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The purpose of this paper is to highlight the sources of noise generation in a library and suggest the implementation of a sound masking system to provide acoustic comfort, maintain speech privacy and create an environment more engaging for the users.

Analyzing the existing literature and exploring the existing practices as observed in different libraries, the study gives an overview of the sound masking initiatives in libraries.

With practical examples of libraries, the study demonstrates how a sound masking system has been implemented to invoke better acoustic design in the library. The expansion of various activities in the library and a gradual shift from individual attention to a collaborative approach necessitates a strong focus on the acoustic design architecture of the library. The study showcases how the libraries adopt sound masking with the introduction of acoustic panels, dual panel partitions, sound-absorbent false ceilings, sound insulation, sound isolation and noise-dampening measures, installing furniture with sound containment features, adopting vibration control mechanism, mounting of white noise machines, etc., keeping the aesthetic quotient of the library alive.

The study attempts to show the current practices of the adoption of the sound masking system in libraries and promotes collaborative reading with the creation of an acoustic design-influenced library environment to control noise and reverberation and provide a comfortable reading environment.

This research aims to explore the research data ethics governance framework and collaborative network to optimize research data ethics governance practices, to balance the relationship between data development and utilization, open sharing, data security and to reduce the ethical risks that may arise from data sharing and utilization.

This study explores the framework and collaborative network of research data ethics policies by using the UK as an example. 78 policies from the UK government, university, research institution, funding agency, publisher, database, library and third-party organization are obtained. Adopting grounded theory (GT) and social network analysis (SNA), Nvivo12 is used to analyze these samples and summarize the research data ethics governance framework. Ucinet and Netdraw are used to reveal collaborative networks in policy.

Results indicate that the framework covers governance context, subject and measure. The content of governance context contains context description and data ethics issues analysis. Governance subject consists of defining subjects and facilitating their collaboration. Governance measure includes governance guidance and ethics governance initiatives in the data lifecycle. The collaborative network indicates that research institution plays a central role in ethics governance. The core of the governance content are ethics governance initiatives, governance guidance and governance context description.

This research provides new insights for policy analysis by combining GT and SNA methods. Research data ethics and its governance are conceptualized to complete data governance and research ethics theory.

A research data ethics governance framework and collaborative network are revealed, and actionable guidance for addressing essential aspects of research data ethics and multiple subjects to confer their functions in collaborative governance is provided.

This study analyzes policy text using qualitative and quantitative methods, ensuring fine-grained content profiling and improving policy research. A typical research data ethics governance framework is revealed. Various stakeholders' roles and priorities in collaborative governance are explored. These contribute to improving governance policies and governance levels in both theory and practice.

This study aims to assess the digital literacy of African library and information science (LIS) professionals. Digital literacy skills are required in the digital library environment.

Relevant literature was reviewed on this topic; previous study questionnaires, various university LIS curriculum, content analysis and job advertising were used for preparing the survey questionnaire. This study used an ex post facto research design. Purposive sampling was adopted in this study, and data were collected from Google form by sharing the research questionnaire by hyperlink which was undertaken from March 15, 2022 to May 24, 2022. The data were collected by a structured questionnaire. A four-point Likert scale was used to measure how library professionals acquired digital literacy skills. Content analysis of more than 500 job vacancies over the past three years (2018–2022) of library job advertisements was taken randomly.

This study’s findings show that the majority of the good at basic level of digital literacy skills at the same time have less in advanced digital literacy skills. The finding of this study shows the majority of them have to upgrade and learn about advanced digital literacy skills.

This study recommends adopting a new syllabus and updating a LIS curriculum based on the library’s technological development. Furthermore, this study’s potential result suggests more practical classes instead of theoretical study and it is useful to the library schools, associations, MOOC providers and lifelong learners.

This study is conducted with 102 African library professionals from 13 countries. This study discusses futuristic digital literacy skills and basic literacy skills. This study is beneficial to those who are preparing a new curriculum in LIS fields.

This study aimed to predict and understand the academic libraries' probability of successful adoption of blockchain within the lens of integrated technology acceptance model (TAM) and technology organization and environment theory (TOE) framework.

A mixed approach was employed to gather data from librarians (292) and system analysts (46) totaling 338 respondents. The total enumeration sampling technique was considered. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation model (SEM).

Perceived usefulness and policy are the important factors that influence academic libraries' blockchain adoption intentions. Unlimited access to both print and electronic resources, security of users' information and easy collaboration between users and library staff were found to be the benefits of blockchain application to academic libraries' operations. Major challenges to the adoption of blockchain in academic libraries include the cost of infrastructure related to blockchain applications, privacy issues and a lack of understanding of blockchain technology among librarians.

Future studies would need to include more relevant items to the observed variables of the independent variables that were found insignificant in this study.

The findings of this study will create a roadmap for government and polytechnic management on the factors that could strengthen the adoption of blockchain in the libraries.

The outcome of this study came at a crucial moment when the majority of academic libraries in developing nations like Nigeria were skeptical about the deployment of blockchain technology in their libraries.

The study identified new factors that influence blockchain adoption intention.

This paper aims to study the after-effects of the crises hit by the Lebanese population and the solutions implemented to alleviate the ensuing problems on resource sharing in Lebanese libraries.

