This study aims to analyse the information seeking behaviour of postgraduate students from Eduardo Mondlane University, Medicine Faculty, in order to extend the knowledge about the students’ interaction with study-related information as well as their perception in relation to the electronic resources available through UEM library, and the challenges they encounter seeking and retrieving information. To carry out the research, a qualitative and quantitative approach was used based on combination with the semi-structured interview and online survey as data collection instruments. The results showed that students start their searches with quite clearly defined information needs and varied seeking purposes, with emphasis on solving tasks of their master's and PhD classes, as well as to write and publish scientific articles. Students are aware of the existence of electronic resources available through the university, with emphases to the medical database HINARI. However, they prefer to use other sources freely available on the internet such as Google scholar andPubMed and they do not have the necessary skills to adopt precise strategies for information seeking. Issues such as unstable Internet connection, language barriers, difficulties in computing and use ofd atabases, and limitations on access to documents that require payments are some of the main challenges faced by the students during informationseeking.

Masters of Art / Libraries use technology to improve the management of scholarly information and to provide faster access to information elsewhere. Over time, an important change was perceived in collection development policies and practices of libraries. Printed materials were increasingly replacing electronic forms of information. This research investigated the use of electronic resources by Postgraduate certificate Education (PGCE) students at the Central University of Technology (CUT). The research adopted the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Fred Davis (1989) as its theoretical framework.

The overall theme of the thesis is the current state of Internet portals (gateways) dedicated to electronic information resources at Czech academic libraries. The purpose of such portal (or sites within academic library web pages) is to form a gateway to every electronic resource available within the university. In the theoretical part of the thesis history, purpose and components of such portals are described followed by the typology and organization of electronic information resources used at library portals in the USA and other mainly English speaking countries. The following part of the thesis is a practical application where 6 selected portals are first analyzed then compared with each other according to 5 criterions described in the previous part: organization of its resources, readability, consistency, usability and presence of additional functions or services. Subsequently by applying the method called "Thinking Aloud" usability testing of two selected portal is performed. The aim of the paper is not only to map the current state of portals but also to present methodology for analysis of other similar portals. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The massive expansion of electronic resources has been identified as one of the major drivers behind the ‘explosion’ in the popularity of family history, which bring ease, convenience and accessibility to some parts of the research process. Amongst this expanse of easily-accessible raw materials, online local studies materials (recording both historical and contemporary aspects of a community) can add real context and value to researchers’ findings and experience; turning a genealogy into a family history. However, the vast majority of these do not appear visible to online family history researchers. Through three central foci (users, e-family history resources, and Local Studies Collections), this research investigates these resources and collections from the perspective of users, to establish how to make the added value of the local studies collections more visible and encourage increased engagement for those who cannot visit collections in person. Specific evaluative criteria for e-family history resources are presented, contributing to practitioners’ awareness and understanding of their nature; in turn helping maintain their service quality to researchers. Using a hybrid (primarily ethnographic) research approach, the study also examines the online research behaviour of family historians, identifying a taxonomy of actions (seeking of genealogical facts, local or social history; communicating with other researchers or resources; locating resources or instructive information; managing own information), strategies (search modifications and incorporation of background knowledge) and outcomes (outcome; direction (projected and actual)). From these categories, a model of Family Historians’ online information seeking has been developed. Researchers have both informational and affective needs, and are highly emotionally attached to the research process. Users universally used Ancestry, FamilySearch, ScotlandsPeople, and Genes Reunited far more than other sites, seeking out quality informational content and unique records, which must be successful for researchers. Google was a major method of access to these. Very few participants were preaware of ‘e-local studies’ websites, and were surprised by the variations in quality, inconsistencies in terminology and navigation, and invisibility of quality content. Despite a lack of ease of use, the content present on e-local studies sites and their usefulness and value had been demonstrated to researchers. This suggests significant demand for local information of this kind online where it is available and made known.

