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This dissertation provides a context-specific theory to understand how city cultural organizations can best use digital stories and impression management to create a desired image or enhance public perceptions. The generated model describes how a digital storytelling information system can affect user impressions of a city and the outcomes of using such a system. The study responds to a growing interest among cultural organizations regarding how to use emerging information technologies in the communication of cultural content. An interpretive case study was conducted on the “Love Your City, Share Your Stories” digital storytelling initiative in Hamilton, Canada. Data collection included 95 one-on-one interviews with the general public, the gathering of documents, and the researcher’s personal observations of participants during the data collection process. A systematic approach of data analysis was utilized to capture participant opinions and visualize this information in a data structure. Theories from the literature on information systems, organizational impression management, and narrative transportation ground the study. Findings suggest that a digital storytelling information system can be a viable tool to share city cultural heritage information and positively affect people’s perceptions of a city. The overall outcome of creating/maintaining a positive favorable impression is shaped through a layered experience of benefits by the users. Users are first personally engaged and informed about a city’s cultural heritage (primary benefits), and then they are influenced and inspired positively towards the city (secondary benefits). Findings show that technology characteristics (i.e., media quality and story quality) are critical factors affecting outcomes of use, and that user characteristics and context of use both moderate this relationship. This research provides theoretical insights and practical recommendations for researchers and city cultural organizations wishing to explore the utilization of newer information technologies, such as digital storytelling, for impression management. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This dissertation aims to understand how city cultural organizations can best use digital stories and impression management to enhance public perceptions. The generated model describes how a digital storytelling information system can affect user impressions of a city. The study responds to a growing interest among cultural organizations regarding how to use emerging information technologies in the communication of cultural content. Findings suggest that a digital storytelling information system can be a viable tool to share city cultural heritage information and positively affect people’s perceptions of a city. Findings show that technology characteristics (i.e., media quality and story quality) are critical factors affecting outcomes of use and that user characteristics and context of use both moderate this relationship. Theoretical insights and practical recommendations are provided for researchers and city cultural organizations wishing to explore the utilization of newer information technologies, such as digital storytelling, for impression management.

What does inspiration mean to creative amateurs? Inspiration as a concept has been hard to define in information science terms. Several theories of information-seeking behavior have also been proposed to be applicable to inspiration-seeking, but have not seen empirical testing. While previous researchers on inspiration have mostly focused on artists and designers, this essay has studied amateurs and makers engaged in creative hobbies. Based on a survey distributed to study circles organized under Swedish adult educational associations, the grounded theory analysis indicated that inspiration is important as a feeling of motivation, joy, well-being and productivity, a source of ideas, and a driving force in the creative process. The results of the survey also showed that more passive information-seeking strategies, such as serendipitous encounters, browsing, and social interaction, were more commonly associated with finding inspiration than active strategies, such as systematic searches and question-based seeking, within the group. The responses showed that the respondents’ perceptions of inspiration were somewhat idiosyncratic, and future research based on individual or focus group interviews would be needed to explore the more ambiguous concepts and answers gleaned in this study. This is a two years master's thesis in Library and information science.

Early communication of organizational values helps job seekers self-select out of the recruitment process and make proper career decisions. Recruitment websites are the major tools for learning organizational values and filtering suitable job opportunities but they often fail to provide real and comprehensive values-related information. To satisfy the information needs of job seekers and facilitate values-based job-seeking, this paper conducted design-oriented research, aiming to understand job seekers’ attitudes towards values-based recruitment websites and core considerations for facilitating values-based job-seeking when designing such websites. A clickable prototype of a values-based recruitment website for technical developers to find employers based on shared values was developed with a user-centered and iterative design process and evaluated by 10 users using qualitative methods. The findings revealed that participants’ attitudes toward the website varied among individuals. Core considerations were, for example, organizational trust, person-job fit evaluation, and values-based filter design. Furthermore, specific features to address these considerations are proposed to inspire future designs. / Tidig kommunikation av organisatoriska värderingar hjälper arbetssökande att själv välja ut ur rekryteringsprocessen och fatta korrekta karriärbeslut. Rekryteringswebbplatser är de viktigaste verktygen för att lära sig organisatoriska värderingar och filtrera ut lämpliga jobbmöjligheter, men de misslyckas ofta med att tillhandahålla verklig och heltäckande värderelaterad information. För att tillgodose informationsbehovet av värderingar och underlätta värderingsbaserat jobbsökande, genomförde denna artikel designorienterad forskning, som syftade till att förstå arbetssökandes attityder till värderingsbaserade rekryteringswebbplatser och centrala överväganden för att underlätta värderingsbaserat arbetssökande vid utformning sådana webbplatser. En klickbar prototyp av en värderingsbaserad rekryteringswebbplats för tekniska utvecklare för att hitta arbetsgivare baserad på gemensamma värderingar utvecklades med en användarcentrerad och iterativ designprocess och utvärderades av 10 användare med hjälp av kvalitativa metoder. Resultaten visade att deltagarnas attityder till webbplatsen varierade mellan individer. Kärnöverväganden var till exempel organisatoriskt förtroende, utvärdering av passform mellan person och jobb och värderingsbaserad filterdesign. Dessutom föreslås specifika funktioner för att hantera dessa överväganden för att inspirera framtida design.

