It also compares the differences between types of libraries
and between geographic areas. The major finding of the study is that
libraries in Europe and the U.S. both use self- and commercial
advertising on their websites; however, libraries tend to use
self-advertising more frequently. Further study found that libraries use
all popular types of advertising - banners, links, Web pages,
information lines - to promote the most predictable types of products on
their websites - books, articles, conferences, exhibitions, new
services, and databases. The article concludes with suggestions for
further research.
Rolling Stock: Library and Information Services for Gypsies and
Travellers Kerry Weller University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Gypsies and Travellers have lived in Britain for over 500 years and yet
the country's 'original and oldest ethnic minority' (Pateman 2004: 42)
remains the least tolerated by the majority. This paper provides a brief
cultural analysis based on the Gypsy Traveller way of life and how
current policies and service provision create barriers to this culture
and tradition. Library and information service requirements are
identified in relation to specific needs, based on the issues that
directly affect this minority group. An examination of current policies
and service provision will also identify existing barriers to enabling
access to information. Proposals are made for providing library and
information services appropriate to this minority community, in order to
break down these barriers, enable access to information pertinent to
their needs and tackle the issues that contribute to the social
exclusion of the Gypsy Traveller community in Britain.
Constructing the Pillars of a Knowledge Society: The Challenge of
Providing Access to ICTs in Rural Mongolia C. A. Johnson, L. Ariunaa,
and J. J. Britz
Globalization has resulted in a shift away from the economics of things
towards the economics of information, where access to ICTs has reduced
the disadvantages of distance and location. Advanced industrialized
countries have been at the forefront of this shift and have been able to
influence governments to institute policies that have made globalization
possible. At the same time, lower income countries have been at a
disadvantage in adapting to this new paradigm. Before poor countries can
fully benefit from the positive effects of access to ICTs they must
first develop a knowledge society. For a society to become a knowledge
society and to be part of the economics of information, it must meet
four interrelated criteria which we refer to as the four pillars of the
knowledge society. These include: ICT and connectivity, usable content,
infrastructure and deliverability, and human intellectual capability. In
this paper we examine how one developing country, Mongolia, is
approaching the challenge of developing a knowledge society. We
concentrate on its efforts to construct one of the pillars - ICT and
connectivity. The paper looks specifically at the challenges in
providing access to ICTs in the vast rural areas of Mongolia where more
than half the population still follows a nomadic herding lifestyle. We
conclude that despite a positive policy environment for developing ICTs
and limited success in extending Internet connectivity into the rural
towns, the prospect of integrating these services into the social and
business practices of rural communities remains a long way off. Future
research needs to go beyond economic and technological factors and focus
on the social and cultural implications of incorporating ICTs into
traditional societies.
Collaboration Across Europe: Experience From Practice
Christine Goodair, Jorunn Moen, Susanna Prepeliczay and Thomas Rouault
This paper explores the experiences of working on a joint European
project to develop an online Gateway of website resources in addictions,
by members of ELISAD, the European Association of Libraries and
Information Services on Alcohol and other Drugs. A brief overview of the
work of ELISAD is given, and its sister organisation SALIS. The project
is described along with an exploration of the benefits and barriers in
working collaboratively. The paper draws on these experiences to
highlight the lessons learnt through the Gateway and other activities.
Issues considered include, genesis of the project, funding, project
management, working styles, language, benefits and barriers and key
observations regarding how to make partnerships work. Although the paper
is based upon a joint European project, it includes some reflections
upon ELISAD's international links. The paper is written from the
personal experiences of the authors.
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