Use of information resources by veterinary practitioners

Veterinary practitioners are often isolated from easy access to information in medical or hospital libraries, making necessary the use of a variety of information resources. A survey was conducted to assess the extent to which various information resources were used within the veterinary profession. Most responding veterinarians were small-animal practitioners who used the veterinary literature, colleagues, diagnostic laboratories, continuing education courses, association meetings, and pharmaceutical representatives as sources of information. Books and other practitioners were the preferred information source in critical-care situations, followed closely by diagnostic laboratories and journals. For keeping up-to-date with current advances in veterinary medicine, journals, books, other practitioners, and continuing education were used. University extension services, veterinary medical libraries, and computer applications to information use were not important resources ot most of the respondents. Many veterinarians indicated that they would use library services if they knew more about them. With the trend toward computerization in veterinary practice, it is possible for libraries to help reduce the information isolation of many veterinary practices.     

Use of narrative interviewing in everyday information behavior research

With an increasing focus on developing a theoretical understanding of everyday life information behaviors, researchers need to consider the appropriateness of the methods and techniques utilized in empirical research in this area. Progressively, studies articulate the need for a person-centered approach to researching human information behavior, yet research methods can be adopted that do not encourage the study participants to express freely their views and experiences. This article proposes that narrative and episodic interviewing techniques are qualitative research methods that sustain a person-centered paradigm of human information behavior and that provide a particularly useful methodological framework for studies of everyday life information-seeking behavior. Furthermore, the author discusses her own work-in-progress that involves narrative interviews.     

Use and value of information sources by parents of child psychiatric patients

Objective: With Web 2.0, the variety of information sources for parents of paediatric psychiatric patients has increased dramatically. Information use theory suggests newer sources supplement rather than supplant traditional sources of health information. This study sought to determine the use and value of traditional and emerging sources of information and whether the subjects had access to highly valued sources of information. Methods: One hundred parents indicated the use and value of six sources of information on the child’s symptoms, diagnoses and treatment. The data were analyzed to determine if significant relationships existed between type of source and the use and value of the information sources. Results: Ninety‐four percent of the subjects had access to the Internet and almost half of those reported using the Social Web. Eighty‐five percent had at least one high‐value information source. The psychiatrist in the clinic, the Internet and the primary care physician were the most highly used and valued sources. Conclusion: Use of digital information sources was greater than found in other studies of similar populations. This use appears to complement rather than supplant more traditional sources. Further studies are needed to see if the negative impact of lack of Internet access is replicated.     

Library materials budget justifications

No matter how the current crisis in materials costs is resolved, libraries will continue to need ways of making effective arguments for budget increases. This article presents the issues to be considered in formulating a library budget request and the most effective manner of presenting the information.     

Use and evaluation of information from social media: A longitudinal cohort study

This cohort study examined longitudinal changes in undergraduates' use of social media as information sources in academic and everyday-life contexts, covering types of social media used, purposes of use, and evaluation strategies. Web surveys were used, collecting data from 1,355 and 928 undergraduates in 2013 and 2019. The study found that students used most types of social media less in 2019 than 2013 in both contexts. Only media-sharing services bucked this downward pattern. Overall, a majority of social media types underwent changes in the top three purposes of use. The 2019 cohort used most evaluation strategies more frequently in both contexts. However, they favored simplistic strategies relying on superficial physical cues when evaluating information. Based on the findings, this study provided recommendations for information literacy education and interface design, such as covering multimedia information evaluation, leveraging various heuristics to prime careful use of social media and analytical evaluation of information.     

More library materials budget justifications

In the Winter 1990 issue of BRQ, Frederick C. Lynden outlined a strategy for justifying library materials budgest based on his experience at Brown University. Albert Henderson elaborates on this process by offering three additional arguments to justify increased funding at research libraries. These arguments are based on the accelerating publication rate, the shrinking of library budgets as a percentage of GNP, and the consequences for research of inadequate library holdings. Albert Henderson, presidents of Henderson Associates is a consultant to scholarly and professional publishers. He was previously an editor with Johnson Reprint and vice-president for marketing and production with Pergamon Press.     

