Student Information Use and Decision-Making in Innovation Competitions and the Impact of Librarian Interventions

At a large Midwestern university, librarians work closely with an annual undergraduate agricultural innovation competition to guide students through the process of conducting market research and assessing patentability. In 2018, the authors conducted an exploratory study using focus groups of students who had participated in that year’s competition in order to learn how students find and use information in a competition setting, to evaluate the impact of library support on the students’ success, and inform further assessment activities. Results showed that students used information from the library and from their own research, notably seeking out first-hand expertise, to practice evidence-based decision-making

Information Resources Importance and Format Inclination of Science and Technology Researchers

This study examined important information resources and format inclination of information resources utilized by science and technology (S&T) researchers as they acquire information in the course of their projects. The study institute was “Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) in Nigeria”. The study employed the research design of mixed methods. Questionnaires were utilized for S&T researchers and interview engagements with professional librarians in order to collect data. One hundred and fourteen copies were received for the questionnaires distributed to S&T researchers. All the professional librarians (five) working in the institute’s library were acceptably interviewed. The S&T researchers uncovered that the journal was the information resource most important to them. The preferred format for information resources was the combination of print and non-print resources. We recommend that both print and electronic versions of information resources should be provided for the researchers by the institute’s administrators. Further studies are required on expansion and changes in S&T researchers’ information resource preferences in order to adequately tackle their contemporary and prospective need for information

Effect of Institutional Factors on Source and Channel Use by Medical Residents

ABSTRACT An important question in information-seeking behavior is how people decide on which information source to use when they need information for their work-related tasks. This question becomes especially pertinent in light of the varying degree of legitimacy accorded to digital sources, and the use of new channels of access such as mobiles and tablets. Building upon an earlier study on source use, and using the institutional theory, this is a report of a survey-inprogress of medical residents in one or more Boston hospitals. The study will also examine the role of serendipity in source choice when residents encounter information when not consciously looking for it. Insights gained from the study will build on past work on information behavior and source choice, as well as the application of institutional theory to hospital settings. It will help hospitals make optimal provision of information source types based on their preference and usage by medical residents

Information Seeking Behavior and Context: Theoretical Frameworks and an Empirical Study of Source Use

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

INFORMATION NEEDS AND SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF CHILDREN IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES: A CASE STUDY OF BENUE STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY

ABSTRACT The study investigated information needs and seeking behavior of children in public libraries: A case study of Benue state public library. Five (5) objectives with corresponding research questions were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted survey research design, the population of the study was 490 children registered with the Benue state library Board headquarters, Makurdi. However, a sample sized of 220 were drawn using simple random sampling and Taro Yamene’s formula was used to determine the sample size from the population. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire developed by the researcher and validated by two experts who are professional librarians. Data collected for the study was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and mean scores to answer the research questions. Findings of the study revealed that children needs information on child development and skills acquisition, some children need information on culture of the people, among others. Findings of the study also revealed the ways in which children seek information in public libraries in Benue state to include: consulting the children librarian, personal interaction with public library staff, children seek information by asking questions, browsing the book shelves, reporting to staff, complaining, among others. Furthermore, findings of the study revealed the sources of information available to children in Public libraries in Benue state to include; audio/ talking books, graphic novels and manga, story and information books for all ages, among others. Findings of the study also revealed that the information children often sourced in public libraries in Benue state were: picture books, board books for babies and toddlers, talking books, among others. Findings of the study further revealed that lack of awareness/ orientation programme, inadequate search skills, lack of information literacy programme, among others were the challenges hindering children from accessing and utilizing library resources in public libraries in Benue state. Recommendations were made based on the findings of the study; the management of Benue state library board should organize awareness/ orientation programme for children to enable them have knowledge of available sources in the children’s section of the library, among others

SOURCES AND METHODS OF KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION BY PUBLIC NETWORK MANAGERS

Governments use networks of organizations from the public, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors to deliver public services. While the public administration literature on the tasks and responsibilities of network management is extensive, research on the sources and methods of knowledge acquisition by public network managers is underdeveloped. The study adds to this area through original research. A group of state government professionals, who manage a federal grant in their states, was surveyed to determine how they obtain actionable knowledge to perform network activities. The results were generally consistent with prior research in several disciplines, including public administration, with notable exceptions. Significantly, the personal sources used are predominantly staff or colleagues within their state government, rather than the grant managers in other states. Spearmans rho was used to explore relationships between the respondents\u27 characteristics and the use of personal and impersonal sources. The relationships were extremely weak. The thesis concludes with suggestions for future research.\u2