automation: whither academic libraries?

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Automation: Whither Academic Libraries? View From Practice John Abdul Abdul Kargbo Institute of Library, Information & Communication Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone. E-mail: [email protected] 1. INTRODUCTION The desire for librarians to appreciate the full implications of library service in a mod- ern setting is hardly a new one. The complexity of modern society-science, technology, government, and business has become so great that corresponding complex mechanisms for communication processing, storage, and retrieval of information are crucial for its ex- istence. In modern society, the realm of information has gained value more than that of material goods. For example, information is the object for the exercise of a basic human liberty, that is, the freedom of expression. It links the various branches and actors in an economy by facilitating knowledge about resources. Politically, information is at the core of governance, and no government is believed to thrive without the electorate being in- formed as to their rights. What is more the survival of society and its people is believed to become possible only through an increase in information strength, information sharing, and its practical application. This will facilitate the measurement of change. The idea that we live in an information society is commonplace today. Information society is one in which the communication of information is one of the key activities in all developed and developing countries and where information is a major factor in economic development (Webster, 1994). The major challenge for the information society is the creation of the “information age school,” which will educate children for living and learning in an information-rich environment (Edge, 1995). An understanding of the process of learning is perceived as one of the most important abilities for students to acquire in order to function in that information-rich environment. This will enable students to draw on the wide range of skills that they learn throughout their years of schooling for application in everyday living. Libraries, which provide a significant access point to such information, should play a key role in preparing people for the demands of today’s information society (Burton, 1992). The quality of an academic institution is measured by the resources for learning on the campus and the extent to which students become independent, self-directed learn- ers. In Sierra Leone where academic institutions receive substandard financial support from the government, students continue to receive predigested information from lecturers and textbooks, with the latter formingthe majority of the obsolete collection in academic Information Technology for Development, Vol. 15 (1) 43–51 (2009) C 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online 17 January 2008 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/itdj.20078 43

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Page 1: Automation: Whither academic libraries?

Automation: Whither Academic Libraries?

View From Practice

John Abdul Abdul KargboInstitute of Library, Information & Communication Studies, Fourah Bay College,University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.E-mail: [email protected]

1. INTRODUCTION

The desire for librarians to appreciate the full implications of library service in a mod-ern setting is hardly a new one. The complexity of modern society-science, technology,government, and business has become so great that corresponding complex mechanismsfor communication processing, storage, and retrieval of information are crucial for its ex-istence. In modern society, the realm of information has gained value more than that ofmaterial goods. For example, information is the object for the exercise of a basic humanliberty, that is, the freedom of expression. It links the various branches and actors in aneconomy by facilitating knowledge about resources. Politically, information is at the coreof governance, and no government is believed to thrive without the electorate being in-formed as to their rights. What is more the survival of society and its people is believedto become possible only through an increase in information strength, information sharing,and its practical application. This will facilitate the measurement of change.

The idea that we live in an information society is commonplace today. Informationsociety is one in which the communication of information is one of the key activities in alldeveloped and developing countries and where information is a major factor in economicdevelopment (Webster, 1994). The major challenge for the information society is thecreation of the “information age school,” which will educate children for living and learningin an information-rich environment (Edge, 1995). An understanding of the process oflearning is perceived as one of the most important abilities for students to acquire in order tofunction in that information-rich environment. This will enable students to draw on the widerange of skills that they learn throughout their years of schooling for application in everydayliving. Libraries, which provide a significant access point to such information, should play akey role in preparing people for the demands of today’s information society (Burton, 1992).

The quality of an academic institution is measured by the resources for learning onthe campus and the extent to which students become independent, self-directed learn-ers. In Sierra Leone where academic institutions receive substandard financial supportfrom the government, students continue to receive predigested information from lecturersand textbooks, with the latter formingthe majority of the obsolete collection in academic

Information Technology for Development, Vol. 15 (1) 43–51 (2009) C© 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Published online 17 January 2008 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/itdj.20078

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libraries. Hence, there has been constant calls by society to restructure the learning process,especially in tertiary institutions, with transformed automated library facilities.

