Eradicating information poverty : an agenda for research

Information poverty remains a critical issue for societies today. The literature of information poverty is reviewed tracking its origins in library and information science and the various approaches that have been taken to tackling information poverty, including international development programmes such as the Global Libraries Initiative, working response to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the importance of access to health information and so on. The paper sets out themes that emerged in a roundtable discussion of library and information science academics in 2017. Discussion centred on: definitions of information poverty which reflect the wide variety of ways in which it is possible to be information poor; literacy and information literacy; the ways in which information can reduce poverty and disadvantage; library and information science initiatives to tackle information poverty; and information poverty in the context of social justice. The group agreed that there was a major piece of work to be done in reframing the library and information science discipline in terms of information poverty. Four key dimensions of information poverty for collaborative future research are: (1) information as an agent to eradicate poverty; (2) the causal factors resulting in information poverty; (3) creation and production activities to combat information poverty; and (4) better understanding of areas of extreme disadvantage and aspects of information need. A list of the key causal factors in creating information poverty which came out of the discussion is presented. Further research initiatives are underway for setting up a partnership/consortium that would lay the foundations for a multidisciplinary network on information poverty, sharing expertise internationally

Consequences of information exchanges of vulnerable women on Facebook: An information grounds study informing value co-creation and ICT4D research

Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research sporadically leverages information science scholarship. Our qualitative study employs the “information grounds” (IG) lens to investigate the consequences of information exchanges by pregnant women on Facebook, who are vulnerable in the doctor-centric birth culture in rural America. The thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with members and administrators of the Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) group shows that positive consequences outweigh negative consequences of information exchanges and lead to the following progression of outcomes: (1) VBAC group as an information ground, (2) social capital (e.g., cognitive, structural, and relational capital) built on the information ground, (3) seven emergent properties of the information ground, and (4) value co-created (e.g., local, affordable, timely, enduring, and reliable support) by VBAC group members. The IG lens reveals the following roles of Facebook, an ICT, in development: (a) a linker that lets people with similar needs and interests convene and shapes their interactions, (b) a pre-requisite to building an online, “third place” for social interactions, and (c) an apparatus for ubiquitously seeking, searching, sharing, and storing information in multiple formats and controlling its flow on the VBAC group. This paper fills in six gaps in the ICT4D research

Exploring the early manifestation of information poverty in young children

Information poverty is widely recognised as having a negative impact upon peoples’ health and wellbeing, and socioeconomic prosperity; however, whilst an issue of significant societal concern evidenced across a wide variety of adult groups and socioeconomic contexts, no studies have been previously undertaken with children. This appears a significant oversight given that many children across the globe are considered multi-dimensionally poor. This study thus sought to explore the possibility of information poverty amongst children. 156 children (aged 6-8) from five UK primary schools participated in a series of practical exercises exploring their information behaviours, and 34 parents and teachers were interviewed to provide further insights. Finding’s evidence self-protective information behaviours and unmet information needs amongst children aged 6-8; both characteristics of an impoverished information state. Whilst much can be explained in developmental terms (i.e. in relation to child age and emergent literacies), much can also be explained in information poverty terms encompassing issues of both information access and use. Notably, approximately half of our child participants considered themselves to be, in general, unsuccessful information seekers; and contrasts with the views of our adult participants who majority believed that children are, in general, successful information seekers. This paper provides the first evidence of information poverty in young children, and provides further insights into the role of parents in supporting their children’s information needs and shaping their developing information behaviours, with parental mediation of child media use appearing particularly problematic. Enduring inequalities in information access are also highlighted. Beyond call for further global research, a public communication campaign to increase awareness of child information poverty and contributory factors is recommended as an immediate priority.Output Status: Forthcomin

