Faculty Research and Publications

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The Digital Library: The Next Sigmoid Curve of the Information Profession
(The International Association of Technological University Libraries (IATUL), 1996-06) Swanepoel, Marinus
Although it cannot be stated as fact that the digital library is the next Sigmoid Curve of libraries, it will be folly for librarians not to consider this likely possibility very seriously and to ensure that they are prepared should it happen. The wise librarian must see to it that he has young up coming and dynamic leaders in his organization, prepared to ride the next wave so that the library may benefit. What is clear at this stage (1996), is that even if books and the traditional formats are not replaced by computer media, computer media, at the very least, will be a very important permanent supplement thereto. This point of view is based on the fact that the important thing about media is that they should be appropriate. Appropriateness is not an absolute concept, but it can be defined in terms of suitability for a purpose. With the huge gap in the sophistication of technology between the First and Third World, it stands to reason that the digital medium is not an appropriate one for the latter. The world as a whole, however, changes more spontaneously, and never so erratically, as during a period of dramatic technological change. These words caution us to expect even more (dramatic) change in the information profession. An open mind should be kept regarding problems and opportunities this offer our profession.
First report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee
(Federation of Alberta Naturalists, 1997) Slater, Andrew
Second report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee
(Federation of Alberta Naturalists, 1999) Slater, Andrew
Recent research in the socio-cultural domain of gaming and gambling: An annotated bibliography and critical overview
(Alberta Gaming Research Institute, 2000-12) McGowan, Virginia Margaret; Droessler, Judith; Nixon, Gary; Grimshaw, Misty
The purpose of this overview is to systematically identify and critically analyze the relevant scientific, descriptive, and policy-oriented literature in this area with the aim of providing a resource that will inform future research and development in gaming and gambling studies. Accordingly, this review constitutes a source document on gaming and gambling studies produced in the latter part of the twentieth century in English- and French-speaking countries. Studies are included that examine the distribution and patterning of gaming and gambling among population sub-groups; social structural factors influencing those patterns within the context of traditional and emerging norms, values and beliefs; and social impacts of gaming and gambling. Literature produced between 1980 and 2000 in North America, Europe, and non-European Commonwealth countries is included, as well as (in the critical overview) a summary of gaming and gambling among Blackfoot peoples, as recorded in ethnographic studies available through the electronic version of the Human Relations Area Files (eHRAF). A range of studies representing different methods and disciplines were included as this material was found in both published and unpublished (“grey literature”) forms. Materials were included if they were judged by the project team to comprise a significant contribution to the literature in this domain.
Third report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee
(Federation of Alberta Naturalists, 2001) Slater, Andrew
Excellence in service: the enabling power of well managed technology
(International Cultural Heritage Informatics Meetings (ICHIM), 2001-09-03) Swanepoel, Marinus
One of the five main areas identified for this conference is Technology Enabled Services for Cultural Heritage. It can be stated as fact that all services are reliant on technology to some extent. However, the real benefit of information technology in service delivery can only be achieved it is well managed. This statement provides some background as to why it is necessary to manage information technology. Information technology is probably the fastest changing of all resources utilized in the information industry and therefore one of the more difficult resources to manage properly. It is observed that some managers are of the opinion that they are managing their IT if large sums of money are thrown at it. However, this is no guarantee that the competitive edge that IT can provide an enterprise with will be realized. Nor is following the market trends or buying the latest and greatest one can afford the answer. However, a holistic and logical approach towards managing the information technology resources will go a long way in assuring success of the enterprise or organization. The paper proposes a meaningful way in which this can be achieved. The study is based on the premise that change management will provide useful guidelines for the management of information technology, as the rate of change experienced in the information technology arena is notoriously high. The resulting management model has some elements of technology management and change management and provides a way in which information technology can be maximized to provide an information enterprise with the competitive edge IT is capable of.
Fourth report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee
(Federation of Alberta Naturalists, 2002) Slater, Andrew; Hudon, Jocelyn
Winning Web sites: Researching gambling on the Internet
(Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2002-12) Stevens, Rhys M. G.
