Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) can transform library services by enhancing efficiency and user experience. The adoption of AI in Pakistani libraries remains underexplored. Design/methodology/approach This study aims to identify the determinants of AI adoption intention among library professionals using an extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model integrated with combined importance-performance map analysis (cIPMA). Findings The key constructs, such as effort expectancy, performance expectancy, relative advantage, top management support, trust and competitive pressure, were assessed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings highlight effort expectancy and relative advantage as significant predictors. Originality/value The study contributes to theoretical advancement by extending UTAUT in a library context and offers practical insights to help administrators facilitate AI adoption.
Purpose This study aims to comparatively evaluate the retrieval performance of select web search engines, i.e. Google, Bing and Yandex, based on standardised metrics. Design/methodology/approach The study draws informational queries from the discipline of business studies using titles, keywords and abstracts of PhD theses from the Shodhganga repository. It categorises queries into one-word, two-word and complex-word queries and evaluates them using pre-established relevance criteria on a three-point relevance scale to calculate precision, mean average precision, relative recall, F-measure and fall-out ratios. The study further employs ANOVA to determine the statistical significance of the difference in means between the above-stated metrics for Google, Bing and Yandex, to understand the performance of one web search engine compared to the others. Findings The analysis of variance (ANOVA) results indicate that the difference between the means is not statistically significant for Google, Bing and Yandex in terms of precision, relative recall, F-measure and fall-out ratio. However, descriptive statistics, although not statistically significant, revealed a superiority of Google over the other two search engines in terms of mean average precision, mean relative recall, F-measure and fall-out ratio. Additionally, it was found that complex-word queries performed better than one-word and two-word queries for all three web search engines. Research limitations/implications The paper studies the retrieval effectiveness of only three web search engines, among a pool of search engines. It restricts its use to only informational queries, leaving aside the navigational and transactional queries. Future studies can target a broader range of web search engines, utilising all three categories of queries, including navigational and transactional queries, across multiple disciplines. The study has implications for users, web search engine programmers and Librarians. It will help users, especially academic users in the field of business studies, to identify more suitable web search based on the results of the metrics, as well as help programmers to understand which retrieval techniques work better and thereby improve the efficiency of search engines better. Moreover, librarians include topics such as retrieval effectiveness in web search, query formulation strategies, keyword mappings, etc., in their library orientation programs. Originality/value The study provides an original empirical evaluation of the performance of web search engines Google, Bing and Yandex by conducting a statistical comparison of their performance on informational queries drawn from the field of business studies. It also compares the select web search engines based on query types.
Purpose The study aimed to identify the effects of emerging technologies on sustainable library services. In this study, sustainability refers to the long-term efficiency, adaptability, accessibility and user-centeredness of library services enabled through technological integration. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative research design to address the objectives. The population consisted of librarians from the public and private sector universities of Pakistan. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS software. Findings The analysis consisted of two major parts: first, the assessment of measurement model and second, the structural equation modelling analysis. A significant positive effect of emerging technologies (artificial intelligence, gamification, wearable technologies, Internet of Things, blockchain technology, ChatGPT and m-learning) was found on the sustainable library services. Research limitations/implications The study has provided worthwhile theoretical contributions by adding valuable literature to the existing body of knowledge. Practical implications It has provided practical contributions by offering a context-specific baseline for management bodies in university libraries, particularly in developing countries, to construct policies for the successful adoption of emerging technologies for sustainable library services. Social implications The study has social implications too as smart library services prove fruitful for society. Originality/value This is the first empirical study examining the integrated effects of multiple emerging technologies on sustainable library services within the context of university libraries in Pakistan. Its implications may be cautiously extended to similar developing academic environments.
