Volume 71, Issue 4

A multitude of ethical guidelines and codes of conduct have been released by private and public organizations during the past years. Those abstract statements serve as a response to incidents of discriminatory algorithms and systems and have been quantitatively investigated for the proclaimed principles. The current study focuses on four frameworks designed for application during the development of new technologies. The purpose is to identify values and value conflicts and consider how these are represented in relation to established discourses, practices, and attitudes in Computer and Information Ethics. This helps to understand to what extent the frameworks contribute to social change. Critical Discourse Analysis according to Fairclough is used to examine language and discourses, and review edition and publication processes. Well-established values like transparency, non-maleficence, justice, accountability, and privacy were detected whereas value conflicts were barely addressed. Interestingly, the values were more often framed by a business, and technology discourse than an ethical discourse. The results suggest a hegemonic struggle between academia and tech industry whereas power asymmetries between developers and stakeholders are reinforced. It is recommended to extend stakeholder participation from the beginning and emphasize value conflicts. This can contribute to advance the field and effectively encourage a public debate about the desired technological progress.

This paper presents the participation of bots in the process of disinformation in the Brazilian political/electoral scenario between 2014 and 2018. The justification for this research was the growth of ideological polarization and the emergence of hate speech linked to political positioning that culminated in a massive campaign of disinformation, evidenced by fake news and other forms of manipulation. In this research multiple case studies were used referring to three moments: the 2014 elections, the 2016 impeachment and the 2018 election. We found studies investigating these events, and they were used as data sources for analysis of the conjuncture and the interpretation of these facts in a chronological perspective pointed toward the role of bots and the results of such actions. It has been observed that the use of bots has occurred since 2014; however, they were only engaged in propagating false content from 2015. The automation of the messages was sophisticated between 2014 and 2018, when bots ceased to be players who replicated posts indiscriminately (spam) to become users’ catalysts with the intention of creating or expanding new bubbles of disinformation. Finally, we observed that the same botnet active in Brazil was also involved in electoral processes around the world, making Brazil simply one more piece in this grand network of disinformation where who is involved and what their purpose might be is not known.

This paper assessed the extent to which federal university libraries in Nigeria have prepared for management of their records in electronic format. Specifically it investigated the extent to which university libraries have provided ICT infrastructures for digital records, made institutional plans for e-records management, and enacted policies that guide e-records management, among other areas. Survey research design was used. The instruments for data collection were questionnaire, observation checklist, and oral interviews. The population of the study was 84 librarians drawn randomly from 18 federal university libraries in Nigeria. Data was analyzed using mean scores and simple percentages. The criterion of judgment was that if the mean value of any item of the research instruments scored 2.50+ and above, it was rated high; if otherwise, it was considered low. The study found that ICT facilities were available in all the libraries, but the state of preparedness for their utilization for e-records management was low. Inadequate funding, intermittent electricity supply, absence of e-records management policy, etc. were the major factors hindering preparedness for e-records management. Adequate budgetary provision, increasing power supply, and enactment of digital records management policy were among the recommendations made. With regards to practical implications, federal university libraries may not steadily use their e-records in a networked/connected environment. These records may become inaccessible over time. This study was the first to investigate extensively on the state of preparedness of Nigerian university libraries for digital records management.

In the establishing anniversary of the two biggest Digital Object Identifier (DOI) registration agencies all over the world, Crossref and DataCite, the paper intends to provide an overview of the development and approaches and of DOI and DOI services, from which scholarly communication has benefited greatly. At first, the author explores the initiation of DOI and differences of DOI from other persistent identifiers. After that, DOIs for different kinds of objects and DOIs’ value in enhancing scholarly communication is discussed; then, in the second part, DOI services at different levels in a pyramid and those particularly in Germany are described. The active involvement of the library world are also introduced here; finally, the current situation and prospects as well as some issues dealing with DOIs and DOI services are investigated in the last part of the paper.

Subsistence farming is important for food security and thus breaking the poverty cycle. Notwithstanding that, in many developing countries including South Africa, the development of women in rural areas remains a major concern. The purpose of this study was to explore information needs of women subsistence farmers and thus contribute to the already existing body of knowledge. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews, participant observation and focus group discussions. Grounded theory helped in data analysis. The use of Wilson’s model and the farmer-to-farmer extension (FFE) model helped in understanding the information need monitoring chain of women subsistence farmers. Findings revealed that they had both expressed and unexpressed information needs. Expressed needs included information about the recycling of seeds, soil fertility management, controlling of pests and stray animals, drought management skills, how to transcend from subsistence to commercial farming, and how to build strong social structures. Women livestock keepers needed information regarding drought management, support for livestock feeds, primary healthcare services for their livestock and support services for their extension officer who was deployed to another area. Unexpressed needs included the need for adult education as most women subsistence farmers had low levels of information literacy skills. It transpired that the word of mouth was the main source of information. The other sources of information such as radios, television and cell phones were used at a very limited rate. Local libraries were not sufficiently reaching out to respond to the women information needs. It is recommended that local libraries become visible and engage in library-led projects that can help meet women’s information needs and thus improve their living standards.

