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Cfp – Digital audio communication

Por admin


Fuente: https://unsplash.com/photos/X-etICbUKec

Journal: Profesional de la información (Scopus Q1, WoS Q3)
Theme: Digital audio communication
Issue: v. 31, n. 5
Publication date: September-October 2022
Manuscript submission deadline: March 10th, 2022

Guest editors:

Luis-Miguel Pedrero-Esteban
Full professor and Research head of the Nebrija-Innomedia Group at the Faculty of Communication and Arts, Nebrija University, Madrid, Spain

Teresa Piñeiro-Otero
Associate professor of the Area of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising at the Universidade da Coruña, Spain

About the theme
In the first months of 2021, the live social audio app Clubhouse became a fulgurating global phenomenon. Their success revived the orality relevance in the age of convergence (Jenkins, 2006), and promoted significant changes in other social platforms.
Despite losing its original popularity, it has made a great impact on an increasingly sonorous communicative ecosystem. The popularization of podcasts and audiobooks; the multiplication of sound streaming platforms; the interconnection between audio devices; and the consolidation of voice as a digital connection interface in smart assistants and speakers, have positioned the sound as one of the main trends in communication.
The diversification of formats and devices, and the confluence between media and screens, have created new sound species that provide more interactive and immersive experiences. This evolution from sound to sound-media requires a reconceptualization of profiles, practices, and professional work routines in this communicative ecosystem. At the meantime, the diversification of devices, platforms and formats has generated new relations between socialization and individualization of listening, between large audiences and hyper-segmentation.
Podcasts such as ‘Serial’ (This American Life, 2014-2018) in the United States or ‘El gran apagón’ (Podium Podcast, 2016-2018) in Spain reveal that exits a captive audience for sound stories, but also a social audience with an interest in interacting around those contents. Meanwhile, smartphones, tablets and wearables have promoted the emergence of personal soundscapes that are redefining our experience of space.
The interaction between socialization and individualization of listening has grown in strength during Covid-19 pandemic; mobility restrictions have been a boost for online audio: while radio has reaffirmed its role as an information and entertainment medium, other contents such as podcasts and audiobooks have experienced a great expansion even as a cultural product. The health crisis has also underlined the urgency of defining new business models for audio media.

Topics
This monograph invites the submission of research papers of analytical, theoretical, methodological or review nature, preferably of international scope, around the following axes and lines of research:
–  Evolution of radio. Adaptation of listening habits, devices, channels, and distribution systems. Interactions between online and offline broadcasting. New formats and contents. Integration of artificial intelligence and other technologies in the radio production and broadcasting process.
–  Podcasting. Products, genres, and formats. Creative and expressive innovations. Podcast platforms: effects on production, distribution, prescription, and personalization. The podcast as DiY media. Podcast and slow journalism.
–  Sound platforms and music streaming. Editorial and commercial models. Curation using algorithms. Impact on the generation and modification of tastes and trends.
–  Business models. Sound contents as part of online broadcasting and monetization strategies. Influencers in/of sound communication.
–  Online radio and audio consumption trends. Audiences and participation.
–  The production context. Transformations in professional routines. New professional profiles. Access and self-mediation of social groups. 
–  Innovative contents. Experiences in the convergence of contents, formats, and genres. Segmentation and hyper-specialization. Fiction. Documentary. Daily. Online audio as origin and expansion of transmedia universes. 
–  Immersive sound experiences. Alternate reality games with sound base. Audio games. Mobile urban drama.
–  Audiobooks. Synthetic voices and content accessibility.Audio branding. Branded podcasts. Audio branded content. Corporate radios.

Manuscript submission
If you wish to submit an article, please read carefully the journal’s acceptance criteria and rules for authors:
https://www.profesionaldelainformacion.com/authors.html

And then send us your article through the OJS journal manager on:
https://revista.profesionaldelainformacion.com/index.php/EPI/submissions

-> IMPORTANT FOR AUTHORS
If you are not yet registered as an author, do so here:
https://revista.profesionaldelainformacion.com/index.php/EPI/user/register

Evaluation
All articles published in EPI are double blind peer reviewed by 2 or more members of the international Scientific Committee of the journal, and other reviewers, always external to the Editorial Board. The journal undertakes to reply with the review results.

