Jobs Available: Assistant Professor

Position: Assistant Professor

Employer: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, NTU Singapore

Description:
The Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at the Nanyang Technological University, offers graduate programmes in Information Studies, Knowledge Management, Information Systems, and Mass Communication, which admit 300 graduate students annually from the region. The school is research-intensive and is committed to a collegial environment that brings out the best in teaching and research.

We are seeking to recruit a tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant Professor level in the area of Knowledge Management.
For further information, please contact the Head of Division of Information Studies, Dr Chris Khoo at chriskhoo@pmail.ntu.edu.sg

Requirements:
Candidates must have a PhD degree, and an active programme of research in knowledge management. Preferred areas of expertise include knowledge sharing, communities of practice, knowledge assets and social network analysis.

Responsibilities:
The successful candidate is expected to teach courses offered in the Division of Information Studies, mainly in the MSc Knowledge Management programme.
• More information about the School is available at http://www.wkwsci.ntu.edu.sg/.
• Information about the Knowledge Management programme is available at: http://www.wkwsci.ntu.edu.sg/ProspectiveStudents/Graduate/Pages/Graduate.aspx
• Information on conditions and terms of service is available at: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ohr/Career/terms/Pages/FacultyPositions.aspx

To apply, please refer to the Guidelines for Submitting an Application for Faculty Appointment and send your application to:
Office of Human Resources
Nanyang Technological University
Administration Building, Level 4
50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
Fax: (65) 6791 9340
Email: Acad-talent@ntu.edu.sg

To ensure full consideration, please submit application by 15 October 2010. If you need a bit more time, please email Dr Chris Khoo at chriskhoo@pmail.ntu.edu.sg

Welcome to the 2010 cohort of students!

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We welcome the 2010 cohort of students in the Information Studies, Information Systems and Knowledge Management MSc programmes. Out of a total of nearly 1,250 completed applications, admission offers were made to 273 applicants:

MSc (Information Studies) 80
MSc (Information Systems) 120
MSc (Knowledge Management) 73

Admission interviews were held in Shanghai and Yangon, in addition to the interviews in Singapore. Student matriculation (registration) is going on now. The final number of registered students may be lower.

Orientation for new students was held on Mon. 30 Aug, at 5pm, in the School of Biological Scences Lecture Theatre.

Orientation for Information Studies, Information Systems & KM students 2010

New faculty — Dr Natalie Pang & Dr Joanna Sin

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We welcome 2 new talented faculty members to the Division — Dr Natalie Pang and Dr Joanna Sin.

Dr Natalie Pang

Dr. Natalie Pang

obtained her Ph.D. in Information Management from Monash University in 2009, where her research was also awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Doctoral thesis excellence and the Faculty of IT doctoral medal. Her research interests are mainly in information commons/common pool resources, digital heritage, records management, structuration theory and the philosophy of information. A graduate of Melbourne University and Nanyang Technological University, Natalie has served as a Research Associate of Museum Victoria (History and Technology), the Victorian Association of Tertiary Libraries, and Research Fellow of the Centre for Community Networking and Research (CCNR), Monash University. She will be teaching a new course on Storytelling in Organisations in Semester 2.

Dr Joanna Sin

Dr Joanna Sin

holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in Library & Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). Previously, she received her B. of Social Science degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, majoring in Geography and minoring in Anthropology. Her research interests include library services and uses, information behaviours, information organisation and retrieval, and information equity. She teaches in the information organisation area. Before joining NTU, Joanna was a visiting assistant professor at the School of Library and Information Studies at UW-Madison. She also has experience working in technical and reference services in academic libraries. She will be teaching Information Organisation in Semester 1 and Cataloguing & Classification in Semester 2.

Jobs Available: Electronic Resources Librarian

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Position: Electronic Resources Librarian

Employee: Li Ka Shing Library

Description:
The Li Ka Shing Library invites dynamic, innovative, service-oriented individuals to apply for the position of Electronic Resources Librarian to be part of the team that is shaping and redefining Technical Services for a 21st century library.

The position reports to the Assistant University Librarian for Technical Services. In a collaborative environment, the Electronic Resources Librarian will provide the leadership for the development, access and delivery of electronic resources and support the continuous development of the electronic resource management systems and tools. The position also manages a small print serials collection in the Library.

