Special selection on advances in information and knowledge management
Recently, we have started selecting articles of similar themes for regular issues and writing editorials to guide readers better to the Library Hi Tech and other related literature, such as “Bibliometrics and literature review” Chiu and Ho (2021, 2022a, 2023a) in 39(4), 40(3) and 41(2), “Contemporary digital culture and reading” (Chiu and Ho, 2022b) in 40(5), “Contemporary Social Media and Social Network Research” (Chiu and Ho, 2023b) in 41(3), and “40th anniversary: contemporary library research” (Chiu and Ho, 2022c) in 40(6).
COVID-19 has seriously affected many educational institutions, libraries and museums (Fasae et al., 2021; Huang et al., 2021, 2022, 2023; Guo et al., 2021; Meng et al., 2023; Yu et al., 2023), though we are now recovering (Abbass et al., 2022; Suh and Alhaery, 2022; Kumar et al., 2021). Various high-quality online information services have provided information access during the lockdown (Cheng et al., 2022; Cheng, 2022; Ding et al., 2021b; Hsieh et al., 2023; Lo and Chiu, 2015; Lo et al., 2015, 2017; Suen et al., 2020; Sun et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2016; Wong and Chiu, 2023b; Fan and Liu, 2022; Zuo et al., 2023; Wang et al., 2022a,b; Wong et al., 2023a), as supported by ubiquitous mobile Internet services, social media, apps and devices (Dukic et al., 2015; Ezeamuzie et al., 2022; Fan et al., 2020; Fung et al., 2016; Gong et al., 2017; Hui et al., 2023; Lau et al., 2017, 2020; Law et al., 2019; Ni et al., 2022; Yip et al., 2021).
Moreover, the pandemic has accelerated service transformation (Chan and Chiu, 2022; Cheng et al., 2022; Chin and Chiu, 2023; Hsu and Lin, 2021; Khan and Ayesha, 2022; Kelner et al., 2022; Li et al., 2023a, b, c; Lin et al., 2022; Lo et al., 2020; Noh, 2022; Nwagwu and Matobako, 2022; Okunlaya et al., 2022; Tsang and Chiu, 2022; Tse et al., 2022; Yao et al., 2023; Wong and Chiu, 2023a; Wu et al., 2022a, b, 2023; Xue et al., 2023), leading to various recent advancements in information and knowledge management. In this issue, we present 12 papers that research various contemporary issues related to information and knowledge management.
Advances in library information management
People have changed their information habits to digital, particularly for the newer generation (Cheung et al., 2023; Dai and Chiu, 2023; Guo et al., 2022; Nguyen and Le, 2021; Leung et al., 2022; Li et al., 2021; Lu et al., 2023; Soroya and Faiola, 2023; Sung and Chiu, 2022; Yi and Chiu, 2023; Yu et al., 2022; Wong and Chiu, 2023c; Wong et al., 2023b; Wu and Zhang, 2022). Further, digitalization technology enables libraries and scholars to share links and content on social media to attract users (Banshal et al., 2022; Lo et al., 2019; Ocran and Afful-Arthur, 2022; Pianzola et al., 2022; Yang et al., 2020; Wu et al., 2022a; Wu, 2022; Xu and Du, 2022). In particular, e-loyalty and e-trust are essential for digital service adoption and usage continuance (Chan et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2022b; Yin et al., 2023).
In this issue, Anser et al. (2023) conducted a quantitative survey with a cross-sectional design to investigate how e-service quality and e-trust may achieve e-loyalty among digital library users. Their results revealed that e-service quality positively predicts e-trust in the digital economy, e-trust predicts e-loyalty and e-trust mediates the relationship between e-service quality and e-loyalty links. Readers may also be interested in reading further into e-trust issues on social media (Nabi et al., 2023; Wang et al., 2021; Wang and Tse, 2022; Ye and Ho, 2023; Yuan and Bi, 2023; Zhang et al., 2023a, b, c), contact-tracing apps (Ho et al., 2023a, b) and chatbots (Hsiao and Chen, 2022). Besides, readers may be interested in issues related to library promotion and marketing (Chan et al., 2020; Cheng et al., 2020; Fong et al., 2020; Kwan et al., 2023; Lam et al., 2019, 2023; Liu et al., 2023; Sahli et al., 2023; Wójcik, 2022; Wu and Yang, 2022).
Mandel et al. (2023) analyzed geographic information systems (GIS) research in two databases, Library and Information Science Source (LISS) and Library Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA), and found growth in the last decade for library research using GIS to analyze service areas and to manage facilities and collections. Readers may also be interested in other bibliometrics research and reviews on library-related subjects (Alcaraz Martínez et al., 2022; Borgohain et al., 2022; Nadi-Ravandi and Batooli, 2023; Ding et al., 2021a; Feng et al., 2022a; Kim et al., 2021; Lee, 2021; Nugroho et al., 2023; Nwankwo et al., 2022; Shahzad and Khan, 2022; Wijewickrema, 2023; Zhang et al., 2023b).
