Transforming of Nuclear Malaysia library services through electronic-selective Dissemination of Information (SDI): e-sdi

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1 Seminar Kepustakawanan Transforming of Nuclear Malaysia library services through electronic-selective Dissemination of Information (SDI): e-sdi Mohd Hafizal Yusof, Nasaruddin Ahmad, Ruzilah Ehsan & Habibah Adnan Information Management Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, Kajang, Selangor. Abstract In order to deliver its services to the public, library must have initiatives and efforts to attract the public on using their services. One of the services offered by the library is information packaging or Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI). SDI is a service which allows the librarian to serve the user on upcoming information according to the user s interest. Before this, librarian will package new publication or information based on certain topics of the user s requested and delivered to the target user frequently. Malaysian Nuclear Agency library use Integrated Library Management Utilities (ILMU) as their main library system in cataloguing and indexing library materials since ILMU is equipped with WebOPAC, WebInfoline and Article Browsing. The Article Browsing services is one of the services that enable the user to select their descriptors based on their interest and it will be update by the system manager from time to time. This system applied the Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) concept but in electronic form or e-sdi. The transformation of libraryuser-library to user-library-user will encourage the active needs from the user to the library on fulfill their requirement. This paper will discuss on transformation of the SDI services in Nuclear Malaysia Library into the e-sdi in providing better services within the Nuclear Malaysia researcher. Keywords: Selective Dissemination of information (SDI), digital library, online application, information dissemination, information packaging, user needs INTRODUCTION Library is the center of information and knowledge that has been around for a long time ago since the Sumerian, Babylon and Assyria civilization, between the years 300 to 650 BC (Irma Indayu, 2005). The history of library proves that it is important as the knowledge civilization storage center and regional reference center. The primary role of library is to serve the community. No one will argue that platitude, although almost everyone has a different argumentation on definition of community. The national library or public library serves the public, the academic library serves the students and the lecturers; and the special library serves the community in the organization.

2 Seminar Kepustakawanan 2013 Inovasi Kepustakawanan Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Kesarjanaan Library functioned as service provider for disseminating the information that allows user to access the materials in the collection faster, accurate and up to date. Librarian will filter any materials received and classified those material in accordance to the standard and update users about the existence of such materials. This process helps users to get information, especially who are involved in learning, research, policy preparation, proposals and decision making. In order to deliver its services to the public, library must have initiatives to attract the public on using their services. Integration to the latest development, technology also has been adapted into library services and such terms exists for example, digital library and virtual library. Library services also change from conventional approaches into technology approaches such as online circulation, acquisition, borrowing, renewal as well as record maintenance. One of the services that famously offered by the library is Current Awareness Services (CAS). In CAS, users with varying interest are supposed to find out the relevant information depending on their choice and interest. But they have to make some extra effort to be aware of the new information which is also compiled with efforts put by the information service provider. Further, the subject areas of interest of modern scientists and engineers no longer conform to conventional concepts of disciplines (Dawra, 2004). Traditionally, Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) is an idea to make the current awareness service a user oriented one by offering it at individual level of selected items and is restricted to every user s area of interest. Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) is government agencies that under auspices of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) majorly in nuclear related research in Malaysia. There are two libraries situated in Nuclear Malaysia, both in main complex and MinTec Park complex. There are about 18,022 collections consists of books, reference, journal and others (Refer figure 1 on collection that have in Nuclear Malaysia Libraries). With regards to Nuclear Malaysia Library, SDI has been implemented since Malaysia had joined INIS in At that time SDI and CAS had been implemented in conventional way where user filled the request form and submitted to librarian. Librarian will find the information requested and sent it to the user. User will be updated regularly if there are new updates on information they requested. This service allows the user to receive update information in accordance to their research interest. Since 2009, this traditional system then transform into electronic version called e-sdi. e-sdi has introduced by using ILMU system where registered user can utilize this system online via Nuclear Malaysia Library Portal.

