Guide to the professional literature

Citation

(2006), "Guide to the professional literature", Online Information Review, Vol. 30 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/oir.2006.26430eae.001

Guide to the professional literature

This column is designed to alert readers to pertinent wider journal literature on digital information and research

Digitisation Projects at the University of Dundee Archive ServicesBrown, C. in Program-Electronic Library and Information Systems, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 168-77, 2006

The purpose of this paper is to examine the reasons behind, and issues involved in digitisation projects at archival repositories. The paper uses practical examples from the University of Dundee Archive Services to consider why archivists devote time and resources to digitising collections and to mounting digital images online. Advantages to collections, services and users are considered in the context of the archival mission and user expectations. Despite the need to divert existing resources or to attract new ones, digitisation is becoming a core activity in many archives. Many of the issues raised are cross-sectoral and not just of interest to the archival world but to anyone with a role in preserving and using records.

Ontological Techniques for Reuse and Sharing Knowledge in Digital MuseumsChi, Y.L., Hsu, T.Y. and Yang, W.P. in The Electronic Library, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 147-59, 2006

The purpose of this study is to describe a framework of ontological techniques to restrengthen current content management systems of a natural science museum. The ontological approach is utilized to extend the service level from information to knowledge. Two ontologies have been established to perform vascular plant and herbal drug knowledge bases that further facilitate knowledge integration and inference. Furthermore, this study presented ontology development processes, including knowledge acquisition, representation, and retrieval. Empirical lessons related to development techniques are concluded as follows: first, the formal concept analysis can be used as a knowledge acquisition approach to acquire concepts and attributes from expertise. Second, the Ontology Web Language represents an XML-based language which provides formal logic expressions for describing knowledge concepts. Finally, the Jena APIs can be further developed as an ontology reasoner to facilitate knowledge inference and retrieval.

An Assessment of Potential Efficiency Gains through Online Content UseCreaser, C., Hamblin, Y. and Davies, J.E. in Program-Electronic Library and Information Systems, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 178-89, 2006

Online content has largely replaced traditional print-based resources as the primary tool for literature searching throughout much of the academic and research community. This paper presents the results of a small-scale study, commissioned by the JISC in 2004, to assess the potential efficiency gains that may be achieved through the use of online content by researchers. Information gleaned from an extensive literature review was combined with recent usage data to calculate broad estimates of the efficiency gains which are being made by the research community through using online searching strategies as opposed to print resources. Manual literature searching can take around five times as long as using relevant electronic resources. The consequent savings from the availability of electronic bibliographic databases are estimated in the region of £25 million per annum. This paper brings together findings from a number of distinct studies and extrapolates these to the current situation in the UK. It demonstrates the value of investment in electronic bibliographic databases to the funding bodies which provide these to researchers.

Optimising Metadata to Make High-Value Content More Accessible to Google Users,Dawson, A. and Hamilton, V. in Journal of Documentation, Vol. 62 No. 3, pp. 307-27, 2006

This paper aims to show how information in digital collections that have been catalogued using high-quality metadata can be retrieved more easily by users of search engines such as Google. The research and proposals described arose from an investigation into the observed phenomenon that pages from the Glasgow Digital Library (gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk) were regularly appearing near the top of Google search results shortly after publication, without any deliberate effort to achieve this. The reasons for this phenomenon are now well understood and are described in the second part of the paper. The first part provides context with a review of the impact of Google and a summary of recent initiatives by commercial publishers to make their content more visible to search engines. The literature research provides firm evidence of a trend amongst publishers to ensure that their online content is indexed by Google, in recognition of its popularity with internet users. The practical research demonstrates how search engine accessibility can be compatible with use of established collection management principles and high-quality metadata.

Academic Library Web sites: Current Practice and Future DirectionsDetlor, B. and Lewis, V. in Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 251-8, 2006

To address competitive threats, academic libraries are encouraged to build robust web sites personalised to learning and research tasks. Through an evaluation of Association of Research Libraries (ARL)-member Web sites, we suggest how library Web sites should evolve and reflect upon the impacts such recommendations may have on academic libraries themselves.

K-12 Encounters the InternetDiPerna, P. in First Monday, Vol. 11 No. 5, 2006www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue11_5/diperna/index.html

“The convergence of NCLB [No Child Left Behind Act of 2001] realities with the Internet’s ever expanding capabilities offers a window of opportunity to build a social network website service that is suited for K-12”, says DiPerna. He explores three questions: how K-12 information is presented on the Internet; what in fact are the needs of K-12 teaching environments for Internet-based information; and whether a Social Networking Web site could help meet these needs. He makes the important point that an effective culture for learning about how to use technology is developed, and that it involves everyone: students, teachers and parents. Social Networking Webs could save time and energy by reducing overall email load. They could also generate more meaningful statistics on web usage, and they could foster new and creative zones for informal learning. If these platforms are embraced by youth for fun, it follows that their potential may carry benefit for K-12 teaching as well. This article provides a good overview of the challenges of bringing technology to bear in the K-12 arena, and also provides some creative thinking about the teaching process.

