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Presents a summary of the latest in the series of international conferences on interlending and document supply. Whilst co‐operation between researchers, publishers and librarians was the main theme of the Conference, other topics discussed included union catalogues, standards, digitisation and national systems.

This article aims to define a clear strategy for the future development of S&T services in Thailand.

The article examines the history of S&T information resource sharing in Thailand and presents the results of research designed to identify current problems in the provision of these services.

The article finds that S&T researchers in Thailand would benefit from much greater resource sharing, either via consortia or computerised networks, as part of a cohesive national strategy.

The article makes detailed recommendations regarding the future management of S&T services in Thailand.

This paper defines a best practice strategy for the future development of support to S&T researchers in Thailand.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the strategic role of third-sector agencies, with a history that often left them “sidelined” by the public sector, showing how all agencies involved can be respected and trusted, with conflicts of interest around commissioning services well managed. It highlights how power differentials between agencies/sectors influence behaviour and how a voluntary council can promote the voice of users and carers.

A case study considering the nature of voluntary sector activity in Cwm Taf, referring to learning from elsewhere, confirming and challenging the experience. It draws on the experiences of two key third-sector workers and draws on local survey data, as well as the experiences of community co-ordinators.

The importance of “being there” in policy development, implementing change and taking action; “being at the top table” was critical in developing a stronger third sector and user voice, supporting the ambitions of Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Third-sector agencies have been good and mature partners, honest brokers/commissioners, completer/finishers and critical friends.

Power and influence are significant in changing the way that older people receive a different offer – not, “what can we do for you?”, but, “help us to understand what will make a difference to your life”. Third-sector agencies are crucial change agents, better at representing users and carers than public sector agencies doing it alone. It explores the concept of interdependence, as more energising for older people and agencies.

bydd y papur hwn yn archwilio rôl strategol a gweithredol asiantaethau’r trydydd sector yn datblygu gwasanaethau integredig. Mae asiantaethau’r trydydd sector yn aml yn cael eu diystyru gan asiantaethau’r sector cyhoeddus am nad ydynt wedi eu cynnwys yn y byd ‘proffesiynol’. Bydd y papur yn gwneud synnwyr o’r gwahaniaethau mewn pŵer sydd bron bob amser i’w canfod o fewn a rhwng asiantaethau a’r ffordd y maent yn dylanwadu ar ymddygiad; ymddygiad sy’n dylanwadu’n sylweddol ar graddau’r ymddiriedaeth sydd yn gorfod datblygu rhwng asiantaethau a phobl sy’n gweithio mewn asiantaethau, er mwyn i ni allu symud i ffwrdd o feddylfryd ‘silo’ ac ymddygiad ‘silo’, nad ydynt yn manteisio i’r eithaf ar brofiad ac arbenigedd yr holl randdeiliaid allweddol.

Mae’r papur hwn yn astudiaeth achos sy’n defnyddio ymchwil a phrofiadau o fannau eraill sydd yn cynnwys asiantaethau’r trydydd sector. Mae’n ystyried natur gweithgaredd y sector gwirfoddol yng Nghymru ac yng Nghwm Taf yn benodol.

mae pwysigrwydd ‘bod yno’ yn ganolog i chwarae rôl allweddol yn natblygiad polisi ac mae’r papur yn amlygu sut mae bod ar frig y tabl wedi chwarae rôl allweddol yn cael llais trydydd sector cryfach. Mae hwn yn ei dro yn rhoi mwy o fynediad i lais defnyddwyr a gofalwyr ac mae’n cefnogi uchelgais y prif newid deddfwriaethol yng Nghymru, Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Lles (Cymru) 2014.

mae’r papur hwn yn ymwneud â dangos grym a dylanwad sylweddol trafod ar gyfer newid yn y ffordd y mae pobl hŷn yn derbyn cynnig sydd bellach yn ddim i’w wneud â ‘beth allwn ni ei wneud i chi?’ ac yn fwy am wahodd pobl hŷn i’n ‘helpu ni i ddeall beth fydd yn gwneud gwahaniaeth i’ch bywyd chi’. Gall asiantaethau’r trydydd sector chwarae rhan hanfodol yn cefnogi’r newid hwnnw, o bosibl yn cynrychioli buddion defnyddwyr a gofalwyr yn well na’r traddodiad o asiantaethau’r sector cyhoeddus yn ceisio gwneud hynny ar eu pen eu hunain. Mae’r papur hefyd yn archwilio’r cysyniad iachach o ryngddibyniaeth, fel nod ar gyfer pobl hŷn, yn ogystal â nod i asiantaethau ei gymryd yn eu perthynas â’i gilydd.

