Abstract This study focuses on the information behaviour of older adults. The interdisciplinary approach combines everyday life information-seeking, a gerontological notion of successful ageing and research on media use. First, the media repertoires of older adults are examined from the perspective of their course of life. Their information behaviour when they have retired is analysed in Pamela McKenzie's terms of information practices, i.e. 1) active seeking, 2) active scanning, 3) non-directed monitoring and 4) getting information by proxy. A new viewpoint to information use in information studies is independent and activating media use. The theoretical framework applies a gerontological life course approach, which connects former life events to latter events in one's information behaviour. The framework in this study encompasses everyday information behaviour more generally than information-seeking. The main concepts of the framework are information practices, media use, and as a new concept, enactment. The study is based on a qualitative approach that utilizes methodological triangulation. The empirical data was gathered from 319 elderly Finns. The longitudinal material was gathered from 13 retired teachers. The methods used were interview (2004), questionnaire (2001 & 2004), sentence completion task (2001 & 2004) and the Depression-Happiness Scale (2004). A second set of material consisted of 306 media diaries from the national Yksi päivä mediaa (Media use in one day) material collected in 2001. The main methods of analysis were a narrative life review and content analysis. Different methods and material collected at two different times increase the reliability of the results and illustrate changes in the explored phenomena. This study indicates that the life course approach should be taken into account in information studies, at least when research focuses on older adults. An interesting result is the concept of enactment, which describes the activating role of media. Analysis of the data indicated that media use of older adults is connected, for example, to organising their daily programme, food, physical exercise and health, language skills, civil debate, crosswords, competitions and games, time of devotion, and lending, borrowing and recycling of material. Another notable result is the application of McKenzie's model of information practices to structure the information behaviour in everyday life. The model is also improved by applying a new information practice, abstaining from information. Its role in the information behaviour of everyday life should be studied further. The activating role of media use among populations other than the elderly is another important issue in a media environment that will be more interactive in the future. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimus kohdistuu ikääntyneiden informaatiokäyttäytymiseen. Tieteidenvälisessä tarkastelussa yhdistyvät informaatiotutkimuksen arkielämän tiedonhankinnan tutkimus, gerontologiasta omaksuttu käsitys onnistuvasta vanhenemisesta ja viestinnän alan mediankäytön tutkimus. Aluksi tarkastellaan ikääntyneiden mediarepertuaarien muutoksia heidän elämänkulkunsa ajalta. Eläkkeellä olon aikaista informaatiokäyttäytymistä analysoidaan arjen informaatiokäytäntöinä, joita Pamela McKenzien teoreettisen mallin mukaisesti ovat 1) aktiivinen etsintä, 2) aktiivinen seuranta, 3) kohdentumaton havainnointi ja 4) informaation saaminen toisen henkilön kautta. Informaatiotutkimuksessa uutena tiedonkäytön sovellusalana on omaehtoinen ja aktiivinen mediankäyttö. Teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä sovelletaan gerontologista elämänkulun lähtökohtaa. Sen mukaisesti ihmisten aiemmilla elämänkokemuksilla on yhteyksiä heidän myöhempään informaatiokäyttäytymiseensä. Viitekehys kattaa tiedonhankintaa yleisemmin arkielämän informaatiokäyttäytymisen. Siinä keskeisiä ovat informaatiokäytäntöjen ja mediankäytön käsitteet sekä uutena esitetty toimintaan aktivoitumisen (enactment) käsite. Tutkimus perustuu laadulliseen lähestymistapaan, jossa sovelletaan menetelmätriangulaatiota. Empiirinen aineisto on koottu yhteensä 319 ikääntyneeltä suomalaiselta. Pitkittäisaineisto koostuu 13 opettajaeläkeläiseltä saaduista tiedoista. Menetelminä olivat haastattelu (2004), kysely (2001 ja 2004), lauseentäydennystehtävä (2001 ja 2004) ja The Depression-Happiness Scale -mittari (2004). Toisena aineistona olivat 306 mediapäiväkirjaa, jotka on kerätty Yksi päivä mediaa -kirjoitustapahtumassa (2001). Pääasiallisina analyysimenetelminä olivat narratiivinen elämäntarkastelu ja sisällönanalyysi. Eri menetelmillä ja kahtena eri ajankohtana kerätyn aineiston analyysi lisää tulosten luotettavuutta ja nostaa esille tutkittavien ilmiöiden muutoksia. Tutkimuksen perusteella elämänkulun lähtökohta tulisi ottaa huomioon informaatiotutkimuksen teoreettisissa malleissa. Tämä koskee ainakin ikääntyneiden informaatiokäyttäytymistä. Kiinnostava tulos on toimintaan aktivoitumisen käsitteen esittäminen. Käsite kuvaa sitä, miten mediankäyttö aktivoi toimintaan. Esimerkiksi päiväohjelman organisointi, ravinto, liikunta ja terveys, kielitaidon ylläpitäminen, yhteiskunnalliseen keskusteluun osallistuminen, sanaristikot, kilpailut ja pelaaminen, hiljentyminen sekä aineiston vaihto, lainaaminen ja kierrätys nousivat esille aineiston analyysissä. Merkittävä tulos on myös McKenzien informaatiokäytäntöjen mallin soveltaminen ihmisten arkisen informaatiokäyttäytymisen jäsentämiseen sekä mallin täydentäminen informaatiosta pidättäytymisen informaatiokäytännöllä. Informaatiokäyttäytymisen käsitteen vakiinnuttaminen alan suomenkieliseen terminologiaan selkiyttäisi arkielämän tiedonhankinnasta käytettyä käsitteistöä. Jatkotutkimuksissa olisi selvitettävä informaatiosta pidättäytymistä osana laajempaa informaatiokäyttäytymistä. Mediankäytön toimintaan aktivoivaa merkitystä olisi tutkittava myös muista väestöryhmistä kuin ikääntyneistä. Lisäksi olisi tutkittava sitä, millaisia vaikutuksia median vuorovaikutuksellisuuden lisääntymisellä on ihmisten arkiseen toimintaan.

