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1 – 10 of 303Outlines the experience of the University of Alabama when a hacker bypassed the preventative security measures of the library management system and accessed the operating system…
Abstract
Outlines the experience of the University of Alabama when a hacker bypassed the preventative security measures of the library management system and accessed the operating system. Discusses how the break‐in occurred, how the hacker was identified and what actions were taken. Concludes that each system will have to decide what direction to take if such a break‐in occurred, suggesting measures such as employing a full‐time investigator for hackers.
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While many libraries do some form of planning, few take the time to identify, review and establish priorities. The lack of a commitment to setting priorities leads libraries to…
Abstract
While many libraries do some form of planning, few take the time to identify, review and establish priorities. The lack of a commitment to setting priorities leads libraries to operate in a manner that does not always reflect the needs of the organization and the people it serves. It can also lead to wasted time, energy and financial resources as the organization focuses its efforts on developments of lesser importance. The priority setting process is not easy, but it will allow the library to understand its organizational needs and allocate resources accordingly. This will also create a situation in which the library can justify and explain the decisions it makes and the work that it is working on currently as being that which is most critical to the organization.
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To introduce the Library Hi Tech theme issue on open source software.
Abstract
Purpose
To introduce the Library Hi Tech theme issue on open source software.
Design/methodology/approach
At the Hackfest before Access 2004 (a Canadian library technology conference) several people started to code open source software (OSS) solutions.
Findings
Some groups estimated they were close to 25 percent done – in just a few days, while attending Access Conference sessions all day.
Originality/value
Developments in the OSS library community should encourage you to experiment with these applications, or maybe even develop your own.
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Timothy G. Hawkins and William A. Muir
Public procurement officials are bound by extensive policies, procedures, and laws. However, procurement professionals perpetually struggle to comply with these vast requirements…
Abstract
Public procurement officials are bound by extensive policies, procedures, and laws. However, procurement professionals perpetually struggle to comply with these vast requirements — particularly in the acquisition of services. The purpose of this research is to explore knowledge-based factors affecting compliance of service contracts. A regression model using data acquired via survey from 219 U.S. Government procurement professionals reveals that the extent of compliance is affected by buyer experience, personnel turnover, the sufficiency with which service requirements are defined, post-award buyer-supplier communication, and the sufficiency of procurement lead time. From these results, implications for practice and theory are drawn. The study concludes with a discussion of limitations and directions for future research.
Daniel Chudnov, Jeffrey Barnett, Raman Prasad and Matthew Wilcox
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Unalog software system, a free and open source toolkit for social book marking in academic environments.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Unalog software system, a free and open source toolkit for social book marking in academic environments.
Design/methodology/approach
The history, objectives, features, and technical design of Unalog is presented, along with a discussion of planned enhancements.
Findings
The Unalog system has been very useful for information sharing among members of the digital library community and a group of beta testers at Yale University, leading its developers to plan several new features and to capitalize on opportunities for integration with other campus systems.
Originality/value
This paper describes a freely available toolkit, which can be used to provide new services through libraries to academic communities, and how those new services might be enhanced by merging the potential they offer for easier information sharing with long‐standing practices of librarianship.
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The purpose of this paper is to describe a project undertaken at SUNY Cortland to develop a system that would collect electronic resource usage data in a consistent manner and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe a project undertaken at SUNY Cortland to develop a system that would collect electronic resource usage data in a consistent manner and allow SUNY Cortland to assess this data over several years.
Design/methodology/approach
The project used data gathered from EZProxy server log files to examine usage of the library's electronic resources.
Findings
Through examining the usage data the library discovered that users were utilizing particular types of resources, from specific physical locations, and accessing those resources from specific pages in the library's web site.
Originality/value
By examining usage data for electronic resources, libraries can learn more than which resources are being used. Usage data can give libraries insight into where, when, how, and possibly why their users are accessing electronic resources.