Automated Subject Classification of Textual Web DocumentsGolub, K. in Journal of Documentation, Vol. 62 No. 3, pp. 350-71, 2006

The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated perspective to similarities and differences between approaches to automated classification in different research communities (machine learning, information retrieval and library science), and point to problems with the approaches and automated classification as such. A range of works dealing with automated classification of full-text web documents are discussed. Explorations of individual approaches are given in the following sections: special features (description, differences, evaluation), application and characteristics of web pages. Provides major similarities and differences between the three approaches: document pre-processing and utilisation of web-specific document characteristics is common to all the approaches; major differences are in applied algorithms, employment or not of the vector space model and of controlled vocabularies. Problems of automated classification are recognised.

The Rendering Of Humanities Information in a Digital Context – Current Trends and Future DevelopmentsHockey, S. in Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 58, No. 1/2, pp. 89-101, 2006

The purpose of this paper is to consider how digital resources might best be created and how the digital medium might best be exploited to serve the needs of research and teaching in the humanities. The history of text-based humanities computing is traced to illustrate the complexity of humanities sources and the requirements for their representation in digital form. The paper finds that digital information is completely different from any other kind of information, being dynamic, extensible and manipulable in many different ways. It is not static and it can be manipulated in many different ways. The Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) has been widely adopted in the humanities particularly for full text sources encoded according to the Text Encoding Initiative application. XML permits the display, analysis and manipulation of fine detail within a document. It also facilitates the chunking of information and the integration of data and metadata leading to new forms of publication that exploit the digital medium to the full.

Performance Evaluation for University Electronic Libraries in TaiwanHsieh, L.F., Chin, J.B. and Wu, M.C. in The Electronic Library, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 212-24

This article aims to construct a performance evaluation system for the e-library in universities in Taiwan. The paper uses actual university cases as the target for analysis for in-depth research so as to provide an evaluation reference. This article reviewed the library performance evaluations found in the literature of the UK, Germany, the USA and Taiwan and constructed primary performance evaluation indicators. The Delphi Method was then used to summarise the opinions of experts in completing the construction of a performance evaluation model for e-library. With all the factors of e-library, user satisfaction and input of libraries as the basis, Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to illustrate the problems and combine the two to establish the hierarchy structure for the performance evaluation of this research. The weights of all indicators within hierarchies are calculated and then the weight of the overall hierarchies are worked out. The findings show that the e-library plays two important roles: data searching and academic study.

Improving the Relevance of Web Menus Using Search Logs: A BBC Case StudyHuntington, P. and Nicholas, D. in Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 58 No. 1/2, pp. 118-28, 2006

The paper seeks to propose a method for selecting menu items based on an analysis of user-entered search terms. Menu pages inform users what is coming next and what questions are going to be answered by an information communication technology service. Menus need to reflect user needs. The paper aims to argue that users reveal the scope of their information needs by the words used in their search expressions and these can be analysed to inform menu titles. The paper presents an analysis and classification of user search expressions that are automatically collected by the server. The paper examines the search expressions of about 1,000 users of the BBC site related to search expressions on diabetes. The search expressions were classified, analysed and compared with the diabetes menu of three health sites: NHS Direct (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk); BBC health (www.bbc.co.uk); and Diabetics UK (www.diabetes.org.uk). Finally, a six-point menu is derived.

Creation and Loss of Sociotechnical Capital among Information Professionals Educated OnlineKazmer, M.M. in Library & Information Science Research, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 172-91, 2006

One goal of library and information science education is for graduates to engage with the profession and interact with one another throughout their careers. The increase over the last decade in online distance learning options presents a challenge to educators with respect to this goal: are students who study online sufficiently connected with one another to develop lasting and productive professional networks? Kazmer examines this question by looking at creation and loss of socio-technical capital among distance education graduates in library science. The findings indicate that educators should consider socio-technical capital issues at the individual, interpersonal and cohort level to support shared, lasting professional contributions.

Visualization-based Information Retrieval on the WebKoshman, S. in Library & Information Science Research, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 192-207, 2006

The application of visualisation techniques to information retrieval has resulted in the development of innovative systems and interfaces that are now available for public use. Questions arise in regard to the utility of Web-based information retrieval visualisation tools for assisting users in manipulating search output and in managing the information retrieval process. To understand how Web-based visualisation tools enable visual information retrieval, this article reviews some of the human perceptual theory behind the graphical interface of information visualisation systems, analyses iconic representations and information density on visualisation displays, and examines information retrieval tasks that have been used in visualisation system user research.

