Volume 70, Issue 1 -

Twitter acts as an information gateway as it provides a place where professionals network and share their knowledge. Twitter has increasingly influenced the way people use and share information. However, limited research demonstrates IT professionals’ information experience on Twitter impacts the way they use it for professional purposes. The study aimed to understand how such information experiences impact on the way IT professionals use Twitter for professional purposes. Eleven IT professionals were recruited for this study to understand the participants’ information experience through their own individual perspective, with the data analysed using constructive grounded theory. This study revealed that IT professionals’ information experience plays a vital role in creating professional networking and knowledge sharing in online spaces. These lived experiences influence the way IT professionals use Twitter for professional purposes. Thus, the findings of this study contribute to theoretical perspectives in the understanding of information experience perspectives within Twitter, along with a foundational understanding of the ways in which microblogging is used for professional purposes. The findings can help organisations understand and provide for this emerging channel of professional information sharing for its staff and stakeholders.

This exploratory study examines the application of methods used in the United States to evaluate the impact of school library programs and services on student learning to a setting in Uppsala, Sweden. The Student Learning through Ohio School Libraries study of Todd and Kuhlthau served as the model for data collection in Uppsala middle and high schools and subsequent analysis. Modifications to the original study and details of the data collection and analysis are provided. Findings suggest that many students do perceive that the library program provides different categories of help in their learning processes, that students may benefit from direct instruction in all stages of the information problem-solving process, and that the application of methods to school library settings worldwide may enable meaningful comparisons of practice in school libraries. Findings are limited by the amount of time between data collection and analysis, and modifications to the methodology applied in the original study. Still, this effort marks a critical benchmark in international efforts to demonstrate the impact of the school library on student achievement.

The purpose of the study was to explore the impact of applying a series of passive and active learning activities including a practice-based assignment when teaching the reference transaction to 43 students enrolled in a graduate program at Kuwait University. Students were asked to visit an academic library of their choice and approach the reference desk with a distinct information need. Based on the 2013 RUSA behavioral guidelines, students rated their perceptions of the behavioral attributes of reference librarians during the reference transaction encounter. In addition, two open-ended questions asked students for their opinions and feedback regarding their interaction with reference librarians. Finally, a three-hour class session was allocated for students’ reflection and discussion of their learning experience. All students participated in the study. Students found librarians approachable and exhibited interest in their inquiries. However, they showed less proficiency in their searching skills, managing and facilitating the use of results as well as applying follow-up activities. Students’ views and beliefs regarding their learning experience showed that the experiential nature of the assignment provided insight into the nuances of reference librarians, interviewing techniques, and the extent of subject knowledge and skills essential for a successful reference transaction. The results show that teaching students the reference transaction using a practice-based assignment coupled with having students assess the reference librarians’ performance provides a practical perspective that enhances student learning. Further, the benefits in using multiple methods and strategies in teaching the reference transaction that emerged from the study is deemed valuable for library and information science education in the design and development of course content.

In recent years, public library administrators have actively promoted children’s reading services. Storytelling activities have a significantly positive effect on enhancing children’s interest and ability in reading. Due to the shortage of human resources in some public libraries, volunteers are required to provide storytelling activities. Public libraries should enhance the competencies of volunteer storytellers and provide appropriate training for maintaining as well as improving the effectiveness of storytelling activities. The study conducted interviews in order to build a multidimensional and theoretically grounded competency model for volunteer storytellers in public libraries. Interviews were designed based on the relevant literature. The study used in-depth interviews to obtain information on the experiences, ideas, and suggestions of 15 volunteer storytellers at Taipei Public Library. The results indicate ten facets of the competency model for volunteer storytellers: knowledge about readers; knowledge about story material; assisting in planning and organizing storytelling; expressing and interpreting story skills; children resource utilization instruction skills; information technology skills; oral and writing communication; volunteer team administration and management skills; professional literacy and development; and personal attitude and characteristics. These findings can be helpful in developing competency models and practices related to competency development among volunteer storytellers for public libraries. Finally, the results can serve as a reference for administrators of public libraries and other children’s reading education institutions to implement human resources strategies and practices concerning volunteer storytellers, including planning, recruitment, education, management, and performance evaluation.

Indigenous curatorship has become an increasingly visible presence in the public sphere as part of the long process of North American Native people’s efforts to regain control over the representations and uses of their cultures in Western societies. Even though scholars consider this profession fundamental to Native American struggles for sovereignty, many do not have a clear understanding of what it involves. In the context of scarce scholarship on Indigenous curatorship, this qualitative study relies on interview and textual data to articulate Indigenous curators’ understandings of their work of preserving and promoting Indigenous knowledge. It emphasizes the uniqueness of Indigenous curatorship by mapping out this profession’s specific roles and responsibilities within the broader arena of museum curatorship. The study identifies two main directions Indigenous curators take in their work, namely activism and engagement of the public. Activism consists in Indigenous curators’ efforts to critique oppressive knowledge structures, raise awareness of controversial topics of public interest related to Indigeneity, and support Native artists and tribal communities. Engagement of the public refers to Indigenous curators’ strategies of involving source communities in the design of exhibits and diverse audiences in the interpretation of exhibitions.

What role can a library system play in the development of a knowledge society and a smart city or a smart nation? In Singapore, we are able to identify governmental master plans to develop and to consolidate a knowledge society and a knowledge-based economy since around 1980. The current Smart Nation plan aims for comprehensive digital innovations in the country. Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) is an agency of the Ministry of Communication and Information; it is responsible for the Public Libraries, the National Library, and the National Archives. Its duties are regulated by law. This article describes the tasks of NLB and its institutions, the physical as well as digital resources, NLB’s services (for instance, OneSearch and the Singapore Memory Project), important programs (e.g. activities to foster digital literacy and information literacy), NLB’s social media activities, and, finally, user participation (following design thinking) in the development of NLB’s services. In contrast to many other countries in the world, the nationwide library system in Singapore plays an important role on the way towards a knowledge society and Smart Nation as it fosters ubiquitous access to knowledge (content), provides spaces for the community, and attempts to deepen digital literacy skills of all Singaporeans.