Information and Library Science

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Staff Opinions in Library Automation Planning: A Case Study
(Special Libraries Association (SLA), 1986) Shaw, Debora
Staff at the Indiana State Library were surveyed regarding reactions to automation and expectations of an on-line catalog and circulation system. The surveys were conducted before automation planning and staff development committees were created, and again a year later. Opinions remained stable in many areas, but increases in staff involvement and automation's impact on staff attitudes were noted. Reactions to automation in general were positive in both surveys. By the second year, fewer respondents felt they could predict automation's impact on staffing, while more expected work to remain about the same. The number of responses to an open-ended question declined, with considerably more positive comments in the second survey.
User interactions with the PDQ cancer information system.
(Medical Library Association, 1992) Shaw, Debora; Czaja, Ronald
Searches by end users and intermediaries on the online PDQ (Physician Data Query) cancer information system were observed. With the National Library of Medicine (NLM) menu-based interface, end users (physicians) averaged fewer steps per question, while with the BRS command-drive interface, intermediaries appeared to be more efficient. Cancer Information Service (CIS) searchers, who have more PDQ experience than end users or intermediaries, made greater use of command stacking to anticipate menu selections. Retrieval was more complete in the NLM system, where both the menus and predefined print formats assisted the searchers.
Undergraduate use of CD-ROM databases: Observations of human-computer interaction and relevance judgments.
(Elsevier, 1996) Shaw, Debora
Ten students in a freshman Elementary Composition course were observed as they searched bibliographic databases on a CD-ROM LAN. All were preparing term papers, and were asked to think aloud as they conducted their searches. A total of 329 relevance judgments were made as the students searched an average of 2.7 databases per session. Basic familiarity with computers and a tendency to get out of unproductive searches helped in avoiding problems with the variety of databases and search interfaces. All students found records they chose to print, with relevance judgments often made from information in the controlled vocabulary, title, or abstract. The browse interface was used most often, and its similarity to InfoTrac was helpful. Some students were able to use keyword access effectively, though Wilsondisc's multiterm search required adjustments and adaptation of strategies. SilverPlatter's record display and print functions caused confusion for searchers unfamiliar with this interface. Bibliographic databases on CD-ROM are as common a tool as the photocopier or word processor in writing term papers for today's undergraduate students. While the various search interfaces are touted as easy to use, many librarians find students do not use them intuitively and must have their CD-ROM searching skills developed through bibliographic instruction. Relatively little has been documented about how students actually use these databases, which interface features they select, or where they encounter problems. Better understanding of the successes and failures in CD-ROM searches may suggest ways of improving bibliographic databases, search interfaces, and bibliographic instruction. This information can also be helpful as collection development decisions are made regarding preferred media (CD-ROM, local online files, or vendor services) and search engines for bibliographic databases.
The Modern Language Association: Electronic and paper surveys of computer-based tool use
(John Wiley and Sons, 1996) Shaw, Debora; Davis, Charles H.
Members of the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) were surveyed about their use of computer-based tools. A questionnaire was sent to 1,000 randomly-selected members in the U.S., with 500 sent via paper mail and 500 through electronic mail. Word processing, electronic mail, online catalogs, and the MLA International Bibliography were used heavily. Responses by the two subgroups differed significantly in several respects. Electronic full texts received substantially less use by both groups, especially those responding to the print survey. Major changes in research habits included greater reliance on word processing and more work outside of libraries. Problems reported focused on access to computer-based resources, learning to use them, the need for instruction, and inconsistent interfaces. Finally, evidence strongly suggests that reliance solely on electronic surveys may produce misleading results.
A Case Study of Students' Frustrations with a Web-Based Distance Education
(University of Illinois at Chicago Library, 1999) Hara, Noriko; Kling, Rob
Many advocates of computer-mediated distance education emphasize its positive aspects and understate the kind of work that it requires for students and faculty. This article presents a qualitative case study of a Web-based distance education course at a major U.S. university. The case data reveal a taboo topic: students' persistent frustrations in Web-based distance education. First, this paper will analyze why these negative phenomena are not found in the literature. Second, this article will discuss whether students' frustrations inhibit their educational opportunities. In this study, students' frustrations were found in three interrelated sources: lack of prompt feedback, ambiguous instructions on the Web, and technical problems. It is concluded that these frustrations inhibited educational opportunities. This case study illustrates some student perspectives and calls attention to some fundamental issues that could make distance education a more satisfying learning experience.