Libraries have for hundreds of years been an important entity for every kind of institute, especially in the educational sector. So now it is an age of computers and internet. People are now using electronic resources to fulfill their needs and requirements of their life. Therefore libraries have also converted to computerized systems. People can access and use library resources just sitting at their computers by using the internet. This modern way of running a library has been called or given the name of digital libraries. Digital libraries are getting famous for flexibility of use and because more users can be facilitated at a time. As numbers of users are increasing, some issues relevant to interaction also arise while using digital libraries interface and utilizing its e-resources. In this thesis we evaluate usability factors and issues in digital libraries and the authors have taken as a case study the real time existing system of the digital library in BTH. This thesis report describes digital libraries and how users are being facilitated by them. Usability issues are also discussed relevant to digital libraries. Users have been the main source to evaluate and judge usability issues while interacting and using this digital library. The results obtained showed dis¬satisfaction of users regarding the usability evaluation of BTH:s digital library. The authors used usability evaluation techniques to evaluate functionality and services provided by the BTH digital library system interface. Moreover, based on the results of our case study, suggestions of improvement in BTH:s digital library are presented. Hopefully, these suggestions will help to make BTH digital library system more usable in an efficient and effective manner for users. / 0046-738956073 0046-738956073 0046-734956502

The aim of this study is to understand the information seeking of undergraduate students and use of electronic resources at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (namely KTH RIT). Four research questions were developed to guide the study. Wilson’s 1996 model of information behaviour was adopted. The survey research design was adopted. A questionnaire was used to collect data, which was administered to a group of undergraduate students through a convenience sampling technique. A total of 122 undergraduate students were sampled from different departments in different years of study (first-to-third). Several statistical tools such as frequency, percentage and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient were used to analyse the data. The results obtained from the data analysis revealed that undergraduate students consider all types of information provided as important. Furthermore, books were identified as the most favoured information source that best supports undergraduate students information needs. Next are websites, databases, journals, YouTube and encyclopaedias in ascending order. The study found that what constitutes the information needs of undergraduate students were university study-related tasks, learning, personal roles and research in their order of importance.

No description available.

Information and communications technology (ICT) makes remote access to information possible. Resource sharing facilitates the provision of access to information sources not owned by an individual library. Case studies were conducted at the University of South Africa and University of Namibia libraries to explore the provision of access to information in academic libraries in southern Africa through collection development, resource sharing and acquiring remote access to electronic resources through ICT facilities. It was found that both libraries have recently adapted their collection development policies to accommodate electronic resources although their budgets did not increase accordingly. The recruitment of ICT knowledgeable staff tends to be a problem at both libraries. Resources are shared via interlending and document supply with Unisa Library as a model in southern Africa. Both libraries add their holdings to the national bibliographies and Sabinet and are members of GAELIC. However, the UNAM library is a passive partner. A consortium within Namibia’s borders is suggested to improve resource sharing. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

電腦網際網路的日益蓬勃發展，帶動各種資訊媒體的不斷興起。面對網路資源的豐富化與多樣化，如何有系統的組織與整理多元出版形式的電子資源，以達到有效的書目控制，是圖書館當前面臨的重大挑戰。本研究旨在研究圖書館對圖書資訊組織的規範，是否也能適用在網路資源的組織。採用個案研究法，探討OCLC對網路資源編目所推動CORC系統所依循的規範內容；再用實驗研究法，實地利用現行的中文編目規範在政治大學圖書館的自動化系統上編一百筆中文網路資源，以瞭解其適用性。 　　本研究發現OCLC的CORC研究計畫，含有許多特色：提供圖書館有效組織並控制網路資源組織的工具；可提供多種建檔格式及多種顯示及輸出格式；可同時截取多筆書目自動編目；提供Pathfinder的功能；提供全球圖書館共同分享合作編目的成果等。在實驗研究時，發現利用現有的編目規範整理中文網路資源是可行；電子資源的館藏發展政策是很重要；圖書館自動化系統需具備連結與維護URL的功能、應注意使用該網路資源的配備等。 　　根據研究結果對中文網路資源作業規範提出幾個結論：作業規範是合作編目的基本要素；現有編目規範可適用；訂定網路資源的評選原則；網路資源書目著錄有許多特色；中文網路資源應著錄的欄位等。同時提出幾個建議：成立常設機構探討與研訂電子資源的編目規範；各圖書館應成立一個電子資源工作小組；開發自動編目的自動化系統；開發可以容納併存多種建檔、顯示與輸出的metadata；促進華文網路資源合作編目的組織機制等。

