PurposeThe purpose of this study was to analyse the skills required by lecturers to be able to support research data management effectively; assess the research data management literacy levels amongst lecturers at Strathmore University; and suggest how research data management capacity can be strengthened to mitigate the knowledge gaps identified.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted as a mixed methods research. Explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to collect, analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data from lecturers at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires while qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS while qualitative data was analysed thematically.FindingsThe findings of this study indicate varied levels of research data management literacy amongst lecturers at Strathmore University. Lecturers understand the need of having literacy skills in managing research data. They also participate in data creation, collection, processing, validation, dissemination, sharing and archiving. This is a clear indication of good research data management. However, the study also revealed gaps in research data management skills amongst the lecturers in areas such as sharing of research data on open access journals, data legislation and securing research data.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has been conducted in one university in Kenya. However, the findings have been contextualised in the global landscape through suitable references.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study may be used to attract the attention of lecturers and librarians to research data management. The findings may also be used to develop institutional policies on research data management at Strathmore University and beyond. The suggested ways of research data capacity strengthening can be adopted or adapted by other universities to enhance research data management.Originality/valueThis is an original study.

PurposeThis paper explores trends over time in library staffing and staffing expenditures among two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States.Design/methodology/approachResearchers merged and analyzed data from 1996 to 2016 from the National Center for Education Statistics for over 3,500 libraries at postsecondary institutions. This study is primarily descriptive in nature and addresses the research questions: How do staffing trends in academic libraries over this period of time relate to Carnegie classification and institution size? How do trends in library staffing expenditures over this period of time correspond to these same variables?FindingsAcross all institutions, on average, total library staff decreased from 1998 to 2012. Numbers of librarians declined at master’s and doctoral institutions between 1998 and 2016. Numbers of students per librarian increased over time in each Carnegie and size category. Average inflation-adjusted staffing expenditures have remained steady for master's, baccalaureate and associate's institutions. Salaries as a percent of library budget decreased only among doctoral institutions and institutions with 20,000 or more students.Originality/valueThis is a valuable study of trends over time, which has been difficult without downloading and merging separate data sets from multiple government sources. As a result, few studies have taken such an approach to this data. Consequently, institutions and libraries are making decisions about resource allocation based on only a fraction of the available data. Academic libraries can use this study and the resulting data set to benchmark key staffing characteristics.

PurposeThis study aimed for the examination of the change decision-making approaches utilised by academic library directors and the identification and explanation of the determinants of the utilised approaches.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from a survey. The content analysis was utilised to analyse the qualitative data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data.FindingsThe findings resulted in the identification of the approaches used to make change decisions and three categories of determinants. Directors actually utilised multiple and dual approaches more than single approaches to make change decisions. The determinants of number of library branches, number of subordinates, total years of directorship and years of present position played a significant role in the utilised approaches to making change decisions. However, the findings demonstrate that the determinants of age, gender, library size, library type, number of different positions, total years of library service and education level were not significant determinants of the utilised approaches to making change decisions.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation is that the results of this study are not applicable and generalisable to academic libraries beyond this classification using in this study.Practical implicationsThe change decision-making approaches and the identified determinants will be useful and valuable for leaders and managers to make better decisions while managing change in the digital age.Originality/valueThe identification of the approaches and determinants provides information professionals with new knowledge and enables them to reflect the determinants of the utilised approaches and to make better change decisions in a given situation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to look at organizational culture and knowledge sharing, and to explore how a leader fosters a culture of knowledge sharing in an information organization.Design/methodology/approachThe literature survey is used. It indicates that little is known about how to foster a culture of knowledge sharing from a leadership perspective in an information organization.FindingsThis study finds that the main approaches that a leader need to use to foster a culture of knowledge sharing are to set the mission, short-term, middle-term and long-term goals and objectives of fostering a culture of knowledge sharing, master as many leadership styles as possible, adjust and choose a leadership style that is appropriate to fostering a culture of knowledge sharing in a given situation, lead by example, develop messaging, make a communication plan, reward and recognize knowledge-sharing behaviors and make knowledge management fun.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation is that this study is solely focused on the literature survey and opinions.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a useful overview of the approaches used to foster a culture of knowledge sharing in an information organization.Originality/valueThe views, approaches and suggestions will be useful and valuable to improve the success of knowledge sharing in information organizations in the digital age.

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to evaluate print and electronic resources of TERI’s Library and Information Centre (LIC) with an aim to maximize the net marginal benefits and minimize net marginal costs, without compromising the quality of the library resources. Design/methodology/approach The parameters considered for analyzing the value of the library resources for this exercise were resource access costs, strategic value of the resource based on subject area coverage, frequency of use, citations, direct and indirect benefits to users. The data regarding these parameters were provided from wide range of sources (both tangible and intangible), to come out with the qualitative and quantitative assessment through an optimization and simulation based model. Findings Out of the total holdings in TERI LIC that were analyzed, 85 percent of book collections and 63.5 percent of journals were found to be useful for the researchers. The least-used books and journals were identified for weeding to optimize the value of library for users and make space for new and topical library collections. Research limitations/implications A sample of data sources out of the total library collections was defined for the evaluation. Practical implications The paper demonstrates the value of library resources that is of critical importance to libraries for an effective and efficient delivery of services for generating future knowledge. Evaluating the value of libraries resources has implications both for librarians as well as library users. Originality/value The evaluation exercise established the efficacy of the TERI library holdings for research and academic purposes in the domain of sustainable development. The library collection was found to be cost effective and beneficial to meet the future demand from the user community.

