نشریه مطالعات کتابداری و سازماندهی اطلاعات
سال سی و دوم شماره 3 (پیاپی 127، پاییز 1400)

The study aimed to identify the impact of distress by information and information avoidance on the compliance with preventive measures and to identify the intervention effect of information avoidance about corona virus on distress by information in compliance with preventive measures.

In terms of purpose this is applied research, and in terms of method is a descriptive-survey. The statistical population includes all students of Shiraz University in different academic levels who were studying in the even semester of the academic year 2021 (N = 16643). According to Morgan's table, 375 students selected as the research sample. Data collection tool was a combined questionnaire developed by Siebenhaar, et al. (2020) which had three subscales of distress by information, information avoidance and compliance with preventive measures. Research data was collected after confirming the validity of the questionnaire by three experts in the field as well as calculating the reliability (Cronbach's alpha) of all three subscales of distress by information, information avoidance and compliance with preventive measures (0.788, 0.856, 0.890).

The results showed that the regression model is significant for predicting compliance with preventive measures through the variables of distress by information and information avoidance (F (2, 371) = 18.029, p <.001, R2 = .089). The distress by information explains 13.2% of the variance of compliance with preventive measures (negative and significant) and the information avoidance variable explains 25.8% of the variance of compliance with preventive measures (negative and significant). Findings of block regression model also showed a significant effect of information avoidance intervention (F (2, 371) = 19.628, p <.000) on the relationship between distress by information and compliance with preventive measures with R2 = .096. The distress by information in the presence of the intervention effect of information avoidance explains 34.5% of the variance of compliance with preventive measures.

The results showed that the distress by information variable and the information avoidance variable reduce the compliance with preventive measures. Moreover, the predicting influence of information avoidance is more than the predicting influence of distress by information. On the other hand, information avoidance has a reinforcing intervention effect on the relationship between distress by information and compliance with preventive measures and reduces the compliance with preventive measures. In other words, people who scored higher in distress by information and avoided coronary information more, followed corona preventive measures less than others did.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of semantic web technologies in semantic modeling and representation of scholarly publications (such as articles, books, dissertations, etc.), which is known as "Semantic Publishing ."

This descriptive study was conducted using the documentary method. The "SPAR ontologies" (Semantic Publishing and Referencing Ontologies) were created to describe all aspects of the publishing area. To conduct the research, the website of each of SPAR ontologies and some other related resources were examined .

The SPAR Ontologies are a set of complementary ontologies for the creation of comprehensive machine-readable RDF metadata for every aspect of semantic publishing; including describing the bibliographic information of different types of resources and their parts and components, different types of citations and bibliographic references of scholarly publications, publishing workflow processes (such as roles of agents in the publication process, various types of scientific contributions, different statuses of documents, etc.), and also metrics and statics for bibliographic resources (such as impact factor, h-index, etc.). The SPAR ontologies can be divided into four groups, including ontologies for describing the bibliographic information of different types of resources and their parts (i.e., DoCO ، DataCite ،FaBiO ،DEO, & FRBR-DL), ontologies for describing citations of scholarly resources (i.e., BiRO ،CiTO, & C4O), ontologies for describing the publishing workflow (i.e., PSO ،PRO ،SCoRO ، PWO ،FRAPO, & FR), and ontologies for describing metrics and statics for bibliographic resources (i.e., BiDO, & FiveStars).

Significant developments in semantic publishing, including changing the way of publishing and sharing research data, improving search capabilities, the possibility of more interaction with users, creating intelligent interfaces and semantic web reasoners, etc., reveals the need for more attention to this area by bibliographic data centers and scientific and research institutes. The use of semantic web languages such as RDF, RDFS, OWL, and SPARQL, to help analyze, process, and interpret scholarly data, makes it possible to increase visibility, discover unknown links between works, find related research, and more. The SPAR ontologies provide the possibility of structuring information related to scholarly publications and the opportunity of describing and semantically representing various dimensions of the publishing area. The relations between semantic publishing and scientometric studies, research data management, evaluation and ranking of journals, reviewing articles, etc., will open new horizons in Knowledge and Information Science studies, and achieving this by relying on semantic web technologies can solve some of the current challenges and problems. Lack of attention to semantic publishing in domestic researches and also the lack of researches that uses SPAR ontologies for semantic modeling and representation of scholarly publications in the Persian language requires more attention and focus on this area.

