Ina Fourie

Learning from research on the information behaviour of healthcare professionals: a review of the literature 2004–2008 with a focus on emotion

OBJECTIVE A review, focusing on emotion, was conducted of reported studies on the information behaviour of healthcare professionals (2004-2008). Findings were intended to offer guidelines on information services and information literacy training, to note gaps in research and to raise research interest. METHOD Databases were searched for literature published from January 2004 to December 2008 and indexed on eric, Library and Information Science Abstracts, medline, PsycINFO, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts; Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection; Social Work Abstracts; SocINDEX with Full Text; SPORTDiscus; cinhal; and the ISI Web of Knowledge databases. Key journals were manually scanned and citations followed. Literature was included if reporting on issues concerning emotion. RESULTS Emotion in information behaviour in healthcare contexts is scantily addressed. This review, however, offers some insight into the difficulty in identifying and expressing information needs; sense making and the need to fill knowledge gaps; uncertainty; personality and coping skills; motivation to seeking information; emotional experiences during information seeking; self-confidence and attitude; emotional factors in the selection of information channels; and seeking information for psychological or emotional reasons. CONCLUSION Suggestions following findings, address information literacy programs, information services and research gaps.

Librarians and the claiming of new roles: how can we try to make a difference?

In a dynamic, information and technology‐driven society, librarians can create new roles by assessing changes in their environment, the potential effect and ways to reposition themselves. Scenario building, literature reviews, situation analysis, speculation and forecasting may be used. Librarians have a good idea of what they can offer, but are often unable to reposition themselves in time. Reasons for this generally slow reaction are speculated on and the future role of librarians (including expected knowledge and skills) is briefly reviewed. An argument is then pursued on how an educational perspective that supports a constructivist‐learning environment, portfolio assessment, and affective and metacognitive skills could support librarians in preparing for change. The value of task analysis, needs assessment, and market research are mentioned briefly. Apart from knowledge (cognitive level), teaching should focus on affective and metacognitive skills, decision‐making abilities, environmental scanning, change management and the typical personality characteristics required to survive in the cyber age (e.g. assertiveness, self‐confidence, creative thinking, and innovativeness).

Should we take disintermediation seriously

The implications of disintermediation for librarians and information specialists (intermediaries) can be experienced as either a threat of a challenge, depending on how the issue is viewed. The different ways in which information specialists can react to disintermediation are discussed. Although most of these are viable, none addresses all implications of disintermediation. A holistic approach to disintermediation is therefore proposed, in which the situation of the intermediary is viewed within the wider society. The following aspects should be analysed with regard to their effect on disintermediation: changes in the society at large, the availability of information sources, the process of information searching, the specific organisations in which intermediaries operate, and the availability of information services. The specific end‐users and the information specialists involved should also be analysed. With this approach it will be found that the effects of disintermediation will vary according to the particular situations. To prepare information specialists for the effects of disintermediation, their training should also be adapted accordingly.

Addressing the digital divide in teaching information retrieval. A theoretical view on taking students from ICT access to knowledge sharing

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to help students to move from ICT access to knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approach – An overview of the literature on information literacy skills and the digital divide, an analysis of information seeking research, as well as experience in teaching a course in advanced information retrieval at the Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa, inspired a theoretical model for addressing different layers of the digital divide.Findings – The digital divide concerns more than just ICT access and information skills. Individual commitment, group work, and intellectual and academic support from the institution might contribute to bringing people to higher levels of knowledge generation and communication.Research limitations/implications – At this stage it is a theoretical model that needs to be tested in practice.Practical implications – The model should hold possibilities for information literacy programs, programs in information retriev...

Follow-up on the use of portfolio assessment for a module in research information skills: An analysis of its value

Since 1998 the Department of Information Science in collaboration with the Library Services of the University of South Africa (Unisa) has used portfolio assessment for a module in Research Information Skills (RIS). The Bureau for University Teaching assisted with the assessment strategy for the module. The theoretical basis of portfolio assessment and an analysis of what is required to master research information skills were initially used to formulate the assessment criteria. Portfolio assessment emphasises continuous, critical reflection. In line with this, the latest information on assessment is considered for new insights and guidelines. These cover the evolution and complexities of self-assessment. Informal observations based on the assignments submitted by students, their questions and comments, and feedback obtained during two focus group interviews are also used to analyse the value of portfolio assessment. Portfolio assessment has an impact on the students, the lecturers, the development of course material and the mastery of required skills. Recommendations are made for the use of portfolio assessment.

