Band 9, Heft 1

This study explores the evolving needs of Generation Z (Gen Z) and Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) users in the context of libraries, emphasizing the critical role of social listening as a tool for engagement. Social listening, a technique used by professionals to track online conversations and mentions about brands, products, and services, offers valuable insights into user preferences and behaviors. With Gen Z being the first to grow up with seamless access to the internet and Gen Alpha following closely, both generations exhibit distinct characteristics that challenge traditional methods of user engagement. These users prioritize digital interaction over physical spaces, reshaping how libraries function and the relevance of conventional services. Libraries are facing existential threats as they struggle to adapt to this generational shift, with traditional physical collections and spaces giving way to digital environments. This article aims to review existing literature on generational cohort, proposing a conceptual framework that integrates social listening into library management strategies. The framework will help library professionals better engage with these tech-savvy users, ensuring libraries’ survival and continued relevance in a rapidly digitizing world.

This article reports the findings of a survey of 139 editors of Australian journals. The survey investigated the editors’ views on distinct roles of Australian journals, the potential conflicts between national roles and internationalization, and the factors affecting long-term viability of journals. Findings show that editors highly value the role of Australian journals in linking research and practice in the Australian context and sustaining local disciplinary communities. While the majority of editors (76%) see little to no conflict between internationalization and maintaining local roles, some see challenges in balancing local relevance with international appeal. The survey highlights a link between journal rankings, author incentives, and the ability to attract quality submissions, particularly for journals focusing on local issues. Attracting quality submissions and qualified reviewers emerged as the most important factors for long-term viability, with the latter also being the most significant challenge. The study highlights a strong reliance on voluntary work as 45% of editors receive no compensation for their roles, a concern for the sustainability of journals. Open access strategies vary, but 88% of journals were satisfied with their current publishing model. There was low satisfaction with support from parent organizations in areas such as training and professional development.

This systematic review examines the growing use of Biplot methods in Ecuadorian research, highlighting their relevance for simplifying complex data in fields such as agronomy and epidemiology. Through the analysis of 46 documents, a notable increase in the application of these techniques since 2020 is observed, reflecting the strengthening of local research capacity and the need for multivariate tools to interpret complex data. This review is unique in situating the use of Biplot methods within Ecuador’s scientific context, identifying patterns of international collaboration, particularly with institutions from Spain, and emphasizing the impact of these methods on data visualization for high-value scientific projects. The limitations include a focus on specific databases (Scopus, WoS, and SciELO), which could bias the results toward indexed publications. For the future, it is recommended to promote the use of Biplot methods in emerging areas of Ecuadorian research and establish more international partnerships to strengthen the impact of these techniques on local scientific development.

The responsible research assessments initiative aims to broaden the scope of what can be recognised in science evaluation. As a scientometric approach, the open educational resources (OER) statistics framework contributes to this mission by rewarding academic teaching as a performance class via OER. Specialised OER infrastructures can be considered data providers for OER statistics. The analysis of selected OER infrastructures shows that in order to obtain comprehensive OER-related datasets that can be used for the determination of the OER statistics without significant additional effort, improvements in the metadata provided are needed. This applies to the completeness of databases, the use of persistent identifiers, and the references and attributions/citations of OER, but also to details such as information on quality, year of creation, version management, or granularity of OER.

This study sought to assess the contribution of academic libraries in Ghana towards the attainment of Agenda 2063. The study was guided by a survey research design that used a quantitative approach. Questionnaires were used as the main data-collection instrument. Data were collected from 101 library professionals from six university libraries in Ghana. Key findings from the study were that although librarians in Ghana had a fair idea about the sustainable development goals, their knowledge of and awareness of Agenda 2063 in general, and the first aspiration in particular, was still at an infancy level. Indeed, the findings disclosed the involvement of librarians and libraries in various activities that unconsciously contributed towards attaining the seven (7) goals of the first aspiration of Agenda 2063, even though they disagreed that their libraries contributed towards attaining some of the goals of this aspiration. Recommendations based on the study findings were directed towards the need for management of academic libraries to make a conscious effort towards creating awareness and ensuring that activities mapped out, as well as success stories, are shared with society and other stakeholders to be more visible and actively included in decision-making on achieving the development agenda.