To be able to make accurate predictions and adapt, we sometimes need to adjust our understanding of the world, yet what incentivizes expansion of our mental world models remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate what motivates people to update their world models – here referred to as the ontological model structure, and how updating is related to uncertainty. The study is of experimental design and uses a digital game divided into two conditions (ambiguous and unambiguous) that vary the expectations for the game’s causal structure. The goal of the game was to gain points by accurately predicting on what food item a fly will land. To make accurate predictions, the participant should adjust their cognitive model when encountering new information. Data from 84 participants was collected online, using Prolific.co. It was hypothesized that initial ambiguity would affect the likelihood of information seeking by increasing the frequency of prediction errors and would result in a faster switch to an optimal cognitive model. The study found that participants in the more ambiguous condition sought information earlier, gained more prediction errors and changed to an optimal model faster than participants in the less ambiguous condition. However, both participant groups seemed equally as equipped to change models as a result of prediction errors. This might indicate that despite similar support for an initial model, it is the prediction errors and our recent history that affects our tendency to adjust our cognitive models. / För att kunna göra korrekta prediktioner och anpassa oss behöver vi ibland justera vår förståelse av världen, vad som motiverar en revidering av våra mentala modeller är dock fortfarande oklart. Studiens syfte var att undersöka vad som motiverar människor att uppdatera sina modeller – benämnd här som den ontologiska modellstrukturen, och hur uppdateringen är relaterad till osäkerhet. Studien är av experimentell design och använder ett digitalt spel uppdelat i två betingelser (tvetydig och entydig), som varierar förväntningarna på spelets ontologiska struktur. Spelets mål var att samla poäng genom att korrekt predicera på vilken matvara en fluga kommer att landa. För att kunna göra korrekta prediktioner bör deltagaren justera sin kognitiva modell när ny information fås. Data från 84 deltagare samlades in online, med hjälp av Prolific.co. Det antogs att den initiala tvetydigheten skulle påverka sannolikheten för informationssökning genom att öka frekvensen av prediktionsfel och att det skulle resultera i en snabbare övergång till en optimal kognitiv modell. Studien fann att deltagare i den mer tvetydiga betingelsen sökte information tidigare, fick fler prediktionsfel och ändrade till en optimal modell snabbare än deltagare i den mindre tvetydiga betingelsen. Däremot verkade båda deltagargrupperna lika väl utrustade att byta modell till följd av prediktionsfel. Det kan tyda på att trots liknande stöd för en initialmodell är det prediktionsfel och vår närhistoria som påverkar vår tendens att justera våra kognitiva modeller.

Video games are common hobbies today, and as such they have been studied within the field of LIS. However, video gaming is a wide subject, and therefore there still exist areas that have not yet been properly researched. This bachelor thesis investigates the ways video game players experience the use of external and internal information and the effect it has on their gameplay experiences. The aim of this study is to determine players’ motivations behind searching for information in relation to gaming and the factors they consider when doing so. Metagaming, which is a commonly used term when it comes to describing what is popular and considered optimal within gaming communities, is explored within the thesis. The theoretical framework that is being adopted for this study and which is being used to interpret the empirical data is Information Practices, Cognitive Authority and McKenzie’s Information Practices model, with related terms. This study is qualitative in nature, and the method that is being used is semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that the kinds of information sources and media types that are used by the players are varied. Furthermore the type of game that is being played has a significant impact on the ways in which the players view external and internal information seeking. Metagaming is shown to be a strong influence on how information is searched for in relation to online games. The impact of communally negotiated norms is clear and is clarified within the thesis.

