The thesis provides a cybernetics examination of information handling, and concepts that emerged during attempts to fulfil large information handling requirements. Case studies, descriptions of commonplace realities, are seen to have common themes which if fully appreciated would help information handling: information recovery: a distinct concept demanding consideration in the design of information systems; batching and classification; paying detailed attention to 'insignificant' processes resulting in unexpected effectiveness and efficiency; unaccounted, unobserved losses; Theoretic themes developed include: success of batching / classifying information for each need, a critical factor for success of organisations and organisms; dynamic, interactive information pathways and classification systems as algorithms, flow charts or heuristic methods to enable efficient batching; 'leakage' of information, attrition on a grand scale, proves to be the converse of successful batching / classification; a notion of robustness of information is explored. Logical networks of concepts act similarly to neural networks in providing stability for increased retrieval; 'asnegsist' as good as if it didn't exist', and the 'way in;' to information systems are explored; information recovery assisted by findings on perception and interpretation from readability research; 'way in': a subset of 'design' dealing with access to systems. Further research and developments are proposed.

General communication concepts are first discussed together with models of the communication process, the functions of communication and barriers to interaction. The characteristics of organizations are then described and the role of communication in organizations is examined in relation to the main theories of organizational management. The flow of communication through networks within organizations is also noted. The members of these organizations and networks are often scientists and engineers and the characteristics of and differences between these two groups are considered. In addition, their information seeking habits and their use of information sources are discussed in general terms, together with their formal and informal communication patterns. An in-depth description is then given of the methodology used in a survey by questionnaire of scientists and engineers in six organizations of two particular types: international organizations and national aerospace research organizations. The detailed results of the analyses of responses are presented in terms of the information seeking and use habits and the communication habits of scientists and engineers within these organizations. Based on the results of the survey, suggestions for improving information transfer and communication flow within organizations are made.

This thesis in equal part considers the contributory factors which caused suspension of the Net Book Agreement (NBA) in September 1995, and, via a number of interviews, the immediate effects of NBA abolition on the bookselling trade. Comparisons are drawn between the UK experience of NBA suspension and that of other European countries (France, Belgium, Netherlands).

As a contribution to the social theory of organisations, this thesis develops a comprehensive conceptual framework for the analysis of "organisational intelligence". It is developed in the context of some of the empirical problems of information management in the NHS. The framework is based on an information processing perspective. It has a number of components, each of which may be used, individually or collectively by information and social analysts. Organisational intelligence is, therefore, a relative concept, being concerned in essence with assessments of contextually appropriate behaviour and/or information. Organisational intelligence focuses on and reflects how actors / organisations do knowledgework. A number of generic knowledgework processes are proposed, together with some associated pathologies. But the question for information management is how to develop the supporting knowledgebase component. The development of information products of, or for, intelligence is another component of the framework. All these processes and products need to be assessed in their historical, political and information-related contexts. Finally, attention is paid to assessments in the light of experience of the issues in question. The case studies are based on material gathered firstly while working as a District Information Officer in a Health Authority, and then as co-ordinator for the project determining the information requirements of the NHS after the 1991. These studies are supplemented by analyses of secondary material. After a series of case studies using the organisational intelligence framework to illustrate different aspects of the information management in the NHS during the 198 0s, there are two detailed local studies, and then one concerning national developments in information policy in the early 1980s, followed by an analysis of the information requirements of the NHS post-Review. Finally, the case study material is drawn together to illustrate some characteristics of the organisation of intelligence.

No description available.

The thesis concerns the library formed by the abbe ttienne Pages at Lyons in the early 19th century. Just as Pages's life straddled the Revolution, so the study follows the body of books that he assembled in its passage from the 18th to the 19th century at Lyons, a city conscious of a long secular and Christian cultural tradition. The varieties of institutional, public and private libraries in 18th century Lyons are considered, in particular the private collections formed by priests. The Revolution at Lyons is outlined in its effect upon local libraries, together with the salient features of library reconstruction. Into this context is set the life and career of the Pages, who after a decade as an emigre, settled at Lyons in the early years of the 19th century, and from 1809 was professor in the state faculty of theology. The study examines in detail his building up of a library quarried in large part from pre-Revolutionary Lyons book resources, the methods employed, and books acquired, and the uses made of them. It then recounts how the library passed to the Society of Mary, and traces the scale and focus of the Marists' aims and enterprises. Their interest in studies is assessed, and the usefulness to them of the resource represented by the Pages library. The thesis concludes by relating their general purposes and book needs to a particular case: the mission to Western Oceania which they launched from a city with,a deeply ingrained tradition of international and missionary interest.

