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The national immigrant rights campaign of 2006 stands as one of the largest mobilizations by people of color in US history, yet less scholarly attention has been given to systematically comparing these mobilizations at the local level. To develop an understanding of what led to sustained mobilization, a comparative case study analysis of seven cities in California's San Joaquin Valley is employed. The empirical evidence is based on interviews with key organizers and participants, newspaper documentation of protest events, census data, and other secondary sources. I find that the presence and size of policy threats explained the initial protest during the spring of 2006 in all localities, but cities with elaborate resource infrastructures (preexisting organizations, histories of community organizing, and coalitions) had more enduring levels of collective action.

The purpose of this paper is to determine digitization selection strategies to optimize usage by examining digital collections at Stockton University, comparing the library-driven projects to the community-driven ones.

Case study of digitization selection strategy for Special Collections and University Archives, comparing library-driven to community-driven approaches.

Based on webpage analytics of the digital collections, community-driven digitization projects are more successful than library-driven ones.

As a case study, this paper only analyzes a select number of digital collections from one institution.

Those responsible for digitization selection may wish to allow community members to propose collections for digitization.

To the authors’ best knowledge, no other known studies have used user analytics to compare community-driven digitization projects to library-driven ones.

The purpose of this paper is to share the process, findings and conclusions from one library’s iterative usability study of its website design to inform other libraries as they perform their own assessments.

A task-completion usability study was conducted with eight undergraduate students across two iterations: the first gauged the usability of a redesigned library website and the second gauged the effectiveness of the first iteration’s findings.

We found that users performed better when the site provided multiple access points to the same information, displayed a prominent chat feature, limited the amount of text on a given page and avoided library jargon. Not only was the second round of testing important for confirming that first-round recommendations were effective but also it proved useful in catching a problem with the site that was unintentionally created during the time between tests.

No demographic data were collected during the study, thus hindering our ability to analyze our users through these data points.

This study demonstrates the value of iterative usability testing, especially when untested changes made between site versions may produce usability issues.

This case study demonstrates the positive changes that evolved from a series of assessment activities. It shows that even smaller libraries can conduct assessment, with the support of colleagues and the library administration. Librarians can take a proactive role rather than waiting for a mandate from college administration. Two years of LibQUAL+® survey results (2005 and 2008) were analyzed in depth using statistical correlation analyses. Following this, respondents’ comments were categorized by dimension and analyzed to detect correlations. The information collected was then used to track trends and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the library through the eyes of its users. A comparison of the survey results showed an increase in perceived service in all dimensions. However, user expectations rose even faster, especially with regard to e-resources, equipment, and study space. Positive results about staff expertise and service attitudes demonstrated that users valued the personal attention and capabilities of the library staff. The study shows that a user survey is only the first step in an assessment process. Assessment can be effective only if follow-up actions are taken to address negative feedback and the actions then communicated to all stakeholders. While assessment has become a necessity for many libraries, small- and medium-sized libraries often shy away from it, due to limited resources. The Richard Stockton College Library undertook assessment in areas in which it could expect achievable results. Another outcome came in the form of additional resources, which narrowed the gap between library services and users needs.

This essay aims to describe how the author began his career as a suicidologist and his style that made him so productive.

The author used autobiographical details to illustrate the elements of his career.

Childhood experiences include sleeping in air raid shelter from 1942 to 1945 in London (UK), while his style includes obsessiveness in reading everything on suicide, applying ideas from other fields (such as economics) to the study of suicide and obtaining academic freedom early in his career.

The essay offers guidelines for others who are in the early stages of a career as a researcher.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the inter‐organizational patterns of an events network that shape a host community's capacity to capitalize on its event portfolio.

Network analysis was employed to measure the relationships within an events network. The network included nine organizations that participated in the organization of the host community's event portfolio. Data were collected using an instrument adapted from Provan et al. and analyzed using the statistical software for social network analysis, UCINET. Four types of links were measured (shared information, shared resources, help sent, and help received) as well as attitudes toward trust and collaboration.

Results showed that collaboration was not consistent across all types of links. The most central organizations in the network were the Tourism Department and the Chamber. Shared information was the predominant type of link with other types of links being weaker resulting in low multiplexity scores. Reciprocity among existing links was above average. Finally, the organizations appeared to have high levels of trust and positive attitudes toward collaboration.

An events network can be studied as a measurable mechanism assessing community capacity building in event management and explicating the collaboration patterns in event portfolios that facilitate the joint use of an integrated set of resources for sport and cultural events.

