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1. The Hernquist Library – Changing Bookshelves, Changing Roles
Beata Akersten, Hernquist Library, Sweden Through the use of maps, pictures and text the following aspects about the Hernquist Library and its products and services will be highlighted: Including Research conducted and Study programmes including researchers, Ph.D. students, undergraduate students - continuous education, including international education projects From loans to "capturing, harnessing and disseminating" information and knowledge. SLU library resources. The national research information portal. |
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2. How Information Beats Iron or Knowledge Management Enables Strasser Hoofcare Martha de Jager, Knowledge Management, Deloitte & Touche, South Africa Strasser hoofcare professionals function as advisers and sources of information for those seeking a holistic, natural approach to their horses' health. Information about Strasser's work and the barefoot movement in general is available on a number of Web sites and discussion groups. Strasser Hoofcare Professionals are trained at practical sessions, in addition to distance education. Once qualified, they do annual recertification examinations and support each other by participating in on-line discussion groups. Peter Senge contends that learning organizations require leaders who are designers, stewards and teachers. According to Dr. Hiltrud Strasser, our leader, “The dissemination of knowledge is one of the most important tasks of the Hoofcare Professional, because the goal is not just to rehabilitate lame horses, one after the other; it is to further the understanding of the horse's biological needs in the equestrian community on a global scale. Only through education can we lay the foundation for a lifetime of soundness for horses worldwide.” During a client consultation, the owner of the horse must be informed sufficiently to understand what, if anything, is wrong with the horse's physical or psychological health, with its living conditions, with its hooves, with its feeding, etc., and he or she must understand why these things are wrong. Only then will he or she become sufficiently motivated to see that the changes that the Hoofcare professional advises are conscientiously carried out. In a knowledge sharing culture people are encouraged to work together more effectively, to collaborate and to share - ultimately to make their knowledge more productive. The owner has to complete much of the rehabilitation work on the horse. It is important that the owner understands his role, and is willing to learn and see the horse through.
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3. Mentoring in a veterinary library Raisa Iivonen, Viikki Science Library. Finland What is mentoring? According to Lee Herman (1) some definitions are made first: The libraries of the University of Helsinki have started a mentoring program, in which the Viikki Science Library is participating with six people. The former Veterinary Medicine Library forms now one of the subject fields of the Viikki Science Library and one of its librarians is involved to the mentoring program forming a mentor/actor –couple with a colleague from the Student Library. The poster describes the program of the mentoring process: what is expected? How do the mentor and actor plan their process (“the journey”) and do they find their way home (or wherever they plan to travel). What are the benefits for both libraries of this program? One goal is to gather all the “silent knowledge” from both libraries writing their histories; it is the background for the documentation process of the working practices. Also the spreading of best practices is wanted, deconstruction of automated working processes, creating new ways when thinking and planning work flows. Mentoring is a dialogical process between two persons: prediction of its results is difficult. The program started at the end of 2004 and its duration is one year. What are its benefits to the veterinary libraries community? Can the veterinary librarians and/or animal health information specialists apply internationally the results of this program? There is already a lot of international co-operation between veterinary libraries, why not try mentoring across the frontiers?
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4. The Health Sciences Library as Partner in Case-based Learning Exercises:
the Diagnostic Challenges at Washington State University Sarah K. McCord and Vicki F. Croft, Washington State University , Health Sciences Library, Pullman, WA, USA. The Washington State University Health Sciences Library (HSL) is a specialized academic library at a land-grant public university located in Pullman, WA, USA. This discussion focuses on instruction to students in the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) during their participation in a case-based learning activity known as Diagnostic Challenges (DCs). DCs take place twice during the veterinary students' second professional year and are an intensive departure from the typical course schedule. The purposes of the DCs are to decrease discipline-based compartmentalization of the curriculum, increase the opportunities for active learning, develop students' interpersonal and communication skills, and promote independent learning skills. A literature search is a required part of these assignments. At the end of the week, the teams present synopses of their cases and the clinical reasoning they went through to design treatment regimens. Over the years a variety of strategies have been employed to help students understand both why a literature search is important as well as how to complete one. This summary provides examples of what worked, what did not, and the effects of library involvement in the program on the students' successful completion of the exercise.
