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2012

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Articles 151 - 180 of 23316

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Essence Of Beauty : Examining The Impact Of Idealized Beauty Standards On College-Age African America Women, Tiffany M. Paschal Dec 2012

The Essence Of Beauty : Examining The Impact Of Idealized Beauty Standards On College-Age African America Women, Tiffany M. Paschal

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined the psychological and emotional effects of contemporary western society's standards of beauty on college-age African American women. Various studies on perception of beauty have explored body image perception from a middle class Caucasian perspective; and as a result, body image conceptualization from the perspective of African American women has gone unnoticed (Spurgas, 2005, Hatcher, 2007, Hall 1995). Previous literature suggests that African American women define self-perception and beauty differently from mainstream definitions. This study involved conducting a focus group with eighteen students between the ages of 18 and 25 who were enrolled at a Historically Black …

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How Does Homeless Outreach Work : The Perspective Of The Homeless Outreach Worker, Carlos E. Encalada Dec 2012

How Does Homeless Outreach Work : The Perspective Of The Homeless Outreach Worker, Carlos E. Encalada

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory/descriptive study examines the perspective of workers who provide outreach services to a population experiencing street homelessness, about the work they do. It utilizes a convenience sample derived from the diverse workforce of a five-agency collaborative in a large Northeastern U.S. city. The purpose of this study was to give voice to and contextualize the perspective of outreach workers on the nature of work with vulnerable populations. Largely missing from the literature on outreach work with the chronically homeless, the perspective of outreach workers is needed to inform an understanding of the complexities of this work and to support …

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Nature's Ritalin : The Effects Of Green Spaces On Symptoms Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Roger A. Sideman Dec 2012

Nature's Ritalin : The Effects Of Green Spaces On Symptoms Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Roger A. Sideman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored the effects of exposure to natural green spaces on symptoms of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among diagnosed college students. Six students from three universities in the San Francisco Bay Area were interviewed regarding the impact of experiences in urban green spaces and wilderness on their perceived attentional functioning, stress, and mood. The study sought to: 1) contribute to the growing base of literature and research on Attention Restoration Theory (ART); 2) offer a potential non-pharmacological alternative treatment for ADHD; and 3) further develop within the field of social work an understanding of the natural environment as it …

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Juvenile Sexual Offenders : The Influence Of Modeling, Verbal Instruction, And Relationship Structures On Sexual Offenders, Leanne M. Peterson Dec 2012

Juvenile Sexual Offenders : The Influence Of Modeling, Verbal Instruction, And Relationship Structures On Sexual Offenders, Leanne M. Peterson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The main aim of this study was to examine the ways in which obedience, social learning theory, and moral motives influence to sexual offenses of juvenile sexual offenders. From a sample of 502 incarcerated sexually abusing youth, 40 endorsed a question indicating that they "had been told to sexually abuse others." Eighty-four percent of the sample used in this study had been sexually abused. Sixteen percent of the sample had not been sexually abused. The findings support that physical modeling did have an impact on the sexual offenses committed by juvenile sexual offenders however, being told to offend did not …

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The Who, How And Why Of Facebook Use : The Relationship Between Level Of Use And The Big Five Personality Traits, Larua K. Mackie Dec 2012

The Who, How And Why Of Facebook Use : The Relationship Between Level Of Use And The Big Five Personality Traits, Larua K. Mackie

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between personality traits and level of Facebook use. It was hypothesized that certain personality characteristics such as extraversion and low levels of conscientiousness would be more strongly correlated with higher levels of Facebook use. In addition, the study explored whether agreeableness and openness were significantly correlated to use/non-use of the site as had been found in previous research. Data was collected using an online survey, which included questions regarding demographic criterion, the Big Five Personality Inventory, whether participants utilized Facebook and if so how frequently, and what their reasons …

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Prosocial Shifts In Worldview : Promises And Challenges Of Growth And Transformation, Colin A. Polnitsky Dec 2012

Prosocial Shifts In Worldview : Promises And Challenges Of Growth And Transformation, Colin A. Polnitsky

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study is fundamentally about change and growth. It explores shifts in worldview that facilitate greater openness and compassion in relating to oneself and others. The focus, intentionally broad, explores the mechanism and phenomenology of such shifts. Shifts of worldview tend to fall into two major categories involving insight into oneself or relationship to others and shifts related to spiritual or mystical experience. Constructivist developmental theory and transpersonal psychology offer perspectives which frame shifts in worldview and provide a prosocial trajectory. The literature around shifts of consciousness and turning points in find that there are often times challenges that …