Exploring the early manifestation of information poverty in young children

Information poverty is widely recognised as having a negative impact upon the health and wellbeing, and socioeconomic prosperity, of individuals and communities (e.g. Lloyd, 2010; UNICEF, 2017; Marcella and Chowdhury, 2018). Related concerns include issues of social exclusion and social justice (Britz, 2008; Lloyd, 2013), and fundamental human rights including freedom of communication and expression (Britz, 2004). However, whilst an issue of significant societal concern evidenced across a number of adult population groups in a wide variety of socioeconomic contexts, we currently have limited understanding of information poverty amongst children. This appears to be a significant omission as we know that children can experience various other forms of impoverishment both social and economic (UNICEF, 2020). This study sought to address this gap in our understanding of information poverty, and in doing so, provides insights into the early manifestation of information poverty in young children

Exploring the early manifestation of information poverty in young children

Information poverty is widely recognised as having a negative impact upon peoples’ health and wellbeing, and socioeconomic prosperity; however, whilst an issue of significant societal concern evidenced across a wide variety of adult groups and socioeconomic contexts, no studies have been previously undertaken with children. This appears a significant oversight given that many children across the globe are considered multi-dimensionally poor. This study thus sought to explore the possibility of information poverty amongst children. 156 children (aged 6-8) from five UK primary schools participated in a series of practical exercises exploring their information behaviours, and 34 parents and teachers were interviewed to provide further insights. Finding’s evidence self-protective information behaviours and unmet information needs amongst children aged 6-8; both characteristics of an impoverished information state. Whilst much can be explained in developmental terms (i.e. in relation to child age and emergent literacies), much can also be explained in information poverty terms encompassing issues of both information access and use. Notably, approximately half of our child participants considered themselves to be, in general, unsuccessful information seekers; and contrasts with the views of our adult participants who majority believed that children are, in general, successful information seekers. This paper provides the first evidence of information poverty in young children, and provides further insights into the role of parents in supporting their children’s information needs and shaping their developing information behaviours, with parental mediation of child media use appearing particularly problematic. Enduring inequalities in information access are also highlighted. Beyond call for further global research, a public communication campaign to increase awareness of child information poverty and contributory factors is recommended as an immediate priority

Eradicating information poverty: an agenda for research.

Information poverty remains a critical issue for societies today. The literature of information poverty is reviewed tracking its origins in library and information science in the 1970s and the various approaches that have been taken to tackling information poverty, including international development programmes such as the Global Libraries initiative, work in response to the U.N.'s sustainable development goals, the importance of access to health information and so on. The paper sets out themes that emerged in a roundtable discussion amongst 11 LIS academics and practitioners in 2017. Discussion centred on: definitions of information poverty which reflect the wide variety of ways in which it is possible to be information poor; literacy and information literacy; the ways in which information can reduce poverty and disadvantage; LIS initiatives to tackle information poverty; and information poverty in the context of social justice. The group agreed that there was a major piece of work to be done in reframing the LIS discipline in terms of information poverty. Four key dimensions of information poverty for collaborative future research are identified which are: (i) information as an agent to eradicate poverty; (ii) the causal factors resulting in information poverty; (iii) creation and production activities to combat information poverty; and (iv) better understanding of areas of extreme disadvantage and aspects of information need. A list of the key causal factors in creating information poverty which came out of the discussion is presented. Further research initiatives are underway for setting up a partnership/consortium that would lay the foundations for a multidisciplinary network on information poverty, sharing expertise internationally

Exploring the information seeking behaviour of Muslim migrants in Scotland, a Glasgow case of study