Purpose Identifying similarities between parts of a text, paper or document has implications for several information processing and retrieval tasks. Thus, information processing and retrieval research aims to detect content relations in terms of lexical, conceptual, semantic and content features. Semantic similarity measures refer to detecting content relations based on the equivalence between texts using the semantic component. Measuring text similarity is the aim of our work.Design/methodology/approach This work involves the following main steps: Thorough data preprocessing is crucial. This involves removing stop words, common words that add little semantic value. Tokenization is the process by which a large amount of text is divided into smaller parts (phrases) called tokens. Applying stemming or lemmatization also helps reduce words to their base form, thereby standardizing the dataset for better comparison. The various attribute types are used. Phrases are the attributes that characterize the concepts used in the text. Cosine indexes generate binary values between 0 and 1. However, cosine reflects the similarity in terms of percentage. When cosine similarity is near 100, it refers to the binary value 1. The cosine similarity focuses on the angle between two vectors. This makes cosine similarity more robust in capturing the pattern similarities between two data sets, even if their magnitudes differ. (Phil Miesle 2023). The phrase length is measured by the number of words in a phrase without stop words. The phrase length normally ranges from two to eight. If the phrase length is longer, the phrase is content expressive and far from generic. The phrase length is the expression of concept and semantic richness. The literature does not address the phrase length and its impact on text similarity and other features. The available research mainly outlines the linguistic attributes; for example, the lexically derived syntactic representations are discussed (Stallings, 1998) and the structure of surrounding phrase lengths (Zvonik, 2003). Removing stop words from sentences reduces the low-level information, which makes the sentences easy to understand. Moreover, removing the stop words doesn't affect the contextual meaning of sentences, as machines preserve the semantic information of words. (Han, 2021; Hasanah, 2019; Hu, 2022; Huang, 2019) Finally, the similarity is calculated as the minimum distance path between nodes (phrases), which are cosine. We evaluated the phrase similarity using relatively small benchmark datasets. A significant scientific phrase, "Metabolic Syndrome", is used to search Google Scholar and a few highly cited papers are identified. Each selected full text is subjected to phrase extraction, ranking phrases based on frequency. These phrases contain stop words that have been removed. The phrases contain a minimum of two words and a maximum of eight words. When stop words are removed, the content of the treated concept is preserved, and when frequent phrases are selected, they are considered tokens that represent the content. The top frequent phrases are selected for each sample, and the similarity is measured using cosine.Findings Even though the lexical and semantic similarity measures are different, lexical and semantic similarities are correlated in highly specialized documents such as journals or scientific reports. Cosine similarity measures report a low-level correlation even if there is no common word between two phrases. For example, the phrases "glance disease models and mechanisms" and "insulin resistance visceral adiposity atherogenic dyslipidemia and endothelial" have no common words and still exhibit a cosine similarity score of 24.4%. Partial phrase similarity is observed in different sets of data in this work. The analysis reveals that in the highly frequent phrases, the most commonly used words are insulin, syndrome, cardiovascular, diabetics, and therapeutics, followed by a few next-level supporting words such as resistance, models, mechanisms, treatment and systems. Thus, we can understand how a core theme is treated in the literature in supporting terms.Research limitations/implications This study has a few limitations. First, the dataset is relatively small and focuses exclusively on highly cited papers within a single medical domain, which may limit its generalizability to the broader scientific literature. Second, the analysis filters out low-frequency phrases, concentrating solely on high-frequency terms. This exclusion may overlook emerging concepts that appear infrequently but hold significant semantic value. Third, while cosine similarity effectively captures structural relationships, it may not fully account for deeper cognitive or contextual connections, particularly when phrases share no common words yet remain conceptually linked. Additionally, the impact of phrase length on similarity measures remains underexplored, limiting the framework's ability to systematically assess how syntactic complexity influences scoring. Finally, reliance on static phrase extraction may oversimplify dynamic linguistic variations, highlighting the need for more adaptive NLP techniques in future work.Practical implications The dataset used is smaller in terms of phrases analyzed. The low-frequent phrases are removed from the analysis, leading to the processing of selected high-frequent words. However, this work indicates the use of phrases for processing. Cosine values are more productive when measuring semantic similarity than lexical similarity. Our future work will determine the relation between phrase frequency and cosine similarity values to generate strong inferences. We intend to extend the work with more samples and datasets and include more phrases, which can lead to effective results.Social implications Detecting phrase relations, both complete and partial, will enable the identification of document similarities. The existing practices are often unrelated to finding cognitive and semantic relations. This kind of exercise leads us to pave the way for measuring naturally existing similarities among literature and sub-domains.Originality/value This paper identifies the naturally existing relations between concepts in natural language texts. Text analysis will be improved using the conceptual model described in this paper.
