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Weekly News Digest
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December 12, 2017 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today.
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ProQuest Shares Concerns About Non-English-Language Content in Academic Libraries
ProQuest released survey results showing that “[a]cademic libraries are struggling to meet a rising demand for non-English language content”—more than one-third of the 170-plus North American librarians surveyed are “falling short in making these resources available to students, faculty and researchers.” According to the press release, key findings include the following:- Budget and expertise are common hurdles North American libraries face in meeting users’ needs for non-English language content. Libraries struggle to justify the expense of content that will be used by a small number of users and unless they have the relevant language skills, they find it challenging to select materials that address researchers’ needs.
- The greatest unmet content needs are in Chinese, Arabic and Spanish languages.
- Technological shortfalls hinder users’ access to non-English language materials. Librarians commented that researchers struggle with “unreliable formats and downloads” as well as the lack of “language interface to do searches.” Content can be “lost in a sea of English, on English-only platforms, with English-only licensing agreements.”
For more information, read the press release.
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Brandi Scardilli
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