Nature Peer Review Trial and Debatein Nature, 2006www.nature.com/nature/peerreview/index.html

Nature is offering another of its Web debates, this time on the issue of peer review. Like other Web debates Nature has offered, this one is a series of short position papers that express a wide range of views. However, this time, Nature is also offering an optional open peer review process for its authors on a trial basis. Of particular note in the debate section are: “Certification in a Digital Era”; “Evolving Peer Review for the Internet”; “An Open, Two-Stage Peer-Review Journal”; “Opening Up the Process”; “Reviving a Culture of Scientific Debate”; and “Wisdom of the Crowds”.

The Other Side of The Coin for Open Access Publishing – a Developing Country ViewPapin-Ramcharan, J. and Dawe, R.A. in Libri, Vol. 56 No. 1, pp. 16-27, 2006

This article presents the Open Access publishing experience of researchers in an academic research institution, in a developing country, Trinidad and Tobago, namely at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus. It considers UWI researchers’ knowledge of Open Access, their access to the scholarly literature, Open Access Archives/Repositories at UWI and related issues of Research and Library funding and Information Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure/Internet connectivity. The article concludes that whilst Open Access publishing yields some obvious and well-documented benefits for developing country researchers, including free access to research articles and increased impact and visibility of “published” Open Access articles, there are some disincentives that militate against developing country researchers fully contributing to the global body of knowledge via Open Access. It finds that Open Access journals are beneficial for scholars who consume information but are of little benefit for developing country scholars wanting to publish in these journals because of the high cost of page charges. Inadequate and unreliable ICT infrastructure and Internet connectivity also often limit access to information. It concludes that because of technical, financial, human and infrastructural limitations, Open Access via the Green Road of self-archiving is also often not an option for developing country researchers. These researchers are therefore unable to reap the real benefits, of making their research Open Access, that of increased impact and visibility. This study is to develop and evaluate methods and instruments for assessing the usability of digital libraries. It discusses the dimensions of usability, what methods have been applied in evaluating usability of digital libraries, their applicability, and criteria. It is found in the study that there exists an interlocking relationship among effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. It provides operational criteria for effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction, and learnability. It discovers users’ criteria on “ease of use,” “organisation of information”, “terminology and labelling”, “visual attractiveness”, and “mistake recovery”. Common causes of “user lostness” were found. “Click cost” was examined.

Wireless Hotspots: Petri Dish of Wireless SecurityPotter, B. in Communications of the ACM, Vol. 49 No. 6, pp. 51-6, 2006

The message of this article is not to use a public wireless hotspot at all if you want to avoid the risk of being hacked. Potter compares the effective security measures of enterprise systems with the porous security of open environments. A centrally controlled enterprise network can utilise authentication schemes like the Extensible Authentication Protocol which presents system designers with choices such as simple username and password or the tighter security of bi-directional certificate-based authentication. On the other hand, the “any port in a storm” nature of hotspot access leaves the OSI layer 2 (data link) vulnerable; layer 3 solutions placed on top of that weakness, such as firewalls or virtual private networks, do not solving the problem. Eavesdroppers within range can configure wireless-enabled PDAs to run interception programs automatically, and harvest personal data. These attacks are rarely detectable by the victim.

A Content Analysis of Latina Web ContentSalinas, R. in Library & Information Science Research, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 297-324, 2006

This study provides a preliminary map of the nature of Web-based content about US Latinas, a community traditionally been underrepresented in information systems. The nature of the content was explored and analysed by examining attributes such as type of site, language of site, topic(s), producer(s) of site, technical features, and targeted audience. The study also discusses the possible social implications of the disparities in access to digital information technologies. Using content analysis, the study provides a framework with which to categorise and analyse Web content. The results suggest content areas that need development and potential information barriers to consider in the process.

Metasearch Authentication and Access ManagementTeets, M. and Murray, P. in D-Lib Magazine, Vol. 12 No. 6, 2006www.dlib.org/dlib/june06/teets/06teets.html

This paper reports on the work of the NISO Metasearch Initiative’s Access Management Task Group. The group surveyed the authentication and authorisation methods currently being used, developed use cases, considered environmental factors, ranked the various methods against the use cases and environmental factors, aggregated and modelled the rankings, and made recommendations based on their findings. Their key findings were that in the present environment, IP-authentication with a proxy server and username and password are the two most effective methods for authentication.