Use of Journal Citation Reports for Serials Management in Research Libraries: An Investigation of the Effect of Self-Citation on Journal Rankings in Library and Information Science and Genetics
(Association of College & Research Libraries, 2000-05) Nisonger, Thomas E.
This article explores the use of the Institute for Scientific Information’s Journal Citation Reports (JCR) for journal management in academic libraries. The advantages and disadvantages to using JCR citation data for journal management are outlined, and a literature review summa- rizes reported uses of these data by libraries and scholars. This study researches the impact of journal self-citation on JCR rankings of library and information science (LIS) and genetics journals. The 1994 rankings by impact factor and total citations received were recalculated with jour- nal self-citations removed; then the recalculated rankings were com- pared to the original rankings to analyze the effect of self-citations. It is concluded that librarians can use JCR data without correcting for jour- nal self-citation, although self-citations do exert a major effect on the rankings for a small number of journals.
The Relationship between International Editorial Board Composition and Citation Measures in Political Science, Business, and Genetics Journals
(Springer Verlag, 2002) Nisonger, Thomas E.
Three measures of international composition on journal editorial boards—the number of countries represented on the board, the number of international members, and the proportion of international board members—were correlated with impact factor and total citation data in the 1999 Journal Citation Reports for 153 business, political science, and genetics journals. With a few exceptions the relationship between international editorial board composition and citation measures was non-linear, leading to the conclusion that international membership on the editorial board can not generally be used as a marker of better journal quality. Yet further investigation is warranted due to positive correlations between some editorial board and citation measures for non-U.S. business and political science journals.
Analysis of Computer-Mediated Communication: Using Formal Concept Analysis as a Visualizing Methodology
(Baywood Publishing Company, 2002) Hara, Noriko
Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is used in different contexts such as business, non-profit organizations, and education and uses different tools such as computer conferencing, e-mail, and groupware. However, it is apparent that the field of CMC lacks established methodologies to analyze the phenomena. This article introduces the use of Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) as a methodology to visualize the data in CMC. FCA is based on a mathematical lattice theory and offers visual maps (graphs) with conceptual hierarchies. Combined with content analysis, FCA is proposed to be a potential method for the analysis of CMC. In this study, three categories (social, cognitive, and metacognitive) from Henri's (1992) model for CMC content analysis were applied to FCA after a previous study used a content-analysis method based on Henri's model to convert the data from a computer conference. The purpose of this article is to provide an example of the application of FCA to CMC and to argue for its potential use for analyzing on-line discourse. Although this article specifically addresses issues related to analyzing data in CMC for education, the methodology is applicable to the analysis of CMC for different purposes.
Ecological approach to virtual team effectiveness
(Rob Kling Center for Social Informatics, 2002) Shachaf, Pnina; Hara, Noriko
This paper attempts to address the need for more research on virtual team effectiveness, and outlines an ecological theoretical framework. Prior empirical studies on virtual team effectiveness used frameworks of traditional team effectiveness and mainly followed Hackman's normative model (input-process-output). We propose an ecological approach for virtual team effectiveness that accounts for team boundaries management, technology use, and external environment, properties which were previously either non-existent or contextual. The ecological framework suggests that three components, external environment, internal environment, and boundary management, reciprocally interact with effectiveness. The significance of the proposed framework is the holistic perspective that takes into account the complexity of the external and internal environment of the team.
Banking (on) different forms of symbolic capital.
(John Wiley and Sons, 2002) Cronin, Blaise; Shaw, Debora
The accrual of symbolic capital is an important aspect of academic life. Successful capital formation is commonly signified by the trappings of scholarly distinction or acknowledged status as a public intellectual. We consider and compare three potential indices of symbolic capital: citation counts, web hits, and media mentions. Our findings, which are domain-specific, suggest that public intellectuals are notable by their absence within the information studies community.