The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to explore the information practices present in hobby genealogy. The thesis uses a qualitative content analysis to analyse two popular Swedish genealogy magazines published between 2016 and 2019. The study investigates the information sources, objects, competences and emotions that the practice is built on. Our theoretical framework is centred around Reckwitz’ ideas of practice theory (2002), and the practice theory model introduced by Shove, Pantzar, and Watson (2012). The study finds that the information practices within hobby genealogy are heterogenous and extensive, and that information is a central part of the practice. The study also finds that emotions and motivations are important parts of understanding how the practice is maintained.

Video games are common hobbies today, and as such they have been studied withinthe field of LIS. However, video gaming is a wide subject, and therefore there still exists 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 kind 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.

La question du contexte occupe une place centrale dans l’observation et l'étude de tout phénomène. Associée à la recherche d’information, la notion de contexte est de plus en plus mobilisée dans les domaines des sciences de l’information, de l’ingénierie des connaissances, des sciences cognitives et de l’informatique. En effet, le sens d'une expression linguistique, la lecture d’un document la stratégie mise en œuvre dans l’activité de recherche d’information, le raisonnement adopté dans l’opération de classement d’un document, le choix d’avoir recours à tel dispositif, varient fortement d'un contexte à l'autre. Mais que faut-il entendre exactement par contexte ? Comment le définir ? Le contexte est-il assimilable à la notion de situation ? À la notion d'usage ? Voici quelques-unes des questions qui sont traitées dans ce travail, qui cherche à appréhender l’environnement informationnel d’un groupe professionnel donné : les ingénieurs-chercheurs d’une équipe d’EDF-R&D. Pour ce faire, nous cherchons à cartographier cet environnement, à le comprendre, en interrogeant notamment la construction du sens en contexte. Notre contribution cherche ainsi à éclairer l’environnement informationnel de ce groupe d’acteurs et propose quelques axes de réflexion pour accompagner la construction d’une démarche instrumentée de gestion de l’information en entreprise. Ce travail associe différents acteurs (chercheurs et ingénieurs) et participe à un projet de recherche appliquée (ANR MIIPA-Doc). Il accompagne ainsi la conception d’une solution logicielle qui explore l’approche de la classification et de la navigation par facettes, et s’inscrit dans la mouvance des outils collaboratifs, dont le principe consiste à impliquer l’acteur dans les opérations de classification et de "marquage" des documents qu’il produit, manipule et classe dans le cadre de ses activités professionnelles. / Assuming that workplace significantly affects information seeking and information management patterns,this study explores accessibility and management of information sources among a group of research engineers.The study explores how these engineers, who belong to the R&D entity of a major energy group,require, search and manage information sources in given professional contexts. Furthermore, it strives toidentify the contextual factors that shape information practices. This empirical study is based on a qualitativeapproach: following exploratory inquiries, semi-structured interviews and observations were conducted witha small group of actors in their proper workplace. Our integration within the team facilitated the participantobservation stance. The study provides an analytic cartography of the various components of the organizationaland informational environments whereby the activities and tasks of the above mentioned actors takeplace. A wide range of practices has been identified via interviews but also through the activities and workrhythms observed. An appreciative framework has been developed to analyze the practices of access to informationproduced and used in professional contexts; it underlines the contextual factors that may becomedriving dimensions to support an innovative perspective on information management structures. The studyattempts to provide an innovative approach for the analysis of information practices in contexts, orientedtoward the design of a facetted and collaborative information management system.