This research explores the impact of visuals in short educational videos produced by artificial intelligence (AI) on students’ orientation toward management careers with the social cognitive career theory (SCCT). The quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study enrolled 150 Indian higher secondary commerce students who underwent random assignment with the use of Excel RAND function to either an experimental group (AI-enhanced videos and workshop) or a control group (only a workshop). The major purpose of the intervention was to increase career-related self-efficacy, predictive outcome expectations, interest in management (INT), and reduce the career stereotypes. Although no significant differences were found in SCCT metrics across groups over time, AI visuals exposure led to a higher knowledge acquisition and INT careers among participants. The findings reveal that AI visuals may enhance awareness and engagement, but they are insufficient to change basic motivational beliefs. The findings illustrate the potential generative AI has as an education tool that is scalable and inclusive especially in resource-scarce regions. Nevertheless, it insists that such interventions should be placed in continuous, interactive, and thought-provoking learning contexts. The study also investigates how issues such as intervention duration, diversity of participants, and the ethical considerations on the production of authentic visuals can affect findings, providing implications for future studies.

This study inspects the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on Ph.D. scholars at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University. The research assesses the types of AI tools used, the purpose of using AI tools, and the challenges faced in using AI tools. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The study results indicate a high adoption rate of AI tools, with 91.2% of respondents using technologies such as plagiarism detection software, large language models, paraphrasing tools, and academic research databases with AI features. These tools were predominantly effective for literature reviews and research writing, improving precision, proficiency, and creativity. This study presents distinctive understandings of the transformative role of AI in academic research, precisely within the setting of doctoral education. By concentrating on the experiences of Ph.D. students, it highlights both the potential and challenges of AI incorporation, paying attention to the role of technology-driven invention in higher education and bring into line with sustainable development objectives for knowledge dissemination.

Misinformation about agricultural government schemes often impedes farmers from fully utilizing available initiatives. This study examines the role of information literacy in mitigating misinformation and enhancing farmers’ access to government support. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with a simple random sampling technique to select 200 farmers from four villages in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Data collection included surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions to assess information literacy and misinformation’s impact on trust. The findings reveal that while most farmers are aware of agricultural schemes, they predominantly rely on informal sources such as peers and family, with 36.5% citing them as their primary source, highlighting the role of social networks in information dissemination. The key challenges include low digital literacy, limited access to verified sources, and social influences affecting information trust. Statistical analysis indicates negligible correlations between education or experience and information literacy, though strong correlations exist among literacy skills. The study also contributes original insights into the relationship between information literacy and misinformation, emphasizing the need for targeted literacy training, improved government communication, and community-driven interventions to enhance farmers’ decision-making and participation in agricultural schemes.

This review discusses the concept of transparency as a cornerstone for the open science (OS) paradigm and the open access movement. To this regard, the contribution presents a review of official positions of supra-national bodies regarding OS and transparent research ontologies and contrasts them with convergent elements in scholarly works assessing distinct aspects of openness and transparency in research systems. As seen in the literature, transparency defines most policy and declarative approaches for greater access and academic accountability, yet the concept is rarely defined or operatively characterised. Hence, the text discusses a framing of transparency to accompany and better understand its guiding role in the OS and open innovation systems and presents the example of open peer review as a paradigmatic case. Final remarks are presented in order to indicate potential avenues of research, as well as areas of scholarly incidence to expand and deepen the reach of transparency-oriented academic and scientific practices.

