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Reference data collection tools facilitate the collection of in‐depth data about reference interactions. Since this information may influence decisions, library managers should examine how these tools are used and assess how these data entry behaviors may impact the accuracy of the data. This paper aims to analyze reference staff perceptions and data entry behaviors using a reference data collection tool.

The two‐year mixed method study analyses reference staff perceptions and data entry behaviors related to the reference data collection tool used at the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries. The authors identified six distinct data entry behaviors for analysis in this study.

The survey results indicate that staff consider the tool to be both easy to use and useful. These findings, under the technology acceptance model, indicate technology acceptance, which influences adoption and use of the tool. Though rates of adoption and use of the tool are high, the authors' analysis of behaviors indicate that not all users record reference interactions in the same way, and this inconsistency may impact the accuracy of collected data.

Inconsistency in data entry behaviors should inform the design of staff training sessions, best practice guidelines, and the tool's interface.

If data are used to justify changes to services and collections, decision makers need to be confident that data accurately reflect activity at library service points.

Previous studies related to reference data collection mention the importance of consistent data entry practices, but no studies have explicitly evaluated how inconsistencies in use may impact the accuracy of data.

This study aims to investigate the reference and public service models used at academic libraries in the California State University system.

This exploratory study used a qualitative mixed methods design with an online survey and follow-up interviews with public services librarians.

The majority of the libraries in this study continue to use a traditional reference model with a physical desk staffed by librarians. Some libraries have moved to tiered or on-call reference using students and staff to triage patron questions. The majority of libraries’ public service points also follow a traditional configuration with separate service points for reference and other library public services.

As this research is limited to one public university system, the results may not be generalizable to all academic libraries. Replicating this research in other systems would increase the generalizability of the results and allow for the generation of potential best practices for reference models and public service point configurations.

Librarians who are considering changes to their reference models and service point layouts can use the results as a starting point for conversations about the benefits and challenges of various models as well provide support to create an environment where changes to the models can be successfully implemented.

This study is one of the few to investigate multiple academic libraries’ approaches to reference and public services in the research literature. As such, it addresses a gap in the literature that case studies alone cannot fill.

The purpose of this paper is to find the proper statistical distribution function, which can cover the failure time of a single machine or a group of machines. To this end, an innovative program is written in an Excel software, capable of assessing at least six statistical distribution functions. This research study intends to show the advantages of applying statistical distribution functions in an integrated model format to create or increase productive reliability machines. Productive reliability is a simultaneous combination of efficiency and effectiveness in reliability.

The method of theoretical research methodology comprises data collection tools, reference books and articles in addition to exploiting written reports of the Iranian Center for Defence’s Standards. The practical research method includes deploying and assessing the proposed model for a selected machine (in this case a computerized numerical control machine).

A comprehensive program in an Excel software having the capability of assessing at least six statistical distribution functions was developed to find the most efficient option for covering the failure times of each machine in the shortest time with the highest precision. This is regarded as the most important achievement of the present study. Furthermore, the advantages of applying the developed model are discussed and a large group of which have direct influences on the productivity of equipment reliability.

The originality of the research was ascertained by managers and experts working in maintenance issues at the different levels of the Defense Industries Organization.

The research in this paper is aimed at re‐engineering existing approaches to the analysis of proposed developments in local authorities – from land pricing to planning permission – hence reducing the loss of revenue in councils, and nurture property development.

This paper is a case study of seven city councils on the Copperbelt province of Zambia was conducted using the same template of questions.

The research found that councils had overly politicised management structure, static appraisal methods, poor market data capture, analysis and use. Additionally, councils did not use market data on property values; hence the existing analysis and appraisal systems are static and ineffective.

The paper shows that extracting current data from the councils proved a severe limitation.

The paper shows that councils can: learn how overly politicised their interdepartmental communication and data exchange is; enhance paper based systems of appraising proposed developments by adding established methods of project appraisal that can ease the collection, analysis and synthesis of construction business data used in the appraisal process; Employ, and support qualified personnel with adequate resources necessary to perform their duties professionally; make gradual improvements to existing systems within the cultural and political atmosphere of the council; and appraise proposed developments using accepted business approaches; just like private sector consultants do.