Purpose This study conducts a comprehensive scientometric analysis of global research on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in libraries from 2004 to 2023. It aims to examine publication trends, citation impact, leading contributors, collaborative networks, institutional productivity, repositories, and thematic developments to map the evolving research landscape of ICT-driven library services. Design/methodology/approach A scientometric approach was adopted using data retrieved from the OpenAlex database. A total of 8,458 records were initially collected, and remove 147 duplicate and incomplete records through data cleaning in OpenRefine. The study employed descriptive statistics and network analysis using VOSviewer, RStudio, and Microsoft Excel. Co-authorship, citation networks, keyword co-occurrence, institutional collaboration, country-level partnerships, and repository contributions were analysed to provide a multidimensional understanding of ICT research in libraries. Findings The study analysed 8,311 publications, which collectively received 55,775 citations, with an annual growth rate of 1.30%. Journal articles accounted for over 81% of total publications. The number of publications increased steadily over the period, reaching a peak of 596 publications in 2021. The United States and India, emerged as leading contributors to research output and collaboration networks. Institutional collaboration analysis identified 274 interconnected organizations across 22 clusters. Thematic analysis highlighted key research areas such as information literacy, digital library services, web-based technologies, and ICT applications in developing communities, reflecting a strong focus on digital transformation and user-centered services. Practical implications The findings provide evidence-based insights for policymakers, librarians, and academic institutions to guide ICT investment, strengthen collaborative research, enhance digital literacy initiatives, and support strategic planning for technology-enabled library services. Originality/value This study provides a large-scale global scientometric perspective on ICT in libraries using OpenAlex data. It addresses the limitations of region-specific studies by providing a comprehensive analysis of global trends, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of ICT-driven transformation in library and information science.
Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging disruptive technology that has vast applications in almost every field. Libraries are also greatly adopting this technology while designing their services, resources and infrastructure. This study aims to determine the adoption of AI to develop sustainable library services in university libraries of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework was developed using the technology acceptance model and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). Moreover, the study used a quantitative survey method for data collection. Data were collected from 150 library professionals from the public and private sector university libraries of Pakistan. The data were analyzed by partial least structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings Library size (LS), staff expertise (SE), technical influence (Tech-I) and budget potentially influence the adoption of artificial intelligence in libraries, which in turn has an influence on the sustainability of library services (SLS). However, the strongest factor appeared to be budget, and then, technological infrastructure and expertise of the staff. The size of the library, however, produced a weak, statistically insignificant effect. The results show that the use of AI in Pakistani university libraries is mainly based on financial ability and access to technology and human resources, but not the size of the library. With the development of AI usage, libraries can make a rapid increase in terms of infrastructure, employee development and sustainable financial frameworks. Originality/value This study investigates AI adoption in a developing country context like Pakistan. The findings help to understand the possibilities as well as challenges of applying AI-related technologies in university libraries.
Purpose This study proposes indicators for measuring public library outcomes and empirically analyzes the process of outcome formation using a logic model. Design/methodology/approach Confirmatory factor analysis identified outcome measurement indicators for public libraries, and structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the sequential pathways of outcome formation based on a logic model. We analyzed 166 public libraries in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in 2024, using statistical data on inputs, activities, and outputs, together with 6,340 survey responses on outcomes. Outcomes were classified into three stages: short-term, intermediate, and long-term. Findings The results revealed two empirically robust but structurally disconnected pathways: the paths from Inputs to Activities to Outputs and from Short-term Outcomes to Intermediate Outcomes to Long-term Outcomes were significant, whereas the path from Outputs to Short-term Outcomes was not. This structural gap underlines that service provision does not directly lead to meaningful impacts. Short-term outcomes, reflecting users' cognitive changes, emerged as key mediators of behavioral and community-level transformations. Originality/value This study is among the first to empirically analyze the full sequential chain of outcome formation using a logic-model framework in a public library context. The findings identify a critical structural gap between service delivery and user-level change, pointing to an unspecified bridging mechanism. This study highlights the need for public libraries to shift toward providing meaningful user experiences and the importance of developing systematic performance evaluation tools capable of capturing impacts on individuals and communities. Future research should prioritize identifying the factors that connect outputs to outcomes.
