Aslib Proceedings

TILES: classifying contextual information for mobile tourism applications : Table of Contents

Esther Meng-Yoke Tan, Schubert Foo, Dion Hoe-Lian Goh, Yin-Leng Theng — Sat Nov 21 08:00:12 GMT 2009

Abstract:
Purpose – The design of context-aware mobile applications can be improved through a clear and in-depth understanding of context and how it can be used to meet users' requirements. Using tourism as a case application, this paper aims to address the lack of understanding of context and tourists' goals. Design/methodology/approach – This is achieved through a literature review of existing research and focus groups to gather information needs for tasks commonly executed by tourists. Findings – This paper proposes the TILES (temporal, identity, location, environmental and social) model to define and classify five main contextual types, and properties associated with each type for tourism-related applications. The TILES model (with 32 factors) derived from the analysis of the literature review is refined through inputs from two focus groups to incorporate an additional ten factors. Research implications/limitations – The TILES model can be generalised to support domains other than tourism, such as medical and edutainment. Originality/value of paper – The model will help to achieve a better understanding of context, users' information needs and their goals. In addition, this work extends findings in the field of context-aware computing and information retrieval on mobile devices. Solution providers will also be able to adopt TILES as a framework for guiding the design of their context-aware mobile applications.

An exploratory analysis of librarians' blogs: their development, nature and changes : Table of Contents

Noa Aharony — Sat Nov 21 08:00:12 GMT 2009

Abstract:
Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to compare and examine two points in time of the LIS blogsphere: first period of publication of the blog (first two months for each blog) and a second period (July/August 2008). The research will describe and analyse librarians' blogsphere, focusing on its nature, development, and prevailing tendencies. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents a statistical descriptive analysis and a thorough content analysis of 30 LIS blogs in two periods of time. The first phase in the investigation is the location of the LIS blogs that meet the research criteria; the second phase is the examination of data related to the posts. The final phase consists of the content analysis of the main ideas of the posts and the development of a subject scheme that represents the analysis. Findings – A thorough examination of blogs' content reveals that there is a current tendency to write essay-type posts with hypertext links; there are fewer posts and postings days, as well as fewer readers' comments, but a larger number of links and tags which are assigned to the posts. Furthermore, three out of the five main content categories are equivalent in both periods and it seems that the same issues still occupy librarians' minds and thoughts. Originality/value – The research findings are relevant for librarians and information scientists as they cause them to better understand and delve into the phenomenon of LIS blogsphere.

A study on the job analysis of public libraries in Korea : Table of Contents

Hee-Yoon Yoon, Sin-Young Kim — Sat Nov 21 08:00:12 GMT 2009

Abstract:
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze jobs and duties involved in Korean public libraries and provide a clear picture of such issues. Design/methodology/approach – All of the various duties being executed in libraries are identified. Public libraries across the nation are requested to assist with our survey. Questionnaires are collected to survey the level of awareness of all the duties involved in public libraries and analyzed to determine the importance, difficulty, and professionalism of 194 library duties. Findings – Through this study, perceived levels of frequency, importance, and difficulty of duties related to public libraries are surveyed and average values for each duty are compared and analyzed to formulate a standard job model and action plan. Originality/value – This is the first paper to present a basic library duty model reflecting rapidly changing information technologies and information types of Korean public libraries based on a library duty analysis of advanced countries.

ArticleRank: a PageRank-based alternative to numbers of citations for analysing citation networks : Table of Contents

Jiang Li, Peter Willett — Sat Nov 21 08:00:12 GMT 2009

Abstract:
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest an alternative to the widely used Times Cited criterion for analysing citation networks. The approach involves taking account of the natures of the papers that cite a given paper, so as to differentiate between papers that attract the same number of citations. Design/methodology/approach – ArticleRank is an algorithm that has been derived from Google's PageRank algorithm to measure the influence of journal articles. ArticleRank is applied to two datasets – a citation network based on an early paper on webometrics, and a self-citation network based on the 19 most cited papers in the Journal of Documentation – using citation data taken from the Web of Knowledge database. Findings – ArticleRank values provide a different ranking of a set of papers from that provided by the corresponding Times Cited values, and overcomes the inability of the latter to differentiate between papers with the same numbers of citations. The difference in rankings between Times Cited and ArticleRank is greatest for the most heavily cited articles in a dataset. Originality/value – This is a novel application of the PageRank algorithm.

Assessment of knowledge management growth: a South Africa perspective : Table of Contents

C.J. (Neels) Kruger, Roy D. Johnson — Sat Nov 21 08:00:12 GMT 2009

Abstract:
Purpose – Wilson argues that knowledge management (KM) maturity is an extension of information management and effective management of work practices. Gallagher and Hazlett state that there is too much effort addressing technological concerns in KM while offering little practical assistance. Kruger and Snyman believe KM is a strategic resource with ICT and information management as enablers in establishing KM maturity. These three positions of KM growth and maturity reflect the huge spectrum of and diverse views. But, very little is known about the KM growth or maturity that occurs in different industries, or how employees and managers perceive growth in KM maturity. This paper aims to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach – From a large urban South African University engaged in numerous collaboration programmes with industry, the authors gain insight into the growth of KM in industry groupings over a five-year period. The authors apply an inventory developed by Kruger and Snyman to a set of 86 organisations distributed over nine economic sectors in South Africa. In total 434 employees are interviewed over three group levels (operational, middle and senior management). This is achieved by interviewing 178 senior practitioners in three subjects (one in each group level). Findings – Analysis of the growth in KM maturity, as it relates to different organisational sizes, reveals that there are statistical differences between the score reported by small, medium, large and extra-large organisations and between the scores reported by senior, middle and operational personnel. Findings also indicate that growth in KM differs between industry groupings, with high growth in construction, building materials and mining (±70 per cent), and low growth in educational institutions (±40 per cent). Originality/value – This paper is of relevance to KM practitioners interested in gaining insight into KM maturity growth that occurred in different organisational groupings and at different operational levels across an extremely diversified environment.

Death or diversification? The use of space in public library buildings : Table of Contents

Rachel Begg — Sat Nov 21 08:00:12 GMT 2009

Abstract:
Purpose – With the development of new public libraries such as the Idea Stores in Tower Hamlets and Discovery Centres in Hampshire, it has been debated whether the inclusion of non-book materials and activities illustrates the death of public libraries by the marginalisation of books. This paper aims to investigate these assumptions by examining the use of space in public library buildings for book and non-book purposes over time. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology involves a survey of secondary data on library buildings and the comparison of floor plans, observations and stock statistics of libraries in the two authorities over time. Findings – This study concludes that the inclusion of non-book space is not a new trend in library buildings and that books still have a significant role in terms of floor space and stock in new libraries even with the increased addition of non-book space, illustrating less dramatic changes than suggested by some commentators. These trends in fact indicate a diversification of public libraries and their buildings not their imminent death. Research limitations/implications – Although this research was only able to study a few examples of libraries, this alternative method of investigating space could be repeated in future research. Originality/value – The study of use of space in libraries is important as it has implications for the library profession and the design of future library buildings. This methodology provides a different way of studying the issues of space.