由於電子資源蓬勃興起，大學圖書館紛紛引進以滿足師生教學研究之需求，然同時預算規模卻未見增加，加以電子資源市場，尤其是電子期刊部份，每年皆以平均7%~10%漲幅成長，使得圖書館對電子期刊使用及其效益，需要有更清楚的了解與掌握，透過衡量網路化服務與資源品質的方法，除可作為圖書館人員決策參考，並能提供有利的理由以尋求經費支援。 本研究目的希能探討電子期刊E-Metrics評鑑相關理論與研究，以ARL E-Metrics計畫為基礎，對大學圖書館電子期刊提出績效評鑑模式芻議與實證分析。採用研究方法為文獻分析法、深度訪談法與電子計量(E-Metrics)分析法，以國立臺灣大學館藏西文電子期刊為對象進行研究。 經訪談與實證資料分析結果，本研究確認了館藏導向電子期刊的績效評鑑的目的、歸納出電子期刊資源與服務評鑑的程序及方法，並建構大學圖書館電子期刊E-Metrics評鑑模式與要件，包含電子期刊資源、使用、成本與績效四大類型，合計14項指標，同時並獲得具體電子期刊績效評鑑結果，確認國內大學圖書館進行電子期刊E-Metrics評鑑模式之可行性。 最後，本研究根據結論，建議可以質化方式進行電子期刊評鑑研究，以獲得對電子期刊資源的全面性瞭解，並對電子期刊E-Metrics評鑑模式與指標、資料蒐集方式等提出建議。而對於未來研究方向，建議可從朝以下四方面努力：(1)進行網路資源與服務導向電子期刊評鑑模式之研究；(2)開發電子期刊使用統計管理軟體；(3)進行電子期刊成本經濟學研究；(4)進行電子期刊使用紀錄分析之評鑑研究。 / Due to the fast growth of electronic resources, it has become a trend for university libraries to acquire such resources to meet the research needs for their users. The expenditures libraries have to spend for electronic resources, especially that for electronic journals have been raised at average rate of 7% to 10% each year. However, the yearly budget for libraries never has been increased as much. It thus has become important for libraries to identify the real usage of and institutional research outcomes from the acquired electronic journals. The assessment of networked information service and resources quality of it is useful for acquisition decision-making. If there is a positive assessment result, then it will also provide justification for seeking budget support. The purpose of this study is to conduct an empirical study so as to enable formulating an assessment model for electronic journals a library has subscribed. The author firstly explores the theories and researches for the application of E-Metrics as assessment model for electronic journals. Taking the ARL E-Metrics project as a referential model, the author combines literature review, in-depth interview, and E-metrics in the research methodology to do researches about the western-language electronic journals subscribed by the National Taiwan University Library. This study has resulted in very useful assessment statistics for electronic journals. From analyzing the data collected from interviews and the related empirical study, the author is able to verify the purpose of assessment for electronic journals under collection development policy, to formulate procedures and methodology for the assessment of electronic journal resource and, the services based on it, to find out necessary components for E-Metrics assessment model for university libraries which comprises of fourteen indicators of four major criteria of (1) e-journal resources (2) its usage (3) its cost and (4) performance from it. The author concludes that the E-Metrics model is good for university libraries to assess their acquired electronic journals. Based on the findings of this study, the author recommends qualitative research to be the more adequate approach for the assessment of electronic journals and proposed the following four areas for future research: (1) investigation of Internet resources and assessment model for electronic journals under the library’s service policy (2) development of statistics and management tools for the subscribed electronic journals (3) cost study of electronic journals from economics point of view (4) analytical study of access logs of electronic journals.