Au croisement des études sur la réussite à l’université, la culture informationnelle et plus largement la culture numérique, l’étude de cas proposée interroge les liens entre les apprentissages en ligne et les pratiques et compétences informationnelles des étudiants. Une première enquête a permis d’identifier les profils académiques et sociologiques des étudiants inscrits dans un dispositif de remise à niveau et d’aide à l’orientation proposé par l’université de Strasbourg. D’autres enquêtes et tests ont été menés pour connaître les pratiques informationnelles de ces étudiants dans les contextes de formation en ligne et évaluer leurs compétences à l’entrée et à la sortie du dispositif. Les résultats montrent que notre population ne correspond pas au profil type de l’étudiant en échec. Par ailleurs, nos conclusions rejoignent en partie nos hypothèses sur la pauvreté des pratiques informationnelles en e-learning et le manque de compétences expertes dans ce domaine malgré les modules de formation suivis par ces étudiants. / Crossing studies on college academic achievement, information literacy and digital culture, the proposed case study questions the relationship between distance learning and students information practices and information literacy. An initial survey has identified academic and sociological profiles of students who are enrolled in a program offered by the University of Strasbourg to help them succeed in their curricula. Other surveys and tests were conducted to know the information practices of these students in online learning contexts and evaluate their skills entering and exiting the program. The results show that our population does not fit the profile of student failure. Moreover, our conclusions support our hypothesis about poverty information practices in e-learning and lack of expert skills in this area despite several courses followed by these students.

Consumers have begun to take a more proactive approach to their healthcare by accessing pharmaceutical companies Websites to obtain health and drug information, support groups, rebates, coupons, as well as free drug trials. In exchange for these benefits, companies require consumers to voluntarily disclose information. However, research has shown that consumers continue to be concerned about how their information is managed, used, and distributed by companies, especially if accessed via the Web. To date, there has been limited empirical research to examine the actual online practices of companies when it comes to privacy, especially those of pharmaceutical companies. Using Delphi expert panel process, the components of a benchmarking index were identified to examine the documented and actual online practices of 100 Website registrations with pharmaceutical companies. The evolution for the development of an index to measure the personal information privacy violations of pharmaceutical companies is presented. Second, empirical evidence is provided regarding the magnitude of voluntary adherence to the Fair Information Practices (FIPs) by pharmaceutical companies based upon the personal information privacy violations. The results revealed that companies with headquarters in Europe had fewer personal information privacy violations than those in Asia, UK, and the US. Moreover, the results indicate that fewer personal information privacy violations occur for chronic conditions than for non-chronic conditions, as well as fewer violations occur with Website registrations for updates than for discounts. Finally, both Europe and UK demonstrated more overall adherence to FIPs than the US and Asia. This suggests that self-regulation may not be sufficient, while more enforcement may be necessary to decrease personal information privacy violations.

Cette thèse a pour but de comprendre comment le « numérique » interroge à la fois les processus de légitimation et de délégitimation des pratiques info-documentaires et la manière dont ces processus s'inscrivent dans des objets, des lieux et des dispositifs. Ce travail prend place au sein de l'institution scolaire qui, implicitement ou explicitement, transmet et constitue des normes communes de ce que sont les « bonnes pratiques » de production, de circulation et de réception des textes, des documents et des savoirs. Il s'agit de faire une étude ethno-sémiotique, au sein des espaces de la classe et du CDI, dans deux collèges, des manières de rechercher, de lire, d'exploiter, de faire circuler et de produire des documents. Les dévoilements du numérique font réapparaître la nécessité de comprendre les pratiques et les compétences qui permettent de qualifier l'information, au-delà de méthodes canoniques forgées par les médiateurs (citer ses sources, respecter le droit d'auteur, ne pas copier-coller etc.), et au-delà des signes de la valeur, hérités du modèle de la bibliographie et de leur fétichisation dans la référence (éditeur, auteur, notice de catalogage etc.). Cette thèse repose sur une approche de la culture info-documentaire comme un composite, et sur la compréhension du numérique comme un phénomène social qui redéfinit les géographies et les temporalités de la production, circulation et réception des textes, des savoirs et de leurs documents. Cette approche permet alors de renouveler les questionnements sur la notion de valeur info-documentaire. Entreprise de dévoilement des normes de la culture écrite, ce travail de recherche montre l’enchâssement des pratiques, des objets et des valeurs à l’œuvre dans les processus info-communicationnels du partage des savoirs. Comprendre aujourd’hui les résistances des élèves aux discours du « bien se documenter » passe par une théorie de l’économie politique du document à l’ère numérique, et une approche anthropologique des pratiques ordinaires des textes et des documents, l’une se nourrissant de l’autre. / This thesis aims to understand how the "digital" interrogates both the processes of legitimization and delegitimization of informationnal practices and how these processes are embedded in objects, places and devices. This work takes place within the school institution which transmits implicitly or explicitly, common standards for "good practices" of production, circulation and reception of texts, documents and knowledge. This is an ethno-semiotic study within the class and the library school’s spaces in two medium schools to observe and analyze the ways to search, read, operate, circulate and produce documents. The digital unveils the need to understand the practices and skills to qualify the information beyond canonical methods forged by mediators (citing sources, respect copyright, do not copy and paste etc.), and beyond signs of value inherited from the model of the bibliography and their fetishization in reference (publisher, author, cataloging record etc.). This thesis is based on an anthropological approach of information literacy and of digital as a social phenomenon that redefines geographies and temporalities of texts, knowledge and their documents. This approach allows to renew questions about the concept of document value. This research demonstrates the entrenchment of practices, objects and values at work in the communicational processes of knowledge sharing. Understanding today resistances of pupils to follow the rules of a « good research » requires a political theory of the economy of the document to the digital age and an anthropological approach of the common practices of texts and documents, one is feeding the other.