‘Inspiration’ and how it is found: Exploring psychological and information behaviour theories

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 85-89
Author(s):  
Cait Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Information Encountering ◽  
Selection Of

‘Inspiration’ is a concept that comes up frequently in the Library and Information Science literature on artists and designers. But what do we mean by ‘inspiration’? This article discusses a selection of the psychological research on creativity and inspiration, as well as four information behaviour theories that help in finding inspiration - browsing, information encountering, satisficing, and serendipity.

scholarly journals The Life and Times of Aboutness: A Review of the Library and Information Science Literature

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Rondeau
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
User Perspective ◽  
Subject Indexing ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
Complete Process ◽  
Selection Of

Objective – This paper explores the concept of “aboutness”, its related terms, and the process of aboutness determination as found in the Library and Information Science Literature. Methods – A review of the literature pertaining to aboutness determination and related terms specific to Library and Information Science was undertaken, borrowing extensively from the literature review of Daniel Joudrey’s (2005) dissertation, Building puzzles and growing pearls: A qualitative exploration of determining aboutness, as well as examining a small selection of research and articles not discussed by Joudrey. In addition, a concept map was developed to outline many of the concepts and theories found. Results – The LIS literature demonstrates conflicting positions surrounding the term aboutness and its correlates. Despite the lack of firm agreement on terminologies, the notion of subject is explored because it featured prominently in the literature. As well, intensional and extensional aboutness are explored in contrast to a more subjectivist perspective which asserts that a document's aboutness cannot be separated from its reader. Aboutness determination is also examined through the lens of theme and rheme, that is what is presupposed in a document versus what is new. Aboutness from the user perspective featured considerably in the literature, with many authors asserting both the importance and the challenge of mediating knowledge on behalf of the user. The stage of aboutness determination in the complete process of subject indexing is also presented here, and the findings demonstrate that the stages are anything but linear and sequential. Conclusion – While the findings are more expositional than conclusive, they demonstrate the complexities and challenges surrounding the concept of “aboutness” and the process of its determination. The value of this review is in its ability to present the ways in which scholars and practitioners have attempted to grapple with this conundrum. Although indexers may find temporary solace in cataloguing manuals that outline aboutness determination procedures, underneath these “safe surfaces” is an ambiguous concept further complicated by obscure and incomplete processes. This review provides an opportunity to reflect on those challenges and to further the discussion.

scholarly journals Almost Halfway There: An Analysis of the Open Access Behaviors of Academic Librarians

2011 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Mercer
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Open Access Publishing ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Scholarly Communications

Academic librarians are increasingly expected to advocate for scholarly communications reforms such as open access to scholarly publications, yet librarians do not always practice what they preach. Previous research examined librarian attitudes toward open access, whereas this article presents results of a study of open access publishing and self-archiving behaviors of academic librarians. Following an analysis of open access to library and information science literature in 2008, several strategies to encourage academic librarians to continue to embrace open access behaviors are discussed.

scholarly journals Are Best Practices Really Best? A Review of the Best Practices Literature in Library and Information Studies

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie Druery ◽  
Nancy McCormack ◽  
Sharon Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Common Definition ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Definition Of

Objective - The term “best practice” appears often in library and information science literature, yet, despite the frequency with which the term is used, there is little discussion about what is meant by the term and how one can reliably identify a best practice. Methods – This paper reviews 113 articles that identify and discuss best practices, in order to determine how “best practices” are distinguished from other practices, and whether these determinations are made on the basis of consistent and reliable evidence. The review also takes into account definitions of the term to discover if a common definition is used amongst authors. Results – The “evidence” upon which papers on “best practices” are based falls into one of the following six categories: 1) opinion (n=18, 15%), 2) literature reviews (n=13, 12%), 3) practices in the library in which the author works (n=19, 17%), 4) formal and informal qualitative and quantitative approaches (n=16, 14%), 5) a combination of the aforementioned (i.e., combined approaches) (n=34, 30%), and 6) “other” sources or approaches which are largely one of a kind (n=13, 12%). There is no widely shared or common definition of “best practices” amongst the authors of these papers, and most papers (n=94, 83%) fail to define the term at all. The number of papers was, for the most part, split evenly amongst the six categories indicating that writers on the subject are basing “best practices” assertions on a wide variety of sources and evidence. Conclusions – Library and information science literature on “best practices” is rarely based on rigorous empirical methods of research and therefore is generally unreliable. There is, in addition, no widely held understanding of what is meant by the use of the term.

Library and information science research in Pakistan: A bibliometric analysis, 1957–2018

2020 ◽  
pp. 096100062092193
Author(s):  
Nadeem Siddique ◽  
Shafiq Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Ajmal Khan ◽  
Asif Altaf
Keyword(s):  
Information Management ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Publishing Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Library Research ◽  
The University

This article reviews 62 years (1957–2018) of research in library and information science in Pakistan. A comprehensive bibliometric study was conducted using the four leading databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Library and Information Science Abstracts, and Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts). The researchers found a positive upward trend. Library research is on the rise in Pakistan. The Department of Information Management at the University of the Punjab is the major contributor to the library and information science literature. Forty percent of the total publications were published in two Pakistani journals. Older and well-established institutions like the University of the Punjab and the University of Karachi have taken the lead in publishing research. The Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces require more focus and funding.

Information behaviour of rural smallholder farmers in some selected developing countries: A literature review

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Austine Phiri ◽  
George T Chipeta ◽  
Winner D Chawinga
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Access Information

The literature from some selected developing countries has demonstrated that rural smallholder farmers need various information sources in pursuit of their goals of increasing production and improving their living standards. According to the sampled studies, the majority of smallholder farmers access information on crop production. Smallholder farmers are aware of information sources despite challenges faced in accessing and using information. The majority of smallholder farmers access information through personal experiences, family members and friends. Despite access to various information sources, the literature has shown that smallholder farmers face various challenges in accessing and using information sources. The major challenges reported by the literature are lack of mobility, lack of finances, lack of rural information centres, and lack of visits by extension officers. The review has highlighted the lack of literature on the information behaviour of smallholder farmers in Malawi despite the fact that the country is an agricultural economy. The review is adapted from the Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) thesis authored by Austine Phiri at Mzuzu University.

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