Zainab A.N

Abstract: Journal impact factors (JIF) have been an accepted indicator of ranking journals. However, there has been increasing arguments against the fairness of using the JIF as the sole ranking criteria. This resulted in the creation of many other quality metric indices such as the h-index, g-index, immediacy index, Citation Half-Life, as well as SCIMago journal rank (SJR) to name a few. All these metrics have their merits, but none include any great degree of normalization in their computations. Every citation and every publication is taken as having the same importance and therefore weight. The wealth of available data results in multiple different rankings and indexes existing. This paper proposes the use of statistical standard scores or z-scores. The calculation of the z-scores can be performed to normalize the impact factors given to different journals, the average of z-scores can be used across various criteria to create a unified relative measurement (RM) index score. We use the 2008 JCR provided by Thomson Reuters to demonstrate the differences in rankings that would be affected if the RM-index was adopted discuss the fairness that this index would provide to the journal quality ranking.

Abstract: The problem with the identification of Malaysian scholarly journals lies in the lack of a current and complete listing of journals published in Malaysia. As a result, librarians are deprived of a tool that can be used for journal selection and identification of gaps in their serials collection. This study describes the audit carried out on scholarly journals, with the objectives (a) to trace and characterized scholarly journal titles published in Malaysia, and (b) to determine their visibility in international and national indexing databases. A total of 464 titles were traced and their yearly trends, publisher and publishing characteristics, bibliometrics and indexation in national, international and subject-based indexes were described.

Abstract: This study proposed the "house model" to construct an instrument to assess collection security implementation in university libraries. The factors and items are extracted from published literature on library security and library collection security issues. The instrument comprises five factors: collection security governance; operations and processes; people issues; physical and technical aspects of collection security and the security culture in the libraries. The instrument was tested on 61 senior and professional librarians from four Nigerian universities. Reliability tests indicate that all factors are relevant with Cronbach's alpha value of above 0.7 suggesting the reliability of the instrument for use in a wider sample. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Abstract: We analysed 580 articles (original articles only) published in Medical Journal of Malaysia between 2004 and 2008, the resources referenced by the articles and the citations and impact received. Our aim was to examine article and author productivity, the age of references used and impact of the journal. Publication data was obtained from MyAIS database and Google Scholar provided the citation data. From the 580 articles analyzed, contributors mainly come from the hospitals, universities and clinics. Contributions from foreign authors are low. The useful lives of references cited were between 3 to 11 years. ISI derived Impact factor for MJM ranged between 0.378 to 0.616. Journal self-citation is low. Out of the 580 sampled articles, 76.8% have been cited at least once over the 5 years and the ratio of total publications to citations is 1: 2.6.

Abstract: There are problems in (a) identifying the entire scholarly journals published in Malaysia, (b) locating and accessing the journals, (c) knowing who has published what and in which journals; (d) assessing the indexation status of the journals; and the citation received and general impact count of the journals. The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is used to frame the study, especially in determining the problem situations, extracting the problems and proposing a solution in rich pictures, initiating the prototype, comparing existing process with those of the proposed system and making improvements from feedback. The prototype MyAIS or Malaysian Abstracting and Indexing System is described, especially the features that adds value to the system and motivate journal publishers and authors to contribute to the system in order to increase availability and accessibility.

Abstract: Library anxiety is manifested in the form of negative feelings, fear, stress, distress, confusion and has debilitating effects on students' academic performance, which makes it a serious phenomenon for investigation. This study explores library anxiety amongst Sudanese university students and identifies factors that contribute to this phenomenon. The factors were identified using the diary approach collected from 51 third year undergraduate students who were taking the research method course at the Sudan University of Science and Technology for the first time. The analysis of diary entries revealed eight library constructs named Sudanese Library Anxiety Construct (SULAC). The constructs comprises Negative perceptions towards academic library environment, Negative perceptions towards library staff, Affective barriers, Negative perceptions towards peers, Negative perceptions towards library services, Negative perceptions towards library collections, Negative perceptions towards library regulations, and Cognitive barriers. Details of factors underlying each construct are described.

Abstract: Explores the use of an assessment instrument based on a model named library information systems security assessment model (LISSAM) to assess the 155 status in special and public libraries in Malaysia. The study aims to determine the implementation status of technological and organizational components of the LISSAM model. An implementation index as well as a scoring tool is presented to assess the IS safeguarding measures in a library. Data used was based on questionnaires distributed to a total of 50 individuals who are responsible for the information systems (IS) or IT in the special and public libraries in Malaysia. Findings revealed that over 95% of libraries have high level of technological implementation but 54% were fair poorly on organizational measures, especially on lack of security procedures, administrative tools and awareness creation activities.

Abstract: This paper presents findings from a case study investigating secondary school teachers' understanding of the term digital libraries and their relationship with learning. The study addresses two research questions: (1) How do teachers conceptualize digital libraries, their relevance and issues relating to their integration into the curriculum? and (2) What are the teachers' perceptions of the initiative to develop a collaborative digital library for school projects? A series of interviews were carried out on six History subject teachers which provide a detailed and succinct information on their understanding of digital libraries, their knowledge and use of the Internet and digital resources, their perception of the possible impact of digital resources on teaching and learning, the benefits teachers seen in digital resources and the problems they have in using them. It also offers important insights on History subject teachers' perceptions of the initiative to develop a collaborative digital library for History projects, perception of its potential use, pointing out the conditions that facilitate its use in the classrooms. The paper also points out the relevance of digital libraries to the History curriculum which will make readers understand that using the technology is relevant to the teaching of all subjects.

