http://informationr.net/ir Information Research: an international electronic journal. Information science, Information management, Information systems, Information retrieval, Digital libraries, Information seeking behaviour, Information seeking behavior, World Wide Web, WWW, Contents page for an issue of Information Research http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/colis/colis.html Information Research: an international electronic journal. Information science, Information management, Information systems, Information retrieval, Digital libraries, Information seeking behaviour, Information seeking behavior, World Wide Web, WWW, Contents page for an issue of Information Research http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper330.html Abstract Introduction. It is argued that the actual elements of typical browsing episodes have not been well captured by common approaches to the concept to date. Method. Empirical research results reported by previous researchers are presented and closely analysed. Analysis. Based on the issues raised by the above research review, the components of browsing are closely analysed and developed. Browsing is seen to consist of a series of four steps, iterated indefinitely until the end of a browsing episode: 1) glimpsing a field of vision, 2) selecting or sampling a physical or informational object within the field of vision, 3) examining the object, 4) acquiring the object (conceptually and/or physically) or abandoning it. Not all of these elements need be present in every browsing episode, though multiple glimpses are seen to be the minimum to constitute the act. Results. This concept of browsing is then shown to have persuasive support in the psychological and anthropological literature, where research on visual search, curiosity and exploratory behaviour all find harmony with this perspective. Conclusion. It is argued that this conception of browsing is closer to real human behaviour than other approaches. Implications for better information system design are developed. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper323.html Introduction. Blogging is a relatively new phenomenon but it has already gained high popularity. This paper reports the use of blogs (a.k.a. Weblogs) by libraries and librarians. Method. The list of blogs was compiled from data obtained from several lists/directories at two points in time, in December 2003 and in February 2005. The blogs and the content of one month of postings were characterized using multi-faceted content analysis. The blogs identified in 2003 were compared to the blogs listed in 2005. Results. In general, the findings indicate that blogs have an impact on the activities of information professionals and they are a novel information channel for transferring information both to fellow professionals and to other users of the Web. In addition they also serve as an efficient tool for marketing library events and resources. Librarians use blogs to disseminate professional and general information, while libraries often use blogs for announcements. Conclusions. Libraries utilize blogs in a novel way that allows them to disseminate information to their patrons. Even though there has been a considerable increase in the number of libraries with blogs, further growth can be expected, since as of February 2005 only a minority of the libraries utilized this tool. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper328.html Introduction. Information literacy is a key issue for organisations in the information society. This study investigated strategic engagement with this concept in higher education and explored the development of indicators to evaluate an institution's level of engagement. Method. A survey of UK universities (n=114) was conducted to identify evidence of strategic commitment to information literacy. Data collection was limited to documents in the public domain accessible from institutional Websites, which were searched and browsed systematically. Analysis. Qualitative content analysis was carried out on the data, which related to seventy-five institutions. Data were coded, categorised and further interpreted, using matrix analysis techniques to identify and record comments on common themes and contrasting features. Results. The survey found information literacy was well represented in institutional strategies for information, student skills, and learning and teaching, but less evident in graduate attributes and research strategy documents. There were striking differences in the levels of engagement and the quality of strategy statements. The findings were used to define indicators of commitment and to develop an evaluation framework comprising a matrix tool and visual model. Conclusion. UK universities are engaging with information literacy at a strategic level, but performance is uneven across the sector and within institutions. Theresults reflect domains of engagement discussed in the literature, but also identify other areas of activity and opportunities for strategic development aligned to current interest in human resources and knowledge transfer. Further research is needed to develop, test and refine the proposed evaluation framework. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper322.html Introduction. Besides technical and economic-organisational problems digital preservation faces legal issues too, specially as regards copyright legislation, since all digital preservation strategies involve copying of materials and/or software use which are typically copyrighted.Aim. Ascertain to what extent current copyright laws meet digital preservation requirements.Method. A cross-sectional analysis of recently updated national copyright laws as well as the impact of the other two protection methods: contractual and technological.Results. Even after the latest updates current copyright legislation is almost useless for digital preservation activities since the opportunities provide by WIPO Copyright Treaty to adapt and extend copyright exceptions and limitations have been squandered.Conclusions. We need a legislation reform that will make it possible to carry out all required copying/communication activities and software use, even if circumventing technological protection is needed. But that is not enough for licensed works. The best solution for this kind of works is to include specific clauses in the licences that facilitate preservation activities. Thus, cooperation between both stakeholders -libraries and rights holders- is essential. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper324.html Introduction. Focusing on Web users' behavioural concentration across Websites they have visited, we investigate heterogeneity in Web users' online information behaviour. Method. The Gini coefficient is used to measure the degree of a Web user's online information behavioural concentration in terms of both page-views and visit duration. We explore how the behavioural dimensions of the number of sites visited, the number of page-views per site and the duration per page predict online information behavioural concentration. Analysis. Data from an online panel are analysed using multiple regression models, which reveal that the three dimensions of online information behaviour predict more than three quarters of the variances in behavioural concentration. Results. The number of sites visited and the number of page-views per site positively predict the degree of behavioural concentration (in terms of both page-views and visit duration), while the speed dimension of online information behaviour positively predicts the degree of behavioural concentration in terms of page-views but negatively predicts that in terms of visit duration. The relative importance of variables in the explanation of Web users' degree of behavioural concentration is also analysed. Conclusion. The quantitative analytical framework presented herein gives insight into the heterogeneity of online information behaviour. This paper is a stepping-stone for a more comprehensive understanding of online information behaviour from a macro perspective. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper326.html Introduction. We explore predictors of information overload among cancer information seekers who reported having suffered from information overload. These persons were characterized by socio-demographic characteristics, health status, health information and communication environment and behavioural, cognitive, and affective cancer information seeking. Method. A secondary analysis was performed of the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute with 6,369 randomly selected participants. A subset of this dataset, which includes the responses of 3,011 cancer information seekers, was analysed. A bivariate analysis was used to identify factors significantly associated with information overload. These factors were then entered in a logistic regression model to identify predictors of overload. Results. Lower socio-economic status, poor health, low media attentiveness and high affective components of information seeking were associated with overload. The strongest predictors were education level and cognitive aspects of information seeking, which indicates that overload is strongly predicted by health information literacy skills. Use of the Internet and high media attentiveness, two factors usually thought to cause overload, were found not to be associated with overload. Conclusion. The findings emphasize the importance of health information literacy in coping with information overload and implies the need to design better health information campaigns and delivery systems. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper325.html Introduction. A perspective on the scene of periodical publication today and its particularly complex Latin American scenario is attempted, with a focus on Argentinean journals in the field of Anthropology. Aims. To establish the degree of visibility, representation and overlapping of Argentinean academic journals in Anthropology in indexing and abstracting services world-wide. Methodology. Within Keresztesi's theoretical framework as regards the connection between research and bibliography, quantitative methods have been applied to establish the representation, visibility and vacancy indicators of Argentinean Journals in Anthropology in both single and multidiscipline international bibliographical data bases. Results. The percentage of visibility of Argentinean Journals in Anthropology in international data bases is 44.44 %, the Anthropological Index Online being the base in which Argentinean publications in Anthropology have the highest percentage of visibility at 40.74%. Conclusions. Data bases in Anthropology present a high degree of overlapping in their indexing of Argentinean publications in the discipline. The data resulting from this research are relevant to the development of reference collections in information units in the discipline of Anthropology. The information will also be valuable to specialist publishers in the discipline of Anthropology in developing their publication strategies. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper329.html Introduction. This paper reports the results of a critical success factor analysis of two small businesses that share staff and premises, operating within the same industry (educational resources), but within different market sectors (early years literacy and religious education). Method. Data were collected by interviews with managers and from a document analysis. The approach is defined and explored as being useful for small to medium sized enterprises in determining their information needs, which are critical to strategy, business development and growth. Findings. Nine critical success factors emerged, one of which was corporate information competence. Information was also a sub-factor underlying all other critical success factors. Conclusion. It is essential for small businesses in today's competitive environment to take a strategic approach to their information needs if they wish to develop and remain competitive. If information expertise is not present within the company it is advisable to invest in that expertise through recruitment, training, partnership, or outsourcing. This study confirms previous research findings relating to the 'critical' role of information in organizations and specifically small companies. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper327.html Introduction. Blogs have been hailed as potential transformers of journalism and news values. Nevertheless, despite some major stories gestating in blogs, it is unclear what types of news are discussed in blogs and hence the extent of potential blogspace influence. Method. We sampled 556 stories from four news Website home pages in June 2006. Analysis. Each story was classified by topic, event type and geography, and the number of relevant blog postings from the publication day was estimated. Results. The results showed a surprisingly close average match between blogger interests and BBC, CNN, LA Times and Fox News coverage, probably because news sites tend to publish more stories of popular types. Further analysis suggested that blogs favour participatory events and right-wing perspectives, and hence may pull mainstream news in this direction. Conclusions. Blog discussions are not restricted to particular kinds of news, but are wide-ranging, even though some biases are evident. We also recommend simple guidelines for assessing whether individual news stories attract above average interest in blogspace. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/paper321.html Introduction. In 1999, with no money and no support from any library organization, the author partnered with the International Consortium for Alternative Academic Publication (ICAAP), later renamed the International Consortium for the Advancement of Academic Publication, to found a new electronic journal, The Journal of Southern Academic and Special Librarianship, renamed E-JASL: The Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship in 2002. Description. This case study is based on the author's own experiences founding and developing a professional, independent, permanently archived, peer reviewed, open-access, electronic library journal, employing a scholar-led model of publishing. The author's partnership with the ICAAP is discussed emphasizing the benefits of this collaboration. Conclusion. The ICAAP has demonstrated to the world that is possible to form independent scholarly journal publishing projects outside of the commercial mainstream. Also, the ICAAP has shown that there is an alternative to paying commercial publishers hundreds and even thousands of dollars to buy back the scholarly research of our colleagues in academia. The alternative is starting and/or supporting scholarly journal publishing projects that take the 'platinum route' to open-access. Everyone is encouraged to work to make academic research free and freely accessible on the Web for one and all. http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/spanish124.html Abstracts in Spanish of the papers in Volume 12 No. 4 of Information Research http://informationr.net/ir/12-4/TB0710.html Webified markup with eprints DC XML