PurposeAcademic libraries play a vital role in supporting students' learning and research; however, mismatches between users' expectations and service delivery can undermine their effectiveness. This study examines university students' perceptions and expectations of academic library services in Bangladesh, focusing on core services, the library environment, and assistance and support.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative design was used, and data were collected via an online questionnaire from 505 students at six public and one private university. Convenience sampling was applied, and the data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests.FindingsThe findings reveal statistically significant gaps between perceived and expected services across all dimensions (p = 0.01). Students reported moderate satisfaction with traditional services such as library hours and documentation support, but expectations were substantially higher for digital and technology-based services, including e-books, digital lending and virtual reference platforms. Significant differences were also found in the library environment, particularly regarding collaborative learning spaces, sanitation facilities and secure, learning-friendly settings. Assistance and support services showed the largest gaps, highlighting unmet expectations for advanced research consultation, information literacy training, plagiarism awareness and online assistance.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence of service gaps in Bangladeshi academic libraries and underscores the need for user-centered policy interventions. Unlike prior studies in the Bangladeshi context, this research focuses explicitly on quantifying expectation-perception gaps rather than solely measuring service perceptions or validating standardized instruments.
PurposeResearchers sought to determine how user perceptions of the University of Maryland Libraries changed or remained stable between 2017 and 2023 to examine whether operations improved between these years and to identify opportunities for improvement. Since the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) discontinued this study's survey instrument, LibQUAL+, a secondary purpose was to discuss information that should be included in the design of future surveys and to start to consider alternative survey instruments.Design/methodology/approachResearchers coded and compared comments from LibQUAL+ surveys distributed in 2017 and 2023 using NVivo. Initially, the libraries' assessment committee used open coding to review a set of comments submitted during the 2023 LibQUAL+ survey. Three researchers refined the categories into a codebook that included both the area of service and the sentiment expressed.FindingsDuring both years, comments about the personnel, services and general categories received a high percentage of positive comments, whereas the LibQUAL+ Survey instrument, online content, discoverability and facilities received the most negative comments. Data analysis allowed investigators to identify actionable feedback and areas that need further study.Originality/valueThe methodology can serve as a guide for other researchers comparing qualitative data and longitudinal data. The libraries used LibQUAL+ results to obtain approval for renovations and new furniture. Other libraries can draw lessons from this study and leverage survey data to advocate for needed changes. They can also learn from information gaps identified in this article. As the ARL has discontinued LibQUAL+, this paper discusses alternatives for library-wide assessments.
PurposeThis research paper aims to develop a comprehensive framework model for sustainable competency development among university-level academic librarians in Asia.Design/methodology/approachRecognizing 21st-century competencies as distinct from those of the 20th, relevant literature was searched between 2000 and 2025 across two databases: Scopus and Library and Information Science & Technology Abstracts. Additionally, a scholarly web search engine (Google Scholar) was also searched so that maximum document retrieval could be ensured. Subsequently, duplicate articles were excluded. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) design was followed to write this paper.FindingsThe synthesis of the literature revealed a four-element framework model comprising elements of written policies, stakeholders, competencies and methods for improvement. It is found that information technology, management, information literacy, soft skills, professional skills and trustworthiness are essential competencies for information professionals. The model also suggests that these skills can be enhanced through self-learning, one-on-one training, internship modules and training sessions. The stakeholders that may organize training sessions comprise library and information science (LIS) schools, continuous education program designers and professional LIS bodies.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed framework provides a valuable guide for LIS schools, organizations designing continuing education programs, and professional LIS bodies. This framework may help them improve the competencies of LIS students and practitioners through identified methods in the identified competencies directions.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate the competencies of Asian information professionals through a systematic literature review and synthesis of previously published research articles from 48 countries and three disputed territories across the continent of Asia.