Learning from web information seeking studies: some suggestions for LIS practitioners

Purpose – To explore the value of web information‐seeking studies for practice, and to bring selected research findings and their potential to the attention of library and information science (LIS) practitioners.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a selective literature review of web information‐seeking studies to highlight findings considered most relevant to LIS practitioners. A fairly extensive, but not exhaustive, list of sources was identified. Reasons for the gap between web information‐seeking theory in the form of research reports and LIS praxis are briefly considered.Findings – The value of web information‐seeking studies is limited to theoretical and methodological growth if they do not also affect practice. Suggestions are offered on a selection of aspects of how LIS practitioners can incorporate findings from web information‐seeking studies. These include improved self‐knowledge and self‐efficacy of practitioners and users, adapted approaches to information literacy and user empowerment pro...

Personal information and reference management: Librarians' increasing creativity

Purpose – This column seeks to explore the potential of personal information management (PIM) and reference management to offer more than easy citation of information sources and the creation of bibliographies. The emphasis is on the role librarians and information professionals (hereafter referred to only as librarians) can play in raising awareness of the potential of PIM and reference management and issues to be considered. The end goal is increasing quality, productivity, collaboration and creativity in the use of information. Over the next few issues, the column will share impressions from personal research in the field of information behaviour and PIM, analysis from the subject literature, exploration of the software as such, and trends noted through various means.Design/methodology/approach – The column will be written against the background of research from information behaviour, information organisation, PIM and information curation, as well as alerts on software development in this regard and so...

Empowering users – current awareness on the Internet

The users of information services should be enabled to fully exploit current awareness services (CAS) on the Internet to their own benefit and also that of the larger organisation. Services available via the Internet have added to the importance of current awareness, the meaning of the concept of CAS and the purposes served by CAS. Empowerment requires commitment by both parties (information services and their users), a supportive environment, a clear idea of the outcomes to be achieved, and a new attitude to the training methods and opportunities to employ. The planning of CAS empowerment programmes within the familiar constraints on information services is considered. Aspects users should know about Internet CAS are identified, the role of the information specialist is considered and a few suggestions are made about the implementation of empowerment programmes. This article is based on a paper read at the Fifth Southern African Online Meeting, held on 9 June 1999, in Midrand, South Africa.

Getting it done on time

Purpose – The purpose of this contribution is to focus on an essential issue in all workplace settings where the emphasis is on productivity, time management and creativity: getting innovative, high quality work completed on time according to tight schedules – often facing serious staff shortages. The intention is not to offer an ultimate answer, but to take a different look at the issues that might bring some answers, or that might inspire research projects in the “own” circles of libraries and information services. What does it take to get quality work completed on time?Design/methodology/approach – The contribution is written against the background of research from time management, productivity, learning styles, information behaviour and collaborative work.Findings – There might be simplistic solutions on offer to get work done on time such as the use of productivity and time management tools. When the aim is high quality, creativity and innovative work (done on time), there might be a need to consider...

Librarians alert: How can we exploit what is happening with personal information management (PIM), reference management and related issues?

Purpose – This column aims to explore the potential of personal information management (PIM) and reference management. It seeks to focus on how librarians can stay alert on new developments regarding PIM and related issues such as plagiarism, reference techniques, information literacy and information behaviour. It also tries to stimulate interest in looking for hidden gems that can be of value in their careers as well as those of library users by considering the innovative and creative use of PIM, e.g. by also monitoring the potential of mind maps and concept maps. Design/methodology/approach – The column is written against the background of research from information behaviour, PIM, information curation, alerts on software development and related issues, and also social bookmarking. Findings – There are many ways in which librarians can stay abreast of what is happening with PIM, reference management and related issues. There are also many things to note such as improvement of the software, uses of PIM and reference management, teaching skills in PIM and reference management, ways of sharing information, linking to innovation and creativity, and linking to information literacy and information behaviour. Originality/value – Although much has been published on developments in PIM and reference management, the author is not aware of other attempts to link alerting services on PIM and reference management to go beyond developments in software.