B.T. Fidzani and O.S. Oladokun
A study was undertaken to assess the state of libraries in Institutes of Health Sciences in Botswana. The objectives of the study were to assess the state of the collections and…
Abstract
A study was undertaken to assess the state of libraries in Institutes of Health Sciences in Botswana. The objectives of the study were to assess the state of the collections and services and examine how well or otherwise the libraries provide good educational complements to classroom‐based student learning and to lecturers’ research. Based on the eight areas used to determine standards in college libraries, the study revealed that college library standards were not met in Institute of Health Science libraries. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the University of Botswana, to which the Institutes of Health Sciences are affiliated, should work together to facilitate improvement on library collection, library services, staffing, and library facilities.
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This study was undertaken to determine the information‐seeking behaviour and use of information resources by graduate students at the University of Botswana. The overall purpose…
Abstract
This study was undertaken to determine the information‐seeking behaviour and use of information resources by graduate students at the University of Botswana. The overall purpose of the study was to determine what their information requirements are and determine their awareness of library services available to them. The study collected empirical data on the information requirements of graduate students. Data were gathered from 144 students out of 223 part‐time and full‐time graduate students registered. Findings indicate that guidance in the use of library resources and services is necessary to help students meet some of their information requirements. The study found that: journals, library books and textbooks are the most popular sources of information for course work and research and that students need to be taught how to use available library resources and services. Based on these findings, it was recommended that a questionnaire on students’ ability to use information resources be prepared and administered during registration to all masters students to establish their ability to use information resources. It was also recommended that a more aggressive information marketing strategy should be developed at both subject librarian and departmental level to create awareness among graduate students on the available
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To understand what differences exist between first year biology and final year biochemistry students in University College Dublin so that measures can be taken to address those…
Abstract
Purpose
To understand what differences exist between first year biology and final year biochemistry students in University College Dublin so that measures can be taken to address those needs. It examines student's awareness and use of different sources of information for their course‐work, their use of the (E‐) library, why they visited the university library, the type of assistance they had received in using the library as well as the type of instruction they would like to receive in the future.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was designed and administered to both sample groups to investigate the information‐seeking behaviour of these students in different years of their studies.
Findings
The study highlights the positive aspects of seeking information from the student's perspective as well as the barriers they encountered when seeking course‐related information. The findings show that there are differences in the extent to which sources of information are used by students in different years of their studies. Apart from web sites and web‐based lecture notes, lack of awareness is the primary reason why undergraduate biology students did not use the library's electronic databases.
Research limitations/implications
The study does not distinguish between third and fourth year students in the final year sample.
Practical implications
One of the key recommendations is that bibliographic instruction should meet the specific information needs of first year biology and final year biochemistry students as well as greater liaison between faculty and librarians in the area of collection development and information literacy.
Originality/value
This paper establishes the importance of a cross‐sectional study in understanding the difference in students' information needs in different years of their studies.
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Nurudeen Adeniyi Aderibigbe and Bosede Adebimpe Ajiboye
The focus of this study is the development of effective user education programs that will enhance the use of electronic information resources (EIR) in an era of electronic…
Abstract
Purpose
The focus of this study is the development of effective user education programs that will enhance the use of electronic information resources (EIR) in an era of electronic information for the students of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, which consequently could be adapted for students in other higher institutions of learning.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was carried out during the first semester of the 2010/2011 academic session (November 2010 to February 2011), employing a survey method. The target population is postgraduate students (postgraduate diploma, Master's degree and Doctor of Philosophy students) of the seven colleges that run postgraduate programs at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Of a total population of 330 postgraduate students, 250 postgraduate students were selected randomly using a purposive sampling technique since the student population was not evenly distributed across the colleges. Administration and retrieval of the questionnaire lasted for six weeks.
Findings
The findings of this study have shown that the user education program of Nimbe Adedipe Library is not adequate; the library provides more library orientation than bibliographic instruction and information literacy skills. It was also found that few of the students received training on EIR usage while an analysis of the open‐ended questions revealed that the students got to know how to use electronic resources through their own efforts, periodic training in the library, and through the efforts of some library staff and friends. It was also found that use of EIR has a great impact on the respondents' academic activities, as reflected in their responses, where the students agreed that their academic work would suffer without the use of EIR.
Practical implications
It is the belief of the researchers that empirical research on the use of library resources is crucial for the design and implementation of user education programs.
Originality/value
The results of this study will be a meaningful addition to the literature of library and information science in the area of user studies.
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Samir N. Hamade and Saud Al‐Yousef
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of information resources in the research papers of the graduate students in Library and Information Science (LIS) at Kuwait…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of information resources in the research papers of the graduate students in Library and Information Science (LIS) at Kuwait University.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology chosen for this paper is the bibliometric method by way of citation count of the references found in the literature review papers of LIS graduate students at Kuwait University by identifying the preferred form of publications, retrieval method, time span, subject distribution, and the most cited journals.
Findings
It is shown that the majority of students used journal articles, web pages, and books as the most preferred form of resources. Their preferred method of retrieval was the printed format. Time span of the most used citations is from three to ten years. They mostly used traditional library journals such as Bulletin of MLA, Library Review, The Electronic Library, Library Management, and College and Research Libraries.
Research limitations/implications
The quantity and quality of citations were reviewed and approved by the student advisor, and the sample was drawn from a population of 74 papers based on the availability of original papers.
Originality/value
The findings in this paper provide important insights for the academic library administration to take appropriate measures to achieve a higher level of awareness and skill by the users.
