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Resource sharing is an important element in the national planning of library and information services to meet the needs of information, education and culture of the whole community at all levels. An overview of resource sharing practices is presented, with particular reference to the British scene. It is also argued that, with the approach of the Single Market in 1992, resource sharing should now be considered on a European scale. In conclusion, some problems associated with the practice of resource sharing are considered.

The purpose of this paper is to examine and demonstrate the extent to which university libraries in Africa are bridging the information gap through the use of web 2.0 systems, including challenges and prospects.

The review adopted a combination of various data collection methods and approaches, including current academic literature, document analysis, desk review guides and reports on university libraries.

Review results indicate that few university libraries in Africa have embraced the use and application of web 2.0 systems. It is regrettable that web 2.0 is not new in libraries, although many African university libraries have not adopted the concept. Web 2.0 systems, including blog, delicious, YouTube and Facebook among others, are no longer a preserve of commercial organizations.

The review involved university libraries in Africa because of their perceived role in creation, management, preservation, transmission or diffusion and utilization of information and knowledge. University libraries provide information services to support research, teaching, learning, and community activities of respective universities.

University libraries in African countries face various challenges in implementation of web 2.0 systems. Web 2.0 systems have proved to be useful in addressing issues and challenges of open, distance and e‐learning programmes. Information professionals should support implementation and use of relevant web 2.0 systems.

Across the globe, university libraries are increasingly using web 2.0 systems to support, promote and extend information services to their patrons. In the modern information world 2.0, it is important for university libraries to identify relevant web 2.0 systems and integrate them into mainstream library and information services.

The review provides useful insights regarding the use and application of web 2.0 systems in university libraries in Africa.

The purpose of the part 1 of the series of Viewpoint papers is to examine approaches to identifying the value of library and information services, using concepts from the marketing literature, and stressing the importance of co-creating value with the service users.

The literature review examined some of the approaches to considering value and value creation from the marketing literature. Considers approaches such as narrative based marketing, holistic value frameworks, and concepts such as value creation, value-co-creation, value constellations and service dominant logic.

Shows how “marketing a narrative” can be achieved for different types of library and information service. Demonstrates how the Holbrook’s typology, with three sets of value perspectives can be used to obtain a holistic view of the value of a library and information services. Examines how some of the value creation ideas have been, and could be applied to evaluation of library and information services.

Uses ideas drawn from the marketing literature to propose novel approaches to assessing the value and impact of library services. These approaches suit current changes in service culture, and emphasise working together with users to co-create value.

More than 600 brand names across three different categories of online information services were analysed. The analysis took the form of both an objective individual analysis and a questionnaire analysis of brand names. For the individual analysis, a list of 100‐300 brand names for each of the three categories of information services was obtained. Names were picked at random from standard reference sources and brand names were then analysed in terms of their linguistic characteristics. To test whether or not the most frequently occurring characteristics employed by the list of brand names were indeed the ones which would allow users to distinguish, with a minimum of effort, the information services which would be of most value to them, three questionnaires were designed. These were distributed to 530 staff and students at the University of Loughborough. Results suggest that the most frequently occurring brand name characteristics of online information services are not necessarily the most effective in allowing users to distinguish the services that would be of most value to them. Three frameworks are suggested for the future branding of online information services.

This study seeks to examine the concepts of context, context‐awareness, and context‐awareness technology needed for applying context‐awareness technology to the next‐generation of digital libraries, and proposed context‐aware services that can be applied to any situation by illustrating some library contexts.

The paper investigated both theoretical research and case analysis studies before suggesting a service model for context‐awareness‐based libraries by examining the context, context‐awareness, and context‐awareness technology in depth.

This paper derived possible library services which could be provided if context‐awareness services are implemented by examining and analyzing case studies and systems constructed in other fields. A library‐applied context‐aware system could recognize users entering the library and provide optimal services tailored to each situation for both new and existing users. In addition, the context‐awareness‐based library could provide context‐awareness‐based reference services, context‐awareness‐based loan services, and cater to other user needs in the stacks, research space, and a variety of other information spaces. The context‐awareness‐based library could also recognize users in need of emergency assistance by detecting the user's behavior, movement path, and temperature, etc. Comfort or climate‐control services could provide the user with control of the temperature, humidity, illumination and other environmental elements to fit the circumstances of users, books, and instruments through context‐aware technology.

