Purpose: This article advocates that privacy literacy research and praxis mobilize people toward changing the technological and social conditions that discipline subjects toward advancing institutional, rather than community, goals. Design/methodology/approach: This article analyzes theory and prior work on datafication, privacy, data literacy,…

With many cities showing an interest in afterschool system building and research providing a growing body of useful information, this Wallace Perspective offers a digest of the latest thinking on how to build and sustain an afterschool system, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this promising work. The report (a follow-up to a…

Libraries have become increasingly interested in studying the use of spaces within their buildings. Traditional methods for tracking library building use, such as gate counts, provide little information on what patrons do once they are in the library; therefore, new methods for studying space usage are being developed. Particularly promising are…

Many libraries have developed mobile versions of their websites. In order to understand their users, web developers have conducted both usability tests and focus groups, yet analytical software and web server logs can also be used to better understand users. Using data collected from these tools, the Ursula C. Schwerin Library has made informed…

The present study investigated the processes information professionals, working in a business environment, follow to meet business clients' information needs and particularly their involvement in information synthesis and analysis practices. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data was collected via a survey of 98 information…

The silo is a well-worn metaphor in information systems used to illustrate separateness, isolation, and lack of connectivity. Through the many iterations of system development, libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) have sought to avoid silos and find the sweet spot between interface design and metadata interoperability. This effort is being…

How translational researchers use data is becoming an important support function for libraries to understand. Libraries' roles in this increasingly complex area of Web librarianship are often unclearly defined. The authors conducted two focus groups with physicians and researchers at an academic medical center, the UCLA David Geffen School of…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the use of Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 technologies so that librarians can combine open source software with user-generated content to create a richer discovery experience for their users. Design/methodology/approach: Following a description of the current state of integrated library…

This paper identifies key methodological issues affecting quality of data in the evaluation of remote reference services. Despite a growing number of studies in this area, no comprehensive effort has been made to identify potential problems and suggest solutions. The strategies proposed in this paper offer practical ways in which libraries can…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to the various web metrics tools that are available, and to indicate how these might be used in libraries. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes ways in which web metrics can be used to inform strategic decision making in libraries. Findings: A framework of possible web…

This article discusses what SUSHI is and how it works. SUSHI stands for standardized usage statistics harvesting initiative. It was created specifically to solve the very problem of retrieving and having to reformat the usage reports. The promise of SUSHI is that, with wide adoption, it will drastically reduce the time spent collecting usage data…

Undertaken by a student from Rutger's University Graduate School of Library Service, this study is an analysis of the first 500 rejections received in response to his applications for professional library positions over a two year period. Job applications are categorized as solicited and unsolicited: these categories are further divided by type of…

This document reports request for a total of $271,246,000 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for Fiscal Year 2008. Funds are designed to assist the Institute in expanding its leadership role in creating an informed and educated citizenry, and transmitting the values of American democracy. In recent years the Institute has…

Questions are raised concerning the statistical methodology employed in the NILN. The author states that "better and more appropriate statistical methodology should be incorporated in future studies on library needs" and two alternatives are suggested. (JPF)

Several questions are raised concerning how data is collected and interpreted to generate the National Inventory of Library Needs. The author urges NCLIS to confront some basic issues which have been raised by the document, including data collection techniques and the professional backgrounds of the individuals involved in the study. (JPF)