A pidgin metadata framework based on the concept of pidgin metadata is proposed to complement the limitations of existing approaches to metadata interoperability and to achieve more reliable metadata interoperability. The framework consists of three layers, with a hierarchical structure, and reflects the semantic and structural characteristics of various metadata. Layer 1 performs both an external function, serving as an anchor for semantic association between metadata elements, and an internal function, providing semantic categories that can encompass detailed elements. Layer 2 is an arbitrary layer composed of substantial elements from existing metadata and performs a function in which different metadata elements describing the same or similar aspects of information resources are associated with the semantic categories of Layer 1. Layer 3 implements the semantic relationships between Layer 1 and Layer 2 through the Resource Description Framework syntax. With this structure, the pidgin metadata framework can establish the criteria for semantic connection between different elements and fully reflect the complexity and heterogeneity among various metadata. Additionally, it is expected to provide a bibliographic environment that can achieve more reliable metadata interoperability than existing approaches by securing the communication between metadata.

Cybertechnology has become a fundamental part of educational institutions, with the student’s routine to use these technologies to communicate, learn and play, causing a need for understanding the impact and general principles of ethical computer use in academia. However, the practice of cyberethics in these environments has presented many challenges for the institutions. This study, based on the theory of planned behaviour, examined the differences in ethical cyber behavioural intention of Nigerian and South African students using a multi-group analysis. The study adopted a survey research design– structured questionnaires were randomly distributed among students of two purposively selected universities, one in South Africa and the other Nigeria. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the proposed model fit. Overall, 450 undergraduate students participated in the survey; 343 respondents completed and returned the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 76.2%. The subjective norm was found to be statistically significant in influencing students’ ethical cyber behavioural intention with cyber technologies. The study contributes to the extant literature on the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The originality and value of this study can be viewed from the application of a socio-psychology theory to determine ethical cyber behavioural intention in relation to cybertechnology, which provides further evidence that the TPB can be applied to cyberethics research. Moreover, to the best of authors’ knowledge, this is a pioneer study that comprehensively examines the linkage of components of TPB with ethical cyber behavioural intention in joint samples from South Africa and Nigeria.

Research indicates that partnerships between libraries and schools have potential to enhance early literacy. However, few studies have investigated the nature and outcomes of such collaborations. This paper reports on the findings from a qualitative study of a partnership between librarians and kindergarten teachers to implement a family literacy programme, developed by the State Library of Western Australia. The programme aims to facilitate connections between libraries, families and schools, to support early literacy. Using an interpretive paradigm, interviews were undertaken with 38 participants including State, branch, local and school librarians, kindergarten teachers and school principals in seven schools, to explore the effectiveness of the partnership model. The partnerships were highly valued, and participants reported confidence in the success of the co-operative model of programme delivery. However, there was little evidence of deep engagement across service sectors or sharing of expertise and resources. Four key factors that influenced the development and sustainability of partnerships are identified and discussed. Implications of the research are identified, which include the development of a library–school partnership framework and a literacy-text messaging programme. We conclude by suggesting that the partnership model could be replicated across other countries, maximising opportunities for cost efficiency while supporting better outcomes for families and children.

Public libraries and development organizations share many common goals that make them strong potential partners in the Global South. In spite of these commonalities, libraries are often overlooked as development partners. This is unfortunate because these partnerships could allow librarians to more fully and effectively participate in the development of their communities. This paper explores strategies that libraries might employ to make themselves more visible to development organizations. It does so through analysis of interviews with practitioners who have funded or implemented development projects across countries in Africa. We find that these practitioners are open to working more with libraries, but that it will take a lot of work on the part of public libraries to accomplish broad shifts in perception amongst development agencies. Collecting and openly sharing data on the output and impact of public libraries is a first step in this work, but these efforts must also be augmented through increased marketing and networking by libraries. Libraries need to build internal capacity to use data to drive advocacy efforts and attract funding from development donors.