3 Seminar Kepustakawanan Figure 1. Nuclear Malaysia Library Collection (Source: ILMU, 2014) LITERATURE REVIEW Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) The concept of SDI was firstly introduced by H. Peter Luhn in 1958, who named this system as SDI service (Dawra, 2004). According to Hensley (1963), Selective Dissemination of Information Service (SDI) refers to tools and resources used to inform users of the existence of a source of information in a specific topic. Taylor (1978) has described SDI as the provision of current awareness services by the matching of an interest profile against current computer readable files. These interest profiles maybe designed to serve individuals, small groups with complementary interests and larger audience (standard profile). Meanwhile, Kartz (1992) defined SDI, as a term commonly employed in the computer-assisted search. It is a way of saying that once a day once a week, or once a month, the librarian searches the available new literature and prepares a bibliography of materials likely to be of interest to a particular person. In this way the material is selected from the latest periodical indexes, database and information is disseminated to the user. Irma Indayu (2005) defined, Selective Dissemination of Information is a service that matching clients with the necessary information. Prior to the implementation of the SDI, library needs to identify the customer s requirements and needs of information and the customer s profile should be stored and updated accordingly. UNESCO has defines SDI as the regular provision of scientific information to individuals or corporate users on predetermined subjects (interest profiles). Meanwhile, Dr. S.R. Ranganathan defines SDI as documentation list on a specific topic anticipated to engage the attention of the member of the parent body (Hossain and Islam, 2008). Both Hossain and Islam (2008) also has defined in a comprehensive sense that, SDI is a type of current awareness service which under optimum conditions involves screening of documents, selecting information exactly tailored to meet the specific research needs of each user or a group of users and supplying the information directly to each individual or group so that user can keep abreast of the latest developments in the area of his specialization.

4 SDI services Seminar Kepustakawanan 2013 Inovasi Kepustakawanan Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Kesarjanaan The SDI services requires the users to fill up the form known as user profiles form, where the user should indicate the purpose of research or interest. Users also need to specify the subject matter of interests or needs. For example, if users are interested in solar technology, he needs to apply for solar technology related materials to be supplied. Through this service, if there are new related materials available in the library, users will continue to be informed and if the user interested, they will inform the library. This service has become more popular nowadays as it facilitates the user individually and the information transaction become faster and up-to-date. It saves time and energy of the users as well as new and up-to-date information relevant to the field of endeavor or interested in easily get through the library. This service shows the important of library s role in nowadays environment. In line with current development, this system was removed from conventional way to technology by using computer and network system. User must sign in or registered as members to get benefit on this system. Task of librarian to maintain the system by indexing the materials and keywords and user must develop their own profile called user profile. Material will be updated and matched with user need can be downloading directly from the system. In order to effectively target the right information to the right people, SDI systems rely upon user profiles. Current SDI systems typically use simple keywords matching or bag of words information retrieval techniques to represent user profiles and match them against new data items (Altinel and Franklin, 2000). The main elements of SDI are user profiles and subject provided. User profile is structured representations that contain personal data, interest and preferences of library users. Meanwhile, subject interests are listing of descriptors that matching with the interest or research of library users. User profile will develop by user by themselves meanwhile subject interests provided by the librarian. Traditionally, user can express their interest by fill the profile form. Nowadays, in order to standardize the system, subjects were provided by the librarian and user s task is to choose the subjects interested.

5 Seminar Kepustakawanan Figure 2. Example of user profile Figure 3. Example of subject listing Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) service in Malaysian Nuclear Agency Library Malaysian Nuclear Agency Library (Nuclear Malaysia Library) has introduced SDI services in 1978, the year when Nuclear Malaysia, at that time known as the Pusat Penyelidikan Tun Dr. Ismail (PUSPATI) is accepted as a member of the International Nuclear Information System (INIS). Initially this service is carried out manually; with the user profile form circulated to staff of the Agency especially researchers. Researchers who are interested to use this service will fill the profile form and sent it back to the library. The library will provides information referring to the subject specified in the user profile form every 6 months if there are new updates available.

6 Seminar Kepustakawanan 2013 Inovasi Kepustakawanan Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Kesarjanaan However, this service is lacking of use because of few problems such as inconsistent acquisition of material and costs for its purchasing. In addition, users can get desired material from other sources such as the internet and databases subscribed by the universities. This is due to the fact that, during those days many researchers were furthering studies at the local or overseas universities, which they can utilized the universities subscription to the database that correspond to their fields of study or research. Implementations of e-sdi service in Malaysian Nuclear Agency Library Historically, the transformation of SDI service in Nuclear Malaysia Library was started when the new integrated library management system introduced. On December 2005, Nuclear Malaysia Library has purchased and started to use Integrated Library Management Utilities (known as the ILMU System). This system is used for cataloging of the library materials, especially books. Online public access catalog for the users to access library materials is known as WebOPAC. WebOPAC is a web base catalog that can be access either by registered or non-registered users. This system also provides several modules in the library management such as purchasing books and indexing module known as the IRS module (Information Retrieval System Module). IRS module is use for indexing materials from the agencies internal reports that have been deposited to the library, selected articles from INIS, papers from the convention/seminar presented by staff of the agencies and selected news clippings/articles from the local daily newspapers. IRS module provides two services to the library users which are WebInfoline and Article Browsing. Both services are only offer to the registered library users because searching only is done using provided user ID and password. WebInfoline is the online public access catalog for the articles that have been indexes using IRS module and stored in ILMU system. WebInfoline offer users to do searching by basic search and guided search. Article Browsing is a service that enables the users to select their descriptors based on their subject interest or research. The descriptors are based on INIS Thesaurus that published by INIS Experts in collaboration with Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE). Indexing process has been maintained by skills and trained indexer. This system applied the SDI concept but in electronic form or e-sdi. Users are offered to create their own profile based on their subject interests. They are also allowed to update their profile from time to time. Automatically, user will be provided materials based on their selected descriptors. Self maintenance of user profile will facilitate user as they can do that process from their own computer either at home of office. Links to the abstracts or the full articles are also available to enable users to download and read as well as make reference directly to the materials required. This concept is implements of user-library-user. This transformation of library-user-library to user-library-user will encourage the active needs from the user to the library on fulfill their requirement. This concept is one of the requirements in implementation digital libraries.