Librarians are part of society and, like their colleagues in other fields, they believethat going automation could be a panacea to some of the chronic problems affectingtheir institutions. To keep up with these challenges, therefore, academic librarians areattempting to become experts in computer and telecommunication systems, databases,and a host of other technologies that are today commonplace in their libraries and theparent institutions they serve. Over these attempts are traditional complex routines suchas the procurement of book and nonbook materials, cataloguing, classification, indexing,abstracting, and information retrieval services, which they continue to deal with. These arethe hallmarks of library and information work.

2. OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

The ability to communicate information and ideas is a major cultural achievement ofhumankind, which has been developed over a long period. Boadi et al. (1987) identifiedfour stages in the process of development, namely, the oral stage, the alphabetical/writingstage, the printing stage, and the electronic stage. The electronic stage, referring to theInformation Technology Revolution (ITR), which brought about the experimental use ofICTs, is now at the forefront of all organizations.

ICTs are generally understood to include computers, the rapidly evolving communica-tion technologies, including radio, television, and mobile telephony, as well as electronicdata processing capacities and the software for the application of these new technologiesand capacities. Their defining characteristic is the capacity to harness access and applyinformation and diffuse knowledge at contemporary knowledge-based economies and soci-eties. Trainor and Krasnewich (1996) posited that people have turned to “typo technology”to help them solve problems. They discussed reasons for studying computers and gavean overview of how these problem-solving machines are used in society. They added thatcomputers are changing the way we work, play, and live. Sutherland and Canwell (1997)postulated how technologies have transformed business and many benefits have accrued.They highlighted cost reductions, simplified, and efficient workflow, increased responsive-ness to customer needs, additional job satisfaction, and opportunity for employees to learnnew skills as benefits to be derived from ICTS. Rudasill (1998) wrote that the growinguse of ICTs is increasing the demand for programs that address information literacy, whileAlemna (1999) described the usual opportunities and challenges of ICTs, such as wideraccess to research opportunities, distance learning, appropriate content, and access to soft-ware. Biddiscombe (2001) trod on similar trends and illustrated how the Internet and ITskills are required by information professionals in institutions environment. He consentedthat in this work environment, as in most others, IT skills, especially in relation to the In-ternet, are crucial. O’Brien (2003) asserted that ICTs can change the way business competein society as they facilitate the efficiency of business processes and communications andcollaboration among the people responsible for their operations and management.

Cornia and Court (2001) asserted that in as much as ICTs have many positive elements,they tend to generate a demand for skills, which is far more skewed than that emanatingfrom “old technologies.” For them, advances in ICTs are turning formally nontradableservices into international “tradeables.” This, they pointed out, creates a new comparative

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advantage for low-income countries with an educational workforce. Meng and Li (2001),on the other hand, stated that the rapid development and diffusion of ICTs has been themajor driving force of the new economy. They added that while there is ample evidenceto suggest that the ICT industry has a great deal to the overall economic growth of thedeveloped countries, its role in the developing countries is far from clear. The pressure ofunemployment that may result in ICTs’ displacement effect is a major concern faced bythe developing countries in the adoption of ICTs.

Jarboe (2001) stated that access to ICTs is crucial for governance and economic devel-opment: ICTs help to facilitate global markets, promote political accountability, improvedelivery services, and enhance development. Access to ICTs is considered a basic right in the21st century citizenship (Murdoch, 2002). Thus, using the words of Kofi Anan, UN Secre-tary General, harnessing ICTs could best serve to remind society that “we are going througha historic transformation in the way we live, learn, work, communicate and do business. Wemust do so not passively, but as makers of our destiny. Technology has produced the Informa-tion Age. Now, it is up to us to build an Information Society” (Annan qtd. in Abang, 2005).