Next‐generation digital libraries apply new concepts such as semantic retrieval, real‐time web, cloud computing, mobile web, linked data, and context‐awareness. Context‐awareness‐based libraries can provide applied context‐awareness access service, reactive space according to the user's access, applied context‐awareness lobbies, applied context‐awareness reference services, and applied context‐awareness safety services, context‐awareness‐based comfort services and so on.

Real instances of libraries applying context‐aware technology are few, according to the investigative results of this study. The study finds that the next‐generation digital library using context‐awareness technology can provide the best possible service for the convenience of its users.

The purpose of this paper is to give a structured literature review, design concepts, and research propositions related to a product‐oriented design theory for information services. Information services facilitate the exchange of information goods with or without transforming these goods. Exemplar information services are e‐publishing, electronic communities‐of‐practice, and management reporting. The importance of information services in the current economy merits the development of an explicit product‐ and process‐oriented design theory.

This article focuses on the product‐oriented design theory by applying Walls et al.'s framework. A product‐oriented design theory of information services identifies relevant descriptive and explanatory insights (i.e. content, use, value, and revenue), meta‐requirements, and meta‐designs. The paper describes design problems for information services, and gives key requirements for information services. Next, it describes the information, organizational and information technological components of an information service, and identifies at least four information service architectures. Finally, it gives research hypotheses, research ideas, and discusses practical implications.

The results form a product‐oriented design theory for information services. The paper gives a structured way for practitioners to analyze information service design challenges, and suggestions are given for requirements and design decisions on three aspects (content, use feature, and revenue).

Given the previously fragmented nature of the literature, this paper gives new opportunities for research and practice.

Developments in information technology have led to changes in the mode of delivery of library services, and in the perceptions of the role of librarians in the information‐seeking context. In particular, the proliferation of electronic resources has led to the emergence of new service paradigms and new roles for librarians. The Gateway Library at Penn State University (PSU) is an electronic library in transition, with new technology‐based services evolving to address the ever growing and changing needs of the academic community. It facilitates access to and navigation of electronic resources in an integrated technology environment.

Few issues in recent times have so provoked debate and dissention within the library field as has the concept of fees for user services. The issue has aroused the passions of our profession precisely because its roots and implications extend far beyond the confines of just one service discipline. Its reflection is mirrored in national debates about the proper spheres of the public and private sectors—in matters of information generation and distribution, certainly, but in a host of other social ramifications as well, amounting virtually to a debate about the most basic values which we have long assumed to constitute the very framework of our democratic and humanistic society.

The purpose of this paper is to survey and analyse the literature emanating from less developed countries (LDCs) and international agencies and dealing with their perception of the needs of LDCs for scientific and technical information (STI) in relation to social and economic development.

This study seeks to explore the utilization of mobile phone services in the educational environment, explore the nature of mobile phone use among university students, and investigate the perception of university students on mobile phone uses in library and information services.

The study used a review of literature to investigate about the nature of wireless phone application in education institution and a survey to collect data from 206 undergraduate students from two academic faculties in a Malaysian public university to explore the respondents' perception and the nature of wireless phone use.

The respondents' perceptions on the application of wireless hand services in the context of library and information services were found to be very positive. A high majority of the respondents indicated their willingness to become the users of such services if offered.

Limitations in this study are related with the ability of the result to be generalized to other user groups. More research needs to be conducted on the interface design and retrieval to fit information in a much smaller application device that is also limited by a smaller bandwidth.

The findings should assist information providers such as libraries and telecommunication service providers in designing the system that allows for effective access to various information and library services using mobile phones.

This study should be an eye opener for both the researcher and the practitioners that the wireless application services are still lacking, despite the increasing needs from the users.