7 PROBLEM STATEMENTS Seminar Kepustakawanan Since Nuclear Malaysia establishment in 1970s, Information Management Division is a responsible division to preserve Agency s materials such as internal research report, working papers from seminar/workshop/convention, theses, newspaper cuttings and CD- ROMs. All the materials require proper preservation system where it can be retrieved for future references. Nuclear Malaysia Library opts for ILMU system to make library systematically managed. All the transaction such as registration of new user, borrows and renewal as well as records maintenance are done through this system. Besides that, ILMU also provided another module, Information Retrieval System (IRS) module where material such as articles, reports, newspapers and lecture notes can be indexed. Application of IRS will enhance library services by providing online documents to their user or customers. It will enrich the sources besides preserving the material for future generations. This project started in 2009 and initially, only INIS document and internal reports are indexed through this system. In 2012, newspaper cutting related to Agency s business also being indexed through IRS and user can retrieve that information from their computer, regardless in the office or at home. Unfortunately, this service is not fully utilized by the Nuclear Malaysia staff because they are not aware of its existence. Efforts have been taken to arrange briefing sessions to all Nuclear Malaysia s division, concerning the products and services offered by the Nuclear Malaysia Library including e-sdi services. A total of 10 briefing sessions were organized from January to April 2013, followed by another 10 session from February to April OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY The main objectives of this paper are to review e-sdi services in Nuclear Malaysia Library as well as to describe conceptual workflow of this system. The choice of methodology used is by observing the system internally besides some reviewing on literatures that focused on this service. e-sdi IN NUCLEAR MALAYSIA LIBRARY PORTAL Material for Nuclear Malaysia e-sdi There are three main sources for this services; extracted documents from INIS, newspaper cutting and internal documents preserved by the Agency. For INIS, materials extracted are full-text proceedings and reports and must be in English. The sources of newspaper cutting are from main and most circulated newspaper such as Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, News Strait Time, Kosmo, Nanyang Siang Pau, Harian Metro and China Press. Usually, for these two types of sources, there is full-text embedded so that user can download the full-text directly to their computer. Meanwhile, for Agency s internal reports, only bibliographic records and for full-text available, but user can request through Library or Information Services Unit for the document needed. Until now, there are almost documents

8 Seminar Kepustakawanan 2013 Inovasi Kepustakawanan Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Kesarjanaan indexed and around descriptors have been recorded through the system. Chart 1 shows the percentage of materials indexed in ILMU until June2014. Chart 1. Percentage of indexed materials in Nuclear Malaysia Library Indexing process for e-sdi All the materials in e-sdi are indexed using Machine Readable Cataloging 21 (MARC 21) format through Integrated Library Management Utilities (ILMU). This ILMU system was applied by Nuclear Malaysia since 2005 and initially, this system was used for book cataloging and record maintenance. This e-sdi was indexed through Information Retrieval System (IRS) module. This IRS was applied for indexing and abstracting. Indexing and abstracting functions enables a library to digitize and index its newspaper cuttings, seminar papers, business plans, lecture notes, magazines and journal articles. User can access the information via a web browser using WebInfoline or Article Browsing Module as explained in next chapter. Figure 4 and 5 below, show the process of indexing material into the system.

9 Seminar Kepustakawanan Figure 4. Example of document that have been indexed Figure 5. Indexed document can be access through Nuclear Malaysia Library portal Accessing e-sdi e-sdi in Nuclear Malaysia Library can be accessed through Nuclear Malaysia Library portal, User can access this service by WebInfoline and Article Browsing modules, both have the same sources but different ways of access.

