Volume 61, Issue 1

This paper reviews the benefits and challenges associated with ethnographic research in libraries and information settings, and provides both historical and recent examples of its application. Ethnographic research, designed to facilitate understanding the whole of different communities and groups, has long been a means of observing and documenting behaviors, customs, and cultures within social sciences such as anthropology and sociology. Information systems, information organizations and libraries happen to be environments where this type of observational and participatory research can go a long way in problem solving. Understanding users, the way they work, and the various challenges they face when trying to locate, retrieve and use information are all ways to improve service to the public, and each may be investigated through the use of ethnographic methods. This type of qualitative approach does not exclude the integration of quantitative analysis and is, in fact, strengthened by its addition.

This paper addresses the changes in the role of librarians as information intermediaries due to the introduction of new forms of digital content brought about by modern information and communication technologies. The main focus is on the way in which these changes have affected the moral responsibilities of librarians. Six content trends are identified in support of this claim. These are: the growth in volume; amount of noise; sharing of content and information participation; personal space; collaboration and naive use. The ethical challenges of these six trends are discussed. Because of the unpredictability and uncontrollability of contemporary digital content, a case is made that the traditional model of retrospective responsibility, according to which responsibility is assigned based on causality, should be supplemented with a positive prospective model of responsibility according to which librarians also need to look ‘forward’ anticipating possible harmful impacts of modern ICTs. It is also argued, based on the open and interactive nature of new forms of content, that there should be a form of shared and distributed responsibility, which should include not only librarians, but also Internet service providers, library users, and software designers.

Equality of access for all has been a core value of librarianship from Dewey (Wiegand, Irrepressible Reformer: A Biography of Melvil Dewy, American Library Association, 1996) through Ranganathan (The Five Laws of library science, Edward Goldston, 1931) to Gorman (Our enduring values: librarianship in the 21st Century. American Library Association, 2000) and has been put into practice by librarians by making their libraries as inclusive as possible in their communities. This article is a re-examination of this ethos in the context of a contemporary global society beset by myriad inequalities that uses China as a case study. Regional and urban-rural economic data is presented and compared with regional library funding, collection size, new collections, and floor space data in order to examine the extent of inequality and its impact on service provision. Recent governmental policy responses are then outlined and commented on in relation to equality of access, and the responses of the library profession within China are investigated and their effectiveness evaluated. The article then concludes that while equality of access is firmly enshrined in the manifestos and statutes of library services worldwide, true implementation of it requires much more than a simple call to include everyone in a community. This paper argues that the profession needs to be more proactive in promoting true equal access within such an unequal social context.

Information needs assessment is critical in developing and running relevant information services. This article explores the information needs and information-seeking patterns of the people living in communities surrounding telecentres. The research was based in four rural districts in Tanzania which have telecentres. These were Sengerema, Magu, Karagwe and Ngara districts. The research was done utilising the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to determine how people or communities seek information concerning problem-solving, decision-making or question-answering situations. CIT was also used to determine the extent to which ICTs were used in seeking information. It was found that business and agricultural related information were the main information needs of the people in the communities involved in this study, however this information was rarely provided by the telecentres. The study further found out that face-to-face communication and the radio were the major sources of information that the respondents used. This study recommends that management of the telecentres should regularly assess user information needs in order for telecentres to have an impact on rural communities.

Is the full potential of public libraries and community centres, in combating poverty and social exclusion in disadvantaged communities, acknowledged in South Africa and can a heightened awareness of their role as social institutions make a difference in this regard? In addressing these questions, the researcher defines social exclusion and identifies its characteristics. Poverty is also defined and its statistics are provided for South Africa. Sachs' (The end of poverty: how we can make it happen in our lifetime, Penguin, 2005) concept of the role of ‘public understanding’ in poverty reduction strategies is considered in conjunction with the role of libraries in combating social exclusion. The research approach comprises a survey of the literature on attempts to address social exclusion. The results of a survey are presented, and identify specific, achievable, local instances of social exclusion initiatives from South Africa. The research is qualitative and uses a simple form of thematic analysis. The initiatives identified support the view that efforts at broad social inclusion are found in South African public libraries and community centres. While small scale in its reach, the work of public libraries and community centres is being directed at areas where the need is very great in terms of addressing poverty. In depth studies of the communities are needed to evaluate the projects and their level of success. Collaborative approaches, together with adequate funding from government are likely to succeed in fostering social inclusion in the longer term and libraries have the potential to be key role players. Ideas and practice about the development of such endeavours should be shared.

This article reports a research project in which the thinking preferences of a group of students enrolled for a module on information literacy at the University of Pretoria were determined. Annually about 7,000 first-year students enrol for this module. The main aim of the research project was to determine to what extent the traditional approach to offering the module could be changed with a view to accommodating students with differing thinking preferences and enhancing the quality of learning. To get a holistic perspective on learning, the theory on whole brain learning and the application of Herrmann's whole brain learning inventory were applied and investigated. The research forms part of an overarching interdisciplinary research project that focuses on facilitating whole brain information literacy. Since the focus is on investigating a specific practice, action research is used as scholarly process for professional development. The action research approach includes mixed methods. This mix allows for merging quantitative and qualitative studies. The first phase of the project consisted of a baseline study. It entailed a quantitative approach to determining the students' learning style profiles by means of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) – used as a diagnostic assessment tool. The outcome of this diagnostic assessment forms part of the baseline data for the envisaged longitudinal study.

At present there is no general state-level information literacy strategy in Latvia to meet the needs of the society. Because of this problem, the main objectives of this case study are as follows: 1) to characterize the indicators of information literacy skills in the society of Latvia; 2) to examine the system of information literacy education in Latvia; 3) to observe the best international practice in information literacy education and to indicate the directions of national development. This case study includes recommendations for further development of a national information literacy education system. The research supports the elaboration of a state-level strategy in information literacy, coordinating all institutions involved.