Abstract: This study examines 462 papers on Nipah virus research published from 1999 to 2010, identifying the active authors, institutions and citations received. Data was extracted from xD;SCI-Expanded database, (Web of Science) and analyzed using descriptive figures and tables. The results show the growth of publication is incremental up to 2010 even though the average citations received is decreasing. The ratio of authors to articles is 1330: 426. The active contributing countries are USA (41.0%), Australia (19.3%), Malaysia (16.0%), England (6.5%) and France (5.6%). The productive authors are mainly affiliated to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, USA and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia and University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. A total of 10572 citations were received and the ratio of articles to citation is 1: 24.8. Collaboration with the bigger laboratories in USA and Australia is contributive to the sustained growth of published literature and to access diverse expertise.

Abstract: This study shows how a journal's influence can be calculated by using citations obtained from Google Scholar and other methods even though the journal is not covered by any citation databases. Influence is measured in terms of foreign contributions, 'equivalent' immediacy scores of recent articles, and the calculation of citations and 'equivalent' impact factor. A total of 580 articles published in the Medical Journal of Malaysia (KM) between 2004 and 2008 served as the sample. Very few foreign authors contributed to MJM (12.5%), implying its low regional acceptance as a channel for research communication. Immediacy scores for each year indicate citations were received by recently published articles. A total of 1,164 citations were received by 446 of the 580 articles and the main citing sources were journals (1,083) with reasonable is index and impact factor. Yearly impact scores ranged between 0.367 and 0.616. Higher impact factor scores were obtained by older articles. (C) S.A. Sanni and A.N. Zainab 2011

Abstract: This study examines the literature on library security and collection security to identify factors to be considered to develop a collection security management assessment instrument for university libraries. A "house" model was proposed consisting of five factors; collection security governance, operations and processes, people issues, physical and technical issues and the security culture in libraries. An assessment instrument listing items covering the five factors was pilot tested on 61 samples comprising chief librarians, deputy librarians, departmental, sectional heads and professional staff working in four university libraries in Nigeria. The level of security implementation is assessed on a scale of 1=not-implemented, 2=planning stage, 3=partial implementation, 4=close to completion, and 5=full implementation. The instrument was also tested for reliability. Reliability tests indicate that all five factors are reliable with Cronbach's alpha values between 0.7 and 0.9, indicating that the instrument can be used for wider distribution to explore and assess the level of collection security implementation in university libraries from a holistic perspective.

Abstract: Philology studies are often associated with traditional methods of teaching and learning. This study explores the possibility of e-learning adoption amongst Malay manuscripts learning community. The Soft System Methodology (SSM) is used to guide the investigation. SSM emphasises on understanding the problem situations faced by Malay manuscript learning community and expresses the situations in rich pictures. The manuscript learning community comprises lecturers, students and researchers in the field of philology. Data were gathered from interviews, focus group discussions and observations. Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya is the case study setting, focusing on lecturers who teach and students who enrol in a philology course as well as doctoral students researching on manuscript studies. The findings highlight problems faced by the various stakeholders and propose solutions in the form of a conceptual model for a collaborative electronic platform to improve teaching and learning as well as utilizing digitized manuscript surrogates held in a digital library of Malay manuscripts.

Abstract: Presents the result of the calculated IS! equivalent Impact Factor, Relative Diffusion Factor (RDF), and Journal Diffusion Factor (JDF) for articles published in the Medical Journal of Malaysia (MJM) between the years 2004 and 2008 in both their synchronous and diachronous versions. The publication data are collected from MyAis (Malaysian Abstracting & Indexing system) while the citation data are collected from Google Scholar. The values of the synchronous JDF ranges from 0.057 - 0.14 while the diachronous JDF ranges from 0.46 - 1.98. The high diachronous JDF is explained by a relatively high number of different citing journals against the number of publications. This implies that the results of diachronous JDF is influenced by the numbers of publications and a good comparison may be one of which the subject of analysis have similar number of publications and citations period. The yearly values of the synchronous RDF vary in the range of 0.66 - 1.00 while diachronous RDF ranges from 0.62 - 0.88. The result shows that diachronous RDF is negatively correlated with the number of citations, resulting in a low RDF value for highly cited publication years. What this implies in practice is that the diffusion factors can be calculated for every additional year at any journal level of analysis. This study demonstrates that these indicators are valuable tools that help to show development of journals as it changes through time.

Abstract: It is difficult to determine the influence and impact of journals which are not covered by the ISI databases and Journal Citation Report. However, with the availability of databases such as MyAIS (Malaysian Abstracting and Indexing System), which offers sufficient information to support bibliometric analysis as well as being indexed by Google Scholar which provides citation information, it has become possible to obtain productivity, citation and impact information for non-ISI indexed journals. The bibliometric tool Harzing's Publish and Perish was used to collate citation information from Google scholar. The study examines article productivity, the citations obtained by articles and calculates the impact factor of Medical Journal of Malaysia (MJM) published between 2004 and 2008. MJM is the oldest medical journal in Malaysia and the unit of analysis is 580 articles. The results indicate that once a journal is covered by MyAIS it becomes visible and accessible on the Web because Google Scholarindexes MyAIS. The results show that contributors to MJM were mainly Malaysian (91%) and the number of Malaysian-Foreign collaborated papers were very small (28 articles, 4.8%). However, citation information from Google scholar indicates that out of the 580 articles, 76.8% (446) have been cited over the 5-year period. The citations were received from both mainstrean foreign as well as Malaysian journals and the top three citors were from China, Malaysia and the United States. In general more citations were received from East Asian countries, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The 2-yearly impact factor calculated for MJM is 0.378 in 2009, 0.367 in 2008, 0.616 in 2007 and 0.456 in 2006. The 5-year impact factor is calculated as 0.577. The results show that although MJM is a Malaysian journal and not ISI indexed its contents have some international significance based on the citations and impact score it receives, indicating the importance of being visible especially in Google scholar.