10 Seminar Kepustakawanan 2013 Inovasi Kepustakawanan Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Kesarjanaan Article Browsing is a module that use the e-sdi application where user must choose their own interested keywords and developing then their own user profile. Unlike WebOPAC which is using open access, user do not need to log in to use the module, WebInfoline and Article Browsing, both services need user to log in first before can continue into accessing the material reside. Figure 6 below show the flow chart of indexing the material into the system until user can access the records and retrieve information needed. Figure 6. Material indexing flow chart In this paper, Article Browsing module will be discussed because of its roles is more into e- SDI compared to WebInfoline. Through Article Browsing module, user can develop their own user profile based on keywords provided. For example, if the user has interest in knowledge management, the keywords relates to this subject will be automatically choose for the user profile. Indexer will provide the keywords and descriptors in Nuclear Malaysia Library, based on INIS Thesaurus that has developed by INIS Secretariat in IAEA Headquarter in Vienna, Austria. The responsibility of Indexer is to index materials that have been selected from several resources such as paper cutting, INIS and internal reports published by the Agency. Chosen material will be given full description such as sources and descriptors by Subject Matter Expert appointed and system will automatically packaged the materials according to fields assigned. Then the subscribed keywords user will be updated automatically when they access the system in the future. Figure 7 below shows the process of developing the user profile until accessing the documents.

11 Seminar Kepustakawanan Figure 7. Process of e-sdi establishment until document retrieval CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION SDI service is one of the services offered by Nuclear Malaysia Library to their own staff in order to support research and development (R&D) process. Historically, SDI has been implemented in conventional method by circulating forms to the user and gets their feedbacks. This process is known as library-user-library oriented. Time elapsed, due to several constraints mainly on budget and inconsistent material provided, this service than transformed into electronic version called e-sdi. This is a major transformation from library-user-library orientation to user-library-user orientation. e-sdi in Nuclear Malaysia Library need efforts from the user to develop their own profile based on their research and interest. The roles of library are providing the descriptors and the material that have been indexed, while the user s role is to develop their own profile and choose the interested descriptors. Materials will be packaged and updated automatically from time to time. e-sdi is a continuous process where library must do some programs such as briefing on utilization of this system and sharing its benefits to the researcher s work. These programs need to be organized to expose and encourage the user to fully utilize the system. Feedbacks from the users are valuable for future improvement. Hopefully resources enrichment will help and support the researchers in the Agency to conduct their research by having best quality and updated information. For future research, it is recommended for Nuclear Malaysia Library to conduct quantitative analysis such as surveys and questionnaire to get the clearer view of user needs. In addition

12 Seminar Kepustakawanan 2013 Inovasi Kepustakawanan Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Kesarjanaan to that, the user studies must be conducted to know the user behavior towards the e-sdi or other services offered. Feedbacks form also must be distributed, in order to get suggestions and recommendations from the user regarding the system improvement. Lastly, the system must be maintained regularly and to address the users needs as well as to meet the library goals in providing best quality of information to the right user in the right time and right environment. Reference: Altinel, M. and Franklin, M.J. (2000). Efficient Filtering of XML Documents for Selective Dissemination of Information. In: Proceedings of the 26th VLDB Conference, Cairo, Egypt, p Anon, (2014). Current-awareness service. In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from Dawra, M. (2004). Library Science and Theories of Management. New Delhi: Rajat Publication. Hensley, C.B. (1963). Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI): State of the art in May, In: Joint Computer Conference Proceedings 1963, vol. 23, p Hossain, M.J. and Islam, M.S. (2008). Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) Service: A conceptual paradigm. International Journal of Information Science & Technology, 6(1), p ILMU Reports. Report generated by ILMU System. Accessed in July INIS Website. Retrieved from INSTUN, (2012). Current Awareness Servive. Retrieved from Irma Indayu Omar, (2005). Panduan Mengurus Perpustakaan. Kuala Lumpur: PTS Professional Sdn, Bhd. Kartz, William A. (1992). Introduction to reference work. 6th Ed. New York: McGraw Hill. MacEwan University, (2013). Current Awareness Services, Mahapatra, P. K. and Chakrabarti, B., (1997). Redesigning the Library. New Delhi: Ess Ess Publication.

13 Seminar Kepustakawanan Mohd Hafizal Yusof, Ruzilah Ehsan, Habibah Adnan and Samsurdin Ahamad (2011). The use of ILMU system in indexing information related to nuclear in Malaysian Nuclear Agency. Paper presented in Nuclear Technical Convention 2011 (NTC 2011), September 2011, Bangi, Selangor. Taylor, L.J. (1978). A librarian s handbook vol. 2. London: The Library Association.