3. ACADEMIC LIBRARY SERVICES IN SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone, effective August 1, 2005, witnessed the establishment of two universities: theUniversity of Sierra Leone consisting of Fourah Bay College (FBC), College of Medicineand Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), the Institute of Public Administration and Man-agement (IPAM), the Nursing Education Center (formerly the National School of Nursing),and the Pharmacy Technicians School; and the University of Njala consisting of Njala Uni-versity College, the School of Hygiene, and the Eastern Polytechnic and Bonthe TechnicalInstitute. These universities play some common roles in society:

• They provide institutions in branches of learning as they think fit and make provisionsfor research and the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in such a manneras they determine.

• They provide for persons who are not regularly enrolled in the university, as determinedby their external services (extension).

• They grant degrees, diplomas, and certificates and make such other university awards,and they preserve academic freedom and prevent discrimination in teaching andresearch as well as in the admission of students and appointment of staff.

• They preserve, enrich, and develop the cultural heritage, economy, and welfare ofSierra Leoneans, in particular, and humanity, in general, holding out the benefits ofall persons without discrimination.

These universities see themselves as facilitating agents in such critical issues as edu-cational and national development and seek to contribute meaningfully to these areas. Inorder to attain this role, the establishment of a library in each of their constituent arms iscrucial, as they are the “linchpins.” Hence, Fourah Bay College library, for instance, has90,000 volumes of books and subscribes to over 50 serial publications. Njala UniversityCollege library has slightly over 45,000 volumes plus 35 serial titles. COMAHS libraryhas over 10,000 volumes of books plus over 30 different serial publications, while EasternPolytechnic library has slightly over 10,000 volumes in addition to about 22 serial titles.

The provision of libraries in these academic institutions has been influenced by majorchanges in the education system. There is a massive increase in student enrollment that calls

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for additional and improved library provisions and services; there is also a change from thetraditional system of education to the 6-3-3-4 (6 years primary school, 3 years junior sec-ondary school, 3 years senior secondary school, and 4 years tech/voc or tertiary education).Overall, there is a need for vital information to support teaching/learning activities. In thissituation, academic libraries are meant to provide fundamental services, such as book andnonbook materials, reading space, reference services, binding, and reprographic services.These libraries are adjunct to teaching/learning activities in their respective institutions.

Not withstanding the desire in recent years for improved tertiary education and theintroduction of a modular system of education in some tertiary institutions, Boadi, Gibbons,Mchomba, and Neil (1987) have witnessed a corresponding demand for improved academiclibrary services. These libraries are specifically meant to serve the information needs oftheir diverse clientele amidst such repetitive tasks as cataloguing, classification, acquisition,accessioning, abstracting and indexing, and information retrieval, which involve a quantumof data that is amenable to automation. In anticipation of the current wave, computerliteracy has become a prerequisite requirement for all library jobs beyond the position ofmessenger/cleaner in these institutions.

It is no gainsaying that the response to the acquisition of computers in these academiclibraries paces further than the achievements of the system. Of the varied arms of theseuniversities, none has automated library systems due partly to inadequate financial sup-port, lack of trained personnel with information technology skills to run the system, andthe absence of a theoretical framework necessary to provide the basis for useful applica-tions. College authorities and librarians have recently resolved to automate their librariesfollowing the 1995 report of Jim D. Hutingford, who made the following recommendations:

• the provision of a draft collection development strategy for the university and theprovision of adequate funding for the training of staff,

• the collaboration among academic libraries,• the improved power supply and the provision of IT infrastructure and Internet access,

and• the acquisition of an integrated library management system.

4. ACADEMIC LIBRARY AUTOMATION

Libraries are the establishments to recognize the usefulness of computer technology. Withthe introduction of new technologies, librarians all over the world are increasingly aware ofthe existence of information technology, and they feel that in order to improve and streamlinetheir services the application of computers and information technology is crucial (McRory& Curry, 2000).