PurposeThis study investigates the digital dimensions of health information literacy (HIL) among the Chakma, Bangladesh's largest Indigenous ethnic group, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to characterize community competencies in information seeking, appraisal and use; map preferred information channels and verification practices and identify barriers and priorities for skills development and institutional engagement.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative, cross-sectional correlational survey was administered to a purposive sample of adult Chakma residents across Rangamati, Khagrachori and Bandarban. The questionnaire combined adapted, validated scales with a systematic localization procedure (translation/back translation, expert review and pilot testing); content validity and common method bias checks were performed. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to examine relationships among digital engagement, source use, appraisal skills and HIL outcomes.FindingsRespondents demonstrated strong awareness of health information needs and effective interpersonal communication with peers and local clinicians, and relied principally on broadcast media and familiar social networks for COVID 19 information. Notable gaps were observed in systematic source locating, retrieval and critical appraisal, limited use of libraries and formal telehealth channels and barriers related to technical terminology, online search skills and trust in authoritative sources. Community priorities emphasized internet and information education skill development and enhanced governmental and NGO awareness initiatives.Practical implicationsFindings call for dual track interventions that address infrastructure and language appropriate resource supply while delivering culturally tailored capacity building. Libraries, local clinics and community leaders are positioned as trusted intermediaries for targeted information literacy programs and anti-disinformation strategies.Originality/valueBy centering an Indigenous community often absent from pandemic information literacy research, this study elucidates how digital opportunities and constraints intersect with cultural practices and institutional landscapes. Findings inform culturally responsive HIL interventions, library and health system outreach and disinformation mitigation strategies tailored to Indigenous contexts.
PurposeThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries conducted a 2018 study of the libraries' "Active Learning Space." This space houses active equipment like walking treadmills, cycling desks, standing height desks and more. This 2024 study takes a closer look to assess overall satisfaction with the space and how it is used 6 years later. With library spaces at a premium, University Library Administration was particularly interested in the usage of the space. This assessment study was used to create a findings report for library administration to pursue updates.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a voluntary survey advertised in the space. The survey contained a mix of demographic information, multi-select questions and open text fields. The open text fields were coded for themes. The research team also conducted an observation that recorded the use of specific equipment, time of day, and other noted uses of the space.FindingsThe findings suggest high satisfaction with the space overall with clear indicators of preferred equipment. Findings also suggest a need for updates and renovations to the space. Furthermore, respondents find that the space improves their physical and mental health.Originality/valueThis study addresses current use of nontraditional workspaces in libraries including patron perceptions and satisfaction in the context of student well-being.
PurposeThis study aims to track undergraduate students' academic engagement activities, including library use, reasons for using or not using the library building and website and the factors influencing their academic work at two universities in the U.S. over an eight-week period.Design/methodology/approachAs a companion to a one-time survey, this study utilized the Online Weekly Journal, a weekly journaling assessment in which students reported their campus activities, including library use, reasons for using the library and factors that impacted their success, such as stress. This journaling was conducted during the second half of the spring semester at two public research universities.FindingsThe online weekly journaling method highlights both weekly shifts and cross-institutional patterns in student engagement. While the overall activity at the University of Illinois Chicago remained steady, Northern Illinois University showed more fluctuation, indicating variability in student behavior over time. Across both universities, students commonly used the library for individual study, taking a break and socializing. Stress and social media were consistently identified as the primary negative influences on academic work, although their impact decreased from week one to week eight.Practical implicationsThe complete assessment tools, including both a one-time survey and an eight-week journaling activity, are publicly available for any institutions that want to track and measure students' real-time behaviors and attitudes. Some questions are also customizable per institutional context (e.g. list of campus centers and demographics).Originality/valueThis study provides a unique contribution by tracking changes in students' library engagement over an eight-week period at two institutions. It offers insight into their evolving needs and challenges through ongoing reflections rather than a single-point snapshot.
PurposeThis study reports library assessment practitioner awareness of ACRL's proficiencies for assessment in academic libraries, ranks each proficiency according to perceived importance and elicits opinions about expected venues for acquiring learning related to key proficiencies.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was used to elicit library practitioners' awareness of perceptions of the importance of individual assessment proficiencies and expected venues for learning or skill acquisition.FindingsThe majority of participants had limited to no awareness of the proficiencies. Respondents prioritized two main foci of the assessment proficiencies: (1) data safety and (2) connection of assessment design, analysis and action-taking to user needs and community contexts. Respondents shared expectations that many important assessment proficiencies would be learned primarily in library school or through independent learning; other key learning venues included conferences, lectures, panels or webinars; hands-on workshops or on-the-job training venues.Practical implicationsStudy results - including proficiencies that respondents prioritized for learning and preferred venues for learning - can help practitioners, library leaders and educators focus on professional development offerings, professional education and assessment-related individual learning plans.Originality/valueLittle research has examined librarian perceptions of the ACRL assessment proficiencies.