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5. OPEN ACCESS ISSUES and how these are being addressed at the University of Glasgow Maureen McGovern, James Herriot Library, University of Glasgow, Scotland The term Scholarly Communication refers to the process by which researchers including academics, researchers and independent scholars publish their work and access the work of others. This process is traditionally carried out via recognised publishing outlets such as peer reviewed journals where the published works are evaluated, made accessible and archived. The traditional system of scholarly communication is no longer working as academic institutions and research centres can no longer keep up with the ever rising price increases in scholarly journals. To continue to meet the needs of scholarly communication, involvement by those working in the academic field is critical, thus ensuring a system that will meet the needs of future scholars and researchers. One of the ways of addressing this problem is the creation of institutional repositories to hold and make freely available scholarly research. At Glasgow University an “e” prints service has been set up and is managed by a project team. There are now over 600 records (including publications by members of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) in the Glasgow ePrints service (http://eprints.gla.ac.uk) The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was one of the first faculties to participate in this service. The service is an online repository developed specifically to provide access to published and peer reviewed scholarly publications produced by Glasgow academics. The articles are freely available to all. Research has shown that articles freely available online are cited more often than those articles only available via subscription journals. The benefits both to researchers and to society as a whole are considerable. For researchers publications in repositories can be accessed by the scholarly community on a scale impossible in paper, research is stored centrally and access is readily available to similar repositories worldwide. For members of the public institutional repositories allow access to important research findings, e.g. in areas such as medicine and science. At Glasgow academics can add publications to the ePrints repository in a variety of ways. Options include self deposit, mediated deposit (project staff do the work on behalf of academics) or records can be downloaded from databases held in such software as Reference Manager and Endnote. Project staff check the copyright agreements relating to individual articles before full text is added to the ePrints service.
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6. Totally E: Meeting the challenge of going electronic only for document delivery and interlibrary loan. Becky McKay, Outreach Services and Document Delivery Librarian Chris Foster, Client Services Manager Martha Bedard, Associate Dean and Director, Medical Sciences Library, Texas A&M University, USA In June 2002 the Texas A&M University Libraries instituted a new electronic document delivery service called DeliverEdocs. The service uses the Illiad software, presents a single interface to our users uniting previously separate campus library interlibrary loan/document delivery departments, and offers free desktop access to any article, even those found on our own shelves. The system is entirely web-based and users can log on to the system to request or pick up articles in pdf format from any computer with access to the Internet. The TAMU Medical Sciences Library serves the only college of veterinary medicine in the state of Texas, and has a strong commitment to serving animal health practitioners throughout the state. In addition we serve a college of medicine, a unique school of rural public health, and a multitude of agricultural extension stations. Our user population is widespread and seldom able to physically visit the library. To date we have 2,508 registered users of the new system. During the fiscal year 2004 we borrowed 6767 articles on behalf of our users, filling and delivering to the desktop a total of 11,526 requests. While DeliverEdocs has received rave reviews from our users, it has not been without challenges. Providing electronic delivery caused significant impact on staff, especially in redesigned workflows, position descriptions, and user expectations for rapid turn around times. Reduced library traffic and new tasks have resulted in a change in our staffing patterns. Technological issues remain a constant issue from our varied and geographically separate clientele. This poster illustrates the effect of DeliverEdocs on staff and users alike. We also discuss some of the future considerations in maintaining the system and the service
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7. Harnessing information resources: collection management at the Veterinary Science Library, University of Pretoria Marguerite Nel, Academic Information Service, University of Pretoria, South Africa The Veterinary Science Library of the University of Pretoria serves the only veterinary faculty in South Africa. Collection development is therefore not only important for giving optimum support to the Library’s primary client group, such as lecturers, students and researchers, but also to support the secondary market, such as private practitioners and pharmaceutical companies throughout the country. Information support is also given to veterinary faculties and institutions in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The focus of this poster is on collection management in the virtual library environment. The goals of collection development in academic libraries are still the same, namely to meet the information needs of users and to serve the research and teaching missions of the university. Today’s e-environment together with the expansion of distance learning programs has led to higher user demands for fast and relevant information on the user’s personal desktop. In an environment where budgets for acquisitions decrease, but user expectations and demands increase, the collection manager is forced to take on new collection development challenges. There are also the issues of access versus ownership and library cooperation and resource sharing as well as the role of consortia. The effect of digitisation on library function areas such as interlibrary loans, the use of information databases, e-journal collections and circulation of printed library material are clearly seen in user statistics. This poster will emphasise how access to full-text electronic journals and databases at the Veterinary Science Library of the University of Pretoria, influenced these library functions and services over a period of five years. The importance of training users to optimise use of these resources will also be highlighted.