Abstract: Library anxiety is one of the psychological barriers that encounter students when they are performing a library task. This study explores library anxiety among 51 Sudanese university students using diary method for data collection. The finding indicates that library anxiety among Sudanese university students are manifested into five dimensions, namely; (a) Negative perceptions towards library environment, (b) Negative perceptions towards peer students, (c) Negative perceptions towards library staff, (d) Negative perceptions towards library services, and (e) Psychological barriers. Details of statements under the dimensions highlight the issues that are unique and not covered by previous studies in library anxiety.

Abstract: This paper describes the growth of Open Access (OA) repositories and journals as reported by monitoring initiatives such as ROAR (Registry of Open Access Repositories), Open DOAR (Open Directory of Open Access Repositories), DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), Directory of Web Ranking of World Repositories by the Cybermetrics Laboratory in Spain and published literature. The performance of Malaysian OA repositories and journals is highlighted. The strength of OA channels in increasing visibility and citations are evidenced by research findings. It is proposed that libraries champion OA initiatives by making university or institutional governance aware; encouraging institutional journal publishers to adopt OA platform; collaborating with research groups to jumpstart OA institutional initiatives and to embed OA awareness into user and researcher education programmes. By actively involved, libraries will be free of permission, licensing and archiving barriers usually imposed in traditional publishing situation.

Abstract: It is a common fallacy to assume that undergraduates are skilled in finding and evaluating resources for their various learning needs. Information professionals need to find out strategies and courses of action undertaken by undergraduate students in order to perhaps improve information literacy skills or user education programmes. This qualitative study uses the diary, emails interaction and in depth face to face interview approach involving 14 final year Computer Science and Information Technology undergraduates whom shared their information search and use process. The objectives of this study are to find out the followings: (a) the decision on deciding research topics by final year students; (b) the sources and channels of information they use and prefer; (c) the utility of libraries and librarians; (d) the use of the Internet; (e) the search strategies adopted; (f) their thoughts on intellectual property and ethical issues. Among the main information sources used were the Internet, books and previous final year project reports. They also seem to rely a lot on their friends and lecturers as their source of information. Very few used journal articles, seminar papers or other sources. An understanding of their information seeking behaviour patterns is the focus of this paper. Informants' thoughts and feeling on the library services and the ethical use of information will be shared.

Abstract: The paper describes an exploratory needs analysis for a digital library of Malay manuscripts. The manuscripts are facing several problems, including (a) the lack of trained manu script librarians; (b) budgetary constraints in manual and digital preservation initiatives; (c) the problems in storage and maintenance of the collection; (d) restricted access for users, (e) the need to preserve the fragile manuscripts, (e) the difficulty of undertaking collaborative transliteration work because of the access problems; (f) the dispersal of titles at several repositories which exacerbates the access issue; and (g) a lack of detail in the description in the manuscript library catalogues. The objectives of this study are: (a) to find out the current state of manuscript collection management and practices in selected libraries; (b) to identify the problems faced by manuscript repositories; (c) to study the meta data schema used by repositories to describe their manu script collections, and (d) to identify a suitable open source digital library software to support a digital library of manu scripts. The study gathers qualitative data from an open-ended questionnaire distributed to five manuscript librarians in Malaysia. Cataloguing practices in manuscript repositories were observed and the open-source digital library software Green stone was studied for its suitability. The information gathered and observed which helped determine the requirements of a digital library that empowers repositories in building, storing, preserving and disseminating information about manuscript collections is presented. The design and modules of the digital library are described.

Abstract: This paper covers a total of 82 bibliometric studies on single journals (62 studies cover unique xD;titles) published between 1998 and 2008 grouped into the following fields; Arts, Humanities and xD;Social Sciences (12 items); Medical and Health Sciences (19 items); Sciences and Technology (30 xD;items) and Library and Information Sciences (21 items). Under each field the studies are described xD;in accordance to their geographical location in the following order, United Kingdom, United xD;States and Americana, Europe, Asia (India, Africa and Malaysia). For each study, elements xD;described are (a) the journal�s publication characteristics and indexation information; (b) the xD;objectives; (c) the sampling and bibliometric measures used; and (d) the results observed. A list of xD;journal titles studied is appended. The results show that (a)bibliometric studies cover journals in xD;various fields; (b) there are several revisits of some journals which are considered important; (c) xD;Asian and African contributions is high (41.4% of total studies; 43.5% covering unique titles), xD;United States (30.4% of total; 31.0% on unique titles), Europe (18.2% of total and 14.5% on xD;unique titles) and the United Kingdom (10% of total and 11% on unique titles); (d) a high number xD;of bibliometrists are Indians and as such coverage of Indian journals is high (28% of total studies; xD;30.6% of unique titles); and (e) the quality of the journals and their importance either nationally xD;or internationally are inferred from their indexation status.