Advances in learning technologies
People have also changed their learning habits to online and digital, particularly for the newer generation (Cheung et al., 2023; Conrad et al., 2022; Dai and Chiu, 2023; Dong et al., 2021; Jiang et al., 2023a, b; Law et al., 2019; Lei et al., 2021; Leung et al., 2023; Mak et al., 2022; Sung and Chiu, 2022; Wai et al., 2018; Wang and Xie, 2022; Wong and Chiu, 2023c; Xie et al., 2023a, b; Zhang et al., 2021, 2022; Zhou et al., 2022).
In this issue, Li et al. (2023a, b, c) evaluated teachers' information literacy based on their online information behavior data on online learning and teaching platforms (OLTPs). Their results showed that the high-performance group performs better than the low-performance group in six indicators, and information-based teaching and behavioral research data can best reflect the level of information literacy. Readers may also be interested in reading further into information literacy issues for information professionals (Ali and Ahmed, 2022), students (Soroya et al., 2021), and related curricula (Batool et al., 2022; Li and Chiu, 2022; Yew et al., 2022).
Stamenkov and Zhaku-Hani (2023) investigated education management information systems (EMIS) post-adoption in mandatory settings, focusing on perceived benefits and individual and institutional post-adoption usage. Their survey results indicated that technological knowledge and external information and communication technology (ICT) support directly affect post-adoption usage, while perceived ease of use, usefulness, compatibility, complexity and governmental support have indirect effects.
Lai et al. (2023) proposed an instant response learning supplement tool (IRLST) to facilitate students' independent problem-solving skills. Their statistical result indicated that students' learning performance improved significantly, especially low-scoring students. Readers may also be interested in other online education aids, platforms and related issues (Cheng, 2022; Cheng et al., 2022; Chung et al., 2020; Dai et al., 2023; Kabigting et al., 2023; Li et al., 2023a; Wang et al., 2023b).
Advances in knowledge management
Knowledge management has been widely applied in various industries, including libraries and other information organizations and contexts (Pu et al., 2023; Rafi et al., 2022; Shang and Du, 2022; Zhang et al., 2023a, b, c). In this issue, Ding et al. (2023) explore library and information science knowledge diffusion characteristics to reveal its development trend and influence on other disciplines over the last 24 years using indicators in breadth, intensity, speed and theme of knowledge diffusion. Their results revealed that the knowledge diffusion spread widely to 21 ESI disciplines, and the knowledge diffusion themes are becoming increasingly diverse, deepening and specialization after 2005. Please see above for some selected bibliometrics studies and reviews.
Ramzan et al. (2023) guided transmuters to become data scientists. They revealed that skill requirements and tool usage vary significantly with educational background, and data scientists surveyed spend more time analyzing data than operationalizing insights. Readers may be interested to read more on educational issues related to data science (Ho et al., 2023b).
Song et al. (2023) compared library and information science research fields using CiteSpace to visualize their differences with co-occurrence descriptors networks and burst detection algorithms. Their results indicated that library science has experienced a change from traditional to digital library while information science has moved from information to data focus. Notably, CiteSpace is a common tool for bibliometric analysis, such as Şahin and Yılmaz (2022) for the evolution and trends of local food research, Zhao et al. (2021) for psychological processing of contextual cues, Liu and Li (2021) for land use and carbon emissions and Feng et al. (2022b) for cultural and creative design.
Nguyen (2023) investigated the concept of wisdom in auditing with in-depth interviews and a survey with professional practitioners. Results suggest developing a conceptual framework to interpret wisdom-based decision-making processes in auditing, including knowledge assimilation, judgmental ability and ethical orientation. Readers may be interested to read more on knowledge management for the auditing and accounting profession (Lei et al., 2023; Xie et al., 2023a).
Advances in public/government information management
Readers are reminded that Library Hi Tech not just covers libraries but technology-related topics in a wide range of non-commercial settings. Thus, public and government information management topics related to contemporary technologies fall into our scope.
In this issue, Wang et al. (2023a, b, c) built a usability framework for open government data (OGD) portals with 24 principles and 63 criteria. They used heuristic evaluation to show OGD portals performed weaker in meeting OGD-specific usability principles than general ones, such as insufficient help functions. Readers may be interested in reading more about government data and information management (Al-Omairi et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2022a, b, c; Zhang et al., 2023a, b, c).
Chohan et al. (2023) conducted a quantitative survey to investigate the success factors of the continuous usage intention of IoT public services. They found IoT services' success depends on digital society affinity regarding social sustainability and public value created.
Bokharaei Nia et al. (2023) proposed a conceptual framework for health record data, diseases, wearable devices, social media sentiment analysis and machine learning algorithms to recommend relevant wearable IoT devices. Their prototype result showed a high accuracy rate in social media sentiment analysis and their machine-learning algorithms over multiple disease-detection stages. They further proposed a genetic algorithm for final optimization for individual patients. Readers may be interested in reading more about IoT-based information management (Sun et al., 2021; Khan et al., 2022), a related special issue (Cao et al., 2020) and a special section on smart cities (Chang and Abdel-Basset, 2022).
