Trends in Parliamentary Oversight: Proceedings from a Panel at the 2004 Southern Political Science Association Conference

World Bank Institute Working Paper- Series on Contemporary Issues in Parliamentary Development, Washington D

Information seeking retrieval, reading and storing behaviour of library users

In the interest of digital libraries, it is advisable that designers be aware of the potential behaviour of the users of such a system. There are two distinct parts under investigation, the interaction between traditional libraries involving the seeking and retrieval of relevant material, and the reading and storage behaviours ensuing. Through this analysis, the findings could be incorporated into digital library facilities. There has been copious amounts of research on information seeking leading to the development of behavioural models to describe the process. Often research on the information seeking practices of individuals is based on the task and field of study. The information seeking model, presented by Ellis et al. (1993), characterises the format of this study where it is used to compare various research on the information seeking practices of groups of people (from academics to professionals). It is found that, although researchers do make use of library facilities, they tend to rely heavily on their own collections and primarily use the library as a source for previously identified information, browsing and interloan. It was found that there are significant differences in user behaviour between the groups analysed. When looking at the reading and storage of material it was hard to draw conclusions, due to the lack of substantial research and information on the topic. However, through the use of reading strategies, a general idea on how readers behave can be developed. Designers of digital libraries can benefit from the guidelines presented here to better understand their audience

Computer Art in the Former Soviet Bloc

Documents early computer art in the Soviet bloc and describes Marxist art theory.Comment: 28 page

Effects of vertical vibration on hopper flows of granular material

This paper examines the flow of granular material through a wedge-shaped hopper subject to vertical, sinusoidal oscillations. Experiments and discrete element computer simulations were conducted to investigate particle trajectories within and mass discharge rates from the hopper. With the hopper exit closed, side wall convection cells are observed in both the experiments and simulations. The convection cells are oriented such that particles move up along the inclined walls of the hopper and down along the centerline. Results from the computer simulation indicate that the convection cells are a result of the dilation of the granular bed during free fall and interaction with hopper walls. Measurements of the mean mass discharge rate for various vibration parameters were also made in both the experiments and simulations. The ratio of the mass discharge rate for a vibrating hopper to the mass discharge rate for a non-vibrating hopper scales with the oscillation velocity amplitude and exhibits a maximum value just greater than one for oscillation velocity amplitudes less than 0.5. The ratio is less than one for larger velocity amplitudes. A simple model taking into account the change in the effective gravity acting on the granular material over an oscillation cycle is examined. A significant deficiency in the model is that is assumes no material discharges from the hopper during part of each oscillation cycle for acceleration amplitudes greater than gravitational acceleration. Data from the simulations indicate that although the discharge rate from the hopper varies throughout an oscillation cycle, it never equals zero. The simulation was also used to examine particle horizontal position and velocity profiles at the hopper exit. Lastly, preliminary observations of the effects of localized vibration on a granular material in a closed hopper are presented

Measuring Symbol and Icon Characteristics: Norms for Concreteness, Complexity, Meaningfulness, Familiarity, and Semantic Distance for 239 Symbols

This paper provides rating norms for a set of symbols and icons selected from a wide variety of sources. These ratings enable the effects of symbol characteristics on user performance to be systematically investigated. The symbol characteristics that have been quantified are considered to be of central relevance to symbol usability research and include concreteness, complexity, meaningfulness, familiarity, and semantic distance. The interrelationships between each of these dimensions is examined and the importance of using normative ratings for experimental research is discussed

Assessment of risk due to the use of carbon fiber composites in commercial and general aviation

The development of a national risk profile for the total annual aircraft losses due to carbon fiber composite (CFC) usage through 1993 is discussed. The profile was developed using separate simulation methods for commercial and general aviation aircraft. A Monte Carlo method which was used to assess the risk in commercial aircraft is described. The method projects the potential usage of CFC through 1993, investigates the incidence of commercial aircraft fires, models the potential release and dispersion of carbon fibers from a fire, and estimates potential economic losses due to CFC damaging electronic equipment. The simulation model for the general aviation aircraft is described. The model emphasizes variations in facility locations and release conditions, estimates distribution of CFC released in general aviation aircraft accidents, and tabulates the failure probabilities and aggregate economic losses in the accidents

Organisational change and the computerisation of British and Spanish savings banks, 1965-1985

In this article we explore organisational changes associated with the automation of financial intermediaries in Spain and the UK. This international comparison looks at the evolution of the same organisational form in two distinct competitive environments. Changes in regulation and technological developments (particularly applications of information technology) are said to be responsible for enhancing competitiveness of retail finance. Archival research on the evolution of savings banks helps to ascertain how, prior to competitive changes taking place, participants in bank markets had to develop capabilities to compete