——————————- Español ———————–

Revista: Profesional de la información (Scopus Q1, WoS Q3)
Tema: Comunicación sonora digital
Número: v. 31, n. 5
Fecha de publicación: septiembre-octubre de 2022
Fecha límite de envío de manuscritos: 10 de marzo de 2022

Editores invitados:

Luis-Miguel Pedrero-Esteban
Catedrático e IP del grupo Nebrija-Innomedia en la Facultad de Comunicación y ArtesUniversidad Nebrija, Madrid, España.

Teresa Piñeiro-Otero, Profesora titular del Área de Comunicación Audiovisual y PublicidadUniversidade da Coruña, España.

Sobre este monográfico
En los primeros meses de 2021 la aplicación de audio social en vivo Clubhouse se convirtió en un fenómeno a escala global. Su repentino y fulgurante éxito recuperó la relevancia de la oralidad en plena era de la convergencia (Jenkins, 2006), y propició significativos cambios en diversas plataformas sociales. Aunque semanas vería rebajado su poder de convocatoria en el continuamente renovado universo de aplicaciones online, ha dejado una gran impronta –y no pocas réplicas– en un ecosistema comunicativo cada vez más sonoro.
La popularización de los podcasts y audiolibros, la multiplicación de plataformas de streaming sonoro, la interconexión entre dispositivos de audio y la consolidación de la voz como interfaz de conexión digital en asistentes y altavoces inteligentes han situado al sonido entre las principales tendencias de la comunicación. La diversificación de formatos y dispositivos y la confluencia entre medios y pantallas han alumbrado nuevas especies sonoras que brindan experiencias más interactivas e inmersivas.  Esta evolución del medio sonoro a los medios sonoros precisa de una reconceptualización de los perfiles, rutinas y prácticas profesionales en este ecosistema comunicativo.
Paralelamente, la diversificación de terminales, plataformas y formatos ha generado nuevas correlaciones entre la socialización y la individualización de la escucha, entre las grandes audiencias y la híper-segmentación. Podcasts como Serial (This American Life, 2014-2018)en Estados Unidos o El gran apagón (Podium Podcast, 2016-2018) en España no sólo revelan que existe un público cautivo de los relatos sonoros, sino también una audiencia social con interés por interactuar en torno a esos contenidos. Al tiempo, smartphones, tablets y wearableshan favorecido la emergencia de sonoesferas personales que redefinen nuestra experiencia del espacio.
La interacción entre socialización e individualización de la escucha ha cobrado fuerza con la irrupción de la pandemia por la Covid-19; las restricciones de movilidad han supuesto un revulsivo para el audio online: si bien la radio ha refrendado su papel como medio informativo y de entretenimiento, otros contenidos como podcasts y audiolibros han experimentado una gran expansión incluso como objeto de produso. La crisis sanitaria ha subrayado, además, la urgencia en la definición de nuevos modelos de negocio para los medios sonoros.

Temas
El presente monográfico invita a la remisión de trabajos de investigación de carácter analítico, teórico, metodológico o de revisión, preferentemente de alcance internacional, en torno a los siguientes ejes y líneas de investigación:
–  Evolución de la radio. Adaptación de hábitos de escucha, dispositivos, canales y sistemas de distribución. Interacciones entre emisión online y tradicional. Nuevos formatos y contenidos. Integración de la inteligencia artificial y otras tecnologías en el proceso de producción y difusión radiofónica.
–  Podcasting. Productos, géneros y formatos. Innovaciones creativas y expresivas. La plataformización del podcast: efectos en producción, distribución, prescripción y personalización. El podcast como DiY media. Podcasts y slow journalism.
–  Plataformas desonido y streaming musical. Modelos editoriales y comerciales. Curación a través de algoritmos. Impacto en la generación y modificación de gustos y tendencias.
–  Modelos de negocio. Los contenidos sonoros como parte de estrategias de difusión y monetización online. Influencers en/de la comunicación sonora.
–  Tendencias de consumo de radio y audio online. Audiencias y participación.
–  El contexto de la producción. Transformaciones en las rutinas profesionales. Nuevos perfiles profesionales. Acceso y automediación de colectivos sociales. 
–  Contenidos innovadores. Experiencias en la convergencia de contenidos, formatos y géneros. Segmentación e hiperespecialización. Ficción. Documental. Daily. El audio online como origen y expansión de universos transmedia.  
–  Experiencias sonoras inmersivas. Alternate reality games de base sonora. Audiojuegos. Mobile urban drama.
–  Audiolibros. Voces sintéticas y accesibilidad de contenidos.
–  Audio branding. Podcasts de marca. Branded content sonoro. Radios corporativas. 