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"There's No Escaping The Body" : Clinicians' Views On The Relevance Of The Body And The Use Of Body-Based Interventions In Work With Mother-Child Dyads Exposed To Domestic Violence, Danielle E. Sachs Dec 2012

"There's No Escaping The Body" : Clinicians' Views On The Relevance Of The Body And The Use Of Body-Based Interventions In Work With Mother-Child Dyads Exposed To Domestic Violence, Danielle E. Sachs

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to examine if and how clinicians working with mother-child (0-5) dyads exposed to domestic violence perceived the body as being a part of treatment: Did they perceive the body as being a part of treatment; did they then make use of specific body-based interventions, and how were those interventions defined? Eleven clinicians participated in qualitative interviews to provide their perspectives on the relevance and integration of the body in dyadic clinical work focused on the attachment between mother child dyads exposed to domestic violence. Participants -- compromised of licensed and provisionally licensed …

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Screening Techniques : Clinicians' Views And Approaches To Assessing Alcohol And Substance Use In Older Adults, Erin M. Conlan Dec 2012

Screening Techniques : Clinicians' Views And Approaches To Assessing Alcohol And Substance Use In Older Adults, Erin M. Conlan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined how New York State licensed clinicians approach the initial assessment and ongoing treatment of older adults (55+) identified to be struggling with alcohol or substance misuse issues. The research questions specifically asked: Do clinicians assess for alcohol and substance misuse in the older adult patients they serve? What are the mediating factors within this assessment and treatment process? This study was initiated in an exploratory fashion because of the limited amount of research available which investigates the relationship between clinicians' attitudes and approaches to this work with the rapidly growing older adult populations they serve. Given …

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Oef/Oif Veterans With And Without Ptsd : Levels Of Relationship Distress, Social Support, Combat Experience, And Deployment, Jeanne-Marie E. Mailloux Dec 2012

Oef/Oif Veterans With And Without Ptsd : Levels Of Relationship Distress, Social Support, Combat Experience, And Deployment, Jeanne-Marie E. Mailloux

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

As Veterans have returned home from the OEF/OIF wars they have faced many struggles with reintegration. Studies of Veterans returning home have found rates of PTSD as high as 18 % (Hoge et al., 2004; Hoge, Terhakopian, Castro, Messer, and Engel, 2007). The symptomatology of PTSD has historically complicated Veterans primary relationships as well other interpersonal relationships and this study seeks to look at the relationship between PTSD and interpersonal distress in a sample of Veterans returning from the OEF/OIF wars. The author conducted secondary analysis of data from a survey taken by a sample of Connecticut Veterans (n = …

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Interpreting Trauma : Exploring The Experience Of Compassion Fatigue Among Professional Medical Interpreters : A Project Based On Responses From The Voluntary Participation Of Professional Medical Interpreters At Several Major Urban Health Care Facilities, Jennifer W. White Dec 2012

Interpreting Trauma : Exploring The Experience Of Compassion Fatigue Among Professional Medical Interpreters : A Project Based On Responses From The Voluntary Participation Of Professional Medical Interpreters At Several Major Urban Health Care Facilities, Jennifer W. White

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The nature and breath of the work of professional medical interpreters routinely exposes them to traumatized patients in both medical and psychiatry settings. The literature suggests that such exposure increases their risk for developing compassion fatigue. The aim of this pilot study was to determine if professional medical interpreters (PMI) are at risk for developing compassion fatigue (CF). Methods. An innovative designed was developed to explore possible risk and protective factors associated with the development of CF. Well-validated measures were employed to assess the presence or absence of compassion fatigue in a cohort of professional medical interpreters working in large …

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Life In College : An Exploratory Study Examining Undergraduate Students' Experiences With Indirect Aggression, Mary M. Mclaughlin Dec 2012

Life In College : An Exploratory Study Examining Undergraduate Students' Experiences With Indirect Aggression, Mary M. Mclaughlin

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The aim of this project was to examine college students' perceptions about a destructive, covert form of bullying known as "indirect aggression." Indirect aggression is a type of social manipulation in which the aggressor manipulates others to attack the victim. This study also collected information about the "reality TV" viewing habits of the sample during high school. The goal was threefold: to pilot a methodology for examining perceptions of indirect aggression in the college student population, to expand our understanding of this covert form of bullying in young adults, and to examine the relationship of reality TV exposure to indirect …

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Enduring Loss : A Critique Of Cultural Competence Literature In Social Work Practice With Latin American Immigrants, Tamara Bransburg Dec 2012