In Sierra Leone, however, where the mission of academic libraries is not only to supportteaching/learning activities but also to provide up-to-date information at the right timerequired by clientele; automating these institutions is important. This is because recentdoubts have been shed on the often-quoted fact that academic libraries are experiencingsevere difficulties in coping with a massive flux of information and in updating their librarysystems. Automating these libraries is perceived as a way out. Thus, the proposed academiclibrary automation will include

• the application of computer technology of routine activities, such as acquisition,cataloguing, accessioning, circulation, security control, and interlibrary loans;

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• the use of reference database on CD-ROM diskettes and tapes housed in these libraries;• access to remote databases, such as library catalogues and circulation databases

through technological lines and the Internet; and• office automation and networking.

Academic librarians believe that automating their libraries will revolutionize service andsubsequently improve use of their institutions by clientele. Automation will lead to betterinventory control methods and management of library routines (MacColl, 2001). Therewill be liberation of floor space currently occupied by catalogues in these institutions,while traditional library activities, like acquisitions, searching, cataloguing, issue systems,and security control, will be transformed and eventually become cost effective (Brewer,2002). Further, administrative jobs like correspondence and communication both in and outof these libraries will undergo significant changes as the processing and transmission ofinformation will be speeded up considerably. There will be flexibility of services offered inthese libraries by virtue of the equipment used. This will reduce boredom on library staff andredundant monotonous activities. Automation is believed to strengthen the centralization ofdata processing activities especially at Fourah Bay College and Njala University College,which have departmental libraries and will endow staff with considerable power in thelibrary. With academic library automation, global networking will be created not only asstaff but also clientele could plug into the entire world to source information as and whenthey so desire (Angue & Mckie, 1994). Briefly put, the perceived impact of academic libraryautomation is as follows:

• It will provide a facelift to academic libraries and will allow interaction in suchjobs as acquisition, accessioning, circulation, and the production of reading lists andbibliographies.

• It will help in the handling of records and in maintaining accurate and up- to-date fileswith little staff involvement.

• It will economize library staff resources, avert duplication of work, and thus leadingto improved control over library operations and management.

• Automation will facilitate resource sharing and will ensure accuracy of storing anddisseminating information.

• It will lead to a reduction of staff and will equip remaining ones with improved newskills.

• With automation, academic libraries could be run with reduced costs.

5. CHALLENGES

Libraries are notorious for collecting and storing information in society. An endless supplyof information is continuously generated in these institutions and anyone can readily accessit regardless of time and space, thanks to the rapid advancement of computer technologyin contemporary society (Ortigas, 1994). In Sierra Leone, where university authorities andlibrarians are about to automate their libraries, they should recognize that human resourcesare strategic assets that will bring about changes. Automating library services, therefore,implies that these authorities are making a strategic decision in changing their manuallyoperated library systems. Hence, the very first challenge is that staff that will be involvedin the planning, implementing, and managing computer systems should be knowledgeablein the state-of-the-art of computer technology.

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Academic librarians in Sierra Leone have for long tended to make a fragmented approachto automation as their interests have been how to make ends meet amid reduced librarybudgets and poor conditions of service with delayed salary payment. Besides, most librarystaff lack knowledge of modern information techniques and there is a need to build up acorps of individuals that will be well trained to understand and exploit what is potentiallyavailable.

Library automation very easily complicates work experience especially in technical ser-vices. With automation, there is a likelihood of reducing staff, while the remaining oneswill be reclassified for different routines and upward mobility. The limited, retained staffvery easily gets embroiled in such problems as who does what in the library. Implicitly,the situation demands an earlier reorganization of responsibilities to avert future problems.Further, the new technologies are expensive and must be paid for in hard currency. Al-though academic libraries have acquired some computers, they are outdated models thatwill not match the challenges of times. Maintenance of equipment could also pose a prob-lem for these libraries, as technical support for complex computer-based systems is notpresently available in these institutions. Blackouts are common on academic campuses asthe government-run National Power Authority (NPA) is noted for its chronic problems. Li-brarians will also face considerable pressure to invest in the new technologies as the desireto be modern and up-to-date will be felt strongly both by staff and by student clienteleonce automated services have begun. This could be detrimental to other essential servicessuch as stock acquisition, reprographic services, and the conservation and preservation ofmaterials in these libraries. All this requires adequate funds to kickstart and sustain thesystems that university authorities currently lack.