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8. Promoting Information Literacy as a cooperative project between five Nordic countries Teodora Oker-Blom, Viikki Science Library, Finland; Anne Cathrine Munthe, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway, Heli Myllys, Viikki Science Library, Finland The project is a good example of cooperation between five countries. Its aim is to reach common benefits and synergy by sharing experiences and best practices between six libraries in veterinary medicine and adjacent subject areas in finding new ways to increase integration of information literacy (1) in education and in the cooperation between teachers and librarians. The directors of the Viikki Science Library in Finland, the Library of the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, the Library of the Agricultural University in Norway, the Library of the Swedish Agricultural University, the Library of the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Denmark and the Library of the Hvanneyri Agricultural University in Iceland are the generators and the guardians of the project. They form the Information Management Group of the NOVA University. The NOVA University is a cooperative network of the six universities of veterinary medicine, agriculture and forestry in the five Nordic countries mentioned above. These universities are in a process of renewing and restructuring their exams in accordance with requirements of the internationalisation and interoperability of higher education in Europe. This offers an opportunity for the libraries to cooperate with university departments in a more systematic way in linking information literacy more closely and coherently to the subjects taught in their curriculum. The strategic objectives of the project are: The NOVA University is financing this project. The planning process, the contents of the common information material and the programme of the seminar with examples from veterinary medicine will be described in the poster. This could be a model for similar cooperation between countries.
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9. The international scientific visibility: the case of the research in veterinary medicine in Mozambique Horácio Francisco Zimba, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Moçambique Suzana Pinheiro Machado Mueller, Universidade de Brasília, Brazil A survey was conducted on the scientific visibility of Mozambican researchers in the area of Veterinary Medicine. Visibility is described as having one's papers readily and widely accessible and being cited by others. The main source to identify Mozambican authors who have published abroad is the ISI Web of Science, and this source also provided information on citations received. The period examined for citations was 1993 to 2002. The study makes use of Schott's conception of central and peripheral countries, itself based on Shils, to perceive Mozambique’s place in relation to other countries. Results showed that works of Mozambican authors received a significant number of citations, 63 for 19 works. All of those papers were written in collaboration with foreign authors, which makes it difficult to attribute visibility of those papers solely to the Mozambican authors. The study raises the question about scientific policies for developing countries, considering that all kinds of partnership with developed countries may contribute to international visibility, but, at the same time other issues should be considered such as national interests or local needs and accessibility to texts published in international periodicals that are not always available within the country
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10. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale” and International Cooperation S. Del Papa, - OIE Collaborating Centre for Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare B. Alessandrini, O. Pediconi - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale”, Italy. Since the beginning of 90s, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale” (IZSA&M) has been supporting scientific and managerial improvement of Veterinary Services in developing countries – with specific attention to East European, Latino-American, Mediterranean, and central and south African countries – carrying out programs and involving its own human, technical and financial resources. International Cooperation was originally developed under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), that recognised IZSA&M as collaborating centre and subsequently upon request of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which asked IZSA&M to care for scientific and managerial training of developing countries. Research projects, training activities, technical consultancy and support including laboratory, classroom and field activities have been carried out thanks to the collaboration of the best internal resources. Traceability, animal database, technical and managerial training, implementation and management of surveillance systems on animal diseases – such as bluetongue, zoonoses – epidemic emergency management are some of the subjects of international projects. Major funds come from European Union, Italian Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Research, and Foreign Affairs. Other financial support is obtained through Abruzzo Region (Interreg and Docup funds). Training shall provide:
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11.A knowledge platform in veterinary public health: the experience of IZSA&M B. Alessandrini, P. Colangeli, D. Orientale, S. Del Papa - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale”, Italy. Information has today a strategic role and the Web can guarantee its immediate availability. Management science considers opportune and appropriate information, giving rise to knowledge , as one of the most important success strategic factors. At Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale” (IZSA&M),(Italy), research is one of the most important institutional tasks and is considered as starting and arrival point of scientific knowledge. Information distribution is critical for the fulfilment of its strategies and the dissemination of the results of research projects is a concrete indicator of goal achievement. Research projects on animal health, veterinary public health, epidemiological surveillance, animal welfare, food safety, and learning methodologies are currently developed upon financial support of the Italian Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Research, the European Union, and other international organisations such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). IZSA&M implemented a documentation system able to further production, sharing, flow, and efficient use of internal knowledge. This arises from scientific research and requires the integration of services and competences within a system for global access, transmission and exchange of information. The IZSA&M project develops an information system able to make visible and accessible outside its existing competencies; a user-friendly database is available on the web and researchers can update it directly. Every kind of document - published or preprint – can be detected and found electronically, through links to the full-text. The software is realised in a web based technological environment, with open source products; it is on line and can find scientific articles published in specialist journals, personal communications, research projects and technical reports produced by IZSA&M. Thanks to this project, the Institute today has:  - simplify information detection, - allow a personalised access to information, according to the access profile, - guide users through navigation paths giving exhaustive but not redundant results, - facilitate access at local, national and international level, - enhance collaborative networks and partnership based on common goals. The final project goal is to implement an ePortfolio, in order to realise the first network of competencies in the veterinary field.
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12. Development of an expert information system for the management of animal diseases epidemics P. Colangeli, R. Lelli - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale”, Italy In the last ten years, the risk of introduction and spread of several major viral epidemics of list A diseases has been constantly increasing worldwide. Italy, due both to its geographical position, in the middle of the Mediterranean basin, and to its being one of the world’s largest importing countries of live animals and commodities of animal origin is particularly at risk. Another important predisposing factor is the complete susceptibility of Italian animal populations. All the available evidence shows that speed is vital in handling outbreaks of infectious diseases. This necessitates planning of a high order and an executive empowered by a wide acceptance of the strategies to be adopted. This project aims indeed to improve the managing skills of Veterinary Services in the event of an exotic disease outbreak, developing an integrated management system, of which one of the main sections is an information system able to guide and coordinate the services’ activities while containing the outbreak. The system has been initially tested in 4 Italian regions, markedly different as far as geographical features and farming practices are concerned: this has allowed us to develop a system better fitting the remarkably uneven nature of Italian territory and livestock rearing. Presently, the system is in the adaptation stage to the entire national territory; new functions are being introduced, especially where report acitivities are concerned. The following objectives have been achieved:
It will be possible to introduce the new version in the EU.
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13. Bluetongue entomological surveillance in East European and Balkan countries: collection and display of geographical data L. Savini, Carla Ippoliti, Sandro Pelini, Annamaria Conte, Paolo Calistri - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “Giuseppe Caporale”, Italy Within the project “Cooperation for the implementation of a bluetongue surveillance network in the Balkan area” a web site was developed to provide East European Veterinary Services with an effective tool for data management, analysis and exchange of information on bluetongue, an infectious, arthropod-borne disease of ruminants. The site was designed and implemented by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (Italy) in collaboration with the Joint Research Center of the European Commission (Ispra, Italy). Following new needs of veterinary services and the evolution of the disease, the site was structurally modified using different GIS technologies for the system optimization. Furthermore, geographical data and relevant attributes were organized in a sole Information System (IS) integrated with a relational geographic database and a new function allowing to retrieve information on the spread of the vector causing the disease. The Geographic Information System is based on ESRI products. In particular, an ArcSde was used to connect to Oracle 8.i database while Java and VB script procedures were applied to prepare Asp and Html pages in ArcIms. A multi-user access was implemented, by activating different working sessions, in order to allow a simultaneous geographical data query and map display to different users. Features in the maps displayed may correspond to a polygon (representing the administrative boundaries in which the event of interest occurred) or to a point (farms where data relevant to the event of interest were collected). The querying system allows to select one or more polygons or points present on the map and to retrieve by the spatial query all the relevant information on the epidemiological status in alphanumerical form; at the same time the ArcIms server shows on the map the selected territory or farms. By linking to the reference database, the alphanumerical database of any country, present in the table shown, can be accessed (Administrative Boundaries) and new data can be entered directly on-line.
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