Introduction: Immigration is a global issue and the number of immigrants is rapidly increasing. Understanding the everyday information seeking behavior during the settlement period will facilitate the efforts to provide better relocation experience for, both, the newcomer and the host society. The purpose of this research is to understand the everyday information seeking behavior of Muslim migrants in Scotland, and the factors influencing their behaviours.;Design and methodology: This research has an interdisciplinary theoretical framework brings together Wilson's everyday information seeking behaviour model, Chatman's information poverty theory and social capital theory. Qualitative data is collected through in-depth semi-structure interviews with 19 Muslim individuals from both genders, who variously attended 10 Islamic community centres in the Greater Glasgow area. Participants were aged between 18 and 45 years old (avg. age 29) and had all moved to Glasgow from overseas within the last 5 years. The data is interpreted and analysed through the lens of the theoretical framework and utilizing thematic analysis and narrative analysis techniques.;Findings: the information needs of participants during their settlement periods in Scotland can be grouped into 13 needs categories across multiple topics placed into three groups, high occurrence needs (education, religion, and entertainment), medium occurrence needs (social norms, travel, health, and immigration), and low occurrence needs (shopping, employment, housing, financial support, driving licence, and technical support).;Participants variously discussed a number of information sources utilised, grouped into 8 categories, online and friends appear to be the most preferred information sources, followed by printed material, educational professionals and staff, health professionals and staff, family, and work colleagues. Preferences for information sources were mostly influenced by the tendency to seek experiential advice, to seek through authoritative sources, to seek second opinions, to seek through trusted sources.;This study provides evidence that the everyday information behaviours of the Muslim participants are largely influenced by the seekers' identity, their feelings of being stigmatised, and issues of trust. Mosques playing an important role as an information grounds and source of social capital.;Conclusion: this study provides insight into identity as a significant influencing factor in the information behaviours of Muslim migrants to Scotland, and the associated role of Mosques as important information grounds. Findings illustrate that identify has a positive trust related role when associated with experiential advice, and a negative role when associated with experiences and/or perceptions of stigma that can limit access to information. Recommendations are made for further investigation of issues of identity and stigma with further groups. Findings also have implications for the effective dissemination of important public information to Muslim migrants to Scotland (e.g. health, education, employment), and raise important questions regarding the role of Mosques. Again, recommendations are made for further research.Introduction: Immigration is a global issue and the number of immigrants is rapidly increasing. Understanding the everyday information seeking behavior during the settlement period will facilitate the efforts to provide better relocation experience for, both, the newcomer and the host society. The purpose of this research is to understand the everyday information seeking behavior of Muslim migrants in Scotland, and the factors influencing their behaviours.;Design and methodology: This research has an interdisciplinary theoretical framework brings together Wilson's everyday information seeking behaviour model, Chatman's information poverty theory and social capital theory. Qualitative data is collected through in-depth semi-structure interviews with 19 Muslim individuals from both genders, who variously attended 10 Islamic community centres in the Greater Glasgow area. Participants were aged between 18 and 45 years old (avg. age 29) and had all moved to Glasgow from overseas within the last 5 years. The data is interpreted and analysed through the lens of the theoretical framework and utilizing thematic analysis and narrative analysis techniques.;Findings: the information needs of participants during their settlement periods in Scotland can be grouped into 13 needs categories across multiple topics placed into three groups, high occurrence needs (education, religion, and entertainment), medium occurrence needs (social norms, travel, health, and immigration), and low occurrence needs (shopping, employment, housing, financial support, driving licence, and technical support).;Participants variously discussed a number of information sources utilised, grouped into 8 categories, online and friends appear to be the most preferred information sources, followed by printed material, educational professionals and staff, health professionals and staff, family, and work colleagues. Preferences for information sources were mostly influenced by the tendency to seek experiential advice, to seek through authoritative sources, to seek second opinions, to seek through trusted sources.;This study provides evidence that the everyday information behaviours of the Muslim participants are largely influenced by the seekers' identity, their feelings of being stigmatised, and issues of trust. Mosques playing an important role as an information grounds and source of social capital.;Conclusion: this study provides insight into identity as a significant influencing factor in the information behaviours of Muslim migrants to Scotland, and the associated role of Mosques as important information grounds. Findings illustrate that identify has a positive trust related role when associated with experiential advice, and a negative role when associated with experiences and/or perceptions of stigma that can limit access to information. Recommendations are made for further investigation of issues of identity and stigma with further groups. Findings also have implications for the effective dissemination of important public information to Muslim migrants to Scotland (e.g. health, education, employment), and raise important questions regarding the role of Mosques. Again, recommendations are made for further research