IFLA Journal

This article assesses the information sources used by Tanzanian newspaper journalists to collect climate change information. The main sources of climate change information consulted by newspaper journalists in Tanzania are climate change experts and daily events, such as community meetings and other relevant social gatherings. These sources are interactive – enabling journalists to obtain climate change information – and easily accessible, and use and provide instant responses. It was also found that deficient use of other potential sources of information, such as libraries, printed materials and Internet websites, coupled with overarching challenges that limit newspaper journalists from seeking, covering and reporting information on climate change, may affect the quality and quantity of climate change information published in Tanzanian newspapers. All the stakeholders involved in the fight against climate change and journalism colleges should collaborate and devise strategies aimed at building the capacity of newspaper journalists, editors and reporters in their daily activities.

The science and technology sector plays an important role in the growth and diversification of the Nigerian economy. This article examines the information-seeking behaviour of science and technology researchers in Nigeria in order for the right approach to be taken with respect to information provision. A survey methodology was used for the study and 114 multidisciplinary science and technology researchers at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi served as the respondents. The findings of the study revealed that science and technology researchers frequently sourced information from journals and knowledgeable persons; the Internet was the most frequent information source. The science and technology researchers used information for carrying out research and solving personal needs, among other things. The challenges identified in using information sources included outdated books and lack of adoption of electronic services. The study recommended that efforts should be directed at improving researchers’ access to information and the establishment of an institutional electronic database should be encouraged.

Data plays a major role in helping to understand clearly the changing needs of academic library users, and in helping libraries to innovate their services and procedures accordingly. Data needs to be transformed into information for decision-making and strategic planning. Business intelligence offers powerful analytical tools, such as visualization and data-mining tools, which lead to informed decisions and hence transform the user’s experience, bringing it to a more advanced level. This research investigates the concept of business intelligence from the perceptions of information department staff at academic libraries in Jordan. The opportunities and challenges associated with it are also discussed and explored. As indicated by the results, information department staff agree that business intelligence improves decision-making, helping decision-makers to make the most accurate and timely decisions for the library. The results also indicate that an appropriate infrastructure is important for the successful implementation of business intelligence in academic libraries in Jordan.

Research data management is an important topic for funding agencies, universities and researchers. In this context, the main aim of this study is to collect preliminary information for Aperta, which is being developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, to fulfil the following goals: determine the research data management awareness levels of researchers in Turkey; understand current research data management practices in their research environments; and find out their experiences of policy issues. For this, a questionnaire was distributed to 37,223 researchers, with 1577 researchers completing it. The results indicated that researchers who spend more time with data have more concerns about data management issues. The levels of experience of creating a data management plan were quite low. The importance of this study lies in how it is able to show the current research data management practices of Turkish scholars during the new repository’s foundational development stage.

The research aims to analyse the alliance of archive, library and museum (ALM) at the Kruger National Park with regards to compliance with legislations, ALM’s role in education and the adoption of information and communication technology. A qualitative method was used to collect data. The research found that most of the participants were not aware of the legislations governing ALM in South Africa. ALM was not fully utilised for educational activities to enhance knowledge management; there is a low rate of adoption of information and communication technology as an enabler to provide education. Hopefully, this study will help to formulate research agendas to address societal challenges, such as adopting the policies which will have a positive impact on the implementation of ALM policies.

Library and information science (LIS) professionals often act as default copyright mavens at their institutions and, therefore, must have an awareness of copyright law and practices. Using a quantitative national survey: ‘Copyright Literacy of Bangladeshi LIS Professionals’ which was part of a multinational survey entitled ‘Copyright Literacy of specialists from libraries and other cultural institutions’, the main objective of the Bangladesh part was to illustrate the self-perceived familiarity with, knowledge and awareness of, and opinions about copyright-related issues of LIS professionals in Bangladesh. The survey also explored the existing institutional copyright policies, the need for copyright education for new and existing professionals and suggested topics for inclusion in training activities. The results show that Bangladeshi LIS professionals have conceptual knowledge and awareness of copyright issues, but overall lack an applied approach and hands-on training. This weakness is even more pronounced among LIS professionals who work in non-academic institutions. Based on these findings, it is suggested that relevant workshops, seminars and roundtable meetings focusing on copyright be organized that will pave the way for continued knowledge development around this topic.

In academic libraries, the obligation to pay a fine for overdue books is a common global phenomenon. As university libraries try to meet the growing expectations of their users with limited resources, it is important to ensure that the existing collection is available in circulation. This study investigated overdue returns at the BRAC University library, Bangladesh, focusing on the reasons why users returned their books late; students’ satisfaction with the current overdue policies; and suggested improvements to the overdue procedures. The study was carried out using a quantitative methodology. Structured questionnaires were distributed to the students and data was collected over a period of 60 days between March and April 2019. Of the 300 questionnaires distributed, 258 were returned, with a response rate of 86%. The primary reasons for users’ late return of books were forgetfulness and not completing the task required from the book. It is a positive fact of the study that, most students did not show unwillingness to use the library again after fine had been imposed for a late return; a large number of them managed to pay the fine out of their pocket money. The library’s current policies were considered to be satisfactory. The students considered them to be a form of discipline, which made them return items at the appointed time. There was no gender bias in their reactions. Suggestions for improvement included increasing the collection of hard-copy and e-books. The outcomes of this research may help to develop the overdue and circulation policies of academic libraries in developing countries.