Julia Gelfand

Teaching and exposing grey literature: what the information profession needs to know ‐ examples from the sciences

Grey literature takes on new meanings as publishers and individuals create new products and release information in different ways. With several choices of access and delivery usually available in different formats, the difficulty once associated with publishing grey literature and the enormous expenses predicted for a relatively low volume, electronic publishing via html and pdf/Adobe Acrobat options, has created new models and opportunities, in an almost magical way. Information access in the global economy forces the information professional to be more aware of a wider spectrum of information, including traditional grey literature. As the hues change, the literature takes on a new sense of value. Explores different examples of scientific grey literature and suggests how it can be introduced to and by information specialists and how better training and exposure can reduce the obstacles in utilizing it more widely. By concentrating on new modes of publishing and delivery, the capabilities of information professionals are reinforced and grey literature in the sciences gains a more prominent role in a range of information use, access and dissemination activities.

Interview with Esharenana E. Adomi

An interview, conducted by e‐mail, with one of LHTN’s regional editors, Esharenana E. Adomi, who is on the staff of the Delta State University in Abraka, Nigeria. Gives an insight into his thoughts on the development of libraries and the library profession in Africa.

Grey literature: format agnostic yet gaining recognition in library collections

Purpose – Grey literature, difficult to define, acquire and process, has recently entered into an age of enlightenment due to increasing electronic publishing opportunities and digitization efforts. Emerging technologies, including social media, that can be integrated with sound, film and collection practices in many kinds of special, academic, government, public and research libraries can point to new examples of grey literature that show great demand for its utility and thus importance placed by growing user communities. This paper seeks to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – Research was reviewed using examples from the social and applied sciences literature emphasizing management constructs to demonstrate directions that grey literature had assumed in generating new forms of information.Findings – As libraries examine the merits of grey literature, they are attempting to be hybrid centers of print and digital content to handle data, visual resources, imagery, and all forms of media. Eve...

Report on the 171st National Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Purpose – To report on the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science held in Washington, DC in February 2005.Design/methodology/approach – An overview of the seminars, symposia, workshops and presentations at the conference.Findings – The theme of the meeting was The Nexus: Where Science Meets Society. The meeting was attended by 4,000 registrants, 105 exhibitors; and 900 members of the press. The meeting highlighted the academic role and infrastructure of technology in different science applications, including publishing, and national policy.Originality/value – A report of interest to library and information management professionals.

Library as Changing Place: Viewpoints from University Undergraduates

Purpose – This piece aims to demonstrate what undergraduate students consider when they think of the academic library and their personal and academic needs. It also begins to speculate about the library of the future on a growing campus.Design/methodology/approach – The piece considers the views of some US university students.Findings – The growing emphasis on usability studies and libraries trying to respond to user needs by becoming a more user‐centered organization forces an organization to listen carefully to its users. Libraries remain valued places of community and of learning and teaching. People continue to come to libraries because they offer security, comfort and quiet; are free and commercial‐free; provide a place to be with other people in a learning/cultural environment; offer opportunities to learn, search, inquire and recreate; and afford opportunities for choice and serendipity.Originality/value – Offers some insights into the views of students about the role of the library.

Interview with Dominic Farace, founder of GreyNet

Covers how Dominic Farace, the GreyNet director, first became involved in the grey literature scene, and explains how and why the Grey Literature Network Service has developed. Discusses the future prospects of GreyNet and grey literature. Highlights many of the issues concerning the GreyNet movement and looks at Farace’s inspiration for his career therein.

Reports from the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting: Seattle, Washington, January 18‐22, 2007

Purpose – To share information and insights from the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting. Several contributors reported on different aspects of this meeting. Design methodology/approach –A report of the conference.Findings – Summary of discussion forums, work of ALAs Divisions, and conference lore.Practical Implications – A working meeting to plan for the annual conference in June 2007. This meeting attracts the current leadership of the different divisions in ALA who are holding discussion groups and committee meetings as there are no official programs at Midwinter.Originality/value – Conference reports on many current trends in scholarly communication issues to information professionals in academia, access, and intellectual property issues related to a range of library environments and the state of the art in technology.

Interview with our Contributing Editors, Heidi Hanson and Zoe Stewart‐Marshall

Purpose – To introduce contributing editors of LHTN to our readers – where do they get their ideas and what range of professional responsibilities they current have is part of this interview.Design/methodology/approach – The article is an interview of the contributing editors.Findings – There are mammoth challenges in the nature of our work in large research libraries and staying informed and making what we do relevant to library users is definitely central to their thinking.Practical implications – Trying to stay on top of new trends and technologies and contributing to an infrastructure that is user‐centered are common themes in this interview.Originality/value – Making collections accessible and the resources of the online catalog and its records as flawless as possible is not an easy task as shared by the subjects of this interview.

Tech Ed Annual Conference

Purpose – To report to the 2005 annual TechEd Conference held in Pasadena, California. Design/methodology/approach Introduction and description of conference overview and specific sessions.Findings – Technology is driving changes in instructional technology in high school, community college and undergraduate education.Value – Institutions that are offering distance education as a platform for expanding curriculum reforms and reaching out to students in creative ways are finding that technology reform and products are shaping new ways to teach and integrate information sources.Practical implications – Many case studies and presentations were made about different applications and introduced a range of products. Not always library focused but about teaching, learning, administration and related applications.

American Society for Engineering Education: 2005 Meeting Annual Report

Purpose – Highlights annual conference of the American Society of Engineering Education, specifically the part for Engineering Librarians.Design/methodology/approach – Provides a brief review of the conference.Findings – Engineering Librarians are increasingly interested in information literacy in their subject areas and incorporating that in outreach activities. Scholarly publishing in Engineering in increasingly interdisciplinary with more interest in the Business/management Literature.Research limitations/implications – More subspecialties are emerging in engineering curriculum and research.Practical Implications – Partnerships between academe and industry and the federal government is increasingly important. No library however strong can be considered to have an exclusive engineering collection as interdisciplinary applications magnify.Value – Reinforcing good service reflecting instruction, collection development and subject strength contributes to effective responsibilities as an Engineering Librarian.