Getting it done on time

PURPOSE – The purpose of this contribution is to focus on an essential issue in all workplace settings where the emphasis is on productivity, time management and creativity: getting innovative, high quality work completed in time according to tight schedules – often facing serious staff shortages. The intention is not to offer an ultimate answer, but to take a different look at the issues that might bring us closer to answers, or that might inspire research projects in the “own” circles of libraries and information services. What does it take to get quality work completed in time? DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – The contribution will be written against the background of research from time management, productivity, learning styles, information behaviour and collaborative work. FINDINGS – There might be simplistic solutions on offer to get work done on time such as the use of productivity and time management tools. When the aim is high quality, creativity and innovative work (done on time), there might be a need to consider more issues such as learning styles and whole brain learning; information seeking skills, writing skills and streamlining cognitive skills; a focus on productivity; brain health and maintaining a balanced life style; perceptions of stimulating creativity; recognition of the need to compliment human weaknesses with collaborative strengths; and the need for flow as argued by Csikszentmihalyi (1996, 1997). ORIGINALITY/VALUE – Although many publications have appeared on time management, productivity, software to support time management and other individual issues noted in this paper, I am not aware of work (at least not in the field of Library and Information Science) that combine these with the need to consider learning styles, whole brain learning, acknowledging the limitations of mind and body, and addiction to adrenaline that might stimulate inspiration and creativity – amongst many things that might impact on time management.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.ht

Targeting users in information provision - more than researchers, students and professionals

PURPOSE – A previous contribution (Fourie 2013) set the scenario for pursuing options to find a balance between information communication technology (ICT), information retrieval systems (IRS) such as databases, library catalogues, repositories, Google Scholar, digital libraries, portals, search engines and the users of these systems. This contribution pursues the issues by asking how information service providers can target their users. The emphasis is on making a difference, and to move beyond merely targeting researchers, post-graduate students and professionals such as doctors, chemists, and lawyers. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – The contribution will be written against the background of research from information behaviour, user studies and marketing. FINDINGS – Information services and database producers mostly focus on post-graduate students, researchers and professionals. There is little support for under-graduate students and novices to a profession. Acknowledging preferences for Google and social media, more effort is required to gain the interest and loyalty of upcoming professionals – starting with under-graduate students. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – Although there are many publications on user studies and marketing in the Library and Information Science literature, this contribution aims to draw on new ways of targeting users, and to note new potential user groups.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0737-8831hb201

All about information - balancing ICT, IRS, users and making a difference

PURPOSE – The purpose of this contribution is to set the scenario for pursuing options to find a balance between information communication technology (ICT), information retrieval systems (IRS)such as databases, library catalogues, repositories, Google Scholar, digital libraries, portals, searchengines and the users of these systems. Whose needs are served: the real users’ with contemporary needs or the perceived users and their research tasks whom we intensely studied in the early years of databases and computerised information services? DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – The contribution is written against the background of research from information retrieval and information behaviour. FINDINGS – Although developments in ICT open a wealth of opportunities to study and serve the needs of a wide spectrum of information users, IRS are often on the surface level still very traditional in the needs they service: analytical information seeking according to planned search strategies,browsing, monitoring trends and changes through alerting services and RSS, and encouragement and support for authors to publish. Some are offering a bit more, but little aimed at the under-graduate soon to enter professional workplace. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – Although there are many publications on databases and other IRS and their users, and numerous ones on information behaviour I am not aware of other reports on the latest services aimed at specific user groups, and which focus on the need to consider the totality of their work and everyday life worlds.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htmhb201

Review of research on information behaviour in contexts of palliative care with an indication of some research gaps

An increase in the number of people diagnosed with life-threatening diseases and affected by palliative care, as well as an increase in studies on information behaviour including information seeking, can be noted. With this in mind, the paper briefiy reviews reports on research on information behaviour in palliative care in terms of: target groups and participants, settings, research methods and methods of data collection, components of information behaviour, and the factors influencing information behaviour. For each, some research gaps are noted. A few key findings on information behaviour in palliative care are highlighted. The intention is not to offer a comprehensive review; it is merely an overview to stimulate research in information behaviour in palliative care and to offer a point of reference. There are numerous research opportunities preferred.http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajlaisam201