信息技术的发展对信息弱势群体信息行为的影响

文章通过问卷调查和随机访谈的方法,获取柳州市信息弱势群体的信息行为的相关数据,利用质性和量化的方法进行实证分析,揭示了在信息技术快速发展的环境下信息弱势群体一些具有重要意义的信息行为特征,为优化信息弱势群体的信息服务提供定量依据和帮助。     

出版社预算管理之我见

出版单位兼有文化事业和文化产业的双重性质,在社会效益第一的前提下,为保证出版产业的发展,必须注重自身的经济效益,这一点与获取最大利润为目的的企业之间有一定的区别,并由此而导致出版单位财务管理与企业财务管理之间存在一定的差异.在这个背景之下,其财务管理目标要在确保弘扬先进文化,坚持正确的舆论导向,提供丰富的精神食粮,实现社会效益的基础上,围绕每一时期的工作目标,确保财务资源的供给,提高财务资源的使用效率,最大限度地满足出版业战略目标及短期计划对财务资源的需要,为此,预算管理对保证财务资源的供给,提高管理水平,增强竞争力,有着十分重要意义.     

信息商品化对信息公平的影响

从分析信息商品的特殊性入手,阐述了信息商品化的现状,着重从建立社会信息公平的角度出发,论述信息商品化存在的问题和应采取的决策导向。     

Health information seeking in the information society

This article is the second student contribution to the Dissertations into Practice feature. It reports on a study that investigated the everyday health information-seeking practices of a small group of the 'general public' and the implications for information-seeking theory and health information provision. The first student article, about the implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) in a hospital library, was very different, and the two articles illustrate the broad spectrum of possible subjects for the Dissertations into Practice feature. This study was conducted in summer 2011 by Abir Mukherjee for his MSc dissertation in the Library and Information Sciences programme at City University London. Further information and copies of the full dissertation may be obtained from Abir Mukherjee or David Bawden. AM.     

医院图书馆读者对电子资源的利用及改进信息服务的措施

通过问卷调查了解读者对北京大学第三医院图书馆电子资源利用情况、对新型服务项目的开展需求以及对图书馆网站建设的意见、建议,针对读者需求,提出了改进、深化医院图书馆信息服务的对策。     

Use of libraries and electronic information resources by primary care staff: outcomes from a survey

OBJECTIVES: To assess the use of existing libraries; usage of the Internet and biomedical databases; and need for training on use of the Internet and biomedical databases for primary care staff. METHODS: A postal survey of general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses (PNs) and practice managers (PMs) in Nottingham and Rotherham, UK. RESULTS: Overall, 243 questionnaires were used. The response rate in Nottingham was 24%, in Rotherham it was 34%. Reported use of libraries was low (30%), with PNs reporting significantly higher usage (65%) than others (P < 0.01). Most respondents reported using the Internet (81%), but fewer (44%) reported using databases. GPs and PNs were significantly more likely to report using databases than PMs (P < 0.01). Lack of training was the most reported barrier to using the Internet (67%) and databases (52%). Overall, 52% of respondents reported wanting Internet training, 64% wanted database training. The percentages requesting training on databases were high among GPs and PNs, but significantly lower for PMs (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in the usage of libraries and electronic resources among the primary care team, and in reported training needs. While the reported levels of usage of the Internet and biomedical databases are encouraging, our study identified a training need. If met, this could increase usage further.     

论信息构建与企业信息空间

信息构建(IA)在协助人们有效组织和利用信息方面起着重要作用。文章在简要介绍信息构建的基础上,分析了企业信息空间的构成,将信息构建的应用扩展到企业信息空间,探讨了在优化企业信息空间过程中信息构建的作用和实施原则。