In Nigeria library services are developing rapidly as part of a fast developing economy and social infra-structures. This rapid expansion calls for trained manpower to manage the services. It is assumed that a thorough knowledge of existing personnel is essential for adequate planning and implementation of an effective strategy to supply the professional personnel required, both now and in the future, to meet the growing demand. Consequently this study has been undertaken in order to discover the personal characteristics (sex, age, marital status, etc.), social origins, educational backgrounds, and career and mobility patterns of librarians in Nigeria. Factors associated with career advancement and mobility are examined. Why, in the first place, individuals choose librarianship as a career and the contributions they are making to the professional literature and the professional associations are also investigated. Running through this study of a sample of librarians in a developing country is an attempt to relate the findings to those of similar studies in developed countries. The sample consists of 267 librarians (179 men and 88 women) selected from various types of libraries and the library schools in the country. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Among other findings, the results show that, unlike in developed countries, male librarians in Nigeria outnumber the female by about two to one. The librarians are relatively young, half not above 35. There are few expatriate librarians. Most librarians come from ordinary working class families and their parents have little or no formal education. About 90% of the librarians are graduates while 99% have professional qualifications. They choose the profession mainly for reasons similar to those of librarians in developed countries; Many have previously tried their hands at other occupations or professions, especially teaching, and they tend to join the profession rather late in life. Most have yet had short professional careers, not exceeding ten years. About 60% are mobile. The majority are satisfied with their professional careers.

This study aims to construct a historical model of library provision in Scotland from the 16th century to the present day. It falls naturally into three parts: A first section covering the period 1560-1850 which discusses the origin and development of library provision and use in Scotland and identifies its main characteristics. A second section 'Sectoral Analysis' which is an analysis of the LIBSCOT file, a microcomputer held directory of library provision in Scotland in the 1890s. After an overview chapter each type of library in Scotland, derived from a classification devised by the author, is described in turn and its main characteristics, statistical and factual, are identified. A third section, Evaluation, which analyses the LIBSCOT file data in general terms, examines the development of policy for library provision in Scotland and considers how contemporary librarianship in Scotland has been shaped by the historical model. A final chapter considers the study's importance for library historiography. The historical model, briefly stated, suggests that library provision in Scotland has traditionally been based on small administrative, local community centred roots which originated in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These traditions originated in small market towns and villages and although they spread to large towns and cities the small population unit remained the essential base for library provision. By the end of the 18th century a structure of library provision had emerged, based on small units which were amateur but not amateurish in character and were hostile to large bureaucratic units and an ideology of professionalism. The evidence of the LIBSCOT file shows that this picture was largely unchanged by the late 19th century. In the 20th century slow progress was made towards a new model of library provision, based on large administrative units and an ideology of professionalism was slow to develop. Attitudes did not change until the 1960s.

Although subscription libraries have existed in Malaysia since 1817, it was only in 1968, about ten years after independence that the Government adopted the Blueprint for Public Library Development in Malaysia. Since then, all but one of the States in Peninsular Malaysia have adopted public library legislation and have established State Public Library Corporations. Despite this, overall provisions are patchy and uneven and the greater bulk of the population still do not have access to public library services. Government authorities are quite concerned over this state of affairs as it is increasingly being realized that libraries can be an important instrument for economic and social upliftment, particularly of the country's largely rural population. The main purpose of the thesis therefore has been to identify the major constraints to overall development, to suggest measures to the Malaysian Government likely to place public library services on a firm foundation and to offer particularly to the developing countries some useful insights, based on Malaysia's experience in the field. Particularly significant is the fact that a Public Library Policy for the country endorsed at the highest levels of Government, does not exist. Legislative provisions too are not only inadequate but are conflicting in some respects. While both the Federal and State Governments have legislative competence for public libraries, the question of executive responsibility has never been clearly determined. Existing financial provisions place too heavy a burden on State Governments, whose sources of revenue, in most cases are strictly limited. The absence of long term development plans is a further inhibiting factor while manpower provisions, especially at the professional level are grossly inadequate. It is suggested that a Federal Act for Public Libraries is of cardinal importance. The Act should enshrine the public library policy for the country, place the subject of public libraries within the portfolio of a Federal Minister, equip the National Library with the required authority and make adequate provisions for finance and manpower.

No description available.