Comparison of library studies programs in Croatia and the USA

IFLA Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, Page 74-86, March 2023.
This study describes and compares the minimum educational requirements of library and information science programs offered in Croatia and the USA. The article adds to previous research in comparative education and comparative librarianship. The findings show notable differences and similarities between the two countries. The library and information science educational path in Croatia is more structured, requiring a Bachelor’s degree in addition to a Master’s, as well as postgraduate licensure. The USA typically only offers graduate degree programs in the field. Library and information science programs in both countries are generally flexible and highly customizable. Both countries require several foundational courses in librarianship, however, Croatian programs place greater emphasis on technology and collection management curricula. In contrast, library and information science programs in the USA require more managerial coursework and offer students increased flexibility in terms of course choice. This article may assist library school educators in evaluating their programs to address current and future professional needs.

Abstracts

IFLA Journal, Volume 48, Issue 2, Page 352-370, June 2022.

Preservation and conservation of indigenous manuscripts

IFLA Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, Page 143-156, March 2023.
This study is an endeavour to investigate the preservation and conservation status of the heritage of indigenous manuscripts in the Central Library at the Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Deemed University), Rajasthan, India, that are unknown to the scholarly world. A survey of the manuscripts was carried out to investigate their physical status. A structured interview with nine staff members from the manuscripts section was conducted to obtain information regarding the manuscript collections and current preservation and conservation techniques employed. The findings reveal that the overall preservation and conservation techniques used in the library were found to be satisfactory according to the standard operating procedures of the National Mission for Manuscripts. The study also provides an understanding of the nature of the manuscript collections and the preservation and conservation techniques employed with the manuscripts.

Strategies for checking misinformation: An approach from the Global South

IFLA Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, Page 3-17, March 2023.
The manipulation of information to suit one’s vested interests is a growing hazard. It has elements of disinformation, misinformation and fake news, and lacks authenticity. Such manipulation and distortion of facts can have serious consequences for a community, especially in a diverse nation like India. It calls for strict measures and awareness to check this spread. Technology further catalyses such dissemination. Institutions, libraries, governments and the media are all deliberating effective means to distinguish fake news from authentic news. This article details some such initiatives. It discusses the Government of India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to curb such deceitful dissemination, elements of which can be replicable in other geographies. It spotlights the issue and underscores the need for media and information literacy for all to be more discerning during the reception, consumption and assimilation of information before responding to it. Further, the fact-checking initiatives and Information Technology Rules as taken and framed in India may be replicated in other countries.

Tāhuhu: Preserving the Nation’s Memory Programme: An interview with Peter Whitehead and Hinerangi Himiona

IFLA Journal, Volume 48, Issue 2, Page 267-274, June 2022.

Preservation storage and curation strategies: Introduction

IFLA Journal, Volume 48, Issue 2, Page 263-266, June 2022.

Technological scenarios for the new normality in Latin American academic libraries

IFLA Journal, Volume 48, Issue 4, Page 538-547, December 2022.
The technological scenarios that have arisen in Latin American universities have been substantially changing in recent months as a result of the international health emergency caused by COVID-19. The lockdown policy revealed the need to develop digital and informational skills to adapt to the environment and the demands of distance learning required for integral online education. In order to observe and systematize the transformation of the technological environment in academic libraries during these months, the recent situation was identified based on data analysis obtained from a questionnaire applied in Latin American countries. The results reported significant changes in the use of digital applications, services, user assistance and librarian training during the pandemic, as well as the libraries’ mid-term commitments.

A systematic review of crisis management in libraries with emphasis on crisis preparedness

IFLA Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, Page 201-215, March 2023.
Crisis preparedness is critical for crisis management in all organizations, including libraries. Libraries must make decisions about crisis situations, which requires planning and preparedness for crises. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyse and identify the main issues that assist libraries in decision-making in times of crisis. A total of 2900 studies from 1985 to 2020 were identified. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 44 studies were included in the final review process. The findings of the study indicate that the subjects which were focused on most frequently with regard to crisis management were preparedness instruction, training programmes, preparation assessment and Important factors in crisis management. Moreover, the majority of the studies primarily focused on economic or financial rather than natural, social or health-related crises. Furthermore, between 2008 and 2017, there was a significant increase in the number of published articles mostly considered academic and research libraries. In addition, there has been a recent increase in articles dealing with crisis preparedness and management in these researches.

Croatian adolescents’ credibility judgments in making everyday life decisions

IFLA Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, Page 52-60, March 2023.
The objective of this study was to investigate how high school students judged the credibility of information obtained for help with making everyday life decisions. Semi-structured individual interviews were carried out to reveal what reasons lay behind their belief in the quality, accuracy and helpfulness of the information. The results reveal that the students preferred turning to interpersonal information sources. The information obtained was perceived to be credible in cases when the source had been characterized with attributes that expressed competence and trustworthiness (such as expertise, knowledge and precision). Other important indicators of information credibility in cases of interpersonal information sources were the characteristics that expressed personal trust and the quality of the relationship with the source. Information on social media was judged by socially generated cues that expressed reputation and popularity in the users’ community. Lastly, credibility was verified by checking the consistency of information from multiple sources.

Intellectual freedom: Waving and wavering across three national contexts

IFLA Journal, Volume 48, Issue 3, Page 439-448, October 2022.
The 1999 IFLA Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom makes no explicit distinction between personal and professional ethics, though there are implicit indications that there may be divergence between professional and personal considerations. Across three national contexts (the USA, Canada, and the UK), we explore the gaps between professional and personal ethics, as well as how these gaps have been potentially exploited, addressed, or resolved. There have been waves of debate about intellectual freedom and social responsibility across these three national contexts. In the contemporary age, we see clashes around conceptions of neoliberalism, neutrality, expressive freedom, justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. The divergence of opinion comes from both the left and the right. The gap between library rhetoric and how it is practiced on the ground in different contexts is visibly shifting and under increased scrutiny, certainly in the USA, Canada, and the UK.