Abstract: Single journal studies are reviewed and measures used in the studies are highlighted. The following quantitative measures are used to study 272 articles published in Malaysian Journal of Computer Science, (1) the article productivity of the journal from 1985 to 2007, (2) the observed and expected authorship productivity tested using Lotka's Law of author productivity, identification and listing of core authors; (3) the authorship, co-authorship pattern by authors' country of origin and institutional affiliations; (4) the subject areas of research; (5) the citation analysis of resources referenced as well as the age and half-life of citations; the journals referenced and tested for zonal distribution using Bradford's law of journal scattering; the extent of web citations; and (6) the citations received by articles published in MJCS and impact factor of the journal based on information obtained from Google Scholar, the level of author and journal self-citation.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the needs of digital library stakeholders and how a collaborative digital library might be designed to meet these needs. The collaborative digital library has been conceived to support secondary school students' information needs in conducting school-based projects. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses the Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture as the approach to investigate the user requirements and define the digital library organization, resources, processes, technology and information flows In applying the Zachman Framework and to holistically control the study, the case study approach and multiple data collection techniques were adopted. Findings - Information obtained from these data gathering techniques helps to populate the requirements of the top three layers (18 cells) in the Zachman Framework to ascertain the design details of the digital library's scope, business and system model. The framework requires the abstraction of the characteristics and features of the digital library based on Zachman's six dimensions - motivation, data, people, process, place and time - as well as explains their structures and processes from the perspectives of the planner, owner and designer of the digital library. Originality/value - The paper is of significance in the field of collaborative digital libraries, since the perspectives and dimensions established from the framework comprehensively capture the user needs and context of use, and help ensure that everything relevant to the digital library enterprise is covered.

Abstract: This paper described 1. the investigation undertaken to trace the strategies used by children in selecting books to borrow, use or browse in two children�s public libraries, and 2. map the information seeking patterns adopted by the selected children. The sample comprised 43 children who used the Bayan Budiman Children�s Library, Petaling Jaya and the Kuala Lumpur Children�s Library. The children were randomly chosen, aged between 7 and 12 and comprised those who entered the library with the observed behaviour of selecting books to browse, use or borrow. Two stages were used to collect data; 1. observing the children�s behavior as they enter the library to the point when they pick up a book to browse, read or borrow for fifteen to twenty minutes and 2. interviewing those selected with a semi-structure questionnaire. Belkin, et al�s (1993) information search strategy (ISS) dimensions were used to transcribe children�s browsing and selecting behavior. Based on the observations and interviews respondent�s behaviour was mapped to illustrate the children�s choosing process. The findings indicated that 1. browsing was the most popular method used when choosing a book combined with various strategies such as looking for a book by an author or series, finding a book by subjects, visually or physically scanning and recognizing the physical composition of the book; 2. children based their selection on the storyline, illustrations, cover designs and typography of the books; and 3. the searching behaviour is likely to be non-linear in nature. The majority of the children faced no problems in choosing or locating a book as most are regular visitors. A few indicated being overwhelmed by the library�s large collection or, face initial confusion before they started to browse and interact with resources. Children used visual cues rather from textual information when searching for books, inferring that children libraries need to be supported with adequate and visually stimulating environment to make book searching fun and fruitful.

Abstract: This paper examines the affordances that a collaborative digital library (CDL) can bring to bear on supporting information literacy practices in the digital information environment. It suggests that the digital library can contribute to student empowerment in information literacy practices while searching, using and collaboratively building the digital library resources. To illustrate this, the authors have been experimenting with the implementation of an integrated information literacy model based on Eisenberg and Berkowitz� Big 6 Model and describes the CDL features in association with the information literacy dimensions in this model. The CDL focuses on the project-based learning approach to conduct students� project, which supports specific information behaviors that underpin research and learning such as information seeking, browsing, encountering, foraging, sharing, gathering, filtering, and using. Findings regarding teachers� reception of the digital library are encouraging as they feel the relevance of the digital library to the current requirement of the students� project and its potential to entrench information and resource study skills through project-based learning.

Abstract: The study uses research-based resources listed in two published bibliographies on xD;�Women in development in Malaysia� produced between the pre 1970 years and 2004 to xD;describe the growth and pattern of women�s studies in Malaysia. A total 4037 resources xD;formed the basis of the study. Bibliometric measure are used to indicate the annual xD;growth of literature over the periods, the preferred publication channels used by the xD;authors, the subject areas of research interests, the active authors and the inference of xD;collaboration based on co-authored works. The results indicate a growth in women�s xD;studies especially between 1990 and 2004 totaling 3346 publications, averaging about xD;258 titles per year compared to the average of 36 titles for the pre 1970 and 1989 years. xD;There were heavier activities in economic studies, social-cultural studies, women�s health xD;and welfare and women in literature. The main types of publication produced are xD;undergraduate academic research reports, master dissertations and doctoral theses. xD;Conference presentations and journal articles are equally popular. Most authors in this xD;field are one time contributors and only 18 authors produced 10 or more publications xD;each. The majority of authors work alone indicating a low collaboration rate. The study xD;proposes a collaborative e-bibliographic initiative to serve and sustain researchers� xD;information needs in this field.

Abstract: The internationalization characteristics of two Malaysian journals, Bulletin of the Malaysian Mathematical Sciences Society ( indexed by ISI) and the Malaysian Journal of Computer Science ( indexed by Inspec and Scopus) is observed. All issues for the years 2000 to 2007 were looked at to obtain the following information, (i) total articles published between 2000 and 2007; (ii) the distribution of foreign and Malaysian authors publishing in the journals; (iii) the distribution of articles by country and (iv) the geographical distribution of authors citing articles published in the journals. Citation to articles is derived from information given by Google scholar. The results indicate that both journals exhibit average internationalization characteristics as they are current in their publications but with between 19% -30% international composition of reviewers or editorials, publish between 36%-79% of foreign articles and receive between 60%-70% of citations from foreign authors.