Also, constantly changing hardware and software will make it difficult for academiclibrarians to continuously learn new products. In addition, there will be problems of pro-viding new forms of information services to repackage information retrieved from varioussources and delivered timely to clientele. And with limited financial resources, these librar-ians will have to decide whether to continuously maintain their old systems for more stableand reliable systems or venture into new technologies.

Academic librarians and their staff should be knowledgeable in information sources.There are a variety of databases and optical discs, like CD-ROM in different media online,available to them. Staff should be cautious not to have information overload. In this regard,the competence of library staff in creating related databases is worth considering. Libraryclientele are also becoming more demanding for quality and timely information services.The establishment of Internet cafes in the country facilitates clientele, especially fromacademic institutions, to tap information from other libraries and this will indeed pose achallenge to reference queries taped from variegated locations.

Going automated requires good telecommunication facilities. The country’s main telecom-munication powerhouse, SIERRATEL, has not been able to measure up as the lines are poorand currently overloaded. Academic librarians should, therefore, start to think of alternativetelecom services because they will not be able to get the best services from SIERRATEL.That aside there will be lack of confidence on the side of clientele especially with regardto the newly automated services. Library staff tend to be intimidating, especially whensalaries are overdue and would not tolerate inquiries from student clientele. Again, with agrowing number of distant learners using academic libraries in the country, librarians needto develop services that could support this group of clientele.

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6. SOME CLUES TO THE CHALLENGES

New technologies suggest new ways of working. Opportunities for upgrading skills andknowledge should be provided for even staff who are technologically minded (Saffday,1999). As agents, the “new academic librarians” should be scholarly, research oriented,information analysts, technologically competent, user-and market-driven, trainers and fa-cilitators, public relations approach, database producers, and globally minded. Similarly,librarians in the initial planning stage of computerization should have a chance to see theproducts, get hands-on-experience, and even ask questions about the products and the re-lated current information technologies they intend to use. Library staff, therefore, shouldbe given an opportunity to attend training sessions in information technology and infor-mation management to build up efficient services in their libraries (Saffday, 1999). Suchconcepts as RISEQ should be applied: read, research, refer; interview those with experi-ence in academic library automation; getting samples of computer proposals and structures;enquiry from colleagues and computer vendors regarding new technologies; and sendingquestionnaires regarding the various databases available in the country (Ortigas, 1994).

Some library staff that are versed with the traditional manual system and would liketo protect their jobs could be resistant to change. To address this problem, the programimplementers should be ready to sell new ideas on computerized library systems. Staffshould be counseled and assured that they will not be retrenched. In order to maximizecomputer usage, librarians should attempt to build up local databases tailored to the needsof their libraries. Computer systems should be constantly evaluated to determine their costeffectiveness. To provide quality service, academic librarians should enter into cooperativeventures that will include resource sharing, access to database, computer equipment, systemdevelopment, cataloguing procedures, and sharing expertise (Saffday, 1999). A computernetwork (WANS) should be thought of as it will allow individual users to access andhave reciprocal browsing rights between these libraries. Program implementers should alsoexplore the possibility of seeking assistance from computer vendors to organize demosof software and computer application for staff at reasonable costs (Breaks & Macleod,2001). For sustainability, a Committee on Library Automation should be formed withmembers drawn from senior librarians, faculty, University Research and DevelopmentServices Bureau, University Finance Office, and respective college administration. Of late,emphasis is placed on distance learning with Fourah Bay College, setting the pace withthe inclusion of such courses in its curricula. There should, therefore, be collaborationbetween librarians, faculty, and computer service personnel to investigate the contributionof automated library and information services to distance learning courses for effectivesupport mechanisms for remote learners.