On-line reports and papers are an increasingly popular way to distribute research findings. This trend seems to be especially true for the field of gambling and gaming research. New reports can be disseminated from Web sites to the rest of the Internet-connected world almost instantaneously. Oftentimes, these on-line reports contain more complete and detailed information than subsequent journal articles that report the same findings. As a librarian for the Alberta Gaming Research Institute, I’ve had the opportunity to identify hundreds of Web sites that include such reports. This review summarizes a number of these sites that provide access to original research reports and studies in electronic formats — generally HTML or PDF files (which are viewable in most current Web browsers).
Subject no-hits searches in an academic library online catalog: an exploration of two potential ameliorations
(2004) Graham, Rumi Y.
This paper describes a study that explored ways in which users’ subject-searching problems in a local online catalog might be reduced. On a weekly basis, the author reviewed catalog transaction logs to identify topics of subject searches retrieving no records for which appropriate information resources may actually be represented in the catalog. For topics thus identified, the author explored two potential ameliorations of the no-hits search results through the use of authority record cross-references and “pathfinder” records providing brief instructions on search refinement. This paper describes the study findings, discusses possible concerns regarding the amelioration methods used, outlines additional steps needed to determine whether the potential ameliorations make a difference to users’ searching experiences, and suggests related areas for further research.
Canada’s Risky Business : a Canadian Guide to Selected Gambling Industry Sources
(Emerald, 2004) Stevens, Rhys M. G.; Beristain, Maureen
The rapid expansion of the Canadian gambling industry since 1969 has generated substantial profits for provincial governments and industry operators. As gambling expands its reach and regulatory structures evolve, a growing body of researchers is starting to scrutinize the industry and its socio-economic impacts on Canadians. This article provides background information on Canada's gambling industry and presents an overview of essential information resources.
Fifth report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee
(Federation of Alberta Naturalists, 2004) Slater, Andrew; Hudon, Jocelyn; Alberta Bird Record Committee
Informing visual poetry: information needs and sources for artists
(University of Chicago Press, 2004) Cowan, Sandra A.
Lethbridge Community Network: a case study of a sustainable community information infrastructure.
(Center for Community Networking Research, 2004) Swanepoel, Marinus
The purpose of this paper is to report on a) an investigation on sustainability of community information networks and b) to reflect on sustainability issues surrounding a particular community information network: The Lethbridge Community Information Network (LCN). The literature showed that the sustainability of community information networks are influenced by: a) the physical requirements such as accommodation, electricity and data-communications, b) the location of the nodes of access, c) the availability of technology, d) the reason why it was established, e) a person to champion it, f) community involvement, g) finance and h) a way to ensure ongoing maintenance of equipment. A study of the LCN showed that strong Government support through the Canadian Community Access Program helped significantly in the establishment of the LCN. Even though the investigated showed the LCN has not achieved sustainability, it also showed that most of the requirements for a sustainable community network were present, some to a lesser degree than others. The LCN is aware of the challenge it is facing in this regard and is moving forward on it.
Library online catalog: an exploration of two potential ameliorations
(American Library Association, 2004-01) Graham, Rumi Y.
This paper describes a study that explored ways in which users’ subject-searching problems in a local online catalog might be reduced. On a weekly basis, the author reviewed catalog transaction logs to identify topics of subject searches retrieving no records for which appropriate information resources may actually be represented in the catalog. For topics thus identified, the author explored two potential ameliorations of the no-hits search results through the use of authority record cross-references and "pathfinder” records providing brief instructions on search refinement. This paper describes the study findings, discusses possible concerns regarding the amelioration methods used, outlines additional steps needed to determine whether the potential ameliorations make a difference to users’ searching experiences, and suggests related areas for further research.
Socio-Economic Impacts Associated with the Introduction of Casino Gambling: A Literature Review and Synthesis
(2004-07-31) Stevens, Rhys M. G.; Williams, Robert J.
