Joumana Boustany

Culture and Competencies: A Multi-Country Examination of Reference Service Competencies

Abstract Reference librarians have the opportunity to interact with patrons and colleagues of many different backgrounds, languages, and cultures as a result of our increasingly interconnected and peripatetic world. In order to provide the best possible service to these varied communities, reference librarians should understand some of the culture differences that exist across countries, and in particular, the differences in the way that reference services are conceived and delivered in different countries. This study explores some of these differences in reference services by surveying current practitioners in thirteen countries to find out which competencies they believe are most important for academic reference librarians right now, and in the near future. The results of this study highlight some important commonalities and differences, and could help reference librarians to manage and meet the expectations of their international patrons, and perhaps help them to prepare for an international job experience of their own. Academic reference librarians may be interested to see the extent to which their counterparts in other countries face similar challenges and expectations with regard to delivering reference services. Teaching faculty in library science programs will be interested to understand reference competencies and expectations in other countries, especially as they teach greater numbers of international students or consider collaborating with international colleagues. In addition, an international understanding is important in developing students who can compete in a global job market.

A Multinational Study on Copyright Literacy Competencies of LIS Professionals

This paper presents findings from a multinational study on copyright literacy competencies of LIS (Library and Information Science) professionals. An online survey instrument was developed by the authors in order to collect data from professionals who work in cultural institutions such as libraries, archives and museums regarding their familiarity, knowledge, awareness, and opinions on copyright related issues. The survey garnered a total of 622 complete responses (148 from Bulgaria, 82 from Croatia, 311 from France and 81 from Turkey). Copyright competencies are getting more crucial for information professionals because managing and meeting copyright related challenges and trends will play a key role in shaping the future of the profession. The findings and conclusions are expected to help the LIS education community, experts of professional associations, managers and other specialists from cultural heritage institutions to discover gaps in copyright competencies of information professionals and take measures to fill those gaps.

Copyright Literacy of Librarians in France

This paper aims to produce comprehensive knowledge in the copyright literacy of French librarians. To achieve this objective a web based survey has been conducted. Results show that French librarians have a lack of competence in copyright issues and especially at the international level. This weakness is more pronounced among librarians in public libraries and the librarians with a lowest level of education. An examination of curricula shows a lack of training about copyright in LIS Education as well as in training. The results lead to suggest the creation of the same access pattern for the state or the local authorities’ librarians. It also highlights some inadequacies of LIS education, and the lack of training.

From Green Libraries to Green Information Literacy

The amount of information available on green libraries and green library practices, seems to be growing, however, very little has been written about green information literacy. The aim of this paper is to discuss how information literacy and its instruction can be transformed into green and contribute to the green library movement. With this aim, relevant recent and past publications have been analyzed. A green information literacy concept is introduced and a multi-faceted approach towards green information literacy instruction is presented. Conclusions and recommendations are drawn for practice and further studies.

Information Professionals and Copyright Literacy: A Multinational Study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a multinational survey on copyright literacy of specialists from libraries and other cultural institutions. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a multinational survey of copyright literacy competencies of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals and those who work in the cultural heritage sector (archives and museums), conducted in 13 countries, namely Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (CR), Finland (FI), France (FR), Hungary (HU), Lithuania (LT), Mexico (MX), Norway (NO), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Turkey (TR), UK and USA in the period July 2013-March 2015. An online survey instrument was developed in order to collect data from professionals regarding their familiarity with, knowledge and awareness of, and opinions on copyright-related issues. Findings Findings of this study highlight gaps in existing knowledge of copyright, and information about the level of copyright literacy of LIS and cultural sector professionals. Also attitudes toward copyright learning content in academic education and continuing professional development training programs are investigated. Originality/value This study aimed to address a gap in the literature by encompassing specialists from the cultural institutions in an international comparative context. The paper offers guidance for further understanding of copyright in a wider framework of digital and information literacy; and for the implementation of copyright policy, and the establishment of copyright advisor positions in cultural institutions. The recommendations support a revision of academic and continuing education programs learning curriculum and methods.

Academic reading format preferences and behaviors among university students worldwide: A comparative survey analysis

This study reports the descriptive and inferential statistical findings of a survey of academic reading format preferences and behaviors of 10,293 tertiary students worldwide. The study hypothesized that country-based differences in schooling systems, socioeconomic development, culture or other factors might have an influence on preferred formats, print or electronic, for academic reading, as well as the learning engagement behaviors of students. The main findings are that country of origin has little to no relationship with or effect on reading format preferences of university students, and that the broad majority of students worldwide prefer to read academic course materials in print. The majority of participants report better focus and retention of information presented in print formats, and more frequently prefer print for longer texts. Additional demographic and post-hoc analysis suggests that format preference has a small relationship with academic rank. The relationship between task demands, format preferences and reading comprehension are discussed. Additional outcomes and implications for the fields of education, psychology, computer science, information science and human-computer interaction are considered.

Preparedness for Research Data Sharing: A Study of University Researchers in Three European Countries

Many government and funding bodies around the world have been advocating open access to research data, arguing that such open access can bring a significant degree of economic and social benefit. However, the question remains, do researchers themselves want to share their research data, and even if they do how far they are prepared to make this happen? In this paper we report on an international survey involving university researchers in three countries, viz. UK, France and Turkey. We found that researchers have a number of concerns for data sharing, and in general there is a lack of understanding of the requirements for making data publicly available and accessible. We note that significant training and advocacy will be required to make the vision of data sharing a reality.

The Academic Reading Format International Study (ARFIS): Investigating Students Around the World

This paper presents results from the Academic Reading Format International Study (ARFIS), the largest investigation of university students’ behaviors and attitudes towards reading their academic texts on electronic screens and print. These questions are examined: ‘When engaging with their academic material, do students’ format preferences and behaviors vary across cultures?; How do their behaviors and attitudes compare among an international sample?; And how does the language of the reading impact format preferences?’ Amalgamated results from nearly 10,000 students in 19 countries show a consistently strong preference for print format, and most respondents do not feel the language of the text impacts their format preference, but an examination of country responses helps illustrate the subtle differences between them. This topic has special relevance to librarians and educators as we search for the correct balance of print and electronic resources in our collections and syllabi.

Copyright Literacy of Doctoral Students in France

This paper aims to produce comprehensive knowledge of the copyright literacy of doctoral students in France and to know how familiar they are with copyright issues. In order to achieve this objective, a web-based survey has been conducted. Results show a significant lack of awareness of copyright and intellectual property issues. Furthermore, there is a gap between the general copyright and intellectual property competencies they assess and the level of awareness about more specific items. It also reveals the existence of a relationship between levels of awareness and disciplines, as well as gender and year of study. Students lack training and show preferences for certain types of training and topics.