Search results

A DISTINGUISHED editor, when returning a rejected contribution, remarked: “Before you attempt to write on any subject be quite certain that you can say something fresh about it.” I am not very confident of my qualification to say anything fresh on the well‐worn topic of cataloguing, but I will endeavour, with your kind forbearance, to introduce a part of the subject which has not yet been treated separately, rather than to bring forward one of the more important branches which has already received considerable attention. This is my apology for asking you to consider the dry and uncompromising subject of the signs and symbols which should be understood in cataloguing.

THE great advantage the contemporary librarian enjoys is the opportunity of meeting his fellows at so many library assemblies. It might almost be wondered whether, in such opulence, the one great Conference in September is really necessary: a wonder that is immediately modified by the thought that no other meeting can give a representation of what the profession as a whole is doing or hoping to do; the many parts of the whole come together briefly then. It is the more necessary that the Conference makes this annual revelation, and does it manifestly. This is “much easier said than done”. Looking back on the almost complete disregard by the Press of the Folkestone meeting, in spite of our own statement that we had sought publicity for at least half a century in vain, we are compelled to think that renewed efforts should be made to attract the newspapers, radio and T.V. in the service of libraries. We are assuming that such notoriety is desirable, an assumption which some deny. If it is, our programmes must be ready sooner, advance matter of papers should be in the hands of editors before they are read, paragraphs for the B.B.C. and other public address organizations should be prepared and distributed even longer, before the newspapers get them. All this, however, must be based upon the proceedings themselves which, as we have affirmed often, should with a few inspirational exceptions be based upon the programme of service every type of library gives to the community.

DECEMBER sees the close of the presidency of Lionel R. McColvin. Few men in the record of the Library Association have more deserved the eminence the office affords and the feeling is aroused that it is all too brief a tenure. None has used twelve months to more useful purpose. He presided over the Annual Conference with dignity and conducted the unfortunate Annual Business Meeting with a fairness that was scrupulous. He has given several public addresses, a notable one being that at the Manchester Public Library Centenary which may be read in The Manchester Review (Autumn, 1952); has served on at least one Government committee, has opened libraries, unveiled the L.C.C. tablet to William Ewart; has found time to address various branch and divisional meetings of librarians, to serve on the N.C.L. Executive Committee, to sign the Fellowship certificates of successful candidates and, of course, has presided over every meeting of the L.A. Council and, we understand, with such success that complete harmony ruled in that very miscellaneous body. He passes on his office with honour and with our gratitude.

Full‐text CDROM is a powerful tool and publishers are finding ways to build more into their product. World Library has upgraded Library of the Future with a third edition (World Library Inc., 1991–1994, Library of the Future, 3rd Edition. Irvine, CA, USA). Library of the Future is a CDROM tool to access classic literature, some religious works and some important documents in full text. World Library has added Windows operation and new graphic effects to the product.

Examines the major problems associated with managing a library automation project in a developing country. The Moi University experience is representative of the type of problems that a library project manager in a developing country is likely to face. Poor infrastructure, a shortage of local technical expertise, lack of information technology and a shortage of qualified managers are some of the managerial hurdles that they should be able to cope with. Training local personnel and equipping the training institutions may partly solve some of the problems. Management and information technology skills should be emphasised in whatever training programmes may be initiated in a bid to overcome the shortages.

The Library Association of Ireland issued last month the first number of An Leabharlann, their new official journal. The title, for those of us who do not speak the language of Erin, means The Library. It is an extremely interesting venture which will be followed by librarians on the mainland with sympathetic curiosity. In particular our readers would be interested in the first of a series of articles by Father Stephen J. Brown, S.J., on Book Selection. The worthy Father lectures on this subject at University College, Dublin, in the Library School. It is mainly concerned with what should not be selected, and deals in vigorous fashion with the menace of much of current published stuff. No doubt Father Brown will follow with something more constructive. Mr. T. E. Gay, Chairman of the Association, discusses the need for a survey of Irish libraries and their resources. We agree that it is necessary. The Net Books Agreement, the Council, Notes from the Provinces, and an article in Erse—which we honestly believe that most of our Irish friends can read—and an excellent broadcast talk on the Library and the Student by Miss Christina Keogh, the accomplished Librarian of the Irish Central Library, make up a quite attractive first number. A list of broadcast talks given by members of the Association is included.

IF THE Guinness book of records is still watching these columns, I can now tell them that, after all, Mrs Carole Bignell's hope (NLW February p30) that she had established a record by registering her daughter as a library member at the tender age of two weeks must be dashed. Ken Bowden, District Librarian at Bacup, Lanes (where he gets his copy of NLW a little late), writes that not only did one of his neighbours enrol his daughter when she was five days old some years ago, but that Ken's own son entered the world in February 1977 and was enrolled at Bacup on his third day. Any advance on three days?

To discuss the problem of cultural imperialism as it relates to human rights and to provide a framework for applying human rights to Library and Information Services (LIS) so as to respect diverse worldviews.

The chapter is theoretical in nature but also draws out important practical implications. The problem is described and addressed using the approach of philosophical ethics emphasizing moral pluralism. Political and moral theories are compared and lessons drawn from them for LIS practice.

Drawing on the work of philosopher Jacques Maritain (1949) as well as contemporary human rights theory, an understanding of human rights as pluralistic and evolving practical principles is developed. Using Maritain’s conception of human rights as a set of common principles of action, guidelines for applying human rights in ways that avoid cultural imperialism are provided.

The findings of this chapter should assist LIS professionals in understanding the relationship between human rights and cultural diversity. In addition, it gives professionals a framework for understanding and applying human rights in a ways that respects cultural diversity.

This chapter develops an original approach to applying human rights in a way that respects cultural diversity.

Most literature on acquisitions, as well as on other aspects of librarianship, tends to focus on the developed countries. Automation, the application of the latest technologies and skills to library service, and similar issues are exhaustively studied and discussed. Unfortunately, such subjects are hardly of immediate relevance to the countries of the Third World.

This study aims to find out the current state of cloud-based library services in selected academic and special libraries of Bangladesh. The study also explored some pertinent problems faced by librarians in implementing this new technology in library services and activities.

The study used a mixed-method approach with a range of exploratory research questions. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the libraries. A set of structured questionnaires was designed to address the objectives of the study. For in-depth analysis, short interviews with the library professionals were also conducted.

Only four libraries made use of cloud computing services, and they maintained a partial cloud environment. Most responding librarians treated cloud computing as a dynamically scalable infrastructure for applications, data and file storage with charges imposed. Most of the respondents (90%) preferred cloud computing for “Software-as-a-Service”. Due to the high subscription rate (70%), unreliable online payment system (60%) and trading system (60%), librarians treated cloud computing as a burden in providing library services and activities. Respondent librarians were also interviewed for exploring their views on cloud computing in library services. For adopting cloud computing in library services of Bangladesh, “sufficient financial allocation” and “organizations’ positive decision over cloud computing” were mentioned as challenging tasks by the respondents. Finally, the study suggested some solutions to the problem and proposed a model for a cloud-based library system that can be replicated in libraries and information centres of other developing countries too.

This paper encapsulates the overall scenario of cloud-based library activities and services in Bangladesh. Based on the available secondary sources, no empirical study on librarians’ perceptions of cloud computing in library services of Bangladesh has been carried out before this study. Thus, this is perhaps the first attempt to quantitatively measure cloud-based services in Bangladeshi libraries.