Abstract: This is an exploratory attempt to use a modified version of SERVPERF to assess user�s satisfaction with the services provided by an ISO9000:2000 certified library at a private university in Malaysia where measuring performance would be an integral part to continuously improve quality of services. The services being measured are grouped as frontline, core and peripheral where staff and facilities interact with users directly and where user�s opinions and expectations could be extracted. The clients are undergraduates and postgraduates who use these services and facilities. The results identify services deem important to users of the library as well as the problem areas which need improvements. A total of 274 students comprising 250 undergraduates and 24 postgraduates form the sample. The respondents� ratings range on average between 3.13 and 4.36 on a 5-point scale, implying that the library is performing at an above average level. From 59 service attributes, 2 are perceived as excellent, 20 attributes are considered good, 31 are average and 4 services are rated as poor. A total of 16 services are rated below 50%, which form the priority list of services given priority in the library�s proposed action plan. The good and excellent services would continue to be monitored to maintain their performance.

Abstract: The paper attempted to provide a �picture� of Malaysian LIS research and publications. The study aimed to show (a) the total number and spread of publications produced by Malaysian authors; (b) the active authors; (c) the authorship pattern; (d) the affiliation status of the authors; (e) the main channels used to publish; and (f) the subject covered by the published works. The study confined its scope to the publications produced between 1965 and 2005 by Malaysian authors published in Malaysia as well as abroad. Bibliometric techniques and regression analysis were employed as the measuring instrument. The data was collected from seven online databases and seven well established library OPACs, which are expected to hold earlier and current LIS publications. A bibliometric toolbox was used to feed in text files which provided brief summaries of ranked results, a bibliograph and minimal Bradford zonal analysis. The subject categorization used by Gorman and Corbit�s Model of core competencies for LIS was used to categorized entries by subjects. The results indicated that (a) Malaysian LIS authors preferred to publish in journals (511, 48.9%) and conference papers (474, 45.4%); (b) the publication distribution fluctuated over the 41 year period but the moving average depicted a steady incremental trend; (c) a total of 506 authors contributed to 1,045 publications and 309 are one-time authors� (d) the active authors in LIS are affiliated to 131 institutions and the productive institutions were the national Library of Malaysia, University of Malaya library and the academics at the MLIS Programme, University of Malaya.; (e) publication productivity was related to institutional active involvement in LIS journal publishing; and (f) the main subject areas actively researched upon were collection development and management, information centres and services, and ICT applications LIS.

Abstract: The paper reports on a study that ascertains the factors facilitating students to utilize digital libraries for educational purposes. The study investigates students ICT readiness, usage of online resources and information seeking behaviour of secondary school students with the specific goal of applying the results to the design of a collaborative digital library for school projects. The digital library has been conceived to support resource needs of these students as well provide the space for them to publish their school projects, which are currently submitted handwritten. The study uses the case study approach and an urban secondary school in Malaysia is chosen as the case school. Findings from a survey and focus group interviews indicate that the students are ready to collaboratively build the digital library resources as evidenced by students digital library readiness score of 31.4/40.

Abstract: This paper describes the digital library of historical resources, a research project which involves building a testbed for the purpose of developing and testing new collaborative digital library functionality and presents an initial analysis of the digital library's public use on the web. The digital library is modeled to focus on serving secondary students information needs in conducting history projects. As such, in the implementation of the digital library, the use of online resources would be an integral part of history project based learning activities. Students should be enabled to access digital resources, create and publish their own documents in the digital library and share them with others. As a testbed system, the collaborative digital library known as CoreDev has demonstrated its capabilities in serving an educational community as has been reflected by the positive feedback on the functional requirements from 44 users. Over 75% of the respondents in the user survey considered themselves capable of using the digital library easily. The beta tester demographics (n = 105) indicate that the digital library is reaching its target communities.

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to examine users preference and use of electronic journals in general, especially those published in a hosting system, Electronic Journal of the University of Malaya (EJUM) Design/methodology/approach - The study utilized the survey method and employed an online questionnaire as the data collection instrument. A list of 330 users who registered with EJUM was selected and an e-mail was sent to each with an invitation to complete the survey form linked to their mail. A total of 140 responses were returned, out of which 102 responses were usable. Findings - The electronic journals are used for searching new information, reading full-text articles, reading abstracts, and browsing the table of contents. Users are led to EJUM by chance while browsing the internet (41.8 per cent) when searching using Google, through citations obtained from conference papers, from articles or citations in databases. About 50 per cent of respondents rated the journals as "good" and 20.6 per cent rated "fair". Respondents prefer keywords (28.9 per cent) and title (24.3 per cent) searches. The majority of respondents (70 per cent) prefer articles in PDF. The majority of respondents read the abstracts first to determine relevance before downloading the articles. Respondents believe that electronic journals will either co-exist with print journals (46.2 per cent) or replace the print journals (25.5 per cent) or supplement (25.5 per cent) them. Users indicate the functions and features preferred in electronic journals. Practical implications/limitations - A HTML indexing page is created to automatically harvest the meta labels from the contents pages of journal issues, which is captured by Googlebot of Google Scholar. This strategy improves accessibility as Google Scholar provides citation and publication counts for articles and authors. A quality matrix for an electronic journal system is presented Originality/value - The study shows the extent to which e-journals are used in Malaysia and provides a matrix of usability features which potential electronic journal publishers could consider.