The pesantren library plays a pivotal role as the center of the process of knowing within Islamic educational institutions, akin to the scriptorium in the medieval Catholic tradition. This article proposes a conceptual alternative and framework for reimagining the pesantren library as a dynamic space for the process of knowing, mediated through interactions between the pesantren community (santri, kiai, ustaz, and staff) and its literary collections, including kitab kuning, manuscripts, and archives. Unlike conventional libraries, which are often ephemeral and artificial in structure, the pesantren library integrates religious tradition, Islamic cosmology, and distinct social relations. This article examines two key dimensions: the modes of engagement between the pesantren community and its textual collections, and the internal relational dynamics and the influence of the strangers in transforming knowledge processes. Furthermore, the pesantren library is not merely a repository but an active epistemological site that generates new discourses.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) research in Latin America during the period 2013–2023. The main objective is to examine trends in scientific production, international collaborations, and perceptions of AI in the region, highlighting both achievements and persistent challenges. The methodology employed included a bibliometric analysis based on data from the Web of Science database, complemented with advanced natural language processing techniques such as SciBERT, a pre-trained model specialized in the scientific domain. Text preprocessing, identification of named entities, and collaborative network analysis allowed for a detailed assessment of scientific production in AI, with a particular focus on digital transformation and its impact on health, sustainability, and public policy. The results indicate a significant growth of scientific production on AI in Latin America, with Brazil and Mexico as leaders in citation volume and impact. However, there has been a decrease in the average impact per article in recent years, suggesting an increase in the number of publications that does not necessarily translate into higher quality or international visibility. Areas such as health and sustainability emerge as prominent fields, although challenges persist in terms of infrastructure, funding, and the need for solid regulatory frameworks that promote the ethical use of AI. In conclusion, although AI research in Latin America has shown remarkable progress, a balanced approach that prioritizes the quality and visibility of publications is essential, as well as the implementation of public policies that foster strong international collaboration. This study underscores the importance of strengthening scientific infrastructure and collaborative networks to maximize the impact of AI in the region, contributing significantly to the sustainable and equitable development of Latin America.

Academics might employ science social media or academic social networking sites (ASNSs), such as ResearchGate (RG), to showcase and promote their academic work, research, or published papers. In turn, RG provides usage statistics and performance metrics such as the now-defunct RG Score and the Research Interest Score (RIS) that offer a form of recognition about a researcher’s popularity, or how research is being used or appreciated. As part of a larger appreciation of how ASNSs contribute to knowledge sharing, in this article, the RG Score is reappraised, reflecting on why this metric may have been abandoned while reflecting on whether RIS is any better as an author-based altmetric. Similar to the RG Score, RG does not transparently indicate the precise equation used to calculate RIS, nor is any rationale provided for the weighting of its four factors (other reads, full-text reads, recommendations, and citations), which carry a relative weighting of 0.05, 0.15, 0.25, and 0.5, respectively. Ultimately, the responsible use of RG’s altmetrics lies in users’ hands, although caution is advised regarding their use to formally characterize or rank academics or research institutes.

This article explores the challenges and opportunities of adopting data-driven approaches in Ancient World (AW) studies, focusing on the complexities of data collection, curation, and analysis in the field. We address issues such as defining data for AW studies, as well as data fragmentation, standardization, and interoperability. We propose solutions to enhance data accessibility, collaboration, and reuse, demonstrating that adopting standardized formats and adhering to FAIR principles can improve data sharing and enable large-scale, interdisciplinary research. Importantly, we highlight how qualitative and quantitative approaches can coexist, enriching the field. We also review different past and ongoing initiatives supporting data-driven methodologies in AW studies and advocate for their continued expansion. Lastly, we discuss the rise of data papers as a transformative tool for bridging traditional scholarship and digital methodologies, emphasizing the importance of data sets and their potential for reuse in advancing the field.

This paper analyses the impact of integrating Critical Information Literacy (CIL) in academic libraries as a strategy of empowering library users of the critical value of information, and how it can be a transformative tool in impacting the social well-being of a society, especially in Africa. The researchers relied on a literature review as a methodology in the study to explore the evolution and various forms of CIL over the past decade. The study analyses both past and current research on the role of academic libraries in Africa, their orientation toward CIL, and the dynamic trends and challenges faced. The findings reveal that CIL remains largely underutilized in academic libraries across many African countries, with on-going challenges in promoting information literacy. The paper offers several recommendations, including the integration of CIL into Library and Information Science (LIS) higher education curricula in Africa, highlighting the potential benefits of such an approach.

In a metric-driven publishing landscape, local journals often struggle for visibility and recognition, despite their potential to inform national policy. This study investigates the policy relevance of Australian journals using citation data from the Overton database. By comparing citations in policy documents to Australian-authored articles published in local versus international journals between 2010 and 2022, we find that local journals are more likely to be cited in policy documents, especially those related to Australia. However, the average number of citations per article is lower for local journals, which probably reflects their niche focus and limited international uptake. These findings illustrate the vital but undervalued role national journals play in supporting local scholarship and addressing context-specific issues. We argue that greater institutional support is needed to sustain national publishing ecosystems and prevent the marginalisation of research with local relevance.