Thesis (M.S.)--Central Connecticut State University, 2000. / Thesis advisor: Yunan Ju. " ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in [the Department of Communication]." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-57).

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / On title page: Master of Philosophy (Information and Knowledge Management). Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

In today's highly competitive landscape, new product development strategies are imperatives for companies to create and sustain competitive advantages. The objective of this research is to develop an integrated approach to automate, or aid, the design problem solving process. An Integrated Design System (IDS) is proposed focusing on the parametric and detail design. In this system, generation and evaluation of new design problems occur quickly and easily by changing the inputs for the design model. The IDS provides an integrated platform to incorporate available application programs such as CAD and FEM tools into a single system. Four major frameworks, namely information handling, problem decomposition, design space characterization, and problem solving, are proposed and embedded in it to implement the product development process. The information handling includes five aspects. A naming protocol is devised to organize the historical design cases. A search algorithm is proposed to retrieve a design case. A system-generated report is used to distribute the design information. A constraint definition frame is presented to define the relationships between design parameters. Two schemas, information matrix and constraint tree, are developed to represent information in the IDS. A diagonal-centered decomposition scheme is developed utilizing a Genetic Algorithm to decompose a complex design problem. In addition to the conventional genetic operators, two novel genetic operators, unequal position crossover and insertion mutation, are proposed. To characterize the design space, two methods, Incremental Response Method (IRM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), are presented. The IRM is derived from response surface method, while the back-propagated ANN is coded to be self-evaluated. The presented problem solving algorithm constitutes the solving mechanism of the IDS. Based on the assessment of the design objectives, all design parameters are given a priority index to facilitate the parameter selection. An independent recursive method is introduced in this algorithm to handle the design constraints. The case studies are performed on two design problems: a hard disk drive actuator arm and a shaft. The results show that the system can automatically align parameter values towards the objective values in a reasonable manner, and thus verify the feasibility of the embedded frameworks.

Psychological ownership is the state in which a person feels that the target of ownership – whether material or immaterial – is theirs (Pierce et al. 2001, p.299). In the workplace, having staff take psychological ownership of their work is desirable as they are more likely to work towards a successful outcome if they feel accountable as the owners of their work. At the North-West University (NWU) library most staff work on the library system which is adaptable to workflows and offers staff a range of customisation options; a distinction was therefore made in this study between taking ownership of the system on which staff work, and taking ownership of the work they do (the processes). The aim of this study was therefore to test whether staff perceive themselves to be the owners of not only their processes, but also of the system on which they do their work. The study population was 28 library staff members working on the library system at the Potchefstroom campus of the NWU. A questionnaire consisting of the standardised Psychological Ownership Questionnaire (Avey et al. 2007) along with questions which focus on system and process ownership which was developed for this study was administered to participants and responses were captured using Google Forms. Data analysis was done by the Statistical Consultation Services of the NWU. The following constructs were discussed based on the data analysis: preventative and promotive ownership, system and process ownership, the Information Systems (IS) section of the NWU library and their perceived role in system ownership, and the technical behaviour of staff. It was found that library staff take more promotive than preventative ownership measures in their respective departments, and that they perceive themselves to be both system and process owners. System ownership is not perceived to be the sole responsibility of the IS section, but is rather perceived to be shared between that section and the library staff. Generally, library staff report exhibiting positive technical behaviour, and rate their technical abilities above average which was found to have a positive relationship with their perceived system ownership. / Mini Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Information Science / MIT / Unrestricted

The first part of the work is focused on the history and last trend on library automation and integrated library systems, with specific attention on the italian context. The second part evaluates some possible use of open source software in library and open source diffusion in Italy.The third part analyze Koha, an open source ILS, and its possible application at the University of Ca' Foscari Library System.