PurposeThis paper analyzes project and portfolio management within a major research library, while it was undergoing a complete physical renovation and reinvention of programs and services. This is a complex, almost 100-million-dollar undertaking that implemented a project management (PM) methodology known as portfolio management. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the implementation and management of this process and provide a brief overview on project and portfolio management as a discipline. Additionally, it provides strengths and weaknesses as well as recommendations when implementing PM.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis uses a qualitative research methodology case study with a theoretical foundation of inductive grounded theory. The case study is based primarily on seven interviews of project managers who are involved with the project. It also uses document analysis to assist in triangulating the findings and provide a contextual overview of a complex process. A number of themes emerged into overall categories and findings.FindingsThe key takeaways were the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the process. The strengths were improved communication and transparency, improved organization and documentation and formal decision-making process and resource allocation. The weaknesses were the hammer and the nail problem, the tools and paperwork, rigidity and the lack of agility within the process. This study also describes the process in detail and gives recommendations for improving the methods implemented in similar circumstances.Originality/valueThis paper analyzes strategic management concepts from an empirical grounded theory approach and real-world perspective with key recommendations.

PurposeThe subject of invisible disabilities is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. Invisible disabilities (as defined by the Invisible Disabilities Association) refers to symptoms such as “debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences and mental health disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments.” There are times when employees are hesitant to disclose their invisible disability to their employer or coworkers, which means that accommodations for disabilities may not be requested or made. Accommodations made in the workplace for invisible disabilities can include flexible schedule, special software for assisting with scheduling or prioritizing tasks, or architectural changes such as a standing desk. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachFor this literature review, articles on invisible disabilities and accommodations were researched and used to support the importance of accommodations in the workplace.FindingsInvisible disabilities are affecting the workplace and must be addressed. Those struggling with invisible disabilities need to consider sharing information about their disability with their employer as well as requesting accommodation. The question of whether or not to inform coworkers should be left to individual employees and what they feel comfortable divulging. More research needs to be done on how to create learning opportunities and sensitivity in the workplace to those with invisible disabilities. Perhaps training should be offered at the time a new employee begins work.Originality/valueThis literature review is of value because it speaks to an important issue facing today’s workplaces – invisible disabilities and accommodations. Mental illnesses are an invisible disability and as more people are diagnosed and enter the workforce, employers are faced with an increasing demand to meet the needs of these workers. Educating employers and employees on the topic of invisible disabilities and accommodations paves the way to a greater and more productive workforce.

PurposeThe lack of a country-wide data on the extent to which academic librarians in Ghana publish combined with perceived publishing challenges as indicated by a number of scholars including Opoku (2012) leaves much to be desired. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to seek the views of professional librarians in Ghana on the subject.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample size of 45 out of 50 academic librarians who make up the membership of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries, the study employed the descriptive survey research strategy in identifying the prospects and challenges associated with academic publications among librarians in Ghana.FindingsOpportunities for growth, institutional encouragement, requirements for promotion, and opportunities for research training are some of the factors that motivated academic librarians to publish in scholarly journals notwithstanding the pressures to perform their professional duties. Challenges often encountered included lack of research grants, high rejection rate of publishing agencies, lack of research skills and difficulty in getting access to research journals.Practical implicationsOn the basis of the above, the establishment of research fund and an award scheme for persons or units with the highest number of publications among others are recommended.Originality/valueWith the exception of cited works, all other forms of this research output are the handiwork of the researchers and have neither been a reproduction of existing research nor ever published in any other journal.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on the development of a flexible and robust academic library structure that meets the demands of an ever changing user community and remains relevant and fit for purpose in a technology-driven age. The new structure makes provision for the delivery of new and innovative services responding to the need for a paradigm shift in twenty-first century academic librarianship. The move away from subject librarianship, which has been the bastion of South African academic librarianship, is significant.Design/methodology/approachThis paper used the exploratory method to gain new insights into library structures that have restructured for the twenty-first century. The exploratory study was used to gain new insights into functional librarianship. Despite the short comings of the exploratory method, the method was deemed most appropriate as UCT Libraries was not seeking definitive answers but a process that would provide opportunities to explore possibilities for subsequent processes.FindingsThe move from subject librarianship to functional librarianship has given the library the opportunity to restructure. The restructured library can now offer new and/or radically expanded services to meet the demands of a twenty-first century academic library.Practical implicationsThe development of new and future roles and responsibilities commensurate with a robust and “future-driven” structure will consolidate the library’s role as a collaborator in the teaching and learning, and research agendas of a higher education institution.Originality/valueThis paper will be of interest and value to library managers and staff wanting to develop a library structure that responds positively to the redefinition of the professional roles and functions of the library and to strategically position the academic library for the future. It will also be of interest to library and information science academics who may want to re-examine their curricula for the incorporation of new trends.

PurposeProfessional work is becoming more specialized and diffused, with new specialties emerging on the boundaries of established professions. The purpose of this paper is to examine current specialties in academic librarianship in order to infer what strategies they employ.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a sample of 60 US research libraries to investigate current specialties in academic librarianship, in order to analyze and classify the specialties into groups based on similarities, and categorize academic libraries based on the staffing patterns identified, and illustrate the challenges and strategies of each classification. The sample was selected from the membership of the Association of Research Libraries, and designed to include both large and medium-sized research libraries. 888 different job titles were identified for 2,074 specialist positions extracted from staff directories containing information on 11,688 librarians. The positions were analyzed and classified using the framework provided by Cox and Corrall (2013), and the specialty composition of the libraries was investigated with Ward’s (1963) hierarchical method of cluster analysis, using 28 variables.FindingsThe cluster analysis identified subspecialties within the groups and revealed seven distinct staffing strategies of the libraries.Originality/valueDescribing specialties and strategies in academic libraries by cluster analysis based on huge data is a significantly novel and effective approach for capturing the concept of specialization.