Presentación de manuscritos
Si desea enviar un artículo, lea atentamente los criterios de aceptación de la revista y las reglas para los autores:
https://www.profesionaldelainformacion.com/autores.html

Y luego envíenos su artículo a través del programa OJS de gestión de la revista en:
https://revista.profesionaldelainformacion.com/index.php/EPI/submissions

-> IMPORTANTE PARA AUTORES
Si aún no está registrado como autor, hágalo aquí:
https://revista.profesionaldelainformacion.com/index.php/EPI/user/register

Evaluación
Todos los artículos publicados en EPI son revisados por pares en doble ciego por 2 o más miembros del Comité Científico Internacional de la revista, y otros revisores, siempre externos al Comité Editorial. La revista se compromete a responder con los resultados de la revisión.

Into the Unknown: Onboarding Early Career Professionals in a Remote Work Environment

Por Julia Martyniuk

This paper explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of three individuals, all of whom are early-career professionals: Julia, a term librarian for an academic library who began her role as the pandemic was causing widespread change; Christine, a recent graduate who started her job search during the pandemic; and Kevin, a current Master of Library and Information Science student who started and completed his co-op in an entirely remote setting. This paper explores their perspectives on job precarity in a remote work environment and provides reflections on working in a library setting during the pandemic. To bring together the key themes experienced throughout this period, several recommendations are offered to managers and early-career librarians as they navigate this new landscape. For employers, advertising new employees, organizing their onboarding, and ensuring concerted efforts for introductions are recommended. For new librarians, forming communities of practice and building relationships in the remote work environment to battle feelings of isolation and not belonging are recommended. The precarious roles most early-career librarians find themselves in is unlikely to improve during the pandemic. The perspectives and reflections shared in this paper are intended to provide a transparent view into the experiences of three early career librarians, what they have learned, and how they are maximizing their time in the remote work environment.

  • 24 de Setembro de 2021, 00:00

What is a Library Website, Anyway? Reconsidering Dominant Conceptual Models

Por Amy Paterson

In late 2019, Thompson Rivers University embarked on a multi-phase website usability project beginning with a website user survey, to be followed shortly afterward by usability testing and interviews. While the survey was completed as planned, the COVID-19 pandemic closed the library and interrupted the usability testing phase. This interruption and the frantic website changes that followed led me to consider survey findings within the context of differing conceptual models of the library website as a whole. This study explores a number of conceptual models of the library website in further depth, considering evidence from both the existing literature and the user survey in addition to the researcher’s own experience making post-COVID website updates. Particular models that are examined include Website as Research Portal, Website as Extension or Representation of the physical library, and Website as Library Branch. Each of these conceptual models has different implications on priorities, structure, purpose, and resource allocation. Rather than considering the models of library employees superior or more advanced than those of students, I contend that an awareness of myriad ways to understand the website can best bridge the gap between library employees and other users. The study concludes that while there is no perfect model of the library website, considering and communicating our models may sharpen collegial decision-making structures and create greater unity of purpose within the library.

  • 7 de Julho de 2021, 00:00

From Bricks and Mortar to Bits and Bytes: Examining the Changing State of Reference Services at the University of Toronto Libraries During COVID-19

Por Madeline Gerbig

Before the pandemic, the University of Toronto was predominantly an in-person experience. The closure of physical libraries and shift to remote learning required library staff and users to adapt to new modes of supporting teaching, learning, and research. A survey was conducted about reference service delivery, staffing models, resources and tools, which asked the respondents to describe reference services at their libraries before and during the pandemic. The objectives of this survey were to capture the state of reference services at the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL), and to compare data about reference practices during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods with the goal of identifying challenges and opportunities for the future of reference services at UTL. 70% of libraries surveyed used reference desks for reference services pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic, 75% of libraries used virtual reference appointments by video conferencing. The survey results show that reference service staffing and service hours in most surveyed libraries were reduced during the pandemic. Many respondents reported that while they offered fewer reference service hours during the pandemic, they continued to provide assistance outside of scheduled hours. Online tools and platforms that were already familiar to librarians remained popular during the pandemic, allowing service providers to quickly adapt to the virtual environment and ensure seamless service continuity. While the rapid transition in services at the University of Toronto was not without its challenges, it has also offered many new opportunities for re-envisioning reference services at the University of Toronto Libraries.

