1,721,043 research outputs found
Measure for measure: a post-modern critique of performance measurement in libraries and information services
Get PDFIf if hasn't got vitality what good is it?: an annotated bibliography on Evelyn Page OBE
No full textAn annotated bibliography on Evelyn Page (1899-1988). Includes 505 references to published and unpublished work about Evelyn Page. Entries are divided into four sections: exhibition related material; general material; unpublished and unreleased material; and reproductions of Evelyn Page's works in published sources which do not have associated articles. All sections are arranged chronologically. Includes two appendices listing exhibitions where catalogues have not been located, and a list of works exhibited in a 1952 solo exhibition of Evelyn Page's works held by the Otago Society of arts. Also includes three separate indexes: Author, subject, and reproductions
Meaning and interpretation of section 5 of the Resource Management Act 1991 : an annotated bibliography
No full textSince its enactment in 1991, the Resource Management Act's purpose of sustainable management has stimulated wide debate as to its meaning and interpretations. A substantial body of literature has been produced from this debate, which is unorganised, but of interest to many due to its topical status. This bibliography attempts to in part address this informational problem, by creating a selective bibliography on the amorphous literature. To simplify an otherwise complex topic for introductory users in this field, the literature has been divided into three broad groupings. These groupings are governmental publications explaining the meaning of section 5, critiques from individuals on the problems encountered in interpreting the ambiguous wording of section 5, and judicial interpretations determining its legal meaning. These groupings are further subdivided into the degree of detail on this topic contained in the literature. Two indexes, a subject and author are included at the end of the bibliography, to aid the user in locating items
Subject and authorship trends: a content analysis of New Zealand Libraries and The New Zealand Library & Information Management Journal, 1937-2009
No full textAs New Zealand’s longest running professional library journal, New Zealand Libraries (NZL) (later renamed The New Zealand Library & Information Management Journal (NZLIMJ)) has been part of the development of libraries and librarianship in this country for more than 70 years. No analysis of the first 70 years of NZL has been done to consider its content in terms of subject and authorship. The aim of this research was to identify the popularity of subjects and authorship characteristics found within NZL from 1937-2009, to determine the extent to which the future was discussed by authors in their articles, and to determine how changes to the stated purpose of NZL was reflected by changes to the content of the journal. All issues of NZL from 1937-2009 were analysed using content analysis. A prevalidated classification scheme was used as the basis for the coding. Subjects falling into the Applied/Operations subject category comprised the highest volume of the journal’s subject content in each decade analysed. Individual subjects were discussed if they showed significant changes in popularity over time. Authorship characteristics of gender, occupation, and institutional affiliation were analysed and showed changing trends in each of these areas over the seventy years. Author productivity was assessed based on all articles used for the analysis and the results were consistent with previous research. As the stated purpose of NZL/NZLIMJ changed over the decades, this was reflected in the content of articles being published
Institutional repositories in New Zealand: comparing institutional strategies for digital preservation and discovery
Get PDFThis paper outlines an ongoing project to create of a knowledge base to support the development of institutional repositories in New Zealand. The knowledge base wiki includes a summary of key literature to date, highlighting best practice, and standards relevant to the New Zealand sector, and a set of case studies of how New Zealand institutions have developed their repositories to date. These case studies are analysed, and different strategic approaches taken by institutions across the sector identified. These will then be discussed in relation to the issues identified in the literature. The paper also outlines new research areas being developed by the research team, a national approach that will link individual institutional approaches with the goals of the New Zealand Digital Strategy, and incorporate a survey of the perceptions and responses of NZ academics, and other key stakeholders, that are critical to the success of both the national strategy and individual institutional initiatives
Using the Web constructively : web based training in library and information skills education : an extended essay
No full textThe information age has brought a shift in emphasis for many user education programs in libraries. The traditional "bibliographic paradigm" focuses on "collecting and classifying texts and devising strategies for their retrieval." (Kuhlthau, 1991,361). McLaren (1999, para 1) describes traditional library education as focussed on access skills and bibliographic tools. Both these practitioners describe these skills as valuable, but insufficient to stand alone as an adequate training for learners to become proficient information consumers. There is widespread recognition that effective users of information are able not only to access information but also to identify their information need, analyse and locate relevant information and create knowledge based on the outcome of that process. This process is commonly known as information literacy. The implementation of information literacy training has both complicated and enriched the role of the information educator
Perceived value to teachers and students of school visit programmes in New Zealand
No full textPublic libraries in New Zealand and around the world run outreach programmes for primary school children. There is support from a variety of professional organisations to offer these programmes, LIANZA and the Library Association in Britain to name two. The reason for such programmes is to support literacy development because it is thought that public libraries can provide resources and an environment that will do this (Celano and Neuman 2001). A common form of these programmes is the class visit where a teacher brings the children from her class to attend a session at the library. There has been very little research into the class visit programme to verify its value, and yet, across New Zealand and throughout the world many such programmes being run. The current study sought to look, in a preliminary way, at the value perceived by the teachers and students of the class visit programme.