Enduring Loss : A Critique Of Cultural Competence Literature In Social Work Practice With Latin American Immigrants, Tamara Bransburg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In this paper I will use the concept of melancholia to critique and improve upon the theoretical constructs that are typically used in social work practice literature to understand the experience of Latin American immigrants. I will argue that acculturation and cultural competence models (re)enforce categories of self and other and reify notions of cultural authenticity that negate the complexity and specificity of immigrant experiences. In so doing, social work practice has taken up the United States' hegemonic narrative around immigration. As a challenge to this collaboration, I will propose an exploration of the concept of melancholia to inform social …

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Therapeutic Physical Intervention And Direct Care Behavioral Health Providers : A Project Based Upon An Investigation Of Direct Care Behavioral Health Providers' Experiences Of Therapeutic Interventions, Rebecca H. Voit Dec 2012

Therapeutic Physical Intervention And Direct Care Behavioral Health Providers : A Project Based Upon An Investigation Of Direct Care Behavioral Health Providers' Experiences Of Therapeutic Interventions, Rebecca H. Voit

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship among the frequency and perceived emotional intensity of therapeutic physical interventions, social support in the work place, and levels of compassion satisfaction/fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. This study explored the experiences of direct care behavioral health providers who work with service users in therapeutic milieus across the country. It was hypothesized that as the frequency and emotional intensity of therapeutic physical interventions increased, levels of compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress would increase. A negative relationship was hypothesized to occur between social support in the work place …

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Dwell In Possibility : An Exploration Of The Use Of Metaphor In Psychotherapy : A Project Based On Interviews With Fourteen Psychotherapists, Heather B. Clarke Dec 2012

Dwell In Possibility : An Exploration Of The Use Of Metaphor In Psychotherapy : A Project Based On Interviews With Fourteen Psychotherapists, Heather B. Clarke

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored the use of metaphor in psychotherapy. Fourteen interviews were conducted with psychotherapists with a variety of training and expertise. Each clinician was asked the same six interview questions which attempted to shed light on which metaphors in particular emerged during treatment with patients, whether or not these metaphors reflected the patient's history or diagnosis, the metaphor's relationship to patient affect, the metaphor's influence on the therapeutic alliance, as well as other topics. Primary themes that emerged in multiple interviews included the fact that metaphor may arise from various sources, including dreams as well as spontaneous cocreations …

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Disordered Eating Attitudes And Behaviors : Comparing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Women To Women Who Identify As Straight, Mellissa T. Bonilla Dec 2012

Disordered Eating Attitudes And Behaviors : Comparing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Women To Women Who Identify As Straight, Mellissa T. Bonilla

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study used a quantitative, fixed-method research design to explore the trends of eating disordered attitudes and behaviors in women. Specifically, it investigated whether there were differences in prevalence of eating disordered attitudes and behaviors between heterosexual women and women who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer. Participants were found using snowball sampling. 556 women participated in the research by completing an online survey. The survey instrument they were then asked to complete was EAT-26, used to asses if a person may be at high risk for an eating disorder. The ages of the participants ranged from 18-83 …

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Partnering Into Parenthood : Exploring The Relationship Between Coparenting And Couple Satisfaction In Triadic Family Systems, Elizabeth H. Welton Dec 2012

Partnering Into Parenthood : Exploring The Relationship Between Coparenting And Couple Satisfaction In Triadic Family Systems, Elizabeth H. Welton

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed methods study explores qualities in couple relationships, as they emerged in the initial interview of a coparenting intervention, as they relate to couple satisfaction. Fifteen sets of parents were asked to describe and discuss their coparenting and couple relationship in the initial interview. Their degree of couple satisfaction was measured at baseline and again 18 months later, and coparenting and couple qualities were examined side by side with baseline couple satisfaction scores and change scores. By exploring qualities pertaining to the coparenting and couple subsystems during early parenthood, this study illuminates the complex interplay between coparenting and couple …

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Homelessness As Trauma : A Theoretical Analysis Exploring Treatment Of Symptoms Of Grief And Loss In Single African-American Homeless Women, Jesse J. Dice Dec 2012

Homelessness As Trauma : A Theoretical Analysis Exploring Treatment Of Symptoms Of Grief And Loss In Single African-American Homeless Women, Jesse J. Dice

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this theoretical study was to explore and describe the trauma that single homeless African-American women are at risk for before and during homelessness. Grief and loss theory and attachment theory were used to bring attention to the need of addressing traumas during homelessness. Literature was reviewed relating to exploring the areas of cross-sectional identities of race, gender and socioeconomic status within this population, historical contexts of homelessness in the U.S., and homelessness as trauma, to analyze the language used to describe the barriers in receiving treatment as a single homeless African-American woman. Through exploring these topics and …

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Is Sexual Violence A Public Concern Or A Private Affair? : An Exploration Of Community Members' Perceptions In A Rural New England Village, Mary S. Thompson Dec 2012

Is Sexual Violence A Public Concern Or A Private Affair? : An Exploration Of Community Members' Perceptions In A Rural New England Village, Mary S. Thompson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative methods study explores how community members were impacted by isolated cases of sexual violence that involved their neighbors in a rural New England village and asks whether they perceive sexual violence as a public concern or a private affair. As a pastor in the town when these events occurred, I wondered about the ensuing communal silence and its impact on the community as a whole. Were individuals navigating questions about social norms and communal responsibilities, as they processed personal thoughts about sexual violence and their emotional experiences of their neighbors' pain? Fourteen community leaders representing three generations of …

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An Untapped Body Of Knowledge : The Use Of Body Language In Clinical Social Work, Alexandria D. Wright Dec 2012

An Untapped Body Of Knowledge : The Use Of Body Language In Clinical Social Work, Alexandria D. Wright

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-method study explores the role and relevance of nonverbal communication in the clinical encounter as perceived by clinical social workers. A survey of 54 clinical social workers currently practicing with an MSW was used to assess the perceived value, frequency, and presumed usefulness of attending to nonverbal communication between oneself and one's client. The survey also inquired into the depth and breadth of training participants had received in incorporating nonverbal communication into a therapeutic practice. Participants evaluated the quantity and quality of training they received in both MSW and other professional programs, and reflected upon the impact extracurricular, personal …

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Resiliency On The Home Front : Addressing The Needs Of Family And Friends Of Unmarried Military Members During Deployment, Michelle E. Biltz Dec 2012

Resiliency On The Home Front : Addressing The Needs Of Family And Friends Of Unmarried Military Members During Deployment, Michelle E. Biltz

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore the needs of family and close friends of unmarried military members. Unmarried military members depend on parents, relatives, siblings, significant others, and close friends for support during deployments, however there is limited research available on the needs of this population. The main research question was: What are the needs of family and close friends of unmarried military members during deployment? A questionnaire was used to recruit participants through Facebook military communities and online military community forums. There were 33 total participants who were asked to identify an unmarried military member with whom they had …

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Questioning Neutrality : An Inquiry Into Contemporary Therapists' Attitudes Towards Neutrality In The Clinical Encounter, Shoshanna D. Brady Dec 2012

Questioning Neutrality : An Inquiry Into Contemporary Therapists' Attitudes Towards Neutrality In The Clinical Encounter, Shoshanna D. Brady

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore the possible relationship between clinicians' training in neutrality at Smith College School for Social Work and their enduring practice ideals with respect to neutrality. Grounded in the theoretical literature regarding models of psychodynamic therapeutic change, this research project sought to describe the role of neutrality in contemporary clinical practice, addressing a gap in comprehensive empirical research on this topic. Research data was collected from 224 alumni who graduated from Smith College School for Social Work (SCSSW) during the past 30 years and are currently practicing in the field of mental health. Participants completed an …

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The Role Of Blogging Across Stages Of Change In Recovery From Anorexia Nervosa, Sarah A. Kupper Dec 2012

The Role Of Blogging Across Stages Of Change In Recovery From Anorexia Nervosa, Sarah A. Kupper

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory, mixed-methods study sought to understand how individuals at various stages of change in the recovery process from Anorexia Nervosa (AN) use blogging. The study also aimed to discover why these individuals begin blogging and the impact of this activity on the recovery process. A total of 13 participants were included in the sample for this study. An internet survey measured bloggers' stage of change using the Anorexia Nervosa Stage of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ). Additionally, the survey contained open-ended, qualitative questions eliciting bloggers' reasons for beginning to blog, as well as how they perceived the influence of blogging on …

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Are We Reaching The Body? : A Study Of Social Workers' Attitudes On The Mind-Body Connection In Trauma Treatment, Samuel R. Douglas Dec 2012

Are We Reaching The Body? : A Study Of Social Workers' Attitudes On The Mind-Body Connection In Trauma Treatment, Samuel R. Douglas

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

A national sample of 39 social workers currently treating traumatized clients in therapy in the United States responded to an anonymous, online survey designed to gauge their attitudes toward the role of the mind-body connection in trauma treatment and recovery. The study sought to ascertain whether the most recent research in the neurobiology of trauma, and the resulting developments in the theory of trauma treatment, had significantly influenced the approach taken by social workers in clinical settings. The findings suggest that social workers have largely embraced the idea of a mind-body connection in trauma, and are inclined—in theory, if less …

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The Double Bind Of Triple Jeopardy : Exploring The Impact Of Multiple Minority Stress On Lgbtq-Identified Asian Women In America, Anastasia Y. Taketomo Dec 2012

The Double Bind Of Triple Jeopardy : Exploring The Impact Of Multiple Minority Stress On Lgbtq-Identified Asian Women In America, Anastasia Y. Taketomo

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to determine the impact of multiple minority stress on LGBTQ-identified Asian women living in America. The research explored how the values of families of origin, communities, and chosen families impact identity negotiations, as well as overall quality of life. The findings of this study were utilized to conceptualize best practices for mental health practitioners around better meeting the needs of individuals experiencing multiple minority stress. One hundred and fifty-two women living in the United States responded to a series of multiple choice and narrative response questions via Internet survey. They were asked questions focusing on demographics, …

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Ecopsychology And Race : An Exploratory Study, Luke B. Woodward Dec 2012

Ecopsychology And Race : An Exploratory Study, Luke B. Woodward

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

While ecopsychology has brought critical attention to the relationship between the natural environment and the human psyche, very little has been written about how race and racism shape our experience of the natural world. This qualitative study asked the following central question: How are race and racism relevant to ecopsychology in theory and practice? Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted with a racially diverse group of ecopsychologists, environmental justice activists and spiritual leaders. Interview data emphasized the importance of employing a broad definition of ecopsychology that encompasses not only the relationship between psyche and nature, but the relationship between psyche, nature …

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Pricing Lower Or Buying Cheaper? How Grocery Consumers Pay Less During Seasonal Demand Peaks, Colin Watson Dec 2012

Pricing Lower Or Buying Cheaper? How Grocery Consumers Pay Less During Seasonal Demand Peaks, Colin Watson

Undergraduate Economic Review

The average price paid for a seasonal grocery category is (surprisingly) lower during the category's seasonal demand peak. For several product categories at one supermarket chain, demand peaks are shown to be associated with 1) consumer substitution to lower-quality products, 2) product price reductions, especially on products that increase their market shares, and as a result 3) a decline in the average price paid for the product category. In one very seasonal category, price reductions are driven by intertemporal substitution associated with large weekly discounts. Findings are consistent with any of several loss leader models.

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Academic Libraries Should Consider A Strategic Approach To Promotion And Marketing Of E-Books, Nazi Torabi Dec 2012

Academic Libraries Should Consider A Strategic Approach To Promotion And Marketing Of E-Books, Nazi Torabi

Nazi Torabi

No abstract provided.

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Public Librarians With The Highest Retention Rate Are More Likely To Choose Their Entire Career Path In Public Libraries, Nazi Torabi Dec 2012

Public Librarians With The Highest Retention Rate Are More Likely To Choose Their Entire Career Path In Public Libraries, Nazi Torabi

Nazi Torabi

No abstract provided.

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Not Your Mother's Pda: The Transition From Pda Pilot To Full Acquisitions Integration, Harriet Rykse, Bruce Fyfe, Nazi Torabi, Nicole Nolan, Erin Gallagher, Yves Vanier Dec 2012

Not Your Mother's Pda: The Transition From Pda Pilot To Full Acquisitions Integration, Harriet Rykse, Bruce Fyfe, Nazi Torabi, Nicole Nolan, Erin Gallagher, Yves Vanier

Nazi Torabi

Western Libraries and Ingram Content Group worked together to establish a Patron Driven Acquisition (PDA) program that has been incorporated into the regular acquisitions workflow at Western. Some features of the program include: all titles selected for addition to the PDA collection are filtered through the approval profiles established by the librarians, the library’s holdings are uploaded to Ingram weekly so that duplicate titles are avoided, invoices for purchased PDA titles are sent weekly and holdings for un-purchased and purchased PDA records are updated weekly. A Patron Driven Acquisitions Working Group established the program at Western by meeting with collections …

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A Graduate Degree In Library Or Information Science Is Required, But Not Sufficient, To Enter The Profession, Nazi Torabi Dec 2012

A Graduate Degree In Library Or Information Science Is Required, But Not Sufficient, To Enter The Profession, Nazi Torabi

Nazi Torabi

No abstract provided.

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