Today’s library acquisition, circulation, metadata management, cataloging and administration of all kind of resources are too laborious and cannot be performed manually. These tasks are run by or with the help of an IT-system. This master thesis aims to start an analytical discussion of the modern library's central tool, library IT-systems, a discussion much missing in Library and Infor-mation Science. The data on two library IT-systems Alma and Sierra was collected by partici-pant observations, interviews and document studies at Karolinska institute university library and Södertörns university college library.The data was analyzed through actor-network theory perspective. The study’s main questions are how the library IT-system actor-network is assembled and function, and what role does the technology play in library’s practices.The study shows that a complex actor-network emerges in order to automate and computerize library tasks. In this actor-network library IT-systems vendors, the library community, KIB’s and SHB’s practices and the technology are actors who actively impact and affect each other. They are associated with each other through negotiations, a process in ANT referred to as translation. The study also shows that as the actors are not completely in agreement with each other, the library IT-system actor-network has not yet transformed into a fully convergent actor-network which ANT compares to a black box. The study shows that nonhumans, the IT-systems, are not neutral tools. They mediate, organize and document library practices. But they are also a product of modern library knowledge.The study concludes that the fully functioning solution for libraries automated and computer-ized services is the joined production of human and nonhuman actor-network where IT technology play a mediating role.

Sedan digitala bibliotekskataloger först introducerades i slutet av 60-talet och början av 70-talet har det funnits två skilda källor för metadata för bibliotek i Sverige. Å ena sidan Libris, utvecklad och använd av framför allt KB och forskningsbiblioteken, och å andra sidan Burk för folkbiblioteken. Nästan lika länge har det gjorts försök att skapa en gemensam, nationell katalog för alla svenska bibliotek, men trots alla ansträngningar, innefattande ett flertal direkt från regeringen, råder fortfarande det tvådelade systemet. Denna intervjustudie har till syfte att undersöka attityder hos anställda från olika delar av bibliotekssektorn i denna fråga. Även frågor om bibliotekssystem diskuteras. Det förefaller finnas stor enighet bland informanterna om att den bristande samordningen av katalogdata faktiskt är ett problem, men det råder delade meningar om vad som borde göras åt saken, och vem som borde göra det. Studien analyseras och sätts i ett sammanhang utifrån debatten om digital upphovsrätt i allmänhet och Tarleton Gillespies teorier i synnerhet. Slutsatser som dras är att samordning skulle underlättas om biblioteken använde sig av öppna data och öppen källkod, vilket skulle peka på Libris som källa för metadata och open source-bibliotekssystem som Koha. De bibliotek som har samordningsuppdrag, regionbiblioteken och KB, skulle behöva ta ett större ansvar för att samordning ska kunna komma till stånd. Om dessa förslag blev verklighet skulle leverantörerna behöva anpassa sina affärsmodeller för att kunna erbjuda data under öppna licenser. / Ever since digital library catalogues were first introduced in the late sixties and early seventies, there have been two separate metadata repositories for libraries in Sweden. On the one hand there is the Libris catalogue, developed and used mainly by the national library and the university libraries, and on the other hand there is the Burk catalogue for the local public libraries. For almost as long, attempts have been made to create a single, national catalogue for all Swedish libraries, but despite all efforts, including several government bills explicitly stating that this need to happen, the dual catalogue system prevails to this day. This interview study aims to find the opinions of people from different sectors of the library field on this matter. Views on integrated library systems are also debated. There seems to be great consensus among the interviewees that there is, in fact, a problem with lack of coordination of catalogues, but there is less agreement as to what should be done about it, and by whom. The study is analyzed and contextualized utilizing the debate on digital copyright in general and the theories of Tarleton Gillespie in particular. It is concluded that cooperation would be facilitated if libraries made use of open data and open source, which would suggest Libris as metadata repository and open source library systems such as Koha for ILS. Libraries assigned with interlibrary coordination, i.e. the regional and the national libraries, would have to take on a greater responsibility than the local libraries to implement these cooperations. Vendors serving libraries would have to adjust their business models if these proposals were to become reality to offer data under open licenses.

