Ethnographic study of business students' information-seeking behavior: Implications for improved library practices

This study aim to gain insight into the information-seeking habits of upper-division business students. While studying information-seeking habits is a large subcategory of information literacy, not much has been published on the information-seeking habits of business students. The majority of studies conducted in this area use the survey as the data-collection instrument. This study uses ethnographic research methods such as journaling to collect data on this unique user group. Ethnographic methods allow the researcher to capture rich qualitative information that will yield a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the user group's needs. Findings are examined by using thematic qualitative analysis techniques. Information gathered for this study will be used to develop new services and information literacy components for business students.     

Library use and information-seeking behavior of veterinary medical students

Veterinary medical students at Iowa State University were assessed for general use of the veterinary library and for their information-seeking behavior. The library was most frequently used for studying and for making photocopies of materials. The typical respondent relied on course textbooks and handouts for current information on unfamiliar topics, instead of using indexes or abstracts for guidance to recent literature. Light use of library information resources raises the concern that students are developing an inadequate base of retrieval skills for finding information on new procedures, diseases and drugs. No differences were found between students with and without formal bibliographic instruction in their approaches to seeking information or in library use.     

Information needs and information-seeking behaviors of HIV positive men and women

Although a portion of the HIV/AIDS population has long been active in seeking out information in support of self-care, little work has been done to examine closely the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of this community relative to the provision of medical reference. This exploratory study provides insight into the types of information HIV positive individuals seek and the resources they consult in gathering information to bolster health and well-being. Having a better understanding of the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of individuals with HIV/AIDS will facilitate information intervention for this community.     

Prior knowledge and information-seeking behavior of PhD and MA students

Information seeking and its dimensions have been analyzed and measured in different disciplines and contexts and the relationships to other variables, such as gender, task, knowledge, personality, experience, and expertise, have been measured by researchers and have yielded helpful results. In this study, the relationships between information-seeking behavior and prior knowledge of graduate (MA and PhD) students at Tehran University were tested and analyzed. Results show positive and strong relationships between these two variables. Moreover, some dimensions of information-seeking behavior and some aspects of prior knowledge (expertise, familiarity, and past experience) had positive and significant relationships.     

国内外图书馆Mylibrary个性化服务系统比较研究

文章选取了若干个国内外Mylibrary个性化信息服务系统进行比较分析,从系 统结构与开发技术、提供的服务功能等方面进行了比较,探讨了存在的问题,并对我国发 展个性化服务系统提出了建议。     

Library and learning experiences turned mobile: A comparative study between LIS and non-LIS students

The rapid developments of wireless telecommunication networks and the widespread increase of smartphone ownership around the world have created tremendous impacts on the services provided by institutions of higher education worldwide on several dimensions. Unarguably, mobile technologies have created new and unforeseen opportunities for educators, information services providers and students to experience the new horizon of teaching, learning, as well as knowledge transfer and creation. Taking into consideration that since Library and Information Science (LIS) students are training to become future LIS professionals, they are expected to be ready as well as active in integrating mobile technology into their daily learning practices.This study was set up to examine two groups of students (namely: LIS versus non-LIS students) at Peking University – their attitudes and level of activeness in adopting mobile technology in their daily life, as well as in their learning practices. Quantitative questionnaire survey was used for data collection, and a total number of 319 responses (i.e., LIS, 63 and non-LIS, 256) were collected from this study. Findings of this study reveal that no significant differences were found between the two student groups (LIS versus non-LIS) in many areas. In fact, both LIS and non-LIS student groups were using their smartphones to engage in different learning, research, social networking, pastimes, and recreational activities on similar level. However, it was concerning to note that the LIS student group was slightly less active in accessing the online services and resources provided by their university library. This was a particular finding that went against the researchers' original anticipation. However, such unexpected finding did not mean that these LIS students were necessarily less active or ‘open’ as mobile learners. For the reason that in comparison to their non-LIS counterparts, they were equally as active as in terms of using their mobile devices for other learning (particularly collaborative learning) and research purposes. Further studies are recommended to determine various factors that are hindering these LIS students from using the university library's online resources and services on a more active level.     