Abstract: Currently, 13 Malaysian e-journals are found on the Web. Focuses on the Electronic Journal of the University of Malaya (EJUM),which hosts the ejournals Malaysian Journal of Computer Science (MJCS), Malaysian Journal of Library and Information Science (MJLIS),and Journal of Problem-Based Learning (JPBL). EJUMis modelled for uniformity in terms of searching, retrieval and display of search results. Independence is ensured for each journal in terms of editorial policy, style of publication and content. Through EJUM, academic publishers can be involved in electronic publishing. Publishers are able to archive older issues, automate the editorial and refereeing process, and receive subscribers' access reports. Users have varied search and retrieval options and a profiling service to alert them of new articles. This host allows refereed journal publishers to �park' within the system free of charge.

Abstract: This paper reports the results of a user study done at the formative stage of development of a collaborative resource development (CoreDev) digital library for Malaysian historical resources by collaborating partners. CoreDev aims to provide an electronic system to help students obtain information on local history; collect, store and organize information in digital format; publish and share electronic resources. While most digital library projects were driven by technology development and research, there has been little investigation into how to develop a creative, working community around a digital library. This paper presents preliminary findings on students� readiness and receptivity to participate in the building of the digital library as content providers and developers, and their motivation and willingness to collaborate and share digital resources, as well as their understanding of their role in the collaborative digital library environment. Our findings indicate the feasibility of implementing the digital library for Malaysian schools. Series of surveys and interviews have led to rich findings of the students� and teachers� concerns and priorities regarding the digital library. Insights from these descriptions will then be used to establish a set of framework and design principles that could be used in designing our digital library.

Abstract: This exploratory study focuses on identifying the usage pattern of e-books especially on how, when, where and why undergraduates at the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT), University of Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur use or do not use the e-books service provided by the University of Malaya library. A total of 206 (82%) useable questionnaires form the basis of analysis. The results indicate even though the students are heavy users of the Internet, rate themselves as skilled in Internet use and have positive attitude towards the e-book service, the level of e-book use is still low (39%). The students become aware of the e-book service mainly while visiting the University of Malaya Library Website, or are referred to it by their lecturers, friends or the librarians. About 70% rate positively on the e-book service. Those who are users of e-books find e-books easy to use and their usages are mainly for writing assignment or project work. Most respondents prefer to use e-versions of textbooks and reference sources. Generally, both users and non-users of e-books prefer to use the printed version of textbooks especially if the text is continuously used. There are significant difference between the frequency of e-book use and gender; between past usage of e-book and preference for electronic textbooks and reference books. The possible factors which may be related to e-book use are categorized into 4 groups and presented in a model, which comprises the ICT competencies of the students, their cognitive makeup, the degree of user access to the e-books and the functional or use factors.

Abstract: Presents a framework for a Collaborative Resource Development (CoreDev) digital library for Malaysian historical resources based on the development of local historical digital content by collaborating partners. The environment would provide the platform for the educational community to participate in e-publishing of resources that can be shared by others. The desired outcomes would be an enriched local content of historical resources on the Internet and ICT-literate teachers and students. The prototype uses a biographical portal as the test bed, incorporating five main modules: (a) off site creation, indexing, searching and retrieval of historical resources; (b) a database that supports multi-format digital resources; (c) simple and complex searches; (d) varied resource display; and (e) basic security features for participating partners. CoreDev is ideal for introducing the use of ICT as a research tool. Teachers can also use it extensively to teach Internet searching skills and make the most of its flexibility to reinforce basic ICT skills.

Abstract: The Chinese born in the Straits Settlements of Peninsula Malaya (Penang, Singapore, Malacca) are called Babas to distinguish them from those born in China. The Babas are rooted from three different races, Chinese, Malay and English and as such their lifestyles show a mixed blend of the Chinese, Malay and European cultures. Because of this cultural background, the Babas exhibited a unique cultural mix in the clothes they wear, their culinary skills, architectural styles, language and literature. The paper describes the characteristics of 68 Baba translated works published between 1889 and 1950; focusing on the publication trends between the period under study, the persons involved in the creative output, the publishers and printers involved, the contents of the translated works, the physical make-up of the works and the libraries where these works are held.

Abstract: Project-based teaching methods are increasingly used in Malaysian secondary school classrooms with the expectations that students will be engaged by the chance to use different information sources creatively and will especially benefit from the use of various presentation types to improve learning. But the challenges of conducting research project independently are considerable. In project-based learning students formulate authentic, meaningful questions, plan tasks, gather resources and information, evaluate information, collaborate with others, and report findings. To support students in these types of activities, students need a full compliment of tools designed to meet the unique needs of learners. This paper examines the affordances that a digital library can bring to bear on supporting students in these activities. In this paper, we identify some of the reasons why a digital library for school projects, built in a collaborative basis, is needed in project-based education at the secondary school levels. The collaborative environment would provide the platform for the educational community to participate in e-publishing of resources that can be shared by others. In the implementation of this project, the use of the digital libraries would be an integral part of classroom activities. Students should be enabled to publish their own documents in the digital library and share them with others. In this case, students should be allowed to create and submit their project report in the electronic format. Teachers would be given the opportunity to utilize their ICT knowledge by validating the quality of submissions to maintain content quality of the digital library, grade projects online, and add links to other useful resources found in the Internet. A special feature in the digital library that allows the generation and submission of project report is highlighted. Some preliminary research findings regarding students� reception of the digital library and their willingness to publish in the digital library are presented.