Content analysis as a means of exploring research opportunities from a conference programme

BACKGROUND: Health librarians should keep up-to-date in a dynamic environment and accept the importance of continuing personal development (CPD) and growth in their critical reflection and creative thinking skills. They also need to acknowledge the potential value of research activity and the challenges of ongoing improvement and development. Conference programmes may prove a useful source of stimulation, especially if supplemented by creativity techniques, action research and the ideal of ‘finding flow’. OBJECTIVES: The article analyses the themes and papers presented at the 10th International Conference on International Medical Librarianship (ICML) to identify opportunities for further research, literature reviews, assessment of practices and services, etc. METHODS: Content analysis approach to conference papers and suggestions for further action including supplementing with techniques of creativity and group input. RESULTS: A fairly extensive list of further actions (although not intended to be exhaustive) is suggested for the sixteen conference themes. Although subjective, the list might help to stimulate growth in research on health librarianship and demonstrate how one source of stimulation – conference programmes (regularly presented to medical library communities) – can be used. CONCLUSIONS: Content analysis has proven a constructive means of generating research questions from a conference programme. Content analysis and other methods aimed at stimulating creative and progressive thinking, including brainstorming, force field analysis, De Bono’s 6 hats, creative swiping and creative visualisation, may prove equally useful and require further investigation. To ensure an ongoing cycle, these can be linked to action research.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1471-184

Contextual information behaviour analysis of grief and bereavement : temporal and spatial factors, multiplicity of contexts and person-in-progressive situation

INTRODUCTION: Grief and bereavement include cognitive, affective and physical dimensions. Pre- and post-grief manifest at different times of coping with loss and bereavement. Contextualisation of information behaviour studies and comprehension of contextual components e.g. temporal and spatial factors, progression and phenomenal contexts of grief is essential for information interventions. Although agreement on the meaning of context might continue to escape information behaviour researchers, widely cited interpretations of context might be used to analyse a selective body of literature to direct grief and bereavement information behaviour studies. METHOD: Interpretations of context and situation by Savolainen (temporal and spatial factors), Fourie (multiplicity) and Dunne (person-in-progressive-situation) are, selectively applied to a thematic content analysis of papers on grief and bereavement. Phenomenal context is analysed in more detail. ANALYSIS: A thematic content analysis matrix was developed. Results. The analysis revealed a minimum of ten contextual components to consider in information behaviour studies of grief and bereavement. CONCLUSION: Information behaviour studies on grief and bereavement should acknowledge the diversity of contexts and contextual components that impact on information needs, unique requirements for information such as memorabilia, information processing and sharing of information.http://informationr.net/irpm2021Information Scienc

Collaboration and personal information management (PIM)

This paper aims to explore the potential of personal information management (PIM) and reference management. The contribution focuses on collaboration: the issues that need to be addressed in planning, the human component in collaborative information seeking, and issues for research by librarians. The paper is written against the background of research from information behaviour, PIM, collaborative information seeking and collaborative work. There is growing emphasis on collaboration in information seeking, learning and work. PIM and reference management practices and their supporting software can greatly support this. There are, however, many planning/conceptual issues as well as the human component to recon with. Although much has been published on developments in PIM and reference management, there is limited coverage of collaboration and PIM and reference management.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContainer.do?containerType=Journal&containerId=11899dm201

Personal information and reference management : librarians’ increasing creativity

This column seeks to explore the potential of personal information management (PIM) and reference management to offer more than easy citation of information sources and the creation of bibliographies. The emphasis is on the role librarians and information professionals (hereafter referred to only as librarians) can play in raising awareness of the potential of PIM and reference management and issues to be considered. The end goal is increasing quality, productivity, collaboration and creativity in the use of information. Over the next few issues, the column will share impressions from personal research in the field of information behaviour and PIM, analysis from the subject literature, exploration of the software as such, and trends noted through various means. The column will be written against the background of research from information behaviour, information organisation, PIM and information curation, as well as alerts on software development in this regard and social bookmarking. FINDINGS – There are many issues where librarians can help end-users to consider the implications of PIM and reference management and to contextualise their job and task, as well as other information needs such as studies and teaching, against what technology can offer. ORIGINALITY/VALUE– Although much has been published on the individual issues addressed here, there is no knowledge of other attempts to take a holistic view to the responsibility of librarians to support people from all spectrums to benefit from PIM and reference management.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htmdm201