科普期刊历史脉络与内容呈现的国际比较研究

科普期刊是展示国家科技创新实力的窗口。以梳理中外科普历史脉络为前提,选择中、美、英、法4国科普期刊进行内容呈现对比。结合7种科普期刊的宗旨定位、内容呈现和受众分析,为中国科普期刊的数字化发展提供借鉴和参考。     

The business of international broadcasting cultural bridges and barriers

The advent of international satellite television broadcasting, including the satellite‐to‐cable services which are now proliferating in several countries of the world, represents a qualitative leap in the nature of broadcasting. Satellite distribution is a literally ‘international’ medium in which signals can not only spill across neighbouring borders, but reach audiences spread over entire world regions and even link diasporic communities on different continents. The concerns raised by various countries about national sovereignty and their attempts to control reception are well‐known, but dishes and cable systems have flourished, and international and regional services are leasing new transponder capacity faster than operators can get their satellites into orbit. In this new satellite business, language and culture are emerging as powerful forces in making and breaking world‐regional markets. Thus, in contrast to the large degree of regional integration in Latin America, thanks to its linguistic and cultural similarities, service providers in Asia have soon found that they have to take account of linguistic and other cultural differences in establishing their markets, which therefore have more of a national than a regional character. This article reviews these trends and outlines how the technological potential to integrate regional markets via satellite broadcasting across borders has been attenuated at least as much by cultural as political resistance. Evidence of the effectiveness of such resistance, it is argued, raises questions about the validity of the rhetoric of ‘cultural imperialism’ now being heard again in Asia.     

Junior high students and Think Alouds: Generating information-seeking process data using concurrent verbal protocols

Twelve participants completed over 140 concurrent verbal protocols (Think Alouds) as they searched for information using two CD-ROM encyclopedias. The ability to generate Think Alouds varied among the participants. The 2,200 statements were coded as defining, planning, monitoring, or evaluating. All participants made a majority of defining statements, but the number of planning and monitoring statements varied among participants. It was found that some participants were in the acquisition phase, a phase where people are less likely to be able to do the task and think about the task at the same time. Other participants were able to plan and ask questions, characteristic of the consolidation phase. In a few searches, some participants seemed to be in the consultation phase. This was characterized by the ability to perform skills, plan an approach, and discuss difficulties and problems with themselves. Researchers need to be conscious of levels of self-direction so that the most complete Think Aloud data can be gathered from participants.     

国内外IC建设的比较研究

本文调查了国内外35所图书馆信息共享空间案例,以国外三所、国内二所共五所大学IC为例,从空间、资源、服务方面比较分析了国内外高校图书馆IC的差别。随后,提出了我国建设IC可能遇见的问题并做了对策分析。     

大学生社交网站用户信息分享行为调查研究

通过介绍信息分享行为的研究现状,采用问卷调查法,以中山大学大学生社交网站用户为样本,分析他们在社交网站上信息分享的规律,包括信息内容、信息来源、分享信息的动机等,方便学校图书馆更好地了解用户的信息习惯和偏好,提出了增强图书馆网站信息偶遏能力、营造信息分享氛围强化图书馆社交网站深度休闲功能的建议.     

People,places, and questions: An investigation of the everyday life information-seeking behaviors of urban young adults

This article presents preliminary findings from a research grant on the everyday life information-seeking (ELIS) behaviors of urban young adults. Twenty-seven teens aged 14 through 17 participated in the study. Qualitative data were gathered using written activity logs and semi-structured group interviews. A typology of urban teens' preferred ELIS sources, media types, and query topics is presented. The typology shows friends and family as preferred ELIS sources, cell phones as the preferred method of mediated communication, and schoolwork, time-related queries, and social life as the most common and most significant areas of ELIS. The results indicate a heavy preference for people as information sources and that urban teens hold generally unfavorable views of libraries and librarians. The conclusion lists questions that information practitioners should consider when designing programs and services for urban teens and calls for researchers to consider this often-ignored segment of the population as potential study participants.     

