Oklahoma Department of Libraries

The Oklahoma State University Archives identified the need for an updated, comprehensive inventory of its digital assets to guide the development of digital preservation priorities. Creating it was complicated by sparse records, limited manpower and dependence on fading institutional memory as well as poor data management. A strategic planning process was launched to address these deficiencies. Machine learning (ML) was identified as a promising tool to minimise the labour-intensive process of sorting artefacts and identifying records that needed to be augmented, cleaned or eliminated from the collection. A pilot project to explore the effectiveness of using ML to curate a high-value archival collection was implemented. This paper describes the nature of ML, its promise and limitations for use in archives, and the outcomes of the pilot project. In particular, the pilot project showed promising results in the application of facial recognition techniques. Collaboration with interested colleagues in other departments suggests that ML can be widely applied to projects throughout the library.

ABSTRACTThis presentation describes findings from qualitative‐interpretive research conducted on media preservationists carrying out small‐scale digitization projects involving the digital reformatting of analog videotape. Eight preservationists working in media preservation labs were interviewed and observed carrying out digitization projects in their work sites. Adopting a social constructionist perspective and employing concepts from Reiner Keller's sociology of knowledge approach to discourse (SKAD), the research data were analyzed to gain insight into processes of knowledge construction. The object of knowledge found to be central to participants' practices of knowledge construction was the invisible video signal, a continuously varying electrical signal that necessitates techniques and technologies of visualization and observation. This research identified six epistemic techniques, arrays of sensory‐cognitive micropractices that participants enact in order to construct knowledge about, act upon the video signal and produce legitimate digital copies of analog originals: applying calibrated vision; patterned looking; matching and comparing visual representations of signals; historicizing the tape; investigating the nature of errors; and constructing copies. This research offers new understanding of visual knowledge construction in workplace contexts and emphasizes the importance of studying the interpretive aspects of digitization practices.

This study explains the results of an online survey of academic institutional repositories in the United States conducted in an effort to answer the following questions: (a) What metadata do institutional repositories use to describe and provide access to their theses and dissertations? (b) What quality control is being done for this metadata, and are quality control and controlled vocabulary even important in a digital repository? The survey found a general consensus among institutions on using the title, abstract, type, author, and subject fields. While there was disagreement on the importance of controlled vocabulary, respondents agreed quality control was important.

We placed a Sparq Meditation Labyrinth at the bottom of the main stairwell in the Bizzell Memorial Library on the University of Oklahoma (OU) Norman Campus. The Sparq is a temporary, portable installation that projects a labyrinth design on the floor using a theatrical spotlight.

This follow-up study examines whether or not findings of single institution studies are applicable to other institutions by performing an institution-to-institution comparison of the results obtained from an information-seeking behavior survey sent to education faculty at twenty research institutions. The results from this study corroborated what was found in the previous study conducted on the information-seeking behavior of engineering faculty in 2009. It indicates that general information about information-seeking behavior of faculty holds true across institutions, while information related to specific library services or facilities should be validated locally.

Many studies of information-seeking habits of engineers focus on understanding the similarities and differences between scientists and engineers. This study explores the information-seeking behavior of academic engineering faculty from twenty public research universities. This investigation includes an examination of how frequently engineering faculty seek or access information, how they keep abreast of current developments in the field and find less recent journal articles, how often they visit the library in person, and how important library services and resources are in meeting their information needs. The responses from the survey participants emphasize the importance of electronic access to current and archived scholarly journals for meeting the research and information needs of engineering faculty.

This article examines whether academic libraries are still reclassifying materials, how they are doing so, and if the acquisition of electronic materials has an impact on reclassification efforts. An online survey was sent to the heads of cataloging units at libraries belonging to the Association of Research Libraries to answer these questions. Almost one-third of libraries are currently involved in reclassification projects. Most respondents reported they do not believe that purchasing e-books has affected their decisions about reclassification. The article also examines the faceted search capability of next-generation catalogs and their possible impact on patrons’ use of classification.

Social work research and teaching draw on the literature of other disciplines. While the use of interdisciplinary sources has been discussed at length and citation patterns in social work literature have been studied, no research has identified specific sources from other disciplines that are important for social work scholarship. Based on analysis of citations from core social work journals, several journals from both social work and other disciplines are identified as important to social work. Interdisciplinary citing patterns are discussed, and the coverage of various subjects in PsycINFO, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, and Social Services Abstracts is compared.

Abbott, and Amy McKee, met to discuss initiatives that the CUS should take in assembling a program for other state chapters of ACRL. Locke Morrisey of the California Chapter contacted state representatives about convening for an informal dinner outside of the already full conference schedule. Those representatives, constituting about twenty people representing five state chapters, were joined by Carmichael and Lippard for dinner on Friday evening in Charlotte, where issues of mutual concern were discussed. Elsewhere at the national conference, which boasted over 2,500 delegates, North Carolina's academic libraries and library and information science education programs were well-represented in poster sessions, workshops, programs, and the lobby of the conference center.

ABSTRACT With an increasing number of libraries implementing federated searching to help users negotiate the complex electronic database environment, it is important to note how users are being instructed to use these resources. This article presents the results of examinations of the Web sites of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions that currently use federated search products. It analyzes help guides and search tips related to federated searching to determine what concepts are being explained to users and how the information is being communicated. The result of the evaluation of these Web sites is a list of “best practice” guidelines that may be used by librarians creating their own federated searching guides. doi:10.1300/J136v12n03_03