Emerald | Program: electronic library and information systems | Table of Contents

The status of information technology in Iranian hospital libraries: A comparative study of library managers' attitude

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This research aims to compare the attitude of the managers of libraries located at Iran, Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences Universities' training hospitals on the status of information technology (IT) in the mentioned libraries.Design/methodology/approach - This study employed a researcher-made questionnaire. The managers of forty hospital libraries of Iran, Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Universities formed the population of the research. To analyze the collected data, the statistical software SPSS (version 17) was used.Findings - Results showed that 12.5% of Tehran, 15.6% of Iran and 25% of Shahid Beheshti universities library managers agreed to a very large extent on the application and development of IT and its tools and 93.7% of the managers from all the three hospital libraries deemed the application of IT most necessary. The managers believed that the greatest advantage of IT is concerned with the reduction of human efforts (59.4%), and 100% of the managers acknowledged the need for further promotion of their skills in a wide variety of IT issues. 16.1% at Tehran, 12.9% at Iran and 29% at Shahid Beheshti University considerably approved of formal education for the promotion of their librarians' skills.Originality/value - This study is a step towards acknowledging the contribution, status, and value of hospital libraries to the Health Sector by the library managers in theory and practice in the shadow of considering their librarians as network experts, information media and system designers, and technology experts.

Adding Value to Scholarly Journals through A Citation Indexing System

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (A.N. Zainab, A. Abrizah, R.G. Raj) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - Purpose: The objectives of this paper are to (a) relate the problems identified about scholarly journal publishing in Malaysia to establish motivation for the system development; (b) describe the design of MyCite, Malaysian Citation indexing system and (c) highlight the added value to journals and articles indexed through the generation of bibliometrics performance reports.Design/methodology/approach - Methods: The system uses a rapid prototyping method, modeling the functions identified in the Web of Science databases and Scopus as the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia requires the system to be ready within a year mainly to help improve the quality, accessibility and performance of Malaysian scholarly journals.Findings - Results: Shows the relational tables and module functions in MyCite. Highlight the value added to bibliographic data through performance reports of authors, journals, institutions, country and bibliographical control of Malaysian journals. Shows performance tables of top authors, rank list of 75 journals by yearly impact factor, and other bibliometric indices.Research limitations/implications - Limitations: Highlight the problems in gaining access to full contents of journals, authors’ adoption of variant names, and the vast variations in referencing style adopted by publishers, which may result in inaccurate counting and lost citations.Originality/value - Value: The strength of MyCite is in its reference editor module, which is a programme that segments article references into manageable chunks that helps speedup the data preparation for citation counting. MyCite improves the availability and visibility of Malaysian journals, enriches national research content, and provides better knowledge of national research outputs funded by universities and research institutions.

A survey on the exchange of linguistic resources: Publishing linguistic linked open data on the Web

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to provide a literature review of the principal formats and frameworks that have been used in the last 20 years to exchange linguistic resources. Special attention has been given to the most recent approaches to publishing linguistic linked open data on the Web.Design/methodology/approach - Research papers published since 1990 on the use of various formats, standards, frameworks and methods to exchange linguistic information were divided into two main categories: those proposing specific schemas and syntaxes to suit the requirements of a given type of linguistic data (these are referred to as offline approaches), and those adopting the Linked Data initiative and the Semantic Web technologies to support the interoperability of heterogeneous linguistic resources. For each paper, the type of linguistic resource exchanged, the framework/format used, the interoperability approach taken and the related projects were identified.Findings - The information gathered in the survey reflects an increase in recent years in approaches adopting the LD initiative. This is due to the fact that the structural and syntactic issues which arise when addressing the interoperability of linguistic resources can be solved by applying Semantic Web technologies. What remains an open issue in the field of computational linguistics is the development of knowledge artifacts and mechanisms to support the alignment of the different aspects of LRs in order to guarantee semantic and conceptual interoperability in the LOD cloud. Ontologies have proved to be of great use in achieving this goal.Research limitations/implications - The research presented here is by no means a comprehensive or all-inclusive survey of all existing approaches to the exchange of linguistic resources. Rather, the aim was to highlight, analyze and categorize the most significant advances in the field.Practical implications - This survey has practical implications for computational linguists and for every application requiring new developments in Natural Language Processing. In addition, multilingual issues can be better addressed when semantic interoperability of heterogeneous linguistic resources is achieved.Originality/value - The paper provides a survey of past and present research and developments addressing the interoperability of linguistic resources, including those where the Linked Data initiative has been adopted.