Abstract: This study describes the availability of quality journals held at the University of Malaya Library (UML) in the field of computer science and compares this to the availability of journal collections in four other university libraries: Science University of Malaysia (USM), University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), National University of Malaysia (UKM), and University Putra Malaysia (UPM). All the universities included in the study have been established for more than fifteen years and offer degree programmes in computer science. Quality journals refer to the 301 titles with impact-factor scores listed in the Journal Citation Report 1999 (JCR) in the field of computer science. The study also investigates the degree of journal overlap among the five university libraries. The UML was taken as a case study to show how overlap titles are ascertained and costs calculated. The results indicate that (a) UML holdings of quality journal titles is poor and that a similar pattern is indicated in the other university libraries (34.22% by UML, 40% by UTM, 16% by UKM, 31% by USM, and 23% by UKM); (b) for the five libraries, out of the 301 titles, 115 (38.2%) overlap, 96 titles (32.23%) are singly-held titles, and 84 titles are not subscribed to; (c) the percentage of overlap is related to the size of title availability; (d) the cost of journal title overlap for UML is estimated to be about U.S.$79,650.40, and the cost of the titles not subscribed to is U.S.$41,440.32. It is proposed that cooperative subscription ventures would help reduce costs and release monies to cover the other quality titles not subscribed to by any of the libraries.

Abstract: Describes a survey of 26 libraries at private colleges and universities (PCU) in Malaysia to ascertain the types of access given to online databases. The PCUs include (a) private colleges that offer franchised undergraduate programmes in collaboration with foreign universities; (b) institutions that are branch campuses of foreign universities; and (c) Malaysian-based PCUs that are owned by Malaysian corporations. Out of the 26 PCUs, only 8 out of 19 colleges and 7 local private universities and foreign branch campuses provide access to online databases to their students. The types of access given are: (a) the private universities provide access to online databases that they subscribe through their own funding and control usage through a mixture of user name/password and IP-based access; (b) the foreign universities with branch campuses in Malaysia provide access by three modes (online databases subscribed from branch campus�s own funding; online databases subscribed by foreign partner university; online databases subscribed by local branch campus own funding as well as those subscribed by the foreign partner university). Almost all PCUs provide their undergraduates with computer facilities to access the databases. A variety of methods are used to promote usage, which include library induction, library brochures, library notices and providing links through the library�s own web pages. Most PCUs do not charge for access and provide users with the option to print, download or receive documents.

Abstract: The study reveals the availability status of quality journals in the field of computer science held in the libraries of the University of Malaya, (UM), University of Science Malaysia (USM), University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), National University of Malaysia (UKM) and University Putra Malaysia (UPM). These universities are selected since they offer degree programmes in computer science. The study also investigates the degree of overlaps and unique titles in the five libraries. The University of Malaya Library was taken as a case study to show how total overlap titles are calculated, and how possible savings and wider coverage of quality journals could be achieved if cooperative acquisition scheme is practiced. Quality journals in the study are 301 titles with calculated impact factor listed by the Journal Citation Report (JCR). The results indicate that (a) the title availability ranges from poor to very poor with 40% by UTM, 34.22% by UM, and 16% by UKM: (b) out of the 301 titles, 115 (38.2%) are overlaps, 96 titles (32.23%) are unique titles and 89 titles are not subscribed; (c) the percentage of unique titles and overlaps are related to the size of title availability; (d) journal titles subscribed increased by more than 50% each year (e) the cost of journal title overlaps for UM library is estimated to be about US$163,170.60. This cost could be reduced and a wider coverage of unique titles could be achieved if the five libraries cooperatively acquire high impact journal titles.

Abstract: The collaboration in science and technology (S&T) is fast emerging in the scientific world. India recognized the importance of international scientific collaboration in S&T quite early and has signed a number of S&T agreements with South East Asian countries. In this paper, the collaboration is presented through the analysis of co-authored research papers published during the period 1996 to 2000 in the journals covered by the Science Citation Index. The study covers the nature and the areas of S&T collaborations, institutions involved, and the impact of these collaborations on their individual fields. It is revealed that a total of 329 co-authored papers were published during the period. Out of these, 214 were published through bilateral and 115 through multilateral efforts. The priority areas vary with the nature of collaboration as well as with the collaborating country. The institutions involved in these collaborations are also indicated. The research papers analyzed reflect the present status of India�s collaboration in S&T with the South East Asian countries. Such a study will help decision-makers to identify the potential S&T areas for future international cooperation.

Abstract: Analyses 68 unique titles of Baba translated works published between 1889 and 1950. The titles are held in the libraries of the University of Malaya (UM), Science University Malaysia (USM), National University of Malaysia (UKM), the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), National University of Singapore (NUS), National Library of Singapore (NLS) and the British Library (BL). The results reveal three periods of active publication of Baba translated works. A total of 18 works were translated before World War I, followed by 10 just after the war, 39 titles were published before the break of the World War II and 1 was identified in 1950. There were 103 persons involved in the 68 translated works, some of whom are responsible for more than one title. The most prominent translators were Chan Kim Boon, Wan Boon Seng, Seow Chin San and Lee Seng Poh. Some of the translators were also be editors, illustrators or editors. There were 31 publishers and 21 printing presses involved, all were located in Singapore. The most active publishers were Wan Boon Seng, Kim Seck Chy Press and Nanyang Romanised Malay Book Co. The translated works mainly cover historical classical Chinese stories, chivalrous stories, romances, folklore and legends. The titles were priced between 10 cents to 2 dollars in Straits currency. The University of Malaya Library held the largest number of unique title (62) out of which 15 were unique titles.

