Thesis (M.A. (Information Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceptions of final-year students and subject librarians towards the adequacy of the structure and content of library user education programmes at the University of Limpopo (UL) library. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were followed and a descriptive and phenomenological research designs respectively were also adopted for the study. The population for the study consisted of 260 final year students and eight (8) subject librarians, who were selected through systematic random sampling (students) and purposive sampling methods (subject librarians). Data were collected from students and subject librarians using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. An analysis of content for UL library website was also conducted to triangulate the results of the study. Quantitative and qualitative were analysed using excel spreadsheet and thematic analysis respectively. The final year students at the UL showed some positive perceptions and attitudes towards the library in general and to the adequacy of the content and structure of its user education programmes. They are of the opinion that library staff should commit to good customer care principles and regular delivery of user education programmes, and that user education programmes at the UL library should be a credit-bearing module/course for all first-level students in all four faculties. On the structure and content, the findings of the study revealed that the UL library provides user education programmes such as library orientation, bibliographic instruction, information literacy, on-on-one training, online interactive course, library guides and brochures with different content and for different library users. Website content analysis found subject LibGuides were used as platforms for advertising Bibliographic Instruction programmes. However, impediments experienced by subject librarians towards a comprehensive delivering of user education programmes at the UL library include insufficient time allocated to user education programmes, lack of venues to conduct user education sessions, inaccessibility of social media tools, LibGuides not going live, insubstantial partnerships between stakeholders (academics and students) and the v library staff, and low attendance of user education programmes by undergraduate students. The research recommends that there should be a credit-bearing and compulsory information literacy programme offered as part of the curriculum at first levels of study at the UL. Furthermore, library staff need to have a continuous engagement with both academic staff and students, and notify them about important events within the library. The library website should also be upload recorded online user education sessions which can be accessed by library users any time. The library management should also engage ICT to open the social media platforms as that is where most students prefer to interact. This can also be used to deliver user education programmes.

D. Tech. Business Information Systems / Information supports the smooth operations and vital decision making of the normal operation of business processes within an enterprise. Developing countries’ Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are faced with challenges of accessing intelligent information for decision making at different operational sites. Developing countries' SMEs could have benefited from the use of Mobile Business Intelligence (MBI) system. However, there is a lack of a framework that is contextualized to inform the deployment of Mobile Business Intelligence in developing countries' SMEs. This thesis therefore is envisioned to design a framework for the deployment of Mobile Business Intelligence in developing countries' SMEs. This study identified the factors that are needed in the development of a deployment framework for MBI within SMEs in developing countries.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts

A área da Deficiência é marcada pela multidisciplinaridade e pela influência de aspectos ideológicos e sociais em sua constituição, o que gera desafios para a identificação de perfis de usuários e as maneiras mais adequadas para organizar informações nesse domínio. Este trabalho é um estudo de caso que busca refletir sobre o conhecimento necessário, no âmbito da Ciência da Informação, para solucionar esses problemas. Para isso, foi tomado como objeto de análise a Rede SACI, um serviço referencial de informação sobre Deficiência, buscando enfatizar como foi feita a estruturação do serviço, as características de seus usuários e seus contextos de uso, bem como as alternativas adotadas para organização informacional. Concluiu-se que alguns modelos teóricos para estudos de usuário, como o modelo social de informação (Moore, 2000, 2002), podem ser aplicados com maior propriedade no âmbito da Deficiência. Por outro lado, a exploração mais aprofundada de relações entre termos e categorias, relações de sinonímia e o uso de qualificadores são apontadas como alternativas para a organização da área. São indicadas ainda possibilidades quanto ao desenvolvimento da Deficiência no plano da Web 2.0 e as perspectivas para estudos futuros envolvendo a Ciência da Informação e aspectos existentes na área da Deficiência, como a necessidade de informação para o exercício da cidadania. / The area of Disability is characterized by multidisciplinarity and the influence of ideological and social issues. These factors represent a challenge for the establishment of users profiles and the best ways to organize information in the domain. This work is a case study aiming to know how the Information Science can help to solve such problems. An analysis was made on Rede SACI, a reference information service about Disability, to show how the service was structured, its user characteristics and user contexts, as well as the alternatives adopted by the service for organization of information. We conclude that some theoretical models for user studies, as the social model of information (Moore, 2000, 2002), can be applied in the Disability field. On the other hand, a deeper exploration on the relations between terms and categories, on the synonymic relations, and the use of qualifiers, are pointed as ways for organization in the area. This work points also some possibilities about the development of the Disability field in the context of Web 2.0, and the perspectives for future studies involving Information Science and existing aspects in the area of Disability, as the need of information for citizenship construction.