Supporting the Research Process through Expanded Library Data Services

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Minglu Wang) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper describes the process of how we gained a better understanding of the variety of library users’ data needs, and how we gradually established some new data services based on our current capabilities.Design/methodology/approach - This paper uses a case study of the new data services at the John Cotton Dana Library, at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark campus, to demonstrate the possible ways to extend data reference services and provide data computing services. A content analysis of our services records shows how each user group falls into our multiple data services levels and subcategories. Findings - Library users can be classified into many different categories, and each of these may have different needs. Research centers might have big projects involving data gathering and applications where we can mainly provide consultation, while an individual faculty member or student might need the librarians as research partners, with help for their specific problems. Computing data services can involve group training and statistical analysis assistance, where researchers need emergent help. Data librarians can take various opportunities for data management education, thereby gradually raising awareness and cultivating better research habits among researchers.Originality/value - Library data computing services can make unique contributions to faculty and students’ research and study. Institution, library and users’ interaction determines the levels and extent of data services is generalized from the description and analysis of typical data service examples. Classic concept of data services levels is applied to a concrete case of data services program, and sub-categories of each data services level and user types are developed based on our services record.

Integrated access to cultural heritage information pieces in Iran over Imam Reza's 4th Zarih(Burial Chamber) as a sample

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Maliheh Farrokhnia, Mitra Zarei) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - In this paper we offer an example, how ontology like CIDOC can be turned into a format from the perspective of an object. In fact, it illustrates the possible semantic analysis of an object description into a view neutral machine-interpretable form. (Doerr and Dionissiadou, 1998.) Our aim is to show that a museum object located in museum can be described in details and even more can be related to other information objects located in other memory institutions such as library and archive.Design/methodology/approach - Studying different documents, all the information about Imam Reza's Zarih 4th was derivated. Then the most important of them was listed and was represented in details according to CIDOC CRM entities.Findings - The figures explicitly reveal the existing semantic correlations between the heterogeneous cultural heritage information in various memory institutions such as Organization of Libraries, Museums and Documents Centre of Astan Quds Razavi.Research limitations/implications - Taking into consideration of the space limitation on the paper, the description presented here is part of the whole information which can be found around the 4th Zarih (Burial Chamber) of Imam Reza (A.S.) Moreover, although CIDOC CRM is a rich ontology, sometimes determining the best entities and properties for an accurate description is difficult. For example, since the general technique used in a modification is identified as a Type, we can not link the material specially used in this general technique. Practical implications - In this article the related information from different resources around 4th Zarih of Imam Reza (A.S.) as a man-made object and their relationships have been described semantically with the aid of a semantic conceptual model like CIDOC CRM in order to show more effective information integration in cultural institutions like Organization of libraries, Museums and Documents center of Astan Quds Razavi.Originality/value - In this article we tried to capture the knowledge from different resources and related them in a semantic description with the aid of a semantic conceptual model like CIDOC CRM to show more effective information integration in a cultural institution like Organization of Libraries, Museums and Documents Centre of Astan Quds Razavi in order to provide unified access to collection-level information in Iran.

An Integrated Model for Effective Knowledge Management in Chinese Organizations

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to provide organizations in the Chinese cultural context with a conceptual model for an integrated adoption of existing KM methods and to improve the effectiveness of their KM activities. Design/methodology/approach - A comparative analysis is conducted between China and the western world based on a comprehensive document analysis from key databases available. Four critical dimensions, which are identified through the review of the related literature including observation, methodology, systems and applications, are used in the analysis for addressing the questions of why, what, how, and where in KM.Findings - This study rationalizes the need for this study in conformity with the emerging trend of an integrated use of diverse KM methods and approaches for effective KM in organizations. Further, a reference model for the integrated adoption of existing KM methods is developed with respect to the characteristics of the Chinese culture for improving the effectiveness of KM activities in the organizations. Such a model can adequately address the questions of why, what, how, and where in KM in Chinese organizations to the best of Chinese collective interest, which provides more comprehensive and unified KM views, activities, processes and technologies for collaborative innovation in Chinese organizations. Research limitations/implications - International experiences considered are limited to Chinese and English literature from available database, and findings are analysed relevant to solutions to the problems identified. Empirical research will be done to show the applicability of the model in real situations for an integrated use of KM methods with in depth studies of why, what, how and where in KM in the future.Practical implications - The reference model can guide an organization to formulate its unique knowledge management strategies that can improve the effects of organizational KM and build connectivity, coordination and community from different perspectives with respect to the characteristics of the Chinese national culture. Originality/value - This paper is the first of its kind to systematically review existing KM methods and approaches with respect to the perspectives of observations, methodologies, systems and applications for effective KM in Chinese organizations. An integrated model is proposed for an integrated use of existing KM methods and approaches for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of KM activities in Chinese organizations. The benefits of adopting such a model in KM in Chinese organizations include creating connectivity, improving conformity, bridging gaps, promoting collaborative governance, and enhancing KM competence.