The research provides practical solutions that enhance professional appraisal techniques in councils of most underdeveloped countries, hence setting the basis upon which market driven strategies for nurturing property development can be made

The purpose of this paper is to present an audit which assessed compliance in documentation of crisis and contingency plans in the electronic Care Programme Approach (CPA) for working age adult patients discharged from an in‐patient setting.

Two explicit and evidence‐based standards were audited and a full audit cycle was completed. The electronic CPA documentation for all discharges from the adult in‐patient beds of the Trust June 2007 formed the sample for Cycle 1 and the same from June 2008 formed the sample for Cycle 2. Data were obtained from the local electronic database.

The paper finds that the rate of electronic CPA documentation increased over time, as did the crisis and contingency plan documentation within those CPA documents. Although the electronic CPA documentation improved from 33 per cent in June 2007 to 56 per cent in June 2008 (χ² 7.2, df 1, p < 0.01) with a significant improvement on most items measured, they were still far from achieving 100 per cent standards.

Clear guidance making the electronic CPA documentation mandatory so that it can be easily accessed out of hours in a crisis situation would be welcome. It is an important step in reducing the 90‐day re‐admission rates to in‐patient units in psychiatry.

The paper is the first of its kind and demonstrates that dissemination and re‐audit aimed at better electronic documentation are needed to achieve high standards of clinical practice.

The purpose of this paper is to examine students' perceptions of managerial mistakes and why (and why not) managers admit mistakes.

This paper provides a reflective account of how students' perceive management mistakes and deal with admitting “mea culpa” – “I am to blame”.

The findings show a range of attitudes: they highlight the intermingling pressures associated with the cultural environment and mistakes; they identify media characteristics and its influences on mistakes and mea culpa; they highlight ceremonial processes and tasks that shape and influence the declaration of mea culpa; and they identify how the psychology and sociology of mistakes confronts and affects students. Taken together, the study highlights the varying degrees of wariness that is carried forward by the students from vicariously learning about management mistakes.

This paper links up with recent discussions on retail failure and retail pedagogy. It is hoped that this paper will encourage more academics to address, and engage with, management mistakes creatively in their teaching.

With the rise of alternate discovery services, such as Google Scholar, in conjunction with the increase in open access content, researchers have the option to bypass academic libraries when they search for and retrieve scholarly information. This state of affairs implies that academic libraries exist in competition with these alternate services and with the patrons who use them, and as a result, may be disintermediated from the scholarly information seeking and retrieval process. Drawing from decision and game theory, bounded rationality, information seeking theory, citation theory, and social computing theory, this study investigates how academic librarians are responding as competitors to changing scholarly information seeking and collecting practices. Bibliographic data was collected in 2010 from a systematic random sample of references on CiteULike.org and analyzed with three years of bibliometric data collected from Google Scholar. Findings suggest that although scholars may choose to bypass libraries when they seek scholarly information, academic libraries continue to provide a majority of scholarly documentation needs through open access and institutional repositories. Overall, the results indicate that academic librarians are playing the scholarly communication game competitively.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.

Introduces and annotates periodical articles, monographs, and audiovisual material examining library instruction and information literacy.

Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

This paper aims to provide an introductory overview and selected annotated bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy across all library types.

It introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2014.

It provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

Addresses the standardization of the measurements and the labels for concepts commonly used in the study of work organizations. As a reference handbook and research tool, seeks to improve measurement in the study of work organizations and to facilitate the teaching of introductory courses in this subject. Focuses solely on work organizations, that is, social systems in which members work for money. Defines measurement and distinguishes four levels: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio. Selects specific measures on the basis of quality, diversity, simplicity and availability and evaluates each measure for its validity and reliability. Employs a set of 38 concepts ‐ ranging from “absenteeism” to “turnover” as the handbook’s frame of reference. Concludes by reviewing organizational measurement over the past 30 years and recommending future measurement reseach.