Questionnaire to academic libraries. Nine libraries in Lebanon offer resource sharing services; all nine are academic. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to these nine libraries; eight responded. A semi-quantitative approach was used to analyze the responses. The questionnaire was administered through Microsoft Forms. The form was designed to include dichotomous questions for the sake of quantitative analysis and a short answer format that allowed responders to provide additional details. American University of Beirut Data. The access services department at the American University of Beirut Jafet Library compiles on a daily basis interlibrary loan statistics. The compiled data were divided into two groups: duration of two fiscal years prior to June 2020; and from June 2020 to June 2022. June 2020 was used as a cutoff date after which the interlibrary loan initiatives in response to COVID-19 were implemented. The services that were analyzed were RSCVD, OCLC WorldShare ILL profiled groups, Emergency Temporary Access Service for HathiTrust members and Open Access Services from vendors.

Libraries in Lebanon were able to continue providing resource-sharing services with a minimal budget due to four major initiatives and through the help of the international resource-sharing community.

Limited publication about inter library loan in Lebanese Libraries. The pandemic hit economies worldwide; however, Lebanon got hit by three synergetic crises, and the initiatives were instrumental in drastically reducing resource sharing expenditure without affecting the interlibrary loan fill rate.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis to discover the published information on the subject of “Library Automation Software.”

This study is based on bibliometric research to analyze the growth of literature on the subject area “Library Automation Software.” The data were retrieved from the leading database Web of Science to analyze the scholarly publications on the topic during 2001–2022. To analyze the bibliometric data on the subject, the VOSviewer, Biblioshiny and MS Excel software were used.

Results manifest that the topic of “Library Management Systems” has been greatly used by several authors as a title to publish their research work. The USA emerged as the most productive country. The most used keywords to retrieve literature on the topic were “Library Automation,” “Library Management Systems,” “KOHA,” “Integrated Library Systems” and “Open Source Software.”

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bibliometric study in Pakistan that has been conducted to measure the productivity of literature at the international level on library automation.

The objectives of the study were to identify the effects of blockchain technology (BT) on the university librarians, the impact of BT on the university library services and to reveal the challenges to adopt BT in the university libraries.

A systematic literature review was applied to address the objectives of the study. Around 25 studies published in peer-reviewed journals were selected to conduct the study.

The findings of the study revealed that blockchain technology (BT) has positive effects on the university librarians as it assists them in digital resources management, provision of integrated library services, effective records management and continued professional development. The study also displayed that BT has a positive impact on the university libraries through effective information management, user privacy, collaboration, technological innovation and access control. Results also revealed that technical issues, financial constraints, security problems, skill issues and sociocultural issues created challenges to adopt BT in the university libraries.

The study has offered theoretical implications for future investigators through the provision of innovative literature on the prospectus and challenges associated with blockchain in the context of librarianship. The study has also provided practical implications for management bodies by offering recommendations for the successful adoption of blockchain in the university libraries. Additionally, a framework has been developed to adopt BT successfully in the university libraries for the delivery of smart library services to library patrons.

This study aims to assess whether technological incentives inspire communities in the process of digital inclusion. The factors analyzed by the authors assess five dimensions: technology incentives, technology utilization, searching skills, social integration, and capabilities.

Data were collected from 329 respondents in 14 public libraries and analyzed using structural equation modeling to validate the proposed research model and its relationships with the factors the authors analyzed.

The results showed that technological incentives significantly impact on technology utilization, searching skills, social integration, and capabilities to support community digital inclusion in Pakistan.

Technological incentives to the community will lead to the improvement of network technology for things like online taxation, banking transactions, social integration, participation in government, and modern health and education benefits. In addition, technological incentives will also enhance information literacy and digital access, helping people improve cognitive skills and critical thinking and also helping to develop skills.

This research is based on raw data first collected from various people with different opinions from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa public libraries. This study was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the overall situation related to the use of technology in Pakistan and the complications involved.

The purpose of this paper is to measure the relationship of technology acceptance model (TAM) variables (PEOU and PU) with behavioral intention (BI) and attitude in mobile and digital libraries context. This study also examines the relationship of external variables (information quality and system quality) with TAM variables (PEOU and PU) in mobile and digital libraries context.

This meta-analysis was performed through PRISMA-P guidelines. Four databases (Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus and LISTA) were used for searching, and the search was conducted according to defined criteria.

Findings of this study revealed a large effect size of PU and PEOU with BI. There was also a large effect size of PU and PEOU with attitude. A medium effect size was found between SysQ → PU, InfoQ → PU and SysQ → PEOU. However, there was a small effect size between InfoQ and PEOU.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there was no study published till the time of conducting this meta-analysis. Hence, this study fills the literature gap. This study also confirms that TAM is a valid model in the acceptance and use of technology in mobile and digital libraries context. Thus, the findings of the present study are helpful for developers and designers in designing and developing mobile library apps. It will also be beneficial for library authorities and system librarians in designing and developing digital libraries in academic settings.

Motivation of the employees is extensively considered as an antidote for the overall success of the organizations. This study primarily aims to investigate the impact of motivation on the job performance of university librarians in Pakistan.

Quantitative research design followed by a survey method under an extended theory of motivation was applied. Data were collected from 123 professional librarians of 79 university libraries in Punjab province, Pakistan. The study tested hypotheses having used regression statistical test through Statistical Package for Social Sciences Software (Version 26).

Results of the study revealed that motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), the expectation of benefits, satisfaction of meta needs and challenging situations have a strong positive impact on the optimum job performance of university librarians.

This research has theoretical implications for the researchers and practical insights for human resource managers to get maximum outcomes for organizational development. The results of the study may be generalized to the university libraries of other countries having similar socio-economic and cultural situations.

This study developed a framework based upon empirically tested hypotheses that might be used as drivers for different motivation practices to augment employees’ commitment to the organizations.