Libraries linked to the Internet should be able to access a variety of online databasesfrom different countries, such as bibliographies, textual, and directories. Academic librariesshould be transformed to global resource and ‘edutainment’ centers. Generators should beprovided for constant power supply while SIERRATEL’s poor telecommunication problemis addressed. Library staff should be constantly trained and given improved conditions ofto avoid staff turn over. College authorities should go all out to finance their automatedsystems if they are to become a reality. Program implementers should seriously think ofawareness-raising activities like publicity in individual college’s local press, production ofleaflets, bookmarks, preparation of user manuals, and library staff frequently giving talksto prospective users of their systems. Each library should design its own Webpage to make

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users knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their systems. Improved marketing skills areneeded in publicizing the automated systems.

7. CONCLUSION

The challenges discussed above should be born in mind by program implementers if theyare to succeed. Any attempt at automating academic libraries should be one of trial anderror and should be collectively done. Because automation will bring about tremendousimpact on these libraries, it is essential that the university and college authorities scoutaround for adequate funds to expedite the program. In order to cope with the anticipatedchanges, there is a need for capacity building; a change in the over all attitude and outlookof the staff would affect every aspect of the way they work in their respective libraries. Onlythrough this will academic libraries be able to provide effective and functional services andthereby maintaining their edge as leading libraries in the country.

REFERENCES

Abang, Mkpe (2005). The world summit on the information society, phase II: Voices in the world.Dakar: OSIWA, pp. 17–18.

Alemna, A. A. (1999). The impact of new information technology in Africa. Journal of InformationDevelopment, 15(3), 167–170.

Angue, E., & Mckie, D. (1994). Canada’s information highway: Services, access and affordability.Toronto: Angus Tele Management and Decimal Research.

Biddiscombe, R. (2001). The development of information professionals need for Internet and ITskills. Program, 35(2), 157–166.

Boadi, B. Y., Gibbons, F., Mchombu, K. J., & Neill, J. R. (1987). Introduction to librarianship anddocumentation. Bonn: German Foundation for Individual Development.

Breaks, M. & Macleod, R. (2001). Joining up the academic landscape. Library Association Record,103(5), 286–289.

Brewer, G. (2002). The university of Derby electronic library: A case study of some economic andacademic aspects of a local digitized collection. Program-Electronic Library and InformationSystems, 36(1), 30–37.

Burton, P. (1992). IT and society: Implications for the professions. London: Library AssociationPublishing.

Cornia, G.A., & Court, J. (2001). Inequality, growth and poverty in the era of liberation and global-ization. Helsinki: UNU

Edge, D. (1992). The social shaping of technology. In N. Heap, et al, IT and society: A reader.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 14–32.

Jarboe, K. (2001). Inclusion in the information age: Re-framing the debate. Retrieved March 18, 2004from http://www.anthenaalliance.org/apapers/inclusion/html

MacColl, J. (2001). Virtuous learning environments: The library and VLE, Program-Electronic Li-brary and Information Systems, 35(3), 227–239.

McRory, L., & Curry, S. (2000). Higher education materials on demand-the Heron service. Vine, 118,35–38.

Meng, Q., & Li, M. (2001). New economy and ICT development in China. Helsinki: UNUMurdoch, G. (2002). Rethinking communication exclusion. Digital divide: A collection of papers

from the Toshiba/BECTA digital divide seminar. Coventry. British Educational Communicationsand Technology Agency.

O’Brien, J. A. (2003). Introduction to information systems: Essentials for the e-business enterprise(11th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Ortigas, G. (1994). The information superhighway. ASEAN Manager, 36–39.Rudasill, L. (1998). The distance between us: Information literacy and the developing world. The

New Review of Information Networking, 4.

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Saffday, W. (1999). Introduction to automation for librarians. Chicago: American Library Association.Sutherland, J., & Canwell, D. (1996). Business communication for secretarial certificates. Oxford:

Heineman Educational Publishers.Trainor, T. N., & Krasnewich, D. (1996). Computers (5th ed.). London: McGraw-Hill.University of Sierra Leone. Vice Chancellor’s congregational report (unpublished).Webster, F. (1994). What information society. Information Society, 10, 1–23.

John Abdul Kargbo is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Library, Information and CommunicationStudies at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.

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