Purpose Information literacy (IL) has been identified as a significant educational outcome. The first quarter of the 21st century has had a great impact on IL instructions and students’ academic performance (AP). However, there is limited evidence about the strength of this connection between IL and AP. This meta-analysis examined the literature on IL and AP of students. Design/methodology/approach The PRISMA updated guidelines were followed and 23 relevant studies fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in this meta-analysis. Across the 23 publications included in the assessment, 22,054 research participants were collectively involved in the corresponding research studies. The Q test was significant (p < 0.05), and the I2 stayed within 97.70%. Hence, a random effect model was employed. Begg & Mazumdar tests of Kendall’s value is (−0.03) and p-value is (0.85), indicating no evidence of correlation between publication bias and study size. Findings This analysis revealed a moderate positive relationship between IL and AP according to the combined effect size value of r = 0.33 (p < 0.001). We further performed subgroup analyses (on the basis of geographical locations and publication periods) to investigate whether the effect size differed on the basis of subgroups. The relationship demonstrated higher strength in “other countries” (r = 0.39, CI = 0.25–0.53) when compared to the USA studies (r = 0.24, CI = 0.07–0.40). Similarly, studies published between 2008 and 2018 revealed a pooled correlation (r = 0.38, CI = 0.25–0.51) as compared to studies published between 2019 and 2024 (r = 0.25, CI = 0.30–0.45). Originality/value Overall, all these relationships revealed a medium magnitude of relationship, which suggests that there may be other important factors contributing to the AP of student. It means other important factors also contribute to the AP of students, including IL, cognitive and psychological, learning and teaching environment, socio-economic, technological, curriculum integration, institutional support and digital access.
PurposeThis study aims to analyze the role of information literacy (IL) as a mediating variable in the connection between the independent and dependent variables, Access to Information Resources, Digital Literacy Skills, Information Searching Behavior, Awareness of Library Services, Library Instruction Programs, Staff Support and Guidance, and Technological Infrastructure and User Satisfaction in the context of a university library. The article provides a theoretically sound and empirically validated model of user satisfaction in academic libraries, building upon the information systems (IS) success model.Design/methodology/approachThe present study is a quantitative research, and a survey has been conducted among 380 university library users in Bangladesh. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze direct and indirect effects of independent variables on user satisfaction through information literacy (IL) using SmartPLS.FindingsResults show that most of the impacts of library service aspects on user satisfaction are mediated by IL. So the direct effects of Digital Literacy and Instruction Programs were weak. Predictive relationships are strong for Staff Support, Technological Infrastructure, and Access to Resources. These results reinforce IL as a key factor for improving the quality of academic library services.Research limitations/implicationsBy incorporating IL as a primary mediator in the IS success model, the study advances theoretical knowledge about how user-based factors shape overall satisfaction. It contributes to academic discussion through the incorporation of service quality, system quality and information quality in a single model tailored to the library sciences field.Practical implicationsThe results provide managerial implications for library administration to enhance user satisfaction. Investment strategically in IL programs, staff development and technological infrastructure is important for nurturing a responsive and effective academic library.Originality/valueThis is the first study to frame IL as a change catalyst in an existing theoretical model, providing conceptual clarity and pragmatic prescription. It contributes to the existing literature by empirically examining a comprehensive model that is designed based on academic libraries of developing countries such as Bangladesh.