Bibliographic and Web citations: What is the difference?
(John Wiley and Sons, 2003) Shaw, Debora; Vaughan, Lewin
Web citations have been proposed as comparable to, even replacements for, bibliographic citations, notably in assessing the academic impact of work in promotion and tenure decisions. We compared bibliographic and Web citations to articles in 46 journals in library and information science. For most journals (57%), Web citations correlated significantly with both bibliographic citations listed in the Social Sciences Citation Index and the ISI‘s Journal Impact Factor. Many of the Web citations represented intellectual impact, coming from other papers posted on the Web (30%) or from class readings lists (12%). Web citation counts were typically higher than bibliographic citation counts for the same article. Journals with more Web citations tended to have Web sites that provided tables of contents on the Web, while less cited journals did not have such publicity. The number of Web citations to journal articles increased from 1992 to 1997.
A cast of thousands: Co-authorship and sub-authorship collaboration in the twentieth century as manifested in the scholarly journal literature of psychology and philosophy.
(John Wiley and Sons, 2003) Cronin, Blaise; Shaw, Debora; La Barre, Kathryn
We chronicle the use of acknowledgements in twentieth century scholarship by analyzing and classifying more than 4,500 specimens covering a 100-year period. Our results show that the intensity of acknowledgment varies by discipline, reflecting differences in prevailing socio-cognitive structures and work practices. We demonstrate that the acknowledgment has gradually established itself as a constitutive element of academic writing, one that provides a revealing insight into the nature and extent of sub-authorship collaboration. Complementary data on rates of co-authorship are also presented to highlight the growing importance of collaboration and the increasing division of labor in contemporary research and scholarship.
Nationwide Library Consortia Life Cycle
(Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., 2003) Shachaf, Pnina
Library consortia development processes were examined from an ecological approach, combining historical perspective, dynamic developmental approach, and social structure, stressing the issues of permeable boundaries in library consortia and the manifestation of inter-organization relationships. A comparative analysis of several nationwide consortia (from Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Italy, Micronesia, Spain and the U.K.) using six criteria enables delineation of a developmental pattern. Additional support for the model is based on a study of U.S. statewide consortia conducted by Potter in 1997. A four-stage life cycle sequence is outlined: embryonic, early development, development, and maturation. In addition, the ecological approach stresses founding and disbanding processes, suggesting disbanding as a fifth stage. The contribution of this paper to developmental theories at other levels of analysis (individual, group, organization) is in proposal of an inter-organizational life cycle model.
Community of Practice: A Metaphor for Online Design?
(Taylor & Francis, 2003) Schwen, Thomas M.; Hara, Noriko
This article examines four cases and identifies several issues associated with the concept of communities of practice. These cases describe different forms of communities of practice in various settings including consulting firms and legal firms. After introducing these cases, we address several issues that emerged from these cases and the research literature. First, we caution against the tendency to romanticize the communities of practice construct and especially online communities. The cross-case analysis points to five problems that should be considered before developing an online community of practice. These five problems include: prescriptive versus description distinction; ready-made versus communities in the making; knowledge of possession versus knowing in practice; mid-level social theory versus micro learning theory; and motivated members versus unwilling subjects. In sum, we believe that community of practice is not likely to be forced, but is emerging, and designers need to be aware of the characteristics of existing communities of practice to nurture them.
Citation Autobiography: An Investigation of ISI Database Coverage in Determining Author Citedness
(Association of College & Research Libraries, 2004-03) Nisonger, Thomas E.
This article presents a case study investigating the coverage complete- ness of the Institute for Scientific Information’s citation data for specific authors, based on analysis of this author’s lifetime citation record, which was compiled through the ISI database, searching the literature for nearly fifteen years, and through various Web search engines. It was found that (with self-citations disregarded) the ISI captured 28.8 percent of the total citations, 42.2 percent of print citations, 20.3 percent of citations from outside the United States, and 2.3 percent of non-English citations. The definition and classification of Web citations are discussed. It is suggested that librarians and faculty should not rely solely on ISI author citation counts, especially when demonstration of international impact is important.
