Completed Awards

"A Fundamental Theory of Knowledge: An 'Idea Collider'"

SAGO, SOIS, 2010

Investigator: Richard Smiraglia
Award Amount: $2000
Funds were used to bring Charles van den Heuvel (Virtual Knowledge Studio, Royal Netherlands Academy of the Arts & Sciences, Amsterdam) to SOIS for a four-day planning session. An IOrg colloquium was held April 21 at SOIS (see podcast), meetings were held with potential team members (including Margaret Kipp from SOIS, Feifan Liu, College of Health Sciences) concerning specific methodologies for the deconstruction of text, including latent semantic analysis.

“CHWPIN. The evaluation of health websites”

SAGO, SOIS 2010

Investigator: Karen Davies
Award Amount: $2000

The evaluation of health websites, particularly health portals, is vital to determine the validity and effectiveness of these websites to ensure that they meet the needs of health consumers. However no systematic evaluation of such sites has been undertaken in recent times and given the dynamic nature of these environments, this evaluation is needed. The objective of this study, CHWPIN1, is to prepare and develop the evidence to justify a larger study on the integration of search mechanisms and the vocabulary and structural underpinnings of those mechanisms in an attempt to create a flexible interface between users and information relevant to their needs.

“Assessing the Treatment of Patron Privacy in Library 2.0 Literature”

SIRG, SOIS, 2010

Investigator: Michael Zimmer
Award Amount: $2000

This project seeks to measure the extent to which the issue of patron privacy is addressed in literature discussing Library 2.0 services and solutions. It will help us understand how privacy is understood in within the Library 2.0 community, and assist in the development of suitable policies to address the concerns of patron privacy in order to assist libraries in adapting to the new information environment.

“The adoption of business intelligence in South African small and medium enterprises”

SIRG, SOIS, 2010

Investigator: Shana Ponelis
Award Amount: $2000
Organizations must be quick to respond to constantly changing business conditions. To do so in timely manner, information about the organization, its processes, and the environment must be available to decision-makers. Business intelligence (BI) is a series of concepts, technologies, and enabling processes that enable effective utilization of information in both strategic and tactical decision-making. Making informed decisions is important for any organization, but is especially crucial for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as valuable time and money cannot be wasted on incorrect decisions when economic belts are already tightened. The role of the SME sector in developing, emerging, and transitional economies is to serve as vehicles of economic development and such businesses therefore require information to increase their competiveness in the local and global marketplace. This study seeks to understand the adoption of BI in South African SMEs using the multiple case study method within an interpretive research paradigm.

“Survey of Incoming MLIS Students to Ascertain Competencies”

SIRG, SOIS, 2010

Investigator: Catherin Hansen
Award Amount: $2000

The purpose of this study is twofold. The first is to determine whether students believe they have gained mastery of the competencies as outlined by ALA between the start of their course of study and the completion of their core courses. The second purpose is to determine if there is a difference in the self-reported mastery of the competencies between online and onsite students. The results of this study may be used to inform curriculum organization and content. If there does not seem to be an appreciable gain in competencies between students starting and finishing the core courses adjustments should be made to the curriculum to increase the levels of competency. Whether there is a difference between students who have participated in the program fully online or onsite will also be examined, and the results can support development of appropriate measures to address disparities between the two.

"Analysis of mid-size Wisconsin Public Libraries and the effect of school/public library collaboration on circulation, program participation and student reading achievement" 

SOIS Internal Research Grant (SIRG) 2009-10

Investigator: Mary Wepking
Award Amount:

With these grant resources, Mary collected, compiled and analyzed the data and submitted an article for publication to Children & Libraries, the peer-reviewed journal of ALSC. The article title is "Public Libraries and Reading Scores: an analysis of mid-size public libraries and the effect of school/public library collaboration on circulation, program participation and student reading achievement."