Abstract: Identify five conditions of an information rich society: the existence of a conducive info-structural environment, a reliable and robust ICT infrastructure, a community that is ICT literate, a community that have the necessary information skills, and the existence of supportive governance. The barriers comprise situations that are not in consonance with overall development objectives such as brain drain from developing countries to developed nations, the inability to recognize the potential of local knowledge databases, which if collated and provided widely through the ICT would increase the value and global use, the failure to apply, use or add value to existing knowledge, the lack of information skills in locating, searching and handling information; and lack of ICT skill. ICT is seen as an enabler and not the sole instrument of an information rich society. Describe studies that indicate that the Malay society is not ICT illiterate and do know the importance of IT in their daily lives. The Malays are aware of current S& T issues and readily utilize the widely available public information channels. The Internet is mainly used for communication via e-mails and searching for information. In Malaysia, a supportive governance (government and citizens) is already in place but there is the need to improve the info-structure environment and increase ICT literacy to enable a knowledge-based Malay society.

Abstract: Present the results of a study that compares the perceived adequacy of library resources for research, the formal channels found to be useful in providing information needed for research, the methods used to keep abreast with current research literature, the problems faced when obtaining information required for research with publication productivity of 83 academic engineers and 239 academic scientists from the University of Malaya and National University of Malaysia. Respondents' views were sought on how libraries can improve their services to support research activities. The feedback from interviewing 56 academic scientists and engineers about the results obtained from the survey is also presented. The services that correlate positively are inter-library loans and help from library staff in searching online databases. The sources, which correlate with high total publication scores are research reports, conference proceedings and library accession lists. Scientists who used varied methods to keep themselves up-to-date with current research literature are highly productive. The highly productive scientists indicated the following situations as problematic for them when searching information needed for research: no help in finding information, not knowing where to look for information, not finding relevant information, receiving information too late, and not knowing how to choose relevant databases. This indicates that the productive scientists do need help in obtaining information. The respondents also gave useful suggestions on how library services could be improved to support research effectively.

Abstract: Reports results of a study, conducted with 27 third-year undergraduate students at the Faculty of Information Studies, MARA Institute of Technology, Shah Alam, Malaysia, to evaluate the effectiveness of CoPAS (Conference Proceeding Adviser System), an expert system adviser designed to train novice cataloguers in creating bibliographic descriptions for nine types of published conference proceedings. Two groups of students were involved: a control group, which was asked to provide bibliographic descriptions for nine types of conference proceedings using AACR2R; and an experimental group, which was asked to undertake similar tasks using CoPAS. Results indicated that the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group. Results also indicated that text knowledge can be reinforced with the use of a computer assisted system, allowing students to perform significantly better in specific cataloguing tasks. Students with longer experience in computer use found it easier to master the use of the system as well as to comprehend the content and flow of information presented.

Abstract: Searches made in the CD-ROM databases, COMPENDEX (1987-1999), IEL (IEE/IEEE Electronic Library) (1988-1999) and INSPEC (1990-1998) revealed a total of 389 publications contributed by Malaysian researchers in the field of computer science and information technology. The trend in output indicates rapid growth that is expected to continue in future. A total of 458 unique Malaysian authors contributed to the 389 publications. Collaboration between two authors was the dominant authorship pattern. Single-authored or more than 3-authored works were rare. The active authors were affiliated to a few institutions, with the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Malaya accounting for the highest number of publications, either in the form of journalarticles or papers in conference proceedings. The most active research areas include simulation system, control engineering, computer-assisted instruction, programming techniques, expert systems, asynchronous transfer mode, image processing, software engineering and digital signal processing and applications.

Abstract: This article describes the design and development of an expert adviser to catalogue published conference proceedings. The Conference Proceeding Adviser System (CoPAS) was designed to educate novice cataloguers in creating bibliographic records for published conference proceedings as well as to improve conventional instruction in the cataloguing of conference proceedings. The development tool was Asymetrix ToolBook II. The knowledge base of the expert system was in the domain of cataloguing published conference proceedings and consists of public and private knowledge. Public/published knowledge are the relevant AACR2R rules that were identified based on the nine types of published conference proceedings. Private knowledge or heuristics was elicited from three human expert cataloguers through a multiple-observation approach. The elicited personal knowledge was then modelled into a mental map of their thought processes on how to provide a bibliographic description for published conference proceedings. Based on the mental mapping of the experts, the expert adviser system was designed and developed.

Abstract: Analyse 389 records retrieved from Inspec (1990-1999), Compendex (1987-1999) and IEL (IEE/IEEE Electronic library)(1987-1999). The records comprised 159 journal articles, 229 conference papers and 1 monograph chapter. The subject coverage was computer science and information technology. The yearly output of Malaysian publications indicated a gentle upward trend. The highest contributions was 87 published in 1997. The channels used to publish differ slightly from the norm for scientists. Conference papers were preferred to journal articles. The spread of conference papers used to publish indicate three zonal distributions; the nucleus, moderate and low productivity in the ratio of 19 : 41 : 88, leading to a clustering index of 2.15. This shows that Malaysian conference contributions were concentrated in a few proceedings. No clear core journals can be identified for the journal articles and contributions were distributed in a wide variety of journal titles. Malaysian Journal of Computer Science published the highest number of journal articles. More than 83% of the articles were published in journals from the UK, USA, the Netherlands and Malaysia.

Abstract: Presents an overview of the various Malaysian scholarly electronic journals available on the Internet and describes the issues involved in setting up a journal hosting system which currently publishes the Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science (MJLIS) and Malaysian Journal of Computer Science (MJCS). Both journals are accessible via the Internet in 1999 with its print equivalent still being published and distributed.