The adoption of Integrated Library Systems (ILS) helps library staff to automate libraries’ routine operations. While some libraries are coping well with automation, others most especially in Sub Saharan Africa face challenges and setbacks. The purpose of the study is to explore the adoption of an open source ILS, Koha, at Kyambogo University Library Service (KyULS). The study employs a qualitative approach where data is gathered using semi-structured interviews. Collected data was analysed using content analysis. The results of the study indicate that the drivers for adopting an ILS in KyULS are: qualified staff members, Koha being an open source software, training, and library automation trends in sister university libraries. The barriers to ILS adoption on the other hand included: lack of infrastructure, internet instability, insufficient funding, bureaucracy and the ILS’s unsuitability to persons with visual impairment. This report further provides recommendations to alleviate or resolve the difficulties that are hampering KyULS specifically and potentially other libraries when adopting ILSs. They include having a well-planned process of adopting the ILS, provision of a centralised and stable campus-wide inter/intranet network, establishment of required ILS infrastructure, sourcing of external funding, carrying out wide spread sensitisation of the ILS, continuously training the library staff members in the use of the ILS and collaboration with ILS adoption champions in other academic libraries. This study may be of value to academic librarians, LIS schools and ILS vendors globally as it helps them better understand the unique challenges faced by libraries in Sub-Saharan Africa. / Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Information Science / MIT / Unrestricted