Network analysis can be employed to explore and assess the nature, patterns, and effectiveness of inter‐organizational relationships affecting event planning, implementation, and leveraging.

The paper demonstrates the usefulness of network analysis as a tool for host communities to help build their capacity in event management through the development of local networks. It also suggests that the study of event portfolios provides a suitable context for future research to examine community capacity building in terms of fostering the necessary relationships and synergies to plan, implement, and leverage a series of different events.

Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is the gold standard for diagnosing temporal arteritis; however, sensitivity is relatively poor (30‐40 per cent). The British Society of Rheumatology (BSR) guidelines state two major factors that can improve sensitivity: TAB specimen size >10mm; and pre‐biopsy steroid treatment <7 days. Owing to the low sensitivity, TA treatment is often commenced/continued despite negative histology. The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which TAB results influence clinical management and determine specimen adequacy regarding BSR guidelines.

In total, 55 patients underwent TAB between 2009‐2011. Patients' medical notes were analysed, specifically looking at biopsy specimen size, histology results and steroid therapy duration, pre‐ and post‐biopsy.

From 55 TABs, three (6 per cent) were positive, 47 (85 per cent) were negative and five (9 per cent) were “inadequate”. Of those patients with negative results, 18 (46 per cent) received > six months steroid treatment. From 50 “adequate” specimens, 31 (62 per cent) were <10 mm and 11 (28 per cent) received > seven days steroid treatment pre‐biopsy.

Despite negative results, many patients went on to receive long‐term steroids. Action must be taken to reduce false and true negative biopsies. False negatives may be reduced by improving adherence to BSR guidance (increased specimen size and early biopsy after commencing steroids). To reduce total true‐negative biopsies, the authors suggest implementing the American College of Rheumatology scoring system, designed to objectify the decision to perform TAB.

This article addresses a common problem seen in most UK hospitals. There is little literature discussing a plausible solution to reducing negative biopsies.

In order for the aerospace industry to achieve success in export markets through the provision of high levels of product choice, it will need to develop and economically use many new materials and manufacturing processes. Examines how the constraints imposed by changing market trends affect the identification of “cost estimating relationships” and investigates their relative benefits and limitations in terms of their effects on the overall cost model development process. A method of establishing cost estimating relationships that appears to offer benefits to the cost modelling process is that of artificial neural networks (ANNs). Using the Taguchi method, a series of experiments have been undertaken to select an appropriate network for the “turning process”. The estimation accuracy and robustness of cost models developed using suitable ANN structures have then been examined under varying conditions in order to identify guidelines.

Managing severe sepsis early has several benefits. Correct early management includes delivering an appropriate fluid challenge. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether junior doctors prescribe adequate fluid challenges to severely septic patients.

A questionnaire outlining three scenarios, each involving a patient with severe sepsis, but with varying weights (50/75/100 kg), was distributed to junior doctors, working in two UK hospitals, managing surgical patients. Participants were asked the fluid volume challenge that they would prescribe for each patient. Responses were compared with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign's recommended volume during the study (20 ml/kg).

Totally, 77 questionnaires were completed. There were 15/231 (6.5 per cent) correct responses. The median volume chosen in each scenario was 500 ml, equating to 5-10 ml/kg. There was no significant difference between doctor grades (FY1 and SHO) in any scenario. With most junior doctors (FY1), there was no difference in responses according to weight; for SHOs the only significant difference was between the 75 and 100 kg scenarios.

Junior doctors are not following guidelines when prescribing fluid challenges to severely septic patients, giving too little and not adjusting volume according to body weight. This implies that high-prevalence, high-mortality conditions are not being treated appropriately by those most likely to treat these patients. More teaching, training and reassessment is required to improve care.

This, the first case-based survey the authors could find, highlights an issue requiring significant improvement. The implications are likely to be relevant to clinicians in all UK hospitals.

A course in basic information retrieval principles and use of online document retrieval systems is a curriculum requirement for undergraduate computer science students at Stockton State College in New Jersey. A combination of theory‐oriented lectures and online search sessions using DIALOG enables students to observe course principles in action. An undergraduate course of this type differs significantly in content from those normally offered in graduate library schools in one primary area; while most students in graduate library schools are presumably aware of the functions and issues of index languages and library operations, undergraduate computer science students need to be taught the basics of these subjects. A corequisite course insures student background in the design requirements of deterministic data retrieval systems. This background provides a useful framework in which to explore index language limitations and design features of document retrieval systems which must provide multiple access points. The course has been enthusiastically received as evidenced by student participation, anonymous student evaluations and requests for the development of subsequent courses designed to prepare students for careers in the online information retrieval service environment.