Ontwerp van 'n multimedia-studiepakket vir die afstandsonderrig van gerekenariseerde inligtingsherwinning.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)The project involved the design of a multimedia study package for distance teaching in computerised information retrieval. This included external online and CD-ROM informa- tion retrieval, as well as specialized systems such as in-house databases, videotex, teletext and Internet. The target group was information specialists. The findings may also apply to other target groups, provided a thorough situation analysis serves as point of departure. The project was initiated by the growing importance of distance education, the constant developments in the online industry and the need for didactically grounded study packages for teaching computerised information retrieval skills. Such packages should focus on technological knowledge and skills on the higher cognitive, affective and psychomotor levels. A literature study was conducted on four subproblems: the nature of distance education; the characteristics of multimedia study packages; the didactical grounding of such packages (including curriculum development, instructional design and media selection); and the state of the art regarding the 'teaching of computerised information retrieval. This led to the conclusion that the theory of distance education should serve as focal point in the design of a multimedia package, while special attention is also given to Keegan's theory which focuses on the reintegration of the teaching and learning acts. Study packages should be the result of instructional design, which is dependent on curriculum development. The latter includes decisions made on the macro and meso levels of the curriculum and the consideration of technological infrastructures available in the wider society. Provision should also be made for the typical characteristics of multimedia packages for distance teaching, including individual study, irregular contact teaching sessions, active student involvement, opportunities for self-evaluation, enriching and remedial learning events, student support and the recognition of the needs of adult learners (andragogical needs), as well as those of young adults. The mastering of higher order skills should be supported by opportunities for active student involvement including self-evaluation of lower order skills. Provision should also be made 1I1 for the practical application of knowledge and skills, as welI as evaluation skills, by fully exploiting the possibilities offered by interactive teaching. Students should, however, attend interactive sessions welI prepared. This could be ensured by making use of prior self- evaluation as well as tutor evaluation of both subject matter and media literacy. A variety of media and teaching methods can be applied in the mediated teaching of computerised information retrieval. Media selection should be based on media character- istics, performance objectives, subject nature and logistical factors. An eclectic model for instructional design is proposed. A concept design for a multimedia package for distance teaching of computerised information retrieval was developed by applying this eclectic model. The concept design was based on the didactical situation at the University of South Africa. Although the design has focused on the ideal situation, where students have access to computers and attend sporadic contact teaching sessions, suggestions are also made for a differentiated package. These suggestions include a basic study package, a learning contract with the student and his employee, and a package with enriched learning experience

Personal information management (PIM), reference management and mind maps : the way to creative librarians?

This column aims to explore the potential of personal information management (PIM) and reference management. It focuses on combining the use of PIM and reference management software with mind maps to stimulate the creative and innovative use of information collected. Following a brief review of the literature on the topic per se, awareness is raised of appropriate software and the potential of mind maps. The column is written against the background of research from information behaviour, PIM, mind maps, creativity, innovation and the reflective and evidence-focused librarian. There is growing emphasis on more than information literacy skills and the responsible use of information. Creative and innovative use of information is stressed. More intensive use and exploitation of information is necessary to justify the time and effort spent in using PIM and reference management software. Mind maps and collaboration might support creative and innovative use of information, and need to be further exploited. Although software is strong in supporting collaboration, there is very limited built-in support for the combination of features for information and reference management with features for mind maps. Although much has been published on developments in PIM and reference management, there is limited coverage of combining PIM and reference management with the use of mind maps and creativity, reflection and noting evidence.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContainer.do?containerType=Journal&containerId=11899dm201