Search results

1 – 10 of over 35000
Article
Publication date: 28 December 2020

Zongda Wu, Shigen Shen, Chenglang Lu, Huxiong Li and Xinning Su

In this paper, the authors propose an effective mechanism for the protection of digital library readers' lending privacy under a cloud environment.

Abstract

Purpose

In this paper, the authors propose an effective mechanism for the protection of digital library readers' lending privacy under a cloud environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The basic idea of the method is that for each literature circulation record, before being submitted to the untrusted cloud database of a digital library for storage, its reader number has to be encrypted strictly at a client, so as to make it unable for an attacker at the cloud to know the specific reader associated with each circulation record and thus protect readers' lending privacy. Moreover, the authors design an effective method for querying the encrypted literature circulation records, so as to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of each kind of database queries related to the encrypted reader number field of literature circulation records.

Findings

Finally, both theoretical analysis and experimental evaluation demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

Originality/value

This paper presents the first study attempt to the privacy protection of readers' literature circulations, which can improve the security of readers' lending privacy in the untrusted cloud, without compromising the accuracy and efficiency of each kind of database queries in the digital library. It is of positive significance to construct a privacy-preserving digital library platform.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 40 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 August 2022

Xiaoxiao Zhang, Guoliang Shi and Qiupan Jin

The purpose is to explore the essential reasons for the differences between book awakening phenomena, to develop the critical factors in awakening the slumbering collections and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose is to explore the essential reasons for the differences between book awakening phenomena, to develop the critical factors in awakening the slumbering collections and to provide a reliable basis for maximizing book value and optimizing collection allocation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs the integrated learning algorithm XGBoost to measure driving factors. In the process of book circulation, the characteristics of collections and readers are worthy of attention. Therefore, this study also carries out feature selection and model construction from the two dimensions of books and readers.

Findings

The results show that reader features have a stronger impetus for the collection awakening phenomenon than collection features. Among reader features, education level, gender and major subject are the main factors, which are followed closely by the activity level; among collection features, publication date and price are the main driving factors. The indicators of book popularity are not significant, whose effect on the phenomenon of collection awakening is almost negligible.

Originality/value

This study aims to augment the theory of zero circulation from the theoretical level and, for the first time, seeks to define the phenomenon of collection awakening. This study attempts to present novel ideas for research in the field of libraries and to provide references for optimizing collection and maximizing the value of books.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 75 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2006

K.T. Anuradha and H.S. Usha

Though electronic books (e‐books) are not new, they are slow in their uptake compared to other types of e‐publications such as journals, newspapers. The possible reasons for this…

2422

Abstract

Purpose

Though electronic books (e‐books) are not new, they are slow in their uptake compared to other types of e‐publications such as journals, newspapers. The possible reasons for this could be because the technology for creating/accessing e‐books (both hardware and software) is not yet matured. However, the recent involvement of many commercial publishers and aggregators in publishing and marketing of e‐books has triggered their use. This trend suggests making an analytical comparative study of the e‐book access model. The main purpose of this study is to analyse and compare offline and online e‐book access models.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper an attempt is made to analyse and compare three offline and three online e‐book access models by identifying various specific e‐book access model features. The access models are evaluated based on three‐point scale.

Findings

It is observed that among offline access models Microsoft Reader has most of the features well defined and among online access models, Ebrary has most of the features well defined.

Originality/value

Many publishers and aggregators have started producing and marketing e‐books using different types of access models. There are several access models available and each one has its own merits and demerits. However, there has been no study carried out in comparing and analyzing these models. Hence this study is useful for all the stakeholders of e‐book industry viz., creator (author), publisher, aggregator, librarians and users of e‐books.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 24 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2016

HyunSeung Koh and Susan C. Herring

The purpose of this paper is to provide ebook designers and researchers with design insights by promoting historical knowledge about books and reading as sources of ideas to…

1061

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide ebook designers and researchers with design insights by promoting historical knowledge about books and reading as sources of ideas to implement in current and future ebooks.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review historical features of books and practices of reading that have been implemented, weakened, or lost over time, referring to historical texts and resources, and relate them to ebook viewers (software) and readers (hardware) that are currently on the market. In particular, the review focuses on the physical form of the book and the practices of reading, annotation, and bookshelving.