The present study aimed to investigate the potential of citation-based indicators (Co-Citation, Bibliographic Coupling, Amsler, PageRank, HITS) to determine the relevance of articles. 

This is applied research with correlational approach. The population consisted of 26,262 articles in the PubMed Central open access subset of the CITREC, which had citation relationship with other articles based on all three traditional citation-based indicators (Co-Citation, Bibliographic coupling, Amsler). From among the citations in the research population, 30 were selected as basic ones, and the full-text of them were retrieved based on the mesh similarity. Then the similarities among the retrieved documents were extracted based on citation-based indicators. Each of the citation-based metrics was considered as independent variable and the mesh similarity as dependent variable. A MySQL database was created using WampServer simulation software and PHP My Admin. Then, using online demo of the CITREC test collection, an output was prepared.  By entering the output into the MySQL database which contains the research data set, the main structure of its tables was created. Finally, by studying all the required codes from the CITREC source code package, we attempted to enter the required codes by applying necessary changes. The results were entered in the created MySQL database. By writing a query in SQL language, the set citation network was completely extracted and stored in a Comma-separated values (CSV) file. Then, a program was written in Python that could open and process this large file and calculate PageRank and HITS numbers (authority and Hub).  

The results showed that all six measures studied had a significant and positive correlation with the relevance of articles. In other words, with increasing the values ​​of each measure, the degree of relevance of the articles also increased. The highest correlation with the relevance of the articles belonged to the Amsler measure, followed by the Bibliographic Coupling. After Amsler and Bibliographic Coupling, the highest correlation was observed in the HITS(Authority) variable, and the PageRank variable was in the fourth place; Finally, the lowest correlation with the relevance of the articles was related to the Co-Citation and the HITS (Hub). Therefore, among the known Citation- based measure studied here, Amsler, Bibliographic Coupling, HITS(Authority) and PageRank metrics, respectively, had more potential to determine the relevance of articles rather than others. 

Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the citation-based metrics studied are able to estimate the degree of relevance of articles. Therefore, they can be used in various information retrieval platforms, including search engines, citation- based databases, recommender systems, and even digital libraries to access articles, suggest similar articles, and rank retrieved results; Also, the Amsler measure as the less used in information retrieval systems than the two traditional Measure (Co- Citations and Bibliographic Coupling) needs to be considered more than ever. On the other hand, despite the fact that Co- Citations measure is used in some international information retrieval databases (such as Science Direct and CiteSeer) to retrieve relevant documents and suggest similar documents, it is less efficient than other metrics.

To identify key researchers, publication features (e.g., publication year, journals’ name, etc.), thematic trends, and gaps and shortcomingsin the field.

By searching the databases (Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology (IranDoc); Comprehensive database of humanities (Ensani), Noor specialized magazines websites (Noormags),and Scientific Information Databases (SID), 231 articles and 64 theses and dissertations in were identified. After refinements, 22 articles and 33 theses and dissertations were selected and analyzed.

Studies showed that most researchers are LIS graduates. The majority of theses   belonged to the University of Tehran.  17 of the articles are published in scientific research journals the 5 number of articles are published in the Journal of National Studies on Librarianship and Information Organization. Also, most of the thesis and articles are related to Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and Library of Congress Classifications (LCC) scheme. Most of the published articles belong to the authors from the University of Isfahan and the University of Tehran. Studies can be divided into two categories: theoretical and practical. The theoretical part examines concepts, theories, relation between scientific classification and library classification, and position of interdisciplinary sciences that have been welcomed by researchers in the last decade. In the practical part, researchers have studied classification systems, and extension developed in Iran as well asthe function of classificatiom systems in assigning subjects    and creating taxonomies based on the classification systems. Problems with the development of classifications as well as the classification of digital resources and the need to change classification systems have been major challenges for researchers over the years. Research on the classification of audio-visual sources is also insufficient and needs more attention.

In recent years, more attention has been paid to theoretical issues. This can lead to the strengthening and expansion or even changes in classification systems. With the growth of digital resources and the formation of new and interdisciplinary sciences as well as changes in the field of information organization, the efficiency of traditional classification systems has decreased. Therefore, it is necessary to make changes in this area.

