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Article
Publication date: 7 March 2019

Hsuanwei Michelle Chen

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how scholars in the digital humanities employ information visualization techniques in their research, and how academic librarians…

2546

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how scholars in the digital humanities employ information visualization techniques in their research, and how academic librarians should prepare themselves to support this emerging trend.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a content analysis methodology, which further draws techniques from data mining, natural language processing and information visualization to analyze three peer-reviewed journals published within the last five years and ten online university library research guides in this field.

Findings

To successfully support and effectively contribute to the digital humanities, academic librarians should be knowledgeable in more than just visualization concepts and tools. The content analysis results for the digital humanities journals reflect the importance of recognizing the wide variety of applications and purposes of information visualization in digital humanities research.

Practical implications

This study provides useful and actionable insights into how academic librarians can prepare for this emerging technology to support future endeavors in the digital humanities.

Originality/value

Although information visualization has been widely adopted in digital humanities research, it remains unclear how librarians, especially academic librarians who support digital humanities research, should prepare for this emerging technology. This research is the first study to address this research gap through the lens of actual applications of information visualization techniques in digital humanities research, which is compared against university LibGuides for digital humanities research.

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2017

Hsuanwei Michelle Chen and Tawa Ducheneaux

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the operation and management as well as the activities of tribal libraries in general, providing insights and implications in five…

1858

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the operation and management as well as the activities of tribal libraries in general, providing insights and implications in five areas: general operations and management, staffing and human resource management, financial operations, service and program management, and technology-related activities, using Oglala Lakota College (OLC) Library as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses information visualization techniques to create visual displays of report data collected from OLC Library. Visualizations were created using Tableau software to provide a quantitative, analytical, and evidence-based view of how tribal libraries operate and are managed.

Findings

Tribal populations can be well served despite limited funding and staff resources, providing academic and public library services on par with urban libraries.

Research limitations/implications

Drawing a story from the data proved to be difficult because a bias had been created by the legal service area that most tables of the state data set used to compare reported data. How tribal libraries translate value also posed another challenge. Because the research was conducted in a single tribal library, further research in different, expanded settings and contexts is suggested.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to investigate tribal library activities by exploring report data and quantitatively using information visualization techniques.

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2018

Lois Evans, Patricia Franks and Hsuanwei Michelle Chen

This study aims to examine how 20 local governments in Canada and the USA operationalize the government–citizen trust relationship through the administration of social media by…

3911

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how 20 local governments in Canada and the USA operationalize the government–citizen trust relationship through the administration of social media by answering two questions: Can local governments use social media to increase citizen trust? and if local governments can use social media, what can be learned about the administration of social media that results in an increase in citizen trust of government?

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a normative belief that increasing the trustworthiness of government is a desired outcome, the working proposition is that social media may offer a low-barrier method for engaging citizens and supporting trust-based relationships, if social media programs are administered in a way that operationalizes this objective. Using content analysis of data collected from interview transcripts and documentary sources, this exploratory, process-oriented study emphasizes the social, organizational and functional contexts of social media and social media as records.

Findings

The study found that most cities had extensive programs featuring multiple accounts on a number of common platforms. The cities maintained tight control over content, account creation and employee and audience participation to ensure compliance with federal and provincial or state legislation and to mitigate technology and content-based risks. The cities used social media to broadcast information, respond to service requests and provide issue management. Social media results were measured sporadically on an ad hoc basis for operational purposes and only two cities had dedicated procedures in place for managing social media as records. Contrary to previous research, this study indicates that fiduciary trust relationships do require trust by the agent (i.e. institution) and the principal (i.e. citizen).

Research limitations/implications

To increase generalizability, an effort was made to select cities that were demographically and geographically diverse by selecting a range of population sizes and locations. However, selection was skewed towards cities with well-developed social media programs, and as a result, over half of the cities were national, provincial or state capitals or larger population centres. While these cities experienced economic advantages, the participants in the study identified challenges around resourcing and capacity, and their responses are expected to be of value to cities operating under similar constraints. Additionally, this study represents a point in time, as social media use at the local governments continued to expand and evolve during and after the data collection period.

Practical implications

This paper identifies three scenarios where social media content from local government accounts should be managed as records, including: the documentation of incidents, the on-going collection of city content from high-profile accounts and the “on demand” collection of citizens’ content where cities have asked for citizen input on topics or issues.

Social implications

This study provides an in-depth characterization of social media administration and use by 20 local governments in Canada and the USA. Considering the progress made by cities in e-government using their websites as a base, cities can develop greater capacity for open government, meaning wider participation by citizens in the decisions that affect them on a daily basis. To achieve goals of transparency, accountability and civic participation, cities will need to develop capacity around social media measurement, reporting and procedures for managing social media as records.

Originality/value

In providing a detailed and complete description of social media use in 20 cities in two countries, this study moves beyond a compliance- and requirement-driven approach to consider the larger question of government–citizen trust and the relevance of records within this relationship.

Details

Records Management Journal, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-5698

Keywords

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