Sick building syndrome is recognized by the World Health Organization. It is characterized by employees suffering from a range of symptoms which are associated with being in a particular building and are relieved by leaving it or staying away. Discusses the results of a survey which examined the extent and possible causes of sick building syndrome in libraries. Questionnaires were sent to all academic libraries in Great Britain together with a sample of public libraries. The evidence suggests that sick building syndrome exists in libraries and that air‐conditioned libraries are more likely to be affected than those which are naturally ventilated.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodological usability evaluation approach for e‐commerce websites in developing countries.

A multi‐faceted usability evaluation of three Jordanian e‐commerce websites was used, where three usability methods (user testing, heuristic evaluation and web analytics) were applied to the sites.

A four‐step approach was developed to facilitate the evaluation of e‐commerce sites, mindful of the advantages and disadvantages of the methods used in identifying specific usability problems.

The approach was developed and tested using Jordanian users, experts and e‐commerce sites. The study compared the ability of the methods to detect problems that were present, however, usability issues not present on any of the sites could not be considered when creating the approach.

The approach helps e‐commerce retailers evaluate the usability of their websites and understand which usability method(s) best matches their need.

This research proposes a new approach for evaluating the usability of e‐commerce sites. A novel aspect is the use of web analytics (Google Analytics software) as a component in the usability evaluation in conjunction with heuristics and user testing.

This paper seeks to report the results of research conducted to model the information‐seeking behaviour of graduate students at Kuwait University and the factors influencing that behaviour.

The research employed a number of different approaches: a questionnaire survey to 800 graduate students studying at Kuwait University; a questionnaire survey to 180 academics at the university; semi‐structured interviews with eight academics; face‐to‐face and online interviews with 11 university library staff, four focus groups with 24 students and three focus groups with ten faculty staff.

Significant factors influencing students' information‐seeking behaviour were found to be related to library awareness, information literacy, organisational and environmental issues, source characteristics, and demographics (specifically gender and nationality).

The research focused on graduate students at a Kuwait University which is affiliated to the government sector, however, the information seeking model is more widely applicable, particularly to other developing countries.

Proposed is an information‐seeking model that extended two other relevant and influential models of information‐seeking behaviour. The extended model shows promise for its intended utility in identifying factors that influence the information behaviour of graduate students.

Excess weight and poor quality diets are known to be major and manageable causes of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) but the optimal diet for the prevention and reduction of CVD risk is not known. The purpose of this paper is to compare the effects of low‐fat and low‐GI diets on weight loss, liver function and CVD risk factors.

In total, 18 overweight/obese females were randomly assigned to eight weeks of either isocalorie (1,200 kcal day) low‐fat (<20 per cent energy intake as fat) or low‐GI (≤40 per cent energy intake as carbohydrate) diet. Participants kept a one week food and drink intake diary prior to starting the prescribed diet (week 0) and during weeks 4 and 8 of the diet. BMI, blood pressure, serum lipids, AST and ALT concentrations were measured at specific time intervals.

The low‐fat group reported more adequate micronutrient intake than the low‐GI group. Mean weight, BMI and systolic blood pressure reduced significantly in each group but there was no significant difference between groups. There was no significant change in mean LDL, HDL and total cholesterol concentration within and between groups. Mean triglyceride reduced significantly (33 per cent) in the low‐GI group but there was no significant change in the low‐fat group. The low‐GI diet significantly reduced ALT concentration by 16 per cent after four weeks but there was no significant change for the low‐fat group.

The paper shows that a low‐GI diet may be more effective at reducing CVD risk and improving liver function than a low‐fat diet. This extends data on a previous studies that compared low‐fat and low‐GI diets.

This paper looks at the theme of library automation from a fresh standpoint — that of non‐professional library workers. The general effects of system implementation are examined, with particular reference to the possible impact on non‐professional staff in UK college libraries. Three case studies involving college libraries provide a comparison between theory and reality.

It is argued that the current generation of online catalogues do not meet basic user expectations about how to search for information. After a brief examination of virtual reality audits associated technology, a new form of online catalogue, the virtual reality library is proposed. Users browse an information space, a computer‐controlled set of shelf orderings for items. Its form, workings and design are investigated in detail. The concept of the virtual reality library is then applied to information resources which either have no physical repository or have one which is not accessible to users.

Can one describe the ‘natural’ process of pregnancy as ‘harm’, even when negligently brought about? What does that harm consist of? Offering a contextual analysis of the English judiciary's characterisation of wrongful pregnancy, this paper demonstrates from a feminist perspective that the current construction of pregnancy as a ‘personal injury’ is deeply problematic. Forwarding an alternative account, this paper argues for law to embrace a richer notion of autonomy that will better resonate with women's diverse experiences of reproduction, and articulate the importance of autonomy in the reproductive domain: notably