To discuss challenges, opportunities and strategies to improve  practice in Iran based on the views of experts. Thematic and Delphi analysis methods were employed .First, transactions  from five Iranian Information Specialists  Annual Congresses between  2015 and 2019 ) were reviewed and categorized. Then, within two rounds of Delphi technique, the relevance and signinficance of each category and theme was determined.  The Delphi panel in th efirsty roeund consisted of 27, and the second round of 24 individuals.To identify challenges, opportunities, and strategies for improving the practice in Iran based on the views of experts. Thematic and Delphi analysis methods were employed in two steps. In the first step, transactions from five Iranian Information Specialists Annual Congresses held between 2015 and 2019 were reviewed. In the second step, the relevance and significance of categories and themes found in the first step were determined within two rounds of Delphi technique. The Delphi panel in the first round consisted of 27, and the second round of 24 individuals. With regard to training and education, the challenges were found to be mainly due to unbalanced syllabi od library schools and lack of up-to-date programs for on the job training.  Also, lack of educational documentation, inexperienced academic educators, uncertainty in teaching new topics, not sufficiently equipped labs. The panels suggested that experienced professionals be given roles in the education of information organization courses in schools and labs be equipped for teaching and research on new approaches, concepts and tools. With regard to research, challenges were identified to be shortage of professionals with up-to date knowledge of recent developments in the field and scattered nature of research. Up-to-date research in this field and the existence of basic professional tools provided by experienced experts in the past are also among the major opportunities. In terms of "professional cases", the main challenges were to the problems of specialized software, the lack of up-to-date professionals, and the disregard for the needs of users.Regarding the "strategic cases", the main challenges are related to the weakness of influential institutions and the lack of coordination at a national and international levels. The panels proposed to form a national committee to review education, to set up laboratories for implementing new models and increase communication among specialists and related sections. developing people-centered information organization. Paying attention to the increasing volume of data with a long half-life in social networks as well as the considerations about the Iranian-Islamic context in the information organization field are among the strategic opportunities that should be considered.In order to solve educational, research and professional challenges, in addition to other measures recommended in this research, it seems necessary to pay attention to strategic issues such as forming specialized committees and organizations and making strategic decisions at the national level.

The purpose of this paper is to answer “Which scenarios and alternative futures can be assumed when new technologies would be employed in the book publication cycle in Iran?” This investigation focuses on the stakeholders’ readiness to face changes emerging from new technologies.

The paper benefits from a mix of methods such as reviewing and analysing global trends of new technologies through documentary research, environmental scanning, organising expert panels and brainstorming to determine uncertainty through participatory action learing. Also, it  exmines the extent of impressiveness and susceptibility of the parameters involving in book publication cycle in Iran through cross impact analysis and producing alternative futures through scenario planning.

Five scenarios were genrated. The scenarios were created based on the two major concurrent parameters which the experts mentioned as the most effective and susceptible ones. The first parameter “concept of technology” is a binary thought of technophobia and technophilia in which a group finds technology an instrument for development and a better situation, while the other sees it as a hindering obstacle., The second parameter “government’s intervention” also another binary situation. in which the government can play a minimal and maximal intervention in the cycle. Based on these binaries, the scenarios were panned.

Based on an analysis of the scenarios and the role of key parameters using foresight logica number of recommendations are made aiming to achieve a preferable situation for the book publication cycle. In addition, ithe paper tried to determine the role of major stakeholders in each of the book publication cycles and their cross impacts to create a preferable future.The experts emphasized that, historically and sociologically speaking, no one can put an end to the role of the state in formation of nation,but its role as governance and administration can be leadership and facilitation.

In January 2020 IFLA Library History Interest Group called on IFLA website for papers to review oral history of library and information science projects at a session entitled "Librarians: Learning from the past to Inspire, Include and Sustain". That year IFLA congress was canceled due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Upon the decision of the Secretary General and the President of IFLA 2021 congress was held virtually due to the spread of this global epidemic with the valuable support of the National Committee of Ireland a who provided a platform for presentations. At the session, four speakers from Ireland, Iran, USA and Croatia introduced projects of oral history in their countries. At the session four oral history projects of the National Archives and Library of Iran (NLAI), including LIS education in Iran, history of the Children's Book Council of Iran, history of the Iranian Library and Information Science Association (ILISA), and contributions of pioneer Iranian professional librarians in developing modern librarianship in Iran were reported.