Purpose This study aims to present a detailed investigation into the approaches of academic librarians in Trinidad and Tobago in pursuing continuing professional development (CPD) activities. The paper also examines the extent of their participation in CPD at both the institutional and external levels in contributing to the development of their careers. Design/methodology/approach The instrument used was a questionnaire which assesses the effectiveness of the librarians in their involvement in and attitude toward CPD activities. Findings The paper demonstrates the active role and willingness of academic librarians in Trinidad and Tobago in providing and participating in CPD training and support to library and information personnel at both the national and international levels. Originality/value The paper underscores the effectiveness of a group of academic librarians in Trinidad and Tobago who pursue and provide a high level of CPD activities to professionals.

2014),"Information and communication technologies and knowledge sharing among academic librarians in south-west Nigeria: Implications for professional development", Library Review, Vol. 63 Iss 4/5 pp. 352-369 http://dx.Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by emerald-srm:448207 [] For AuthorsIf you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -This paper aims to provide a study of a structured approach at map cataloguing training by a team of cataloguers at the Alma Jordan Library of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Design/methodology/approach -The methodology is a case study which underscores the value of the experiences of cataloguers at training themselves in a particular cartographic format. Findings -The collaborative efforts of the cataloguers facilitated the further development of institutional expertise and provided the required skills set for increasing bibliographic access in a specialised format. Originality/value -The paper brings to bear the uniqueness of the cataloguing of Caribbean cartographic materials in a team-teaching setting which serves as a model for other academic libraries and information centres.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of cataloguing training for professionals at the St Augustine Campus Libraries of the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, with emphasis on the cataloguing of special formats and the overall importance of continuing education. Design/methodology/approach -The research methodology is based on a questionnaire which involved the use of a rolling survey for the periods 2005-2007 and 2007-2010, and utilized a five-point Likert scale. Findings -The findings clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of cataloguing training in the quest for professional development amongst librarians and also serve to highlight the need for greater collaboration between libraries, library schools and library associations. Practical implications -The paper considers effectiveness of training in cataloguing and thus of the skills adopted in practice. Originality/value -The study brings to the fore the importance of structured training for cataloguing professionals over a five-year period. It also provides further insights into bridging the gap between entry level and working cataloguers in a developing country.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -This paper aims to examine the effectiveness of a series of in-house training offered to cataloguers and para-professional cataloguing staff at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Design/methodology/approach -The instrument used for the survey was a questionnaire which sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the training over a two-year period. Through the application of a five-point Likert scale respondents were required to indicate their levels of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the training sessions. Findings -The paper reveals the relevance and effectiveness of a structured approach to cataloguing training and highlights the need for cataloguing staff to keep abreast of current trends through continuing education. It also demonstrates a dire need for greater collaboration between library schools and libraries in the development of proficiencies for entry level cataloguers.Research limitations/implications -The collective evaluation of professionals and paraprofessionals with varying levels of cataloguing knowledge and competencies impacted on the reliability of the data. Originality/value -The paper serves as a model for future cataloguing training at the St Augustine Campus Libraries and can be adapted by other libraries for meeting their training needs in cataloguing.

PurposeThe paper seeks to examine the challenges of implementing DSpace at the Main Library at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago and highlights the creation of a digitization project at the Main Library that was used to promote DSpace to faculty members on the St Augustine Campus.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the Main Library's decision to implement an institutional repository using the DSpace platform, looking at the submissions of the Michael Goldberg Collection of Postcards and the University of the West Indies theses abstracts over a period of one year.FindingsThe paper reveals that significant attention must be given to factors such as selection, content management, finance, training, metadata, security and copyright in setting up an institutional repository on the DSpace platform. It also concludes that the Main Library is yet to explore fully the capabilities of the DSpace software. Despite the constraints, it is clear that there are enormous benefits to be derived from utilizing DSpace to promote the intellectual output of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine and consequently the Main Library will continue to map a way forward in the realm of DSpace.Originality/valueThe research draws upon the DSpace experience of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine and serves as a model for future projects in the implementation of the DSpace software, particularly in developing countries.