Abstract

National libraries have recently adopted a quality assessment culture using performance indicators. The project for devising Technical Report ISO/TR 28118 regarding performance indicators for national libraries is explained from its beginnings. This is a specific common standard that permit benchmarking among similar institutions at the international level. The involvement of the international bodies IFLA, ISO and CENL in this initiative is described based on observation of the situations common to all national libraries. The technical process of drawing up the report is likewise described, along with its structure and contents. Also dealt with is the recent experience of the National Library of Spain in incorporating performance indicators to its evaluation processes and applying the ISO report indicators.

Abstract

With the development of collaborative systems, the web users create and disseminate information across the blogs, wikis and social networks. In that dynamic process, transmitter and receiver change roles to generate a huge amount of information that needs to be organized efficiently. We present the results of a benchmarking study, the goal of which is to determine the most recent tendencies for information organizing, navigation, searching and participation in six of the most significant newspaper sites.

Abstract

Uneix, the information system that integrates the management data of twelve Catalonian universities, is described. It tracks needs, resources and results in numerous categories: faculty, staff, programs of study, students, job market for recent graduates, costs, etc. The system is based on three design elements: cooperation, data reliability (with strict quality control), and wealth of information that fits the needs of many user types.

Abstract

 The level of efficiency regarding the production of published scientific research in 2015 for the 48 state universities of the Spanish education system is assessed. It is used a methodological approach based on output specifications of desirable outputs (total amount of published papers in Q1 journals) and undesirable outputs (non-cited publications). Relative measures are obtained under two efficiency schemes, natural and managerial. Results enable to identify certain management strategies to improve overall efficiency at publishing research of the Spanish university system. A higher allocation of budget resources among certain institutions would lead to efficiency gains for the system as a whole. 

Abstract

Secaba-Rank is an online tool that includes Secaba-Rank Universitarias and Secaba-Rank Publicas, which can be used to evaluate both Spanish university libraries and public reading networks. Using a systemic approach, the methodology makes use of second level indicators focused on efficiency. This methodology facilitates the benchmarking of libraries to find models of good practice in order to improve. Secaba-Rank is an essential tool for decision making by researchers and managers in libraries.

Abstract

With the purpose of automatic detection of crowd patterns including abrupt and abnormal changes, a novel approach for extracting motion “textures” from dynamic Spatio-Temporal Volume (STV) blocks formulated by live video streams has been proposed. This paper starts from introducing the common approach for STV construction and corresponding Spatio-Temporal Texture (STT) extraction techniques. Next the crowd motion information contained within the random STT slices are evaluated based on the information entropy theory to cull the static background and noises occupying most of the STV spaces. A preprocessing step using Gabor filtering for improving the STT sampling efficiency and motion fidelity has been devised and tested. The technique has been applied on benchmarking video databases for proof-of-concept and performance evaluation. Preliminary results have shown encouraging outcomes and promising potentials for its real-world crowd monitoring and control applications. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

This paper benchmarks the quality of project economic analysis in South Asia against other World Bank regions, using data on project exits between 1975 and 2015. The results show that the South Asia region performs on par with the other regions, in that the share of project documents that report estimated economic rates of return have declined from 70 to 36 percent for South Asia and the other regions. This finding suggests there is less attention to project economic analysis (especially for sectors where this has been a traditional practice, such as energy, transport, water, and agriculture). The finding also indicates that the incidence of reporting rates of return in project documents and the dispersion or difference between rates of return estimated at project appraisal and completion are significantly correlated with project performance (after correcting for country- and project-level variables). For the project-level variables, the task team effect is a key variable that explains project outcomes. The paper discusses the implications of the analyses for strengthening project performance and risk mitigation. Document type: Book

Abstract

The Hanford Envirorunental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) project is developing several computer codes to model the airborne release, transport, and envirormental accumulation of radionuclides resulting from Hanford operations from 1944 through 1972. In order to calculate the dose of radiation a person may have received in any given location, the geographic area addressed by the HEDR Project will be divided into a grid. The grid size suggested by the draft requirements contains 2091 units called nodes. Two of the codes being developed are DESCARTES and CIDER. The DESCARTES code will be used to estimate the concentration of radionuclides in environmental pathways from the output of the air transport code RATCHET. The CIDER code will use information provided by DESCARTES to estimate the dose received by an individual. The requirements that Battelle (BNW) set for these two codes were released to the HEDR Technical Steering Panel (TSP) in a draft document on November 10, 1992. This document reports on the preliminary work performed by the code development team to determine if the requirements could be met. Document type: Report

Abstract

Technology is changing the way we move and reshaping cities and society. Shared and on-demand mobility represent notable transportation shifts in the 21st century. In recent years, mobility on demand (MOD)—where consumers access mobility, goods, and services on-demand by dispatching shared modes, courier services, public transport, and other innovative strategies—has grown rapidly due to technological advancements; changing consumer preferences; and a range of economic, environmental, and social factors. New attitudes toward sharing, MOD, and mobility as a service (MaaS) are changing traveler behavior and creating new opportunities and challenges for public transportation. This chapter discusses similarities and differences between the evolving concepts of MaaS and MOD. Next, it characterizes the range of existing public transit and MOD service models and enabling partnerships. The chapter also explores emerging trends impacting public transportation. While vehicle automation could result in greater public transit competition in the future, it could also foster new opportunities for transit enhancements (e.g., microtransit services, first- and last-mile connections, reduced operating costs). The chapter concludes with a discussion of how MOD/MaaS partnerships and automation could enable the public transit industry to reinvent itself, making it more attractive and competitive with private vehicle ownership and use.

Abstract

In a context marked by the emergence of new platforms and interfaces, digital native media face the challenge of organizing and presenting their content in an effective and eloquent way. This milestone requires ongoing work toward the identification and conceptualization of the dimensions that map the structural and formal requirements necessary for fluid communication with audiences and adequate visibility in the digital ecosystem. This study, which adopts a quantitative–qualitative methodological design, proposes, describes, and applies a taxonomy for the analysis of digital media web interfaces. Based on a review of the literature, two rounds of expert judgment, and a pilot test, the research identifies 14 thematic dimensions, 36 indicators, and 69 variables. The study focuses on the importance of renewing research about taxonomy related to structural dimensions that address narrative, quality, usability, information search, and content redissemination and socialization, among other aspects. The study of web interfaces applied to journalism demands long-term research work with a holistic approach that, at a conceptual and practical level, can offer proposals for analysis and diagnosis on the basis of an integrated method.