Can Web Citations Be a Measure of Impact? An Investigation of Journals in the Life Sciences
(Information Today, Inc., for the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2004-11) Vaughan, Liwen; Shaw, Debora
We examine traditional and Web citations to journal articles in biology and genetics. There is significant correlation between citations in these two formats. Journals with higher numbers of Web citations tend to have more citations indicating intellectual impact (citations from papers or class readings, in contrast to citations from bibliographic services or the author’s or journal’s home page). Web citations show a broader geographic coverage and capture a greater number and variety of uses of journal articles.
Looking for love in all the wrong places: Accessing sexual and reproductive health information via the Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature.
(Elsevier, 2005) Pierce, Jennifer Burek; Shaw, Debora
The Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature (RGPL) has been described as a cultural barometer. It supports scholars of history and culture by providing access to ideas circulated via the mass media in earlier times, but its own coverage and indexing practices also reveal attitudes and values toward issues of the time. The Progressive Era (1900-1924) coincides with the founding and growth of the RGPL. Examining how the Guide directed readers’ attention to matters of sexual and reproductive health in its first quarter century demonstrates changes in social attitudes and has implications for scholarly work. The array of index terms required to locate information on this topic indicates both barriers to information access for contemporary readers as well as challenges for present-day scholars concerned with recovering information of the era.
A global perspective on library association codes of ethics
(Elsevier, 2005) Shachaf, Pnina
This study of 28 countries involves comparative content analysis of the English versions of codes of ethics proposed by professional associations. It yielded an empirically grounded typology of principles arranged in twenty categories. The most frequently identified principles were professional development, integrity, confidentiality or privacy, and free and equal access to information. While confidentiality and privacy, and equal access to information, appear in all existing typologies of library and information science ethics, other principles, such as copyright and intellectual property, democracy, and responsibility toward society, which appear in almost all other typologies, were evident in fewer than half of the codes. This empirical study provides a global perspective on library association code of ethics.
Team effectiveness in virtual environments: An ecological approach
(Idea Group Publishing, 2005) Shachaf, P.; Hara, N.
This chapter attempts to address the need for more research on virtual team effectiveness and outlines an ecological theoretical framework that is applicable to virtual learning environments (VLE). Prior empirical studies on virtual team effectiveness used frameworks of traditional team effectiveness and mainly followed Hackman’s normative model (input-process-output). We propose an ecological approach for virtual team effectiveness that accounts for team boundaries management, technologyuse, and external environment in VLE, properties which were previously either nonexistent or contextual. The ecological framework suggests that three components — external environment, internal environment, and boundary management — reciprocally interact with effectiveness. The significance of the proposed framework is a holistic perspective that takes into account the complexity of the external and internal environment of the team. Furthermore, we address the needs for new pedagogical approaches in VLE.
The Perception of Library and Information Science Journals by LIS Education Deans and ARL Library Directors: A Replication of the Kohl-Davis Study
(Association of College & Research Libraries, 2005-07) Nisonger, Thomas E.; Davis, Charles H.
Analyzing the collective opinion of presumed experts, often termed a per- ception study, is a frequently used approach for rating journals or evaluating education programs. Replicating the 1985 Kohl–Davis study, seventy-one library and information science (LIS) journals are ranked according to their mean rating on a 1 to 5 ordinal scale by deans of ALA-accredited educa- tion programs and by the directors of ARL libraries (surveyed during the summer of 2003). Comparison of the results with the 1985 study found considerable continuity in journal perceptions over the past two decades, but more so by directors than deans. A weak to moderate correlation was found between deans’ ratings and Journal Citation Reports citation scores, whereas the correlations between directors’ perceptions and citation data were weak to nonexistent. The ﬁndings conﬁrm a hierarchy of prestige among LIS journals, but the hierarchical order differs somewhat between deans and directors.

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