Findings

While some older forms and reading practices have been implemented in ebook devices, others have been forgotten over time, due in part to physical constraints that are no longer relevant. The authors suggest that features that constrained print books and print reading in the past might actually improve the design of ebooks and e-reading in the present.

Research limitations/implications

This review is necessarily based on a limited set of existing historical sources.

Practical implications

Translating insights into novel tangible designs is always a challenging task. Ebook designers can gain insights from this paper that can be applied in a variety of design contexts.

Originality/value

No previous work on ebook design has foregrounded historical aspects of books and reading as viable sources of ideas to implement in ebooks.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Stephanie L. Maatta and Laurie J. Bonnici

This study aims to examine the usability of three popular electronic reading devices (e-readers) to determine which device provides the best functionality for individuals with…

1531

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the usability of three popular electronic reading devices (e-readers) to determine which device provides the best functionality for individuals with print disabilities. Adaptability and flexibility for use with assistive technology are also evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reports the results of a usability test of e-readers and their potential for use by individuals with print disabilities. Students enrolled in a School of Library and Information Science evaluated and compared the devices through a series of tasks designed to measure functionality. Participants completed a series of questionnaires and engaged in small group discussion about the efficacy of the devices. Likert scales and open-ended evaluation were employed in the evaluation and analysis.

Findings

Two of the three devices examined offered no accessibility features for individuals with low or no vision who require assistive technologies to use information and communication technologies. The third device, while offering greater universal access functionality for individuals with mild-to-moderate print disabilities, also had weaknesses for individuals with severe print disabilities.

Originality/value

With the rapid deployment of e-readers, little research has been completed measuring the accessibility and functionality for individuals with print disabilities in library or educational environments. The paper provides data on the usability of e-readers for users with print disabilities and recommendations for adopting e-reader use in libraries and educational environments. It will inform and guide information professionals seeking to provide greater access to resources for patrons with specialized access needs.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 April 2017

Carmen Antón, Carmen Camarero and Javier Rodríguez

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the adoption process of e-book readers and examine how the perception concerning the advantages of this technology and its incompatibility…

1540

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the adoption process of e-book readers and examine how the perception concerning the advantages of this technology and its incompatibility with consumer values determine the pleasure felt and its effective use. The authors also propose that consumer involvement with information and communication technologies (ICTs) moderates these effects.

Design/methodology/approach

Hierarchical moderated regression analysis is used to test the proposed model with survey data from a sample of e-book reader owners.

Findings

Appraisal of the device’s reading features and the possibility for free downloading increases the pleasure found with its use and the extent to which it is actually used, whereas attachment to paper books decreases the emotional feeling, with some of these effects being moderated by the individual’s involvement with new ICTs. Pleasure mediates the influence of perceived advantages and attachment to the older technology on the use of the e-book reader device.

Practical implications

Two challenges to practitioners are suggested: to overcome the rejection of users who are less eager to experience pleasure and to use the e-reader, and to find the product’s objective or sensory characteristics that provide pleasure and promote long-lasting use.

Originality/value

The study extends previous studies on e-book readers by emphasizing the need to go beyond adoption intention. It analyzes effective use as a crucial measure of the true adoption of this technology and incorporates the perspective offered by the appraisal theory of emotion, which explains the key role of pleasure in this process.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 41 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2002

Dagmar Amtmann, Kurt Johnson and Debbie Cook

Reading and understanding information presented in tabular format have posed specific challenges for blind individuals who use screen readers to access computers. In this article…