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The purpose of this paper is to present the main features of Archimède, which is the institutional repository system developed by Université Laval to address its specific needs.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the main features of Archimède, which is the institutional repository system developed by Université Laval to address its specific needs.
Design/methodology/approach
These needs include the availability of a multilingual interface, the possibility to simultaneously index metadata and full text, and the compatibility with multiple technological infrastructures. The privileged approach relied on open source softwares and the use of automatic code generation tools in order to lower development costs and time. This led Université Laval's team to the creation of an institutional repository system that is based on Java technology and which is not OS‐specific.
Findings
The system offers: documents management functionalities; dissemination mechanisms compatible with OAI‐PMH2 (Open Archive Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting V.2.0); an indexing and searching framework (LIUS) that can index over ten documents formats; and a selective dissemination of information service. Archimède and LIUS are now distributed under a GPL licence. Further developments will extend the metadata formats range supported by Archimède and will include archive management functionalities.
Originality/value
This experience shows that the development of an institutional repository system resting on open source softwares, frameworks and application program interfaces could lead to impressive results, in a short amount of time and with a minimum of investment.
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To develop an open‐source remote patron authentication system to replace a problematic, proprietary vendor product.
Abstract
Purpose
To develop an open‐source remote patron authentication system to replace a problematic, proprietary vendor product.
Design/methodology/approach
Functional requirements were developed using the vendor product as a model with additional requirements determined by the libraries planning to use the application. Using PHP on Apache web server with a connection to our ILS database on Sybase, a flexible system that can be configured to the local libraries requirements was created.
Findings
Overall, the new system has been welcomed and the most widespread problems we encountered have been resolved. Most importantly though, using an in‐house system empowers libraries to introduce enhancements and bug fixes as soon as possible and not rely on a vendor's schedule for doing so.
Research limitations/implications
A project like this would not be possible if the ILS database was proprietary and inaccessible from other, open‐source technologies like PHP or the data structures were not published.
Practical implications
The remote patron authentication system is only one possible use of these technologies. Other applications using ILS data could be developed.
Originality/value
Using PHP with Apache and a connection to the ILS database, the necessary functionality was retained and added other features that improved reliability, configurability and cross‐browser usage. By embracing this approach, the authors also retained control on its future development and improvement.
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Kai Gao, Yong‐Cheng Wang and Zhi‐Qi Wang
This purpose of this paper is to propose a recommendation approach for information retrieval.
Abstract
Purpose
This purpose of this paper is to propose a recommendation approach for information retrieval.
Design/methodology/approach
Relevant results are presented on the basis of a novel data structure named FPT‐tree, which is used to get common interests. Then, data is trained by using a partial back‐propagation neural network. The learning is guided by users' click behaviors.
Findings
Experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the approach.
Originality/value
The approach attempts to integrate metric of interests (e.g., click behavior, ranking) into the strategy of the recommendation system. Relevant results are first presented on the basis of a novel data structure named FPT‐tree, and then, those results are trained through a partial back‐propagation neural network. The learning is guided by users' click behaviors.
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Increasing numbers of libraries are implementing RFID solutions supplementing or replacing their existing barcode systems. While RFIDs offer many time saving benefits and…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasing numbers of libraries are implementing RFID solutions supplementing or replacing their existing barcode systems. While RFIDs offer many time saving benefits and productivity enhancements, they also expose libraries and their patrons to a number of potential violations of patron privacy both inside and outside the library. In an era where there is an escalating, ongoing debate over libraries and patron privacy, RFIDs warrant further review. The purpose of this article is to explore the validity of some of these concerns and outline recommendations and best practices to minimize the risks to libraries and their patrons.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive review was made of the literature review with an argument for careful understanding of the issues.
Findings
The potential risks associated with RFID security violations are a potential threat and any library implementing an RFID systen should be aware of all the facts before proceeding.
Practical implications
RFID literature should be reviewed by any library considering implementing RFID
Originality/value
There has been no other article in Library Hi Tech on RFID.
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