  • 21 de Junho de 2021, 00:00

Lists of Opportunities: My Experience as a School Librarian During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Por Bonnie Morley

In this paper I share my experiences, opinions and perspectives of running a school library during the COVID-19 pandemic. I discuss the difficulties and problems I have encountered, but also the opportunities for creativity that have presented themselves. From experiencing government cutbacks to layoffs and school closures, I discuss my feelings and frustrations about COVID-19 and how it prevented me from doing my job. I demonstrate how the pandemic heightened the feeling of isolation and loneliness in a job that can already make one feel disconnected; I highlight the importance and need for human connection. I also examine the new creative opportunities that working during a pandemic has given me, like asynchronous programming, collection development, professional development and a chance to experiment or renovate. This paper is meant to highlight the importance of school libraries and start a discussion of our role before and after the pandemic. Advocacy helps ensure that school libraries remain open. My goal is to give a glimpse of day-to-day library practice in a school library during the pandemic and share ideas and information with the library and information community. My views and opinions are my own, and the context will be different in every school.

 

  • 21 de Junho de 2021, 00:00

Data in the Time of COVID-19: How Data Library Professionals Helped Combat the Pandemic

Por Alexandra Cooper

As the world struggled to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers worked around the clock to understand what was going on, medically, socially, and economically. At the same time, usual research processes were disrupted: campuses were closed and normal government data collection and dissemination went haywire. Data professionals in academic libraries sprang into action to help. They shared resources, developed workshops, helped find alternative methods of carrying out research, and found ways of coping with the influx of COVID-related data. Social crises are fought on the front lines by medical professionals and service providers, but they are also fought with research, with information, with data. Libraries are at the nexus of information and communication and library professionals were able to play an important supporting role in helping researchers combat the effects of the pandemic.

  • 21 de Junho de 2021, 00:00

Not Virtual Enough: A Virtual Library’s Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Por Nicole Askin

As part of the University of Manitoba Libraries Outreach Services, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) Virtual Library provides library services to hospitals, health centres, community health agencies, and personal care homes throughout the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. All services of the WRHA Virtual Library, including the collection, are entirely virtual, though staff are physically located in the University’s health library.  In March 2020, shortly after the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, libraries around the world started closing their doors and staff were required to work from home.  The virtual infrastructure of our services and collections required no changes in how our patrons accessed the Virtual Library and a smooth transition was expected, but the sudden shift to working from home revealed gaps. This article discusses the unique experience of the WRHA Virtual Library transitioning to a completely virtual environment, the previous reliance on the University’s physical infrastructure, and the inequities identified between librarians and library technicians.

  • 21 de Junho de 2021, 00:00

Manitoba Public Libraries Response to the Early Stages of COVID-19

Por Andrew Robert

Like many libraries across Canada, Manitoba public libraries have grappled with the challenges that COVID-19 has presented. Libraries have struggled to remain operational and offer a high level of service to patrons within the constraint of public health orders, all the while ensuring the safety and employment of their staff. Within the ever-changing environment of COVID-19, the Manitoba Library Association recognized the need to gather information from the library community in order to better position themselves to lend support and in an attempt to bridge information gaps. This article describes a study conducted by the Manitoba Library Association whereby fifty-five Manitoba public libraries were surveyed to identify how they were responding to COVID-19 and what their needs might be. The survey questions were divided into 6 sections (facilities, services, communications, staffing, connecting, wrap-up) and the results provide information and insight into how the Manitoba library community has dealt with the pandemic. More importantly, the results can serve to guide other libraries in decision-making and preparation for a pandemic.  

  • 9 de Julho de 2021, 00:00

Opening up Educational Practices through Faculty, Librarian, and Student Collaboration in OER Creation: Moving from Labor-intensive to Supervisory Involvement