The successful candidate is flexible, responsible and enthusiastic and has the ability to work with diverse groups and function effectively as a team player or team leader to support electronic collections development and management. S/He is knowledgeable on trends effecting collection building such as electronic publishing and open access, in a library environment that emphasizes access.

Responsibilities:
• Manage the lifecycle of electronic resources from selection, subscription, licensing, renewal, access and to user support
• Manage the print serials subscription, issues receiving and preservation
• Negotiate license agreements to obtain the best possible terms and conditions, and evaluate vendor performance
• Work with Research Librarians on subscription, negotiation and administration of licensed electronic resources, monitor contracts and maintain information accuracy in electronic resources management systems
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures to support efficient operations of Technical Services
• Administer use and development of Serials and Electronic Resources Management modules and linking management tools
• Maintain systematic record keeping, collect and analyze data, and prepare reports related to electronic resources and associated issues
• Work with technical services staff in Acquisitions and Cataloging & Metadata Services on procurement and bibliographic control of electronic resources
• Work with Systems Librarian to resolve technical problems and troubleshoot access issues for electronic resources
• Supervise a team of para-professionals
• Participate in training sessions for new students

Requirements:
• A Master’s degree in library or information science from a recognized university
• Relevant experience in an academic research library with three or more years is preferred
• Experience using Serials and Electronic Resources Management systems, preferably Millennium (Innovative Interfaces, Inc)
• Experience with acquisitions processes for electronic resources, e.g. licensing, access provision, electronic resource management
• Proven ability to:
– Interpret and apply library policy
– Analyze and solve problems
– Organize and manage complex activities
– Generate new ideas
– Use new technology to advance work goals
– Attention to details as is accuracy
• Supervisory and managerial experience
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience with linking management tools such as AtoZ (EBSCO) is preferred
• Knowledge of MARC21 format for bibliographic data as well as Holding data of electronic resources is preferred
• Extensive knowledge of current library resources, practices and policies; substantial knowledge of library profession trends, theories and best practices as they integrate into the delivery of user services

How to Apply:

Please email libjob@smu.edu.sg. We will be reviewing resumes as they arrive. Candidates must be eligible to work in Singapore. Local term applies. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Website: http://library.smu.edu.sg/home/job_advert.asp

Dr Chris Khoo at IFLA Annual Conference

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Dr Chris Khoo attended the World Library and Information Congress: 76th IFLA General Conference and Assembly from 13-15 Aug 2010, in Gothenburg, Sweden.

I met many old friends from around the world, including several librarians from NTU and the National Library Board! I had a reunion with Dr Abdus Sattar Chaudhry, who is doing very well at the U. of Kuwait, and Dr Cheryl Cordeiro (a.k.a. Miss Singapore), a graduate of our MSc Information Studies program who has now settled in Sweden. (See picture below)

I presented a paper on a collaborative project with three other information schools in Asia (abstract below). Nurhazman Abdul Aziz, a recent Information Studies graduate and a librarian at NTU, presented a paper on social web applications, co-authored with NTU librarians Mr Chia Yew Boon and Mrs Hazel Loh. Well-done, Hazman!

Paper abstract and pictures below.

Factors Affecting Re-Usability of Learning Objects Across National Boundaries: An Exploratory Study of Information Organization and Knowledge Management
By Christopher Khoo (NTU, Singapore), Abdus Sattar Chaudhry (U. of Kuwait), Sujin Butdisuwan (Mahasarakham U., Thailand), Joyce Chen (National Taiwan Normal U.)

Abstract. This paper reports an exploratory study of the factors likely to affect the re-usability of lecture slides across different LIS schools. The study was carried out in the context of a collaborative project to develop a regional repository of learning objects in LIS. Existing lecture slides on topics in Information Organization and Knowledge Management from four schools were compared to identify common content that suggest reusability of the content, as well as unusual, innovative or well-developed content that can be reused to enhance another instructor’s lecture presentation.

Lecture content on practical topics or that cover international standards and specifications tend to be similar across LIS schools and are likely to reusable with little modification, except for language translation. Lectures that provide a general introduction to a topic or address an abstract topic tend to be quite different because the instructor can address the topic from different perspectives and select different types of information. Introductory/superficial treatments of a topic are more likely to reused across different courses. The type of information on a lecture slide may affect its reusability. Core concepts and frameworks, and quotes from experts tend to recur across the schools. Well-developed examples, illustrations, diagrams and images can be reused by other instructors to enhance their lectures. Different countries have different strengths, and lecture material from a particular country may have more in-depth treatment of particular topics. A repository of lecture slides from different countries will be enormously useful both for instructors teaching a course for the first time, as well as instructors seeking to improve a lecture presentation.