Sedan digitala bibliotekskataloger först introducerades i slutet av 60-talet och början av 70-talet har det funnits två skilda källor för metadata för bibliotek i Sverige. Å ena sidan Libris, utvecklad och använd av framför allt KB och forskningsbiblioteken, och å andra sidan Burk för folkbiblioteken. Nästan lika länge har det gjorts försök att skapa en gemensam, nationell katalog för alla svenska bibliotek, men trots alla ansträngningar, innefattande ett flertal direkt från regeringen, råder fortfarande det tvådelade systemet. Denna intervjustudie har till syfte att undersöka attityder hos anställda från olika delar av bibliotekssektorn i denna fråga. Även frågor om bibliotekssystem diskuteras. Det förefaller finnas stor enighet bland informanterna om att den bristande samordningen av katalogdata faktiskt är ett problem, men det råder delade meningar om vad som borde göras åt saken, och vem som borde göra det. Studien analyseras och sätts i ett sammanhang utifrån debatten om digital upphovsrätt i allmänhet och Tarleton Gillespies teorier i synnerhet. Slutsatser som dras är att samordning skulle underlättas om biblioteken använde sig av öppna data och öppen källkod, vilket skulle peka på Libris som källa för metadata och open source-bibliotekssystem som Koha. De bibliotek som har samordningsuppdrag, regionbiblioteken och KB, skulle behöva ta ett större ansvar för att samordning ska kunna komma till stånd. Om dessa förslag blev verklighet skulle leverantörerna behöva anpassa sina affärsmodeller för att kunna erbjuda data under öppna licenser. / Ever since digital library catalogues were first introduced in the late sixties and early seventies, there have been two separate metadata repositories for libraries in Sweden. On the one hand there is the Libris catalogue, developed and used mainly by the national library and the university libraries, and on the other hand there is the Burk catalogue for the local public libraries. For almost as long, attempts have been made to create a single, national catalogue for all Swedish libraries, but despite all efforts, including several government bills explicitly stating that this need to happen, the dual catalogue system prevails to this day. This interview study aims to find the opinions of people from different sectors of the library field on this matter. Views on integrated library systems are also debated. There seems to be great consensus among the interviewees that there is, in fact, a problem with lack of coordination of catalogues, but there is less agreement as to what should be done about it, and by whom. The study is analyzed and contextualized utilizing the debate on digital copyright in general and the theories of Tarleton Gillespie in particular. It is concluded that cooperation would be facilitated if libraries made use of open data and open source, which would suggest Libris as metadata repository and open source library systems such as Koha for ILS. Libraries assigned with interlibrary coordination, i.e. the regional and the national libraries, would have to take on a greater responsibility than the local libraries to implement these cooperations. Vendors serving libraries would have to adjust their business models if these proposals were to become reality to offer data under open licenses. / <p>QC 20230113</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T13:53:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MariaITM_DISSERT.pdf: 1350553 bytes, checksum: 48697460834d64c94a81cc553077f873 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-29 / This work aims to analyze risks related to information technology (IT) in procedures related to data migration. This is done considering ALEPH, Integrated Libray System (ILS) that migrated data to the Library Module present in the software called Sistema Integrado de Gest?o de Atividades Acad?micas (SIGAA) at the Zila Mamede Central Library at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) in Natal/Brazil. The methodological procedure used was of a qualitative exploratory research with the realization of case study at the referred library in order to better understand this phenomenon. Data collection was able once there was use of a semi-structured interview that was applied with (11) subjects that are employed at the library as well as in the Technology Superintendence at UFRN. In order to examine data Content analysis as well as thematic review process was performed. After data migration the results of the interview were then linked to both analysis units and their system register with category correspondence. The main risks detected were: data destruction; data loss; data bank communication failure; user response delay; data inconsistency and duplicity. These elements point out implication and generate disorders that affect external and internal system users and lead to stress, work duplicity and hassles. Thus, some measures were taken related to risk management such as adequate planning, central management support, and pilot test simulations. For the advantages it has reduced of: risk, occurrence of problems and possible unforeseen costs, and allows achieving organizational objectives, among other. It is inferred therefore that the risks present in data bank conversion in libraries exist and some are predictable, however, it is seen that librarians do not know or ignore and are not very worried in the identification risks in data bank conversion, their acknowledge would minimize or even extinguish them. Another important aspect to consider is the existence of few empirical research that deal specifically with this subject and thus presenting the new of new approaches in order to promote better understanding of the matter in the corporate environment of the information units / Este estudo se prop?e a analisar os riscos de tecnologia da informa??o (TI) decorrentes do processo de migra??o de dados do ALEPH para o m?dulo biblioteca do Sistema Integrado de Gest?o de Atividades Acad?micas (SIGAA) na Biblioteca Central Zila Mamede (BCZM), da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Assim, os procedimentos metodol?gicos tra?ados constaram de uma pesquisa explorat?ria e qualitativa, com a realiza??o de um estudo de caso na BCZM para detalhar e compreender o fen?meno. O instrumento de coleta de dados utilizado foi a entrevista semiestruturada, aplicada a (11) onze sujeitos, lotados na Biblioteca e na Superintend?ncia de Inform?tica da UFRN. Para exame dos dados utilizou-se a an?lise de conte?do, mediante a t?cnica de an?lise tem?tica. Ap?s a transcri??o, os relatos foram relacionados ?s unidades de registro e ?s unidades de contexto correspondentes ?s categorias. Os principais riscos que emergiram na transfer?ncia dos sistemas foram: a destrui??o de dados; a perda de dados; a falha de comunica??o com banco de dados da Institui??o; paralisa??o parcial do sistema; a demora no tempo de resposta para o usu?rio; a inconsist?ncia de dados e a duplicidade de dados. Como implica??es constataram-se transtornos que afetam tanto os usu?rios externos quantos os usu?rios internos do sistema, ocasionando estresses, retrabalho e aborrecimentos. As medidas para a gest?o de riscos que surgiram com maior frequ?ncia foram: um bom planejamento, apoio da administra??o central e mais simula??es de testes pilotos. Para as vantagens dessa gest?o, tem-se a diminui??o de: riscos, ocorr?ncia de problemas e custos eventuais n?o previstos, al?m de possibilitar alcan?ar os objetivos organizacionais, entre outras. Infere-se, portanto, que os riscos na convers?o de base de dados em bibliotecas existem e alguns s?o previs?veis; no entanto, verificou-se que os bibliotec?rios desconhecem ou ignoram e n?o se preocupam em identific?-los, em uma convers?o de base de dados visando a minimiz?-los ou san?-los. Outro importante aspecto a considerar ? a exist?ncia de poucas pesquisas emp?ricas, voltadas especificamente para esse tema, havendo a necessidade de novas abordagens para elucid?-lo no ambiente corporativo das unidades de informa??o