A área da Deficiência é marcada pela multidisciplinaridade e pela influência de aspectos ideológicos e sociais em sua constituição, o que gera desafios para a identificação de perfis de usuários e as maneiras mais adequadas para organizar informações nesse domínio. Este trabalho é um estudo de caso que busca refletir sobre o conhecimento necessário, no âmbito da Ciência da Informação, para solucionar esses problemas. Para isso, foi tomado como objeto de análise a Rede SACI, um serviço referencial de informação sobre Deficiência, buscando enfatizar como foi feita a estruturação do serviço, as características de seus usuários e seus contextos de uso, bem como as alternativas adotadas para organização informacional. Concluiu-se que alguns modelos teóricos para estudos de usuário, como o modelo social de informação (Moore, 2000, 2002), podem ser aplicados com maior propriedade no âmbito da Deficiência. Por outro lado, a exploração mais aprofundada de relações entre termos e categorias, relações de sinonímia e o uso de qualificadores são apontadas como alternativas para a organização da área. São indicadas ainda possibilidades quanto ao desenvolvimento da Deficiência no plano da Web 2.0 e as perspectivas para estudos futuros envolvendo a Ciência da Informação e aspectos existentes na área da Deficiência, como a necessidade de informação para o exercício da cidadania. / The area of Disability is characterized by multidisciplinarity and the influence of ideological and social issues. These factors represent a challenge for the establishment of users profiles and the best ways to organize information in the domain. This work is a case study aiming to know how the Information Science can help to solve such problems. An analysis was made on Rede SACI, a reference information service about Disability, to show how the service was structured, its user characteristics and user contexts, as well as the alternatives adopted by the service for organization of information. We conclude that some theoretical models for user studies, as the social model of information (Moore, 2000, 2002), can be applied in the Disability field. On the other hand, a deeper exploration on the relations between terms and categories, on the synonymic relations, and the use of qualifiers, are pointed as ways for organization in the area. This work points also some possibilities about the development of the Disability field in the context of Web 2.0, and the perspectives for future studies involving Information Science and existing aspects in the area of Disability, as the need of information for citizenship construction.

This study took the form of an evaluative study of the effectiveness of public libraries as a means of providing information to school children, and was conducted at the Queenstown Public Library in the province of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The research endeavoured to evaluate the effectiveness of public libraries in the role which they play to provide information to school children, despite the widespread belief that the role of libraries is now being replaced by Information and Communication Technologies, or ICTs. This study is also significant for the factors which contribute towards school children being prevented from receiving the full range of benefits which libraries have to offer and the recommendations which it makes to improve the effectiveness of the role played by libraries in this respect. The study could also be of benefit to the staff of libraries, as it could serve to inform them with respect to what needs to be done in order to improve the ways in which libraries make information available to school children. In this respect the research could also provide valuable insights into the strategies which need to be developed and adopted in order to make public libraries more effective providers of various types and forms of information to school children. It is to be hoped that the study will also make a valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge concerning public libraries as a means of providing information to school children. It is the fervent wish of this researcher to make a credible and articulate case for the great value which public libraries have for school children, despite the fact that general perceptions no longer accord libraries the value which they were once commonly held to possess.

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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 327-346). A random population survey and a survey of vegetarians were conducted to examine South Australians' beliefs about meat and vegetarianism. Meat beliefs, barriers and benefits of vegetarianism, meat consumption, personal values, use of and trust in sources of food/nutrition/health information and demographic variables were measured.

The study investigated the self-reported information needs and information-seeking behaviour of 143 general practitioners in their delivery of patient care to the elderly on the Gold Coast. The study sought to obtain an information profile in order to begin discussion on the need for possible infrastructures that may need to be considered in any planning strategies concerned with access to and provision of relevant, accurate and timely information to general practitioners which affects their delivery of patient care to the growing number of elderly patients. A ten-page questionnaire utilising both structured and unstructured questions was returned by 61.9 percent of the survey population. Demographic characteristics indicated that respondents were representative of general practitioners in Australia. Respondents frequently needed information with 40 percent requiring it '1 - 4 times a week' and 78 percent 'once a month or more often'. Information on medical fact was required most frequently, 29 percent, medical opinion 27 percent, and non-medical information 23 percent. The study found support for the proposition that computerised information systems need to be enhanced and made widely known and available to general practitioners to assist them in obtaining information that they need in delivery of patient care to the elderly. There is a great need by these general practitioners for non-medical information as well as medical information. Therefore, the development of a database of non-medical information containing information on local agencies and services is of high priority. Library information delivery services should also be de-institutionalised in terms of lifting restrictions to services provided to enable general practitioners greater access to information. Library services should aim to provide remote access to information via telephone, fax and modem with emphasis on value added services aimed at solving a particular specific information need as well as straight-out bibliographic search services and document delivery services. Continuing medical education in the form of CME courses, conferences and meetings should focus on specific information needs of general practitioners in this area of patient care to the elderly. The need for information on cardiology, orthopaedics, dermatology, physiotherapy, podiatry, pharmaceutical benefits, home help, Meals-on-Wheels and nursing home placement were areas of particular interest identified by respondents in this study.