Por Bryan McGeary

This article presents a case study for transitioning library-led open-educational resources (OER) initiatives away from labor-intensive activities to a model where library personnel focus on project management responsibilities. This shift from labour-intensive activities, such as workshops and training sessions, led to more collaborative partnerships with faculty and students to produce OER projects. In particular, we focus on labour implications for the various stakeholders involved and the sustainability of these initiatives. We describe several initiatives undertaken by the Ohio University Libraries to encourage open educational resource adoptions and projects, including a grant-funded initiative to provide support services for faculty creating OER. That funding, which was awarded to enhance undergraduate education, has been used to support the development of five OER projects that have directly involved students in the creation of those materials. We provide an overview of the various ways in which students have become involved in OER creation in partnership with faculty and librarians and discuss the impact these partnerships have had on student-faculty-librarian relationships and student engagement. Among these projects are an Hispanic linguistics open textbook created using only student-authored texts, student-generated test banks to accompany existing OER materials for a large-enrollment art history course, and several other projects in which hired student assistants are helping faculty to develop content for open textbooks. This article helps to address a gap in the literature by providing transparency regarding the personnel, costs, and workflow for Ohio University Libraries’ OER initiatives and addressing potential areas of concern surrounding student labour. 

  • 10 de Junho de 2021, 00:00

Connections Beyond Campus: Ontario University Library Outreach Programs for High Schools

Por Heather Buchansky

Over the past few decades, partnerships and programming between secondary school and post-secondary librarians and libraries have been widely discussed in library literature. These collaborations often exist to help high school students develop information literacy (IL) skills and to provide a smoother transition to university-level research. This paper examines the current high school outreach activities at Ontario university libraries that aim to bridge the gap between high school and post-secondary education.

The purpose of this research, conducted through online surveys and interviews with academic librarians in the province, is to provide a snapshot of high school outreach activities and to highlight the benefits and challenges of such programming. It also examines why some libraries no longer offer such activities or programs. This analysis of the variety of outreach activities aims to generate discussion and ideas that academic libraries can use to connect with high school libraries.

  • 26 de Maio de 2021, 00:00

Library Instruction in Pandemic Times: Early Morning Webinars

Por Pascal Martinolli

The first COVID-19 lockdown influenced the way the Bibliothèque des lettres et sciences humaines (the arts and humanities library) at the Université de Montréal fulfilled its mission of offering information literacy instruction. It pushed us to adapt quickly by evaluating our old ways of doing things. The most striking result was the creation of a daily offering of morning webinars open to all. We seized this opportunity to experiment and test innovations corresponding to our values of excellence, caring and openness. Their success has enabled us to transform our suite of open workshops by emphasizing advanced and more diversified concepts.

  • 20 de Maio de 2021, 00:00

Global Libraries impact planning and assessment progress: part 2

Performance Measurement and Metrics, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on recent performance measurement and impact evaluation progress made in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Moldova, Turkey and Vietnam as part of the last phase of the Global Libraries Initiative. Design/methodology/approach The country reports are presented as a series of case studies, in some cases supplementing those reported earlier in this journal. Findings Recent country-specific survey findings are reported and some conclusions are offered. Research limitations/implications This paper demonstrates how the adoption of a common approach to library service evaluation across several countries can strengthen research practice at country level beyond the Global Libraries Initiative itself. Practical implications This paper shares Global Libraries IPA learning at country level with people in other countries who may be contemplating public library evaluation at regional, national or local levels or who are interested in performance measurement and impact evaluation. Social implications The paper shows how focusing on the impact of public library services on users can enhance the understanding of community requirements and inform the development of more effective services to library users and communities. Originality/value These case studies reflect concentrated impact evaluation and performance measurement work at country level across a range of countries over more than 18 years.
  • 14 de Junho de 2019, 02:42

Impact evaluation and IFLA

Performance Measurement and Metrics, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolving IFLA approach to impact evaluation through three of its international programmes: Freedom of Access to Information, Building Strong Library Associations (BSLA) and the International Advocacy Programme (IAP). This review positions these three programmes within the wider discourse of the international evaluation community. Design/methodology/approach Each of the three programmes is considered in turn to show what they were trying to achieve and how thinking about impact evaluation at IFLA is evolving. Findings This paper reports key evaluation findings for relevant phases of the BSLA and IAP programmes in general terms. Research limitations/implications The views presented are those of the evaluation consultants who advised each of these programmes (and in the cases of BSLA and the IAP conducted the programme evaluations). Practical implications The processes described and the conclusions drawn should be of interest to anyone involved in international or national library evaluation, especially of public libraries, library associations and national libraries. Social implications The paper suggests that more systematic impact evaluation of public libraries, library associations and national libraries is necessary to ensure their future survival. Originality/value The authors were uniquely placed to see and participate in IFLA impact evaluation discussions over the past decade.
  • 14 de Junho de 2019, 02:40

