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1 – 10 of 18As digital resources proliferate, libraries plan to grant easy access to a distributed set of resources from one single entry point inside and outside the OPAC. The quest to…
Abstract
Purpose
As digital resources proliferate, libraries plan to grant easy access to a distributed set of resources from one single entry point inside and outside the OPAC. The quest to manage the metadata about these resources becomes more important than ever. Thus, the term, “metadata management” is being used by various communities creating spatial data, enterprise applications, data warehouses, legacy environments, and bibliographic data. Unfortunately, metadata management is sparsely mentioned in the traditional information technology journals, grey literature, information technology company web sites, and the library science literature. The purpose of this viewpoint is to examine the limited use of the term metadata management in the library community and to introduce a new definition of it.
Design/methodology/approach
This viewpoint examines the limited use of the term metadata management in the library community and introduces a new definition of it.
Findings
Although the proposed definition captures the activities that libraries should be engaged as they provide access to millions of resources, this definition should constantly be examined as new technologies emerge, personnel change, and financial resources diminish.
Originality/value
The author's definition is a good start; however, to get to the complete definition of metadata management, a more comprehensive look at the workflow and procedures that exist in libraries for managing metadata is necessary.
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Monica Figueroa and Kristan Shawgo
Under the transformational leadership of the University Librarian, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries shifted from having an education- and…
Abstract
Purpose
Under the transformational leadership of the University Librarian, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries shifted from having an education- and programming-based “diversity committee” to a council of librarians advocating for action, anti-racism and social justice, both within our organization and across campus. As our University Librarian noted, “you cannot read your way out of racism.”
Design/methodology/approach
With support from library leadership, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Council has advanced anti-racism work in the libraries by serving as facilitators for a book discussion series, organizing a 21-day racial equity challenge, supporting staff in integrating anti-racism practices into their daily work through brown bag conversations, and facilitating the development of inclusion-focused performance management goals.
Findings
What does an anti-racist library look like, and how does our organization envision this future? These questions anchor the IDEA Council's strategies. The libraries have witnessed a positive shift in staff participation: two-thirds of library staff participated in a Racial Equity Institute Groundwater presentation and in a library-wide book discussion series; approximately half the staff committed to our 21-day racial equity challenge. Participants were asked to reflect in conversation and through surveys.
Originality/value
The first wave of a newly established grant program funded eight staff-led projects to advance social justice in the libraries. Additional steps included caucusing by racial identity, staff-wide discussions about racial equity, and a second wave of funding for the grant program. The authors approach this work with cultural humility: seeking to learn from one another, our peers and fellow activists.
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Online retailing is continuing to grow at a time with many fashion brands are closing retail stores. Social media is now an essential component within the purchase journey of a…
Abstract
Online retailing is continuing to grow at a time with many fashion brands are closing retail stores. Social media is now an essential component within the purchase journey of a fashion consumer. As social media networks continue to develop transactional capabilities, this has giving rise to the expansion of social shopping. Fashion brands need to consider how best to optimise social shopping opportunities as an extension of the retail shopping experience. Reviewing developments within retailing, a conceptual model of social shopping is proposed, which places mobile technologies as central to the social shopping experience both on social media and in store.
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Naomi Burns, Zina Alkaisy and Elaine Sharp
The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes and beliefs of doctors towards medication error reporting following 15 years of a national patient safety agenda.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes and beliefs of doctors towards medication error reporting following 15 years of a national patient safety agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative descriptive study utilising semi-structured interviews. A group of ten doctors of different disciplines shared their attitudes and beliefs about medication error reporting. Using thematic content analysis, findings were reflected upon those collected by the same author of a similar study 13 years before (2002).
Findings
Five key themes were identified: lack of incident feedback, non-user-friendly incident reporting systems, supportive cultures, electronic prescribing and time pressures. Despite more positive responses to the benefits of medication error reporting in 2015 compared to 2002, doctors at both times expressed a reluctance to use the hospital’s incident reporting system, labelling it time consuming and non-user-friendly. A more supportive environment, however, where error had been made was thought to exist compared to 2002. The role of the pharmacist was highlighted as critical in reducing medication error with the introduction of electronic prescribing being pivotal in 2015.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to compare doctors’ attitudes on medication errors following a period of time of increased patient safety awareness. The results suggest that error reporting today is largely more positive and organisations are more supportive than in 2002. Despite a change from paper to electronic methods, there is a continuing need to improve the efficacy of incident reporting systems and ensure an open, supportive environment for clinicians.
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Personal readers’ histories have long had a respected place in reading research. They add a human, personalized dimension to the studies of reading practices, often reported…
Abstract
Purpose
Personal readers’ histories have long had a respected place in reading research. They add a human, personalized dimension to the studies of reading practices, often reported through aggregate findings and generalized conclusions. Moreover, they introduce a private context of readers’ lives, which complements other reading contexts (e.g. historical, socio-economic and cultural) required for an understanding of reading behaviours. The purpose of this paper, based on a selected data set from a larger reading study, is to introduce a gallery of portraits of immigrant readers with the aim to facilitate the library practice with immigrant communities.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative face-to-face intensive interviews with immigrant readers.
Findings
The knowledge of reading contexts and the opportunity to see readers as individuals rather than anonymous statistics are crucial for librarians who come in contact with multicultural populations. Personal histories can also serve as a step in building interpersonal relationships between librarians and community members.
Originality/value
The value of the study is in introducing a methodological approach which, through collecting and writing reading histories, allows librarians to gain insight into the cultural practices of multicultural communities and to adjust their work accordingly. This approach can also be used as a prototype for researching other community groups.
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