LINK magazine

LINK is the regular magazine of the Libraries and Information Network. Published three times each year, it carries features and news on library issues across the Commonwealth. It aims to foster discussion and debate on the key issues and challenges for university libraries and librarians internationally, and to offer a forum for the sharing of ideas and good practice to common concerns.

Print copies are sent to the principal contact at each institution (usually the university librarian). Other Network members are offered e-access and can download PDF copies of previous issues below.

Writing for LINK

 We are always on the look out for new authors for LINK. If you have an idea for a short article, which addresses issues relating to libraries and librarianship in your region, please get in touch.

We are particularly keen to include pieces which respond to some of the themes and issues raised in the Unlocking the Potential report and the ‘Key debates’ feature in Issue 4 (August 2008).

Submission deadlines

LINK is published in April, August and December. Submission deadlines are the end of Februrary, June and October respectively. To discuss ideas, and for exact submission dates, please contact the editor, Jonathan Harle (libraries@acu.ac.uk).

Author guidelines are also available (PDF format).

News and publications

In addition to the feature articles listed, each issue contains a news round-up, recent publications and funding opportunities. Due to space constraints, it is not possible to print details of all recent publications, events or news which may be of interest to members. Full versions of the summaries prepared by ACU Librarian Nick Mulhern are available to members (you will need to log in to access these).

LINK back issues

All members receive a copy directly, either by email or in print form. Members can download back copies from the publications section of this site or by following the direct links below (log in required). Non-members can download a sample issue.

LINK issue 14 - January 2012

• Cutting out the middle man (David Ball, Bournemouth University, UK)
• The librarian as expert in the academy (Charles Lungu, Copperbelt University, Zambia)
• A truly global research cycle? (Jonathan Harle, ACU)
• People matters 6 (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Library profile: Caribbean Disaster Information Network, University of the West Indies (Beverley Lashley, UWI)

LINK issue 13 - September 2011

• Growing Knowledge: The Evolution of Research (Nora Daly, British Library)
• Partners in research: data librarians (Ross Wilkinson, Adrian Burton, David Groenewegen, Cynthia Love and Andrew Treloar, Australian National Data Service )
• Research data management and libraries in Canada (Lynn Copeland, Project
  Coordinator for the CNCDI Proposal)
• People matters 5 (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Library profile: Nanyang Technological University (Fatt Cheong Choy)

LINK issue 12 - May 2011

• New generation learning spaces (Philip Kent, Perter Jamieson, Jenny Ellis, Karen Kealy, University of Melbourne)
• Effective use of the academic library space (Kwaku Agyen-Gyasi, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)
• From stronghold to threshold (Chris Banks, University of Aberdeen)
• People matters 4 (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Library profile: University of Ottawa (Joan Cavanagh)

LINK issue 11 - December 2010

• Virtual scholars: what are the implications for librarians? (David Nicholas and Ian Rowlands, University College London)
• Demonstrating the value of academic libraries (Megan Oakleaf, Syracuse University)
• Raising our profile, safeguarding our future (Emma Woods, University of Westminster)
• People matters 3 (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Library profile: International Islamic University Malaysia (Nooraini Ismail)

LINK issue 10 - August 2010

• Cpd25: a cooperative way of delivering training (Mary Nixon, Goldsmiths, University of London)
• Practical solutions to the challenges of internet use (Brian Sitima-Ndau, Chancellor College, University of Malawi)
• Building a research culture: Pakistan’s National Digital Library Programme (INASP case study)
• People matters 2 (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Library profile: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Hagar Atta-Obeng)

LINK issue 9 - May 2010

• Transforming scholarly publishing (Lynn Copeland, Kevin Stranack, Brian Owen, Simon Fraser University)
• The availability of scientific journals in eastern and southern Africa (Jonathan Harle, ACU and Kondwani Wella, Kamuzu College of Nursing, University of Malawi)
• A new generation of academic libraries in India (Suprabhat Majumdar, University of Delhi)
• People matters 1 (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Library profile: Imperial College London (Angus Brown)

LINK issue 8 - December 2009

• Human resource challenges for Canadian research libraries (Vicki Williamson, University of Saskatchewan)
• Focusing on the people: securing the library's future (Jonathan Harle, ACU)
• Sri Lanka Library Association - National Conference on Library & Information Science 2009 (Wathmanel Seneviratne, Open University of Sri Lanka)
• Enhancing access to local content: a case study of the University of Zimbabwe's institutional repository (Agnes Chikonzo and Gilford Tapera Hapanyengwi)
• Library profile: Tamilnadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University (N.C. Jayamani)

LINK issue 7 – August 2009

• Charting new territory - defining an information strategy at the University of Melbourne (Sally Newton)
• Communicating research in the digital age (Sarah Gentleman, Research Information Network)
• Quest for quality: improving the user experience at Southern Cross University (Margaret Pembroke)
• Library profile: Zimbabwe Open University  (Patrick Phiri)

LINK issue 6 – April 2009

• Learning spaces and e-resources: innovation in pedagogy and design (David Ball, Jill Beard, Barbara Newland, Bournemouth)
• United Kingdom Research Reserve (UKRR) – tomorrow's solution to yesterday's problems (Deborah Shorley, Imperial College London)
• Strengthening teaching: new opportunities for African libraries (Magnus John, Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone)
• Libraries and the open access movement: a developing countries perspective (Iryna Kuchma, eIFL)
• Library profile: University of Malaya (Nor Edzan Che Nasir)

LINK issue 5 – December 2008

• Not just another student service (John Tarrant, ACU)
• Developing the profession: 2009 fellowships in the UK (Deborah Bennett, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission)
• Student librarians? The University of Zambia Work Study Programme (Christine Wamunyima Kanyengo)
• Library profile: University of Sydney (John Shipp)
• Library profile: Riphah International University (Muhammad Farooq)
• INFLIBNET: a knowledge gateway for higher education in India (Rajesh Chandrakar and Jagdish Arora)

LINK issue 4 – August 2008

• Health information in Zambia: issues facing librarians in improving information flow (Jean Shaw, Shane Godbolt, Partnerships in Health Information)
• Into the future? Key debates for university libraries... (Jonathan Harle, ACU)
• Developing information literacy at the University of Kelaniya – starting points (L A Jayatissa)
• Library profile: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (Akobundu D Ugah)

LINK issue 3 – April 2008

• Building a partnership with publishers (Jonathan Harle, ACU)
• Springer: a publishers' perspective (Alan Harris, Springer)
• Teaching information literacy at the University of the West Indies at Mona (Paulette Stewart, UWI)
• Strengthening the foundations – sharing expertise in East Africa (Michael Kasusse, Makerere, Yusuf Kiwala, National Agricultural Advisory Services, Robert Ntalaka, AIDS Information Centre, Richard Sennoga, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda and Kendra Albright, Sheffield)
• Library profile: Chinese University of Hong Kong (Colin Storey)

LINK issue 2 – December 2007

• An information lab for the knowledge society (Kay Raseroka, Botswana; Jonathan Harle, ACU)
• Strategic engagement for library development programmes: a case study of Copperbelt University, Zambia (Charles Lungu, Copperbelt)
• Information literacy: continuing the journey (Christopher Milne and Ivor Lloyd, Abertay)
• Library profile: IIT Bombay (Daulat Jotwani)

LINK issue 1 – August 2007

• Protecting university libraries – the ACU journals scheme (Jonathan Harle, ACU)
• Linking librarians – North-South cooperation via the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships scheme (Alan Hopkinson, Middlesex)
• Developing digital libraries in African universities (Diana Rosenberg, INASP, and Buhle Mbambo-Thata, UNISA)