Websites and Internationalisation: A Survey of Norwegian Academic, Research and Special LibrariesTorras, M.C. and Vaagan, R.W. in Libri, Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 28-37, 2006

Norway currently has 362 academic, research and special libraries, most of which have developed websites to provide a variety of online services to users, including a growing number of part-time and distance education users. While most websites and services are provided in Norwegian only, forces of globalisation are pushing institutions to provide an increasing range of services also in English. Based on an analysis of all 362 library websites, including a typical case sampling of three case studies, the article argues that an increasing amount of information will be made available in English on library websites, but that the process will stop short of full bilingual provision.

Exploring the Capabilities of English and Hungarian Search Engines for Various QueriesToth, E. in Libri, Vol. 56 No. 1, pp. 38-47, 2006

This paper presents a test that examined the linguistic capabilities of English and Hungarian search engines. Three English-language search engines were tested: Google, AltaVista and AlltheWeb. For comparison, five significant Hungarian search engines were considered: Heureka, Origo-Vizsla, Kurzor, Goliat and Altavizsla. The analysis was based on the following aspects: stemming, handling of stopwords and diacritics, truncation and searching for synonyms. The results indicate that while the Hungarian search engines are motivated to take into consideration the specific characteristics of the Hungarian language, on the whole the English-language search engines ignore the special characteristics of the Hungarian language. In the cases examined none of the general search engines handled diacritics well; that caused their resulting weaknesses in finding information relevant for Hungarian users.

The Use of Electronic Journals by Dutch Researchers: A Descriptive and Exploratory StudyVoorbij, H. and Ongering, H. in Journal of Academic Librarianship,Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 223-37, 2006

Dutch faculty was surveyed as to their use of electronic journals. it was concluded that electronic journals have become indispensable for scientists and social scientists, and have a profound effect on information behaviour, varying from methods of becoming aware of relevant articles to benefits on research.

Domain Names Management and Legal ProtectionWang, F.F. in International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 116-27, 2006

In the new information technology era, companies widely use the Internet to develop their preserve in the global marketplace and to build up their business images. Registering a domain name is a necessary step in an ever-changing information-driven society. Domain names relate to trademarks for the products or services, as well as a way of setting up companies’ goodwill or reputation. This article, through three case studies, examines the registration, usage and protection of domain names in the UK, USA and China.

Online Business Reporting: An Information Management PerspectiveWilliams, S.P., Scifleet, P.A. and Hardy, C.A. in International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 91-101, 2006

Online business reporting and the benefits thereof are widely reported in the academic and practitioner literatures. Much is made of its potential to transform information supply and demand and the dominant focus of the current discourse is on the automation and publishing aspects of online business reporting. These we argue are necessary aspects but present a narrow conception of the role of business information in organisations. Current research lacks an information management perspective, which focuses attention on the design, management and intellectual organisation of business information. Drawing on a preliminary study of the adoption and implementation of business reporting mark-up languages (in particular XBRL) in the Australian financial sector we draw out the issues for research and practice. We present a complementary perspective that makes information and information work visible and takes into account the complex inter-relationships between the activities of humans and the information itself.

Collaborative Working for Large Digitisation ProjectsYeates, R. and Guy, D. in Program-Electronic Library and Information Systems, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 137-56, 2006

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of large-scale consortia for disseminating local heritage via the web. To describe the creation of a large geographically based cultural heritage consortium in the South East of England and management lessons resulting from a major web site digitisation project. To encourage the improved sharing of experience amongst similar projects in the future. A selective literature review seeking lessons on sustainable cultural heritage collaboration is presented. The composition of a consortium set-up with public lottery funding to build a cross-domain collaborative public web site containing cultural heritage materials from many local authorities and local partners is described. Practical experiences from the first three years of collaboration are presented in a manner loosely based on the European Union Digitisation Policies Benchmarking Model. Staff in local government libraries, archives and museums have, until recently, lacked experience in major web site publishing and even in the basic digitisation of locally held heritage materials. Local governments in England have traditionally co-operated within the library or museum sectors, but not across the whole domain. New communication methods and a formally structured consortium have so far enabled the collaborative publication of a major web site allowing cross-searching of partner materials as well as access to individual sites. More importantly, staff have begun to understand how to proceed in a sustainable way to support the future development of more sophisticated digital primary and learning resources that are preserved for the future and yet accessible to many more people. The paper notes the importance of shared values, common objectives and a practical approach to collaborative service delivery. It also highlights the challenges in situations where operational staff have multiple responsibilities and project staff may be available only while external short-term funding lasts. It is suggested that encouraging the documentation of operational experiences and sharing skills through a large-scale formal consortium can support sustainable development.