Ownership and control over publicly accessible platform data

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how claims to “ownership” are asserted over publicly accessible platform data and critically assess the nature and scope of rights to reuse these data. Design/methodology/approach Using Airbnb as a case study, this paper examines the data ecosystem that arises around publicly accessible platform data. It analyzes current statute and case law in order to understand the state of the law around the scraping of such data. Findings This paper demonstrates that there is considerable uncertainty about the practice of data scraping, and that there are risks in allowing the law to evolve in the context of battles between business competitors without a consideration of the broader public interest in data scraping. It argues for a data ecosystem approach that can keep the public dimension issues more squarely within the frame when data scraping is judicially considered. Practical implications The nature of some sharing economy platforms requires that a large subset of their data be publicly accessible. These data can be used to understand how platform companies operate, to assess their compliance with laws and regulations and to evaluate their social and economic impacts. They can also be used in different kinds of data analytics. Such data are therefore sought after by civil society organizations, researchers, entrepreneurs and regulators. This paper considers who has a right to control access to and use of these data, and addresses current uncertainties in how the law will apply to scraping activities, and builds an argument for a consideration of the public interest in data scraping. Originality/value The issue of ownership/control over publicly accessible information is of growing importance; this paper offers a framework for approaching these legal questions.
  • 14 de Maio de 2019, 06:49

Datafication, dataveillance, and the social credit system as China’s new normal

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore how China uses a social credit system as part of its “data-driven authoritarianism” policy; and second, to investigate how datafication, which is a method to legitimize data collection, and dataveillance, which is continuous surveillance through the use of data, offer the Chinese state a legitimate method of monitoring, surveilling and controlling citizens, businesses and society. Taken together, China’s social credit system is analyzed as an integrated tool for datafication, dataveillance and data-driven authoritarianism. Design/methodology/approach This study combines the personal narratives of 22 Chinese citizens with policy analyses, online discussions and media reports. The stories were collected using a scenario-based story completion method to understand the participants’ perceptions of the recently introduced social credit system in China. Findings China’s new social credit system, which turns both online and offline behaviors into a credit score through smartphone apps, creates a “new normal” way of life for Chinese citizens. This data-driven authoritarianism uses data and technology to enhance citizen surveillance. Interactions between individuals, technologies and information emerge from understanding the system as one that provides social goods, using technologies, and raising concerns of privacy, security and collectivity. An integrated critical perspective that incorporates the concepts of datafication and dataveillance enhances a general understanding of how data-driven authoritarianism develops through the social credit system. Originality/value This study builds upon an ongoing debate and an emerging body of literature on datafication, dataveillance and digital sociology while filling empirical gaps in the study of the global South. The Chinese social credit system has growing recognition and importance as both a governing tool and a part of everyday datafication and dataveillance processes. Thus, these phenomena necessitate discussion of its consequences for, and applications by, the Chinese state and businesses, as well as affected individuals’ efforts to adapt to the system.
  • 8 de Maio de 2019, 02:13

Evaluating library service quality of University of Kashmir: a LibQUAL+ survey

Performance Measurement and Metrics, Volume 20, Issue 1, Page 60-71, February 2019.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the library service quality (LSQ) of University of Kashmir from the users’ perspectives based on the LibQUAL+ model approach. Design/methodology/approach The survey used the LibQUAL+ model to evaluate service quality (SQ) of Allama Iqbal Library (AIL), University of Kashmir, Srinagar (India). The data were collected from library users by administering the LibQUAL+ questionnaire in a printed format. Findings It has been revealed that AIL has succeeded in satisfying the minimum expectations of its users but could not meet the customers’ desired expectations that make them delighted. Library as Place (LP) and Information Control (IC) are the most satisfied dimensions of SQ of AIL, whereas Affect of Service (AS) is the least satisfied dimension. LP is the most desired dimension amongst LibQUAL+ dimensions. All LibQUAL+ items were found to be lying inside the zone of tolerance (ZoT). Further, “Library is secure and peaceful place for study, learning and research” (LP-21) was found as most important service item as per users’ desired expectations, while “Library staff shows dependability in handling users’ service problems” (AS-9) is marked as the least desired item. Originality/value Only a few studies have been carried out to evaluate the SQ of Indian university libraries as far as the LibQUAL+ model is concerned. Therefore, the findings of present survey will help to understand how far library has reached in satisfying users’ expectations as well as the areas or dimensions where it needs to improve.
  • 7 de Maio de 2019, 10:49