The study aimed to examine high school student usage of licensed databases available through public libraries in Atlanta-USA. A descriptive quantitative survey was conducted via a web-based questionnaire among 135 East Cobb high school students. The findings revealed that most students are aware of these licensed databases, but their usage is low (1:10) compared to Google. However, as students advance in grade levels, their database usage increases and GALILEO is the most-used licensed resource. Factors that influence student database usage include: specific academic needs; teacher instruction to use specific databases and frequent Digital Information Literacy (DIL) instruction. Most students receive DIL instruction at school, but their DIL skills are still inadequate. To increase usage of licensed databases as reliable information resources, the study recommends collaboration between public libraries and high schools, including incorporation of Generation Y's digital information preferences such as Google-type simplified interfaces, cutting-edge technology and time-saving search features. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

This study involved a qualitative investigation of consulting engineers' information needs and information-seeking behaviour within the context of their project-related work roles and tasks. The research design includes a study of various information behaviour models, a systematic review of the subject literature and the exploration of relevant qualitative research methods. Data was collected through time-line interviews. The findings show how consulting engineers' work roles and tasks determine their information needs during various engineering project stages. These factors also determine the use of various sources during information seeking. Consulting engineers use a variety of information sources but rely mainly on interpersonal communication to gather information. Digital cameras are used by consulting engineers to record progress in a project. They also use Internet technologies such as email and FTP sites to communicate project related information. Recommendations were put forward for the development of an Internet-based information service for consulting engineers. / Information science / M.Inf.

Access and use of information facilitate the improvement of agriculture in rural areas. It is therefore important to ensure that adequate and appropriate information flows to the rural areas, and that farmers are able to utilise it. This study investigated the access and use of poultry management information in three rural districts of Tanzania, namely Iringa Rural, Morogoro Rural and Mvomero. The survey method, supplemented by methodological triangulation, was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 360 poultry farmers in the selected rural communities. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted, in which 160 farmers participated. Twenty-two information providers were interviewed. The SPSS® software was used to analyse quantitative data, while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. The findings indicated that poultry farmers needed information on poultry disease control, poultry protection, shelter for poultry and poultry production. There was very low identification and prioritisation of farmers’ information needs by the information providers. Farmers accessed information that had a direct impact and was deemed relevant to their farming activities. It was revealed that farmers accessed information mainly from interpersonal sources. Likewise, farmers preferred interpersonal and informal sources to formal sources of information. The extension officers were considered to be the most effective information source, followed by family, friends, and neighbours. Various factors, such as lack of awareness, unavailability of extension officers and poor infrastructure, influenced access and use of poultry management information. It was concluded that most of the information providers were not aware of the farmers’ information needs, and as a result they were not in a position to disseminate relevant information. In addition, farmers were used to an oral culture, which means that they would probably continue to depend on interpersonal sources of information, regardless of the availability of formal channels and modern sources. The study recommended several measures, including the use of multiple sources of information and delivery of information in a variety of formats, in order to accommodate various categories of farmers. The study also suggested some areas for further research. Furthermore, a model for effective dissemination of poultry management information in rural areas was proposed. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Background: Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests are tests sold directly to consumers, normally without the involvement of healthcare professionals, which aim to provide consumers with their relative genetic risk for various complex diseases. Providers claim that this information will enable and encourage consumers to improve their health behaviour in order to reduce their likelihood of contracting diseases for which they are at an increased genetic risk. However, there are many criticisms and concerns about DTC genetic tests in the literature. Two common concerns are the lack of positive effects, and possible negative effects, that the information generated by the tests may have on consumers health behaviour and health anxiety, and the identified poor quality of information provision on the websites of providers of DTC genetic tests. Although the literature contains some research in these areas it is noticeably limited and occasionally contradictory. Aim and Methods: The aim of the research was to investigate the informational aspects of direct-to-consumer genetic tests, including the provision of information by the companies, consumers information needs and information-seeking behaviour and the effect of the information generated by the tests on health behaviour and health anxiety. The research consisted of three studies: a survey of 275 consumers and potential consumers of DTC genetic tests, in-depth email interviews with 36 consumers of DTC genetic tests and a content analysis of the information provided on all identified providers websites. Results: Positive or neutral changes in health behaviour were identified in a large minority of respondents who had been exposed to genetic risk information, along with the mechanisms by which the information prompted or contributed to change. A minority reported a change in health anxiety, mainly but not exclusively a decrease, with mechanisms again identified. Consumers reported a wide variety of information needs, the most common of which were information to do with the coverage and accuracy of the tests. The provision of information on providers websites varied considerably, both between and within providers, but was generally poor. However, most consumers used other sources alongside these websites, the most common of which was blogs. Conclusions: The results suggest that concerns about possible negative effects of the information generated by the tests are unfounded and that a large minority of consumers have improved health behaviour and decreased health anxiety after purchase. The results also suggest that concern about information provision on providers websites is justified; although this is mitigated by consumers general use of other sources alongside the websites, it is likely that a substantial number of consumers do not have access to enough information to give fully informed consent to the test.