The study was based on a simple survey designed for the teachers and students involved. The students were aged between seven and ten years of age. Four schools participated across the Wellington City area, providing 118 completed questionnaires from the children. Only eight teachers completed the teacher's questionnaire. The children were asked questions about what they liked, or liked least, about the elements that made up class visits; how they liked class visits generally; if their opinion of libraries had varied since attending class visits, and finally, what elements of their visits to the libraries generally they liked or disliked. The teachers were asked how they perceived the children felt about these things and if they thought class visits encouraged the children to visit the libraries out of school hours.There were some problems with the survey in that the children's responses had shown up some ambiguities in the style of questioning. Also the number of results from the teachers was disappointing, as was the fact that the majority of the teachers had done a little survey of the class to answer the questions and not provided their own opinions. The preliminary nature of the survey also pointed out the need for more specific questioning in relation to whether the children had in fact increased their visits to the library since attending school visits.However, regardless of these problems, the results were overwhelmingly positive with the children liking most elements of class visits and the library. Both sexes felt similarly about the questions and responded accordingly. The element of the class visits liked least by the children was the librarian's talk and the element liked least about libraries generally was the library environment. Both of these issues require further study to work out how best to resolve them, though some possible solutions are available immediately. The responses when looked at in relation to SCORE (Strong, Harvey & Robinson 1995), a tool for measuring motivation to learn, were mostly favourable, indicating that largely the libraries provided a positive learning environment, though both the unpopularity of the library environment and the fact the children did not particularly like the librarians talk had an effect. To a greater extent though the elements for literacy development were present, and this provides confidence for further investigation of class visit programmes to show how public libraries are of value to school aged children
Not just a smiling face : an analysis of the job of the public library assistant in New Zealand
No full textThis research project analyses the role of the library assistant in New Zealand public libraries. Information was gathered using a mail out survey instrument. Participants were asked to provide information on what qualifications they held or were studying for, the training they received at their work place, what tasks they regularly undertook in the course of their work, and how they felt about their position within the library they worked at. A mixed methods approach was taken for this project The first part of the survey consisted of quantitative questions which were coded and entered onto a spreadsheet to be turned into charts and tables. The second part of the survey was qualitative in nature, asking more open-ended questions about qualifications, training and skills. The findings suggest that automation, the Internet and electronic resources have redefined the role of the library assistant, although they are still required to retain more traditional skills such as readers advisory work. Workplace training needs to reflect these changes, and a nationally accredited library competency framework for library assistants was suggested as a way of introducing consistency in workplace training
Information behaviour of primary caregivers of inpatients at Starship Children's Health
No full textThis study investigated the information needs and information behaviour of twenty-one primary caregivers of inpatients at Starship Children's Health. The sample consisted of similar numbers of Maori, New Zealand European and Pacific caregivers. Factors affecting caregivers' information behaviour, such as ethnicity, were examined. The study investigated to what extent patient information provided by Starship staff met caregivers' needs. The study used a qualitative approach involving in-depth focus group and individual interviews. Selection of participants was by non-random purposive sampling. Caregivers were selected who had children from a range of inpatient wards at Starship. Interviews were recorded on audiotape and transcribed. Data analysis involved coding of interview transcript data with the codes being developed inductively from the data. Coding of the data led to the identification of themes and patterns. Caregivers' needs were for information in lay terms on their child's condition (including cause, diagnosis and prognosis), tests, treatment, surgical procedure, rehabilitation and other parents' experiences. The results confirmed that information avoidance also occurred amongst the participants. The information received from Starship by caregivers was in many cases reasonably comprehensive and, in the main, greatly appreciated. However, the majority of caregivers, across all ethnic groups, had unmet needs
Is IT a problem? : computer literacy and the distance student
No full textThe purpose of this study was to determine computer literacy of distance students, and find out how they coped with using information technology from a distance. Their use of support services provided by the institution was also queried, as was the students' coping strategies when technology failed. Distance students at the University of Otago were sent a postal survey which asked them to evaluate their own confidence levels in word-processing, email, information literacy and file management. They were also asked to comment on their experiences with the computing component of their course, their frustrations and coping skills, and their preferred support services. The survey found that there were a significant number of students struggling with technology. Although many felt confident with email and word processing, others were unsure of their abilities, and the majority felt under-confident with the information literacy and online component of the courses. Interviews added insight to these experiences, and students were able to respond to questions about their greatest challenges with technology. Blackboard proved to cause the most frustration for various reasons, closely followed by access to library resources. Many students used their own local resources for information, rather than the ones provided by the university, and it was noted that they 'made do' with what they could access, rather that persevere with electronic resources which required more time and commitment. Although the University has many services which are available to students on-campus, there is a lack of policy relating to distance support services and this leads to a lack of standardization with regard to the preparation and delivery of many of the courses
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