Chris, Cheryl & Abdus at Gothenburg, Sweden

Hazman presenting at IFLA Annual General Meeting 2010

Dr Theng at IADIS Multi Conference

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Dr Theng Yin Leng attended the IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems (MCCSIS 2010) in Germany, 26-31 July. She presented papers at 3 mini-conferences.

1. Investigating the Influence of Reading Habits and Design Features on Perceived Acceptance of E-Book Systems – A Case study on FlipViewer Xpress
By Yin-Leng Theng, Anu Prasad Ramany, Chua Jit Chee, Tan Kee Siong and Ho Seng Beng
Presented in the Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction 2010 mini-conference.

Abstract. Due to the variety of tools and devices available for reading e-books, readers are faced with a sense of ambiguity over what would best serve their interests. This calls for more studies on users to be placed at the forefront of designing e-books. Using FlipViewer Xpress as an exemplary e-book system, this study developed a theoretical model to investigate the determinants and effects of reading habits and design features on users’ acceptance of e-book systems. Findings show FlipViewer Xpress was useful for browsing and scanning as well as selective and linear reading, but in contrast to earlier studies on e-book systems, FlipViewer Xpress was also suitable for in-depth and concentrated reading as well as repeated reading. The paper concludes with a discussion on the factors that affect users’ perceptions of acceptance of Flipviewer, in particular, and e-book systems in general.

2. Usage of E-Health Services: Examining the Age Differences in Individual Decisions
By Pallavi Rao, Shalini Chandra and Yin-Leng Theng
Presented in the e-health 2010 mini-conference

Abstract. This study investigated the factors influencing consumers’ intention to continue using healthcare portals and the impact of age on it. Findings from prior information systems research were used to theorize a research model which considers satisfaction and trust as the key constructs and subjective-norms, preference (for human contact) and self-efficacy as their antecedents. Research hypotheses derived from this model were empirically validated using a field survey. Data collected (N=88) was first analyzed to see the significance of hypothesized paths. Further, this data was grouped on age and analyzed to see the effect of age on consumers’ continuance intentions. Results showed that generally satisfaction was the main factor determining continuance. But, compared to perceptions of the middle-aged users, young adults’ perception of trust in healthcare portals was influenced by their self-efficacy. In contrast, middle-aged users’ perception of trust in healthcare portals was influenced by subjective-norms and their preference. Theoretical and practical implications for understanding the effects of age differences in consumers’ continued use of healthcare portals are discussed.

3. E-Learning in Second Life: Opportunistic Virtual Spaces for Social-Collaborative or Deep-Reflective Learning?
Yin-Leng Theng
Presented in the E-Learning miniconference

Abstract. This paper describes an exploratory study to investigate whether Second Life is a viable social space for e-learning. A total of 361 Second Life users took part in the online survey. We first developed a theoretical model based on Technology Acceptance Model linking the antecedents into the key factors using information acquired from an extended literature review. We then undertook a survey of Second Life users. Data collection was carried out via a self-reported questionnaire. Through the use of statistical tests, our findings showed that system-input efficacy and system-output efficacy were determinants of social-collaborative learning and deep-reflective learning, leading to perceived satisfaction of Second Life as a virtual space for e-learning.

Congratulations to the class of 2010!

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Convocation 2010 was held on 28th July. A total of 221 students graduated in the 2009-2010 academic year:

Ph.D. 3
M. Applied Sci. 1
M.Sc. Information Studies 88
M.Sc. Information Systems 86
M.Sc. Knowledge Management 43

Special congratulations to the Gold Medal winners:

Library Association Gold Medal (Information Studies): Fa’izah Binte Ahmad
LexisNexis Gold Medal (Information Systems): Gaurav Gupta
LexisNexis Gold Medal (Knowledge Management): Thara Ravindran Vallomparambath Panikkas

As well as to our PhD graduates:

Dr Chan Soon Keng
Dr Lee Shu Shing
Dr Wang Zhonghong

We wish graduates the very best in their career. Please keep in touch with your former classmates and with the school. And of course, don’t forget to make a contribution to the Wee Kim Wee Legacy Fund. 🙂

LAS Gold Medal winner, Fa'izah Binte Ahmad, with her family at Convo2010

NTU Division of Information Studies Convocation 2010

Jobs Available: Information Services Specialist

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Position: Information Services Specialist
Employer: Bain & Company

Description:
We are a leading global management consulting firm with 41 offices in 27 countries around the world. Our Southeast Asian practice, based in Singapore, has more than 120 employees and due to our expansion in Singapore, we are now looking for an Information Services Specialist to join our Information Services team based in Singapore.