828

Abstract

Reading and understanding information presented in tabular format have posed specific challenges for blind individuals who use screen readers to access computers. In this article the results of a study of the types of problems blind individuals using screen readers experienced, when reading tables on the World Wide Web, have been summarized. Nine blind participants were asked to extract information from tables with varying levels of complexity. The participants used combinations of commonly used screen readers and Web browsers. The presentation of information in the tables was systematically varied through use of several HTML coding methods. The participants in the study found tasks that required them to extract information from tables challenging and often frustrating. Suggestions for making tables accessible to users of screen readers are provided.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2015

Alyson Simpson and Maureen Walsh

This paper aims to interrogate the place of literature in the digital world and the way a narrative is represented in digital spaces. In the changing landscape of digital, mobile…

1307

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to interrogate the place of literature in the digital world and the way a narrative is represented in digital spaces. In the changing landscape of digital, mobile and virtual texts, the authors aimed to examine how multimodal and animated elements in digital narratives engage young readers and encourage affective and aesthetic reader response?

Design/methodology/approach

The study was an exploratory, interpretive qualitative research study undertaken in a classroom of 28 10-year-old boys in grade 5. The investigators analysed data recorded during a lesson where students responded to the textual conventions and literary features of a traditional story read in print and multimodal digital format. Two coding systems were used to identify students’ understanding of textual conventions along with the nature of their responses.

Findings

The results suggested that when students are prompted to attend to the impact of multimodal layering in digital literature, affective, aesthetic and critical responses, they are encouraged in their interpretations. The responses emphasised the importance of teacher scaffolding and development of meta-language in teaching literature in both print and digital form.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the small sample and limited data set, the research results lack generalisability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed implications further.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for teacher pedagogy, while teaching reading with multimodal narratives in digital form.

Originality/value

This paper offers insight into the differences between print and multimodal literary texts; it codes students’ responses to multimodal texts and offers a method for analysis.

Details

English Teaching: Practice & Critique, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1175-8708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2014

Irene Lopatovska, Aimee Slater, Caitlin Bronner, Houda El Mimouni, Leanora Lange and Victoria Ludas Orlofsky

This paper aims to report the results of a study that examined the ways in which graduate-level library and information science students make use of e-books and e-readers at an…

1144

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report the results of a study that examined the ways in which graduate-level library and information science students make use of e-books and e-readers at an institution that does not offer e-books through its library. The paper can be used as a case study in the adoption of emerging technology.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used three research methods – a survey, focus groups and interviews – to investigate library and information science students’ reading habits and preferences.

Findings

The findings suggest that despite the barriers of access and usability, the students have generally incorporated e-books into their academic routines. The results also suggest the factors that contribute to reader preferences for e-book technology.

Research limitations/implications

The study sample was limited to one academic institution without e-book collection.

Originality/value

The article presents one of the very few studies that examine e-book reading of an academic population that does not currently have access to e-books through their academic library. Understanding the ways in which such a population accesses, uses and values e-books would help many academic libraries make decisions with regard to the selection, integration and marketing of e-books. Additionally, such a study could serve as the basis of a case study that seeks to understand the ways in which people who do not have ready access to technology through their institutions find ways to work around that obstacle.

Details

Library Review, vol. 63 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 August 2010

Yun Kuei Huang and Wen I. Yang

The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of internet book reviews on reader borrowing intention.

804

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of internet book reviews on reader borrowing intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used www.yumau.com, www.ptt.cc and the bulletin board system on www.lib.ntou.edu.tw to post announcements, soliciting 33 readers who had browsed internet book reviews to identify books to borrow. Then, using a content analytic method to analyze interview content, an investigation was conducted on the effect of internet book reviews, numbers of references and content of internet book reviews on reader borrowing intention.

Findings

These results revealed that numbers of references and content of internet book reviews play an important role in borrowing intention.

Practical implications

These results can provide librarians with a reference for promoting book‐borrowing activities. They can also provide internet bookstores with a reference for managing their book reviews.

Originality/value

Electronic word‐of‐mouth reviews have become an important guide to reader borrowing intention. The study investigates readers' thoughts on internet book reviews and their effects, and advances several management suggestions.

Details

Library Review, vol. 59 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 35000