Purpose This study aims to evaluate the quality of library services in five Central Universities in Delhi, India, using the standardized LibQUAL+(R) framework. Design/methodology/approach A structured survey was administered to 832 undergraduate students (39.1%), postgraduate students (34.9%), research scholars (18.0%) and faculty members (8.0%) to assess three core dimensions of service: affect of service (AS), information control (IC) and library as place (LP). Findings Quantitative analysis revealed that perceived service consistently exceeded minimum expectations, with positive service adequacy gaps (SAGs) across all 22 items, most notably in AS items such as "staff courtesy" (M = 7.85; SAG = +1.30). However, service superiority gaps (SSGs), the difference between perceived and desired service levels, were uniformly negative, with the most significant shortfalls in digital access items such as "electronic access from home" (SSG = -1.05) and "availability of required materials" (SSG = -0.82). While no statistically significant gender differences were observed (p > 0.05), faculty and research scholars reported the highest expectations, particularly in the information control dimension. Practical implications Findings highlight the need for targeted investment in digital infrastructure, remote access tools and personalized academic support to bridge the gap between current performance and ideal user expectations. By improving access and tailoring services for advanced academic users, central university libraries can strengthen research productivity, enhance teaching effectiveness and promote equitable access to knowledge in the Indian higher education system. Originality/value Unlike previous Association of Research Libraries-administered LibQUAL+(R) surveys, this study was conducted independently. It offers one of the first multi-institutional assessments of service quality across central universities in Delhi.
PurposeThe study aims to examine global trends of green technology research from 2014-2023 to understand the status of research on the subject at a global level.Design/methodology/approachThe Web of Science database was chosen to extract the data. A structured search query was carefully crafted to ensure the retrieval of relevant documents. The search employed the keywords "green technology," "environmental technology" or "clean technology," using the all fields option from the advanced search feature. The timeframe for the data was limited to the years 2014-2023. A total of 24,325 records were collected on September 23, 2024. The retrieved data were cleaned and analyzed using Bibexcel and subsequently organized in MS Excel for additional statistical evaluation.FindingsThe green technology growth is increasing every year; articles constitute the largest share of contributions, totaling 19,280 (79.26%); Liu Y stands out with 183 publications, an h-index of 43 and a total of 6,983 citations. There is a direct correlation between doubling time and relative growth rate (RGR), indicating the duration required for the quantity to double from 2014 to 2023. The mean values indicate a doubling time of 9.203 and an RGR of 0.649, reflecting a downward trend in the average doubling time. The People's Republic of China (PRC) is the most prolific contributor. Elsevier Science Ltd. leads with 3,141 publications, accounting for 12.91%. The "National Natural Science Foundation of China" stands out as the most prominent organization, having supported a total of 142 records, accounting for 0.58% of the research output.Originality/valueThis study selected a comprehensive analysis for assessing the scientometric indicator. The finding helps researchers and scientists to understand the growth of green technology research output.
PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to, first of all, analyze the coverage of publications in Physics in the span of five years (2014-2018) having at least one author from an Indian institution in various sources of altmetrics. The second purpose of the study is to analyze the relationship between citations and altmetrics. Correlations between publications having at least one mention in a source of altmetrics and at least one citation have also been carried out. The study attempts to investigate if altmetrics can be used for research evaluation.Design/methodology/approachIn the present study, the coverage of conference and review papers in Physics having at least one author from an Indian Institution published during 2014-2018 in various sources of altmetrics and the relationship between altmetrics and citation counts have been carried out. Scopus and Altmetric.com have been used for collecting citation and altmetrics data, respectively. The study analyzes the data for the measures of central tendencies and evaluates if the altmetrics differ considerably from citations. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated between altmetrics and citations for analyzing the relationship between them.FindingsThe highest coverage of both conference papers (2.14%) and review papers (22.79%) was found for Twitter. The coverage in the rest of the sources tracked by Altmetric.com was found to be less than 1% for conference papers and less than 7% for review papers. The average Twitter mentions for conference papers tweeted at least once was found to be 2.18 whereas for review papers, it was 7.67. Average Facebook mentions were found to be 1.2 (conference papers) and 1.88 (review papers). The novel Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) developed by Altmetric.com was also analyzed in the study. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between Twitter mentions-citations, Facebook mentions-citations and AAS-citations were found to be statistically significant but low to week positive.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of the findings of the study comes to the conclusion that altmetrics should be utilized with caution as a supplementary tool for research evaluation in conjunction with citation-based metrics because of the low coverage of publications in platforms that generate altmetrics.Originality/valueThe present study deals with the measure of research impact of conference papers and review papers in Physics having at least one author from an Indian institution published during 2014-2018. The study is unique as most of the studies focussed on altmetrics are on journal articles. It is one of the first large scale altmetric studies dealing with Physics research. Also, Indian research has not been explored in the altmetrics literature.