档案政策与档案法律比较研究

随着现代社会对档案信息需求的不断增强 ,档案工作面临着许多新的问题 ,这些问题不仅直接影响着档案工作的进程 ,甚至还影响着一个国家政治、经济、文化、科学技术领域等方面。其中不少问题必须借助于档案政策和档案法律才能解决。为了正确认识两者的共性和差异 ,明确其相互关系 ,充分发挥它们在档案事业中的作用 ,对其进行比较研究是非常必要的。一、档案政策与档案法律基本概念比较。档案政策与档案法律是既有密切联系又有一定区别的两个术语 ,但实际工作中却存在一些片面的认识和做法。一种是常以档案政策代替档案法律 ,使档案事业管理中…     

Chemical periodicals of Germany: A comparative analysis across international and Russian databases

A comprehensive analysis of Germany's chemical periodicals included in the databases of the two leading international information-analytical systems Scopus and Web of Science, a bibliographic database Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, as well as in the database of All-Russia Institute for Scientific and Technical Information of Russian Academy of Sciences (VINITI RAS), was performed. An analytical procedure developed made it possible to analyze effectively different domains of publications, both common to the three databases, as well as various combinations of interest, inter alia an array which was not included in any of them. The data covering the ratings of periodicals were presented basing on generally accepted international scientometric indicators and on processing degree value for the VINITI database. Distribution of subject areas, publishing houses, language of editions, internet access availability were determined. The research results allowed to summarize proposals for optimization of VINITI database workflow in the area studied.     

Library tools at the nurses' station: exploring information-seeking behaviors and needs of nurses in a war veterans nursing home

Objectives:Analyze the information-seeking practices and identify the information and education needs of nurses in a war veterans nursing home. Develop an online toolkit for use at the nurses'' stations to meet nurses'' health information needs.Methods:Investigators employed mixed methods to determine the health information needs of the participating nurses at the skilled nursing facility using an online questionnaire and in-person observations. Resulting data was compared to determine how nurses'' self-reported data corresponded with investigator observations.Results:Twenty-seven out of a total of thirty-five nurses responded to the online questionnaire. The study principal investigator also observed a total of twelve nurses working across all shifts. The online questionnaire asked nurses to identify when they need health information for an acute clinical scenario. Nurses self-reported feeling most confident in assessing falls and pain, followed by medication adherence and skin integrity. Issues most frequently encountered during observation of nurses were falls, interventions surrounding cognitive ability or dementia, and use of antibiotics. Nurses reported and were observed to consult colleagues most frequently, followed by drug handbooks and relying on nursing experience.Conclusion:Nurses in skilled nursing facilities will benefit from ready online access to current drug handbooks as well as information resources surrounding commonly encountered clinical issues and stated needs. An outcome of this project is an online toolkit site using a LibGuide created specifically for this purpose. Researchers purchased laptop computers that were installed at each of the nurses'' stations to provide ready access to the toolkit site.     

The information-seeking behavior of pastoral clergy: A study of the interaction of their work worlds and work roles

This study asked whether the information-seeking behavior of pastoral clergy was governed by the interaction of their work worlds and work roles. It was proposed that the pastor operates in a closed system when world and role are significantly dependent upon each other and in an open system of information-seeking when world and role are less dependent upon each other. The study was grounded in the sense-making theory of information seeking developed by Dervin and colleagues, and in a combining of social network theory and role theory. The investigator employed a mailed survey with a large stratified random sample of 378 pastoral clergy from six religious groups and structured interviews with 20 practicing clergy and qualitative techniques to analyze the content.Findings indicate that pastoral clergy tended to use different types of sources in different roles and that certain combinations of pastoral worlds and pastoral roles influenced whether the information-seeking behavior would be open or closed. The theological world contributed to a closed pattern in all three roles, while the denominational and congregational worlds helped produce this effect in only the administrative role.