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Shaheen Majid, Mumtaz Ali Anwar and Tamara S. Eisenschitz
This study investigated those factors that contribute positively in shaping users’ perceptions of library effectiveness. A questionnaire‐based survey of five major agricultural…
Abstract
This study investigated those factors that contribute positively in shaping users’ perceptions of library effectiveness. A questionnaire‐based survey of five major agricultural libraries in Malaysia was conducted. It was found that the adequacy of collections, services and facilities were closely linked to the perceptions of library effectiveness. Certain other factors contributing positively to the perception of library effectiveness were the adequacy and effectiveness of library promotion, involvement of users in the selection of library materials, convenient library location, participation in user education programmes, availability of assistance for using library resources and facilities, and subject background of library professionals. The paper suggests that for any reliable library effectiveness study, all factors associated with user satisfaction should be investigated together.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine user studies as well as user education within the context of public services offered by archival institutions. It highlighted some of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine user studies as well as user education within the context of public services offered by archival institutions. It highlighted some of the key aspects that constitute both concepts drawing from history in order to provide a better understanding in the context of current professional discussions.
Design/methodology/approach
The review analysed peer-reviewed articles ranging from the late 1970s to the present time to illuminate debates in the archival professional underpinning the current understanding of user studies and user education.
Findings
The paper outlined the different paths used in user studies to ensure data collection is exhaustive and provides a nuanced assessment of user needs. It also outlined the two related paradigms of structuring user education programmes, highlighted the points at which they differ and the rich discussions resulting from comparative analysis.
Originality/value
The paper demonstrated that there is a rich corpus of professional literature on both user studies and user education, expounding on different aspects that would ensure both are designed and implemented effectively.
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This study investigates the information needs and information seeking behaviour of computer engineering undergraduate students at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)…
Abstract
This study investigates the information needs and information seeking behaviour of computer engineering undergraduate students at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. The purpose was to investigate the types of information sources used by the students, their preferred information formats, the importance of and reasons for using certain information sources and the use of various electronic information sources. A questionnaire was distributed to 200 randomly selected students and 102 completed questionnaires were returned. The study found that printed materials were the most preferred information format among the students. The top five most preferred information sources, in the order of importance, were books, lecturers, the Internet, friends and manuals. Unexpectedly, the use of databases and electronic journals was quite low among the computer engineering students. The study recommends a promotional campaign for introducing electronic information sources to the library users.
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The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of digital information literacy (DIL) skill and use of electronic resources by humanities graduate students at Kenneth Dike…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of digital information literacy (DIL) skill and use of electronic resources by humanities graduate students at Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the survey research design and 200 graduate students from the 12 departments that made up the Faculty of Arts in the University of Ibadan participated in the study. A self-devised structured questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. A pilot questionnaire was first sent to a small random sample of the respondents, with feedback used to fine-tune the final questionnaire. Respondents were requested to rate their level of proficiency in the use of digital devices, web-based tasks, information finding, evaluation and utilisation of available e-resources and challenges encountered. Ethical consideration of informed consent, institutional permission, confidentiality and anonymity of participants was strictly followed. Data collected were analysed and result presented using descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentage, mean and inferential statistics such as regression analysis and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient were used to test the research question and hypothesis, respectively.
Findings
Humanities graduate students at the University of Ibadan possessed high level of DIL skills in respect of digital devices usage, web-based tasks, information finding and evaluation, but low in e-resources utilisation. This study identified inadequate knowledge of e-resources availability, irregular internet access, inadequate training on e-resources utilisation, inadequate staff assistance, lack of continuity in e-resources subscription and paucity of local contents in the e-resources as main challenges encountered by graduate students in the use of e-resources. To ensure that those who can most benefit from e-resources utilisation are not further marginalised, this study recommends that active steps should be taken to increase e-resources awareness, regular internet access, training/support, continuity of e-resources subscription and increased local content so that all may benefit from the opportunities of the information age.
Originality/value
This paper has demonstrated that DIL skills can enhance effective utilisation of e-resources if users have adequate knowledge of e-resources availability, regular internet access, adequate training and assistance on e-resources utilisation, continuity in database subscription and adequate local contents e-resources.
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Aurelio Tommasetti, Orlando Troisi and Massimiliano Vesci
In line with the precepts of service-dominant logic (SDL), the purpose of this paper is to devise a measurement framework of customer value co-creation practices during the…
Abstract
Purpose
In line with the precepts of service-dominant logic (SDL), the purpose of this paper is to devise a measurement framework of customer value co-creation practices during the service process.
Design/methodology/approach
Answering the call of McColl-Kennedy et al. (2012), the present study develops a general conceptual model for the measurement of customer value co-creation behavior, in line with the procedure elaborated by Churchill (1979). In particular, the paper focuses on the first stage of the protocol, corresponding to the specification of the domain of the construct.
Findings
The study shows that the scale for measuring behavioral processes in customer value co-creation has an implicit hierarchical structure based on eight activities to ensure adequate semantic coverage of the concept: cerebral activities, cooperation, information research and collation, the combination of complementary activities, changes in habits, co-production, co-learning, and connection. Moreover, the work highlights that the analysis of customer value co-creation behavior leads to three diverse steps of value co-creation and various levels of interaction.
Originality/value
By systematizing the construct of customer value co-creation behavior within a comprehensive framework, the conceptual model attempts to fill a gap evidenced by previous research in order to show that actions performed by users during the value co-creation process strictly conform to SDL assumptions. Moreover, the framework underpinning the practical application of SDL principles could benefit future practitioners and suggest interesting implications for future research.