This review is an attempt to comprehensively identify and synthesize the literature examining the socio-economic impacts associated with the introduction of casino-style gambling. Search terms used for the literature review included but were not limited to the following keywords and subject headings / descriptors: "gambling", "gaming", "casino", "casinos", "casino gambling", "casino gaming", "socioeconomic", "socioeconomic", "social", "economic", "effects", "impacts", "introduction". It should be noted that each database generally uses its own terminology which makes searching unique. The academic literature on the socio-economic impacts of gambling is quite extensive and an effort was made to limit results to articles and reports published after 1990 that related specifically to casino-style gambling.
State of the evidence: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevention: Final report
(Submitted to the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research (ACCFCR), 2004-11-30) Basford, Lynn; Thorpe, Karran; Williams, Robert J.; Droessler, Judith; Deshpande, Sameer; Bureau, Alexandre; Piquette-Tomei, Noëlla A.; Cardwell, Kelly
The review of the literature on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Prevention was carried out by a multidisciplinary team using a Cochrane-style systematic review methodology. A key component of the review was the double-blind reading by two independent reviewers of all documents identified in a broad scope literature search. The objective of this methodological approach was to create a comprehensive context through which policy and practice can be informed and developed from a sound evidence base.
Opening the book on academic librarians: an agenda for investigating gender and professional status in a feminized profession
(2005) Jacobs, Leona; Mellow, Muriel
Librarians, as an occupational group, appear to have received surprisingly little attention from those who study work and gender. Like other feminized occupations, such as midwives and nurses, this group is of interest for how they have engaged in a project of professionalization in recent decades. Academic librarians have faced challenges to fully realizing a professional status because of their traditional organizational position as helpers or handmaidens to the professoriate. In order to more thoroughly outline a research agenda for examining this occupational group, this paper will present a review of the literature on the organization of librarians’ work from a sociological and library science perspective, using Sociological Abstracts and Library Literature to identify resources. The co-authors on this paper contribute their individual expertise by examining the literature that emerges from their respective disciplines and by entering into a cross-discipline discussion that will articulate the potential theoretical and practical outcomes of such a research agenda.
Digital repositories: All hype and no substance?
(The International Association of Technological University Libraries (IATUL), 2005-05-29) Swanepoel, Marinus
The development of digital repositories has been a recent one, starting in late 2000 when the UK's University of Southampton released a software package called E-Prints. Since that time, the establishment of digital repositories has gained momentum. Factors such as the falling costs for online storage, the increase of broadband and gigabit networking technologies, as well as the development of metadata standards to describe repository content, have all contributed to their current popularity. Questions to be asked are: to what extent are digital repositories, as a method for communicating scientific and scholarly information, accepted or are they just hype?; how mature are institutional repositories as a technology?; and, to what extent are institutional repositories used by faculty and researchers? The Gartner Hype Curve is a tool introduced by the Gartner Group in the 1990’s to explain general phenomena of interest in new technologies. This framework plots the typical progression of a technology from its early introduction through its maturation to broad market acceptance. The first question is answered by an investigation into the status of digital repositories in the context of the Gartner Hype Curve. The second question is answered by plotting institutional repositories on the product life cycle (Sigmoid Curve) and the third question is answered by applying the Diffusion of Innovation Theory to institutional repositories.
LibQUAL+TM at the University of Lethbridge: final report and recommendations
(University of Lethbridge Library, 2005-10) Jacobs, Leona; Greidanus, Shareen
In 2005, the University of Lethbridge Library participated in the Spring 2005 “run” of the LibQUAL+™ survey developed by the Association of Research Libraries. 829 members of the University community responded to the invitation to participate resulting in 793 valid responses. Following review of the aggregated results notebook, focus groups with faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students were organized for the purpose of seeking additional information on three topics: • Quality of and access to information resources • Services provided directly by staff • Noise in the Library. Based on the overall findings, 12 recommendations are proposed as a framework to focus the Library’s efforts and resources on the issues of communication, collections, the building, and relationships with the University community as well as building on the results of this undertaking.
Sixth report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee
(Federation of Alberta Naturalists, 2006) Hudon, Jocelyn; Klauke, Richard; Knapton, Richard; Lein, M. Ross; Riddell, John; Ritchie, Brian; Wershler, Ray; Alberta Bird Record Committee