Revision of an academic library user experience survey

Performance Measurement and Metrics, Volume 20, Issue 1, Page 48-59, February 2019.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain how an academic library’s Student Experience Survey was revised and improved based on available research on survey design methodology and piloting efforts. Thus, it aims to contribute existing literature on library assessment and survey methodology by addressing issues of planning and coordinating assessment. The paper also provides a guideline on the survey revision process for existing instruments. Design/methodology/approach The library assessment coordinator collaborated with Assessment Coordinator Advisory Committee (AC2) to revise and improve the survey. The revision process started with adding suggested items and constructing new items based on library assessment planning survey administered to library faculty previously. Regular monthly meetings were held with the committee to facilitate the revision process. Multiple facets of the survey implementation were revised including wording, content, order and format of the items, response scales and survey distribution. Each facet was addressed based on available research on survey methodology and cross-checked with the committee members. Findings The revised 2018 University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Libraries Student Experience Survey consists of a total of nine items with response matrices, single choice response format and open-ended response format to measure students’ satisfaction, need and their use of the various library resources and services. The changes made to the survey are grouped into three categories: wording and content, response categories and scaling and design, font and layout. The revision process of the UIC Libraries Student Experience Survey can serve as an example for academic or other types of libraries that wish to track and report their impact regularly. Originality/value The UIC Libraries Student Experience Survey provides evidence that careful revision and piloting as well as obtaining relevant stakeholder buy-in to the process lead to build effective survey tools.
  • 7 de Maio de 2019, 10:49

Open government for all? Co-creating digital public services for older adults through data walks

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review interventions/methods for engaging older adults in meaningful digital public service design by enabling them to engage critically and productively with open data and civic tech. Design/methodology/approach The paper evaluates data walks as a method for engaging non-tech-savvy citizens in co-design work. These were evaluated along a framework considering how such interventions allow for sharing control (e.g. over design decisions), sharing expertise and enabling change. Findings Within a co-creation project, different types of data walks may be conducted, including ideation walks, data co-creation walks or user test walks. These complement each other with respect to how they facilitate the sharing of control and expertise, and enable change for a variety of older citizens. Practical implications Data walks are a method with a low-threshold, potentially enabling a variety of citizens to engage in co-design activities relating to open government and civic tech. Social implications Such methods address the digital divide and further social participation of non-tech-savvy citizens. They value the resources and expertise of older adults as co-designers and partners, and counter stereotypical ideas about age and ageing. Originality/value This pilot study demonstrates how data walks can be incorporated into larger co-creation projects.
  • 10 de Abril de 2019, 01:36

The academic web profile as a genre of “self-making”

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The activities of academic researchers are increasingly regulated by neo-liberal ideals, including expectations that researchers are visible online and actively promote their output. The purpose of this paper is to explore how researchers take on this responsibility. It uses the concepts of genre, authorship and self-writing in order to understand how the story of an academic life is constructed on academic web profiles. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative content analysis was conducted of material on 64 profiles belonging to 20 researchers on institutional and personal websites, as well as on ResearchGate, Academica.edu and Google Scholar. Findings The study shows that while institutional websites primarily contain researcher-produced material, content on commercial platforms is often co-constructed through distributed authorship by the researcher, the platform and other platform users. Nine different ways in which the profile of an “academic self” may be said to highlight the particular strengths of a researcher are identified. These include both metrics-based strengths and qualitative forms of information about the academic life, such as experience, the importance of their research and good teaching. Social implications This study of academic web profiles contributes to a better understanding of how researchers self-govern the story of their academic self, or resist such governance, in online environments. Originality/value The study furthers the knowledge of how researchers make use of and respond to digital tools for online visibility opportunities and how the story of the “academic self” is “made” for such public presentation.
  • 2 de Abril de 2019, 10:57

Examining the intellectual capital web reporting by Spanish universities

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to know the views of university stakeholders concerning intellectual capital (IC) reporting; second, to examine the quality of voluntary IC disclosure by public Spanish universities on their websites; and third, to analyze some of the potential factors affecting this kind of disclosure. Design/methodology/approach The paper applies a content analysis and a survey. The content analysis was used to analyze the websites of 50 public Spanish universities in the year 2016, while the survey was submitted to all members of the Social Councils of Spanish public universities. Also, a regression analysis (ordinary least square model) is conducted to relate the disclosure index to its determinants. Findings The results of this study show that human capital was the most disclosed category with relational capital being the least frequently disclosed. However, the quality of structural capital disclosures was higher than relational and human capital. Moreover, the results show that size and university’s internationality affect IC disclosure in Spanish public universities. Practical implications This paper stimulates the debate between universities and policy-makers concerning the benefits related to IC reporting as a tool for addressing different stakeholders’ needs. In order to satisfy the information needs of university stakeholders, Spanish universities can be recommended to focus on reporting higher quality information on financial relations, students’ satisfaction, quality standard, work-related knowledge/know-how and collaboration between universities and other organizations such as firms, local government and society as a whole. Originality/value This research brings new expertise regarding IC disclosure in higher education and to reveal some of the possible determinants to improve this disclosure.
  • 22 de Março de 2019, 09:24

Virtual cohabitation in online dating sites: a netnography analysis

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore in depth the special context and unique life experience of the online dating site and provide insights regarding an interpretation of virtual cohabitation model. Design/methodology/approach This study uses netnography, online interviews and the physical travel of researchers to the field for field participation and observations. The combination of netnography and online interviews combines online and offline studies to achieve more consistency in the data collection, analysis and other processes. In-person participation in observations makes the research more realistic. The combination of these qualitative methods is helpful in achieving a more comprehensive and accurate research process. Findings The findings of the study can be classified into a three-stage situational context approach, which is presented in the form of propositions. Finally, the insight of the virtual cohabitation context model was developed, namely, motivation (including escapism, hedonic gratification and autonomous), showing off and psychological compensation, stimulation and fantasies, emotions (including impulsiveness, emotions and desires), over-control and low self-control, behavioral control, gratification and dependence and love trap (including sex transactions and consumption traps). Originality/value The theoretical contribution of this study is to establish an interpretation of virtual cohabitation model and ten related propositions.
  • 11 de Março de 2019, 08:56

Africa’s challenges in the OA movement: risks and possibilities

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the status of the open access (OA) movement on the African continent, and if there is any financial or moral exploitation by dominant “foreign” world powers. OA provided the African intellectual community with a tool to prove its academic prowess and an opportunity to display cultural and intellectual independence. OA publishing is prone to abuse, and some in Africa have sought to exploit the OA boom to profit from non-academic activity rather than use this tool to glorify Africa’s image and diversity on the global intellectual stage. These issues are explored in detail in the paper. Design/methodology/approach The authors broadly assessed literature that is related to the growth and challenges associated with OA, including the rise of OA mega journals, in Africa. Findings African OA journals and publishers have to compete with established non-African OA entities. Some are considered “predatory”, but this Jeffrey Beall-based classification may be erroneous. Publishing values that African OA publishers and journals aspire to should not equal those published by non-African publishing entities. Africa should seek solutions to the challenges on that continent via Africa-based OA platforms. The budding African OA movement is applauded, but it must be held as accountable as any other OA journal or publisher. Originality/value African scholars need to reassess the “published in Africa” OA image.
  • 6 de Março de 2019, 03:39

Is online disclosure the key to corporate governance?

Online Information Review, Ahead of Print.
Purpose The economic literature shows contradictory results when the relationship between corporate governance and financial position is assessed. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of the online disclosure of information, as an omitted variable, in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach In order to test the role of the online disclosure of information, a set of the structural equation models is evaluated. In these models, the indirect effect of the online disclosure on the relationship between corporate governance and the financial position, defined by performance, funding and investment, is analyzed. Findings Using data from a sample of 252 Spanish public non-profits between 2012 and 2016, the authors found that the development of corporate governance practices is not, by itself, able to improve the financial position of these organizations. These improvements can only be achieved if the online disclosure is promoted. Research limitations/implications Organizations should not only follow corporate governance practices but also communicate to the stakeholders the degree of development of these practices in an exercise of accountability. Finally, Web 3.0 practices must be promoted because they can be a mechanism to reinforce corporate governance practices and achieve a solid financial position. Originality/value This study contributes to the debate about the role of the online disclosure, introducing this transparent practice as a variable omitted by previous research. Moreover, the authors have considered the evolution for a period of four years in relation to the information published by each organization on the internet.
  • 6 de Março de 2019, 03:34
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