Roles & Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Information Services Manager, you will provide information services for the Singapore consulting group, with requests to help other Bain offices globally. This will include the following:
• Provide timely and high quality research services to the Consulting group, mainly via on-line and print sources;
• Work closely with consultants to determine their research needs and information services required
• Provide training to existing and new consulting employees on methods of conducting business research, using available on-line and print resources
• Provide timely updates to the consulting employees, and raise awareness amongst them through the scanning of business literature and targeted industry journals via manual and electronic means
• Identify and collect new sources of information; Seek out new information, resources and systems to support data gathering needs in Singapore
• Propose and implement cost effective alternatives to meet consultant’s research needs

Requirements:
• Degree holder in any discipline
• A minimum of 2 years’ working experience in information services is preferred
• Proficient in Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa Melayu is a must
• Good interpersonal, communication and organizational skills
• Strong customer service orientation
• Keen learner and able to work in a fast-paced environment
• Good working knowledge of information resources content
• Innovative and meticulous, with an eye for details
• Able to work in a team

Interested applicants are invited to send in your applications to HR.Singapore@Bain.com.

Closing Date: 17th July 2010

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Jobs Available: Librarian

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Position: Librarian

Employer: Singapore Polytechnic Library

Job Description:
The position calls for an appointee who is energetic, resourceful and service-oriented. He/she must enjoy working with students and preferably be adept at the use of new media tools. In addition, he/she must have good communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work independently as well as in a team.

Responsibilities:
The appointee will be required to coordinate outreach and promotional activities; provide information services; conduct orientation and information literacy programmes; develop course contents for training purposes; support collection management and organise library resources

Requirements:
A Degree and preferably a post-graduate qualification in Library and Information Studies with 2 years’ experience in a library.

Interested candidates are requested to complete the eApplication form available at http://careers.sp.edu.sg. To facilitate effective short-listing, we regret that we accept only online applications. Please note that all appointments are for 2 years in the first instance. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. For more information, please visit www.careers.gov.sg

Applications close on 9 June 2010.

The position calls for an appointee who is energetic, resourceful and service-oriented. He/she must enjoy working with students and preferably be adept at the use of new media tools. In addition, he/she must have good communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work independently as well as in a team.

Jobs Available: Software Engineer (2 roles)

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Employer: Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design creates the world’s most advanced video editing products, color correctors, video converters, routers, waveform monitors and film restoration software for the feature film, post-production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in the television industry, while the company’s converters, Videohub routers and UltraScope waveform monitoring continue to make advanced post production tools affordable to thousands of creative professionals. Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Emmy™ award winning color correction products have dominated the television industry since 1984 and continue ground breaking innovations including stereoscopic 3D and 4K workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. For more information, please check www.blackmagic-design.com.

Looking for a career in a fast moving, industry leading film, video and TV company? Blackmagic Design in Singapore is searching for independent thinking, positive and motivated software engineers who love pushing the edge. We develop advanced video processing and color enhancement technologies. In fact if you have ever watched a film or TV program or commercial you would have seen our work.

Position: Senior Software Engineer (multiple positions)
Requirements:
• Bachelors, Masters or PhD in Computer Science or equivalent;
• A solid foundation in computer science with strong competencies in data structures, algorithms and software design;
• Extensive programming experience in C/C++ with strong OO skills preferred;
• Several years of large software design and development experience with extensive knowledge of Unix/Linux/Mac environments.

Position: Software QA Engineer (single position)
Requirements:
If you are technically minded, looking for a challenging software testing position and have experience with Mac or Linux systems and the operation of FCP, Avid, After Effects or Premiere we may have a place for you in our expanding QA department. With the fastest growing color grading system development cycles are aggressive and so your testing and documentation ability will need to be top grade.

If you have excellent communication skills and would live to work with one of the brightest and fastest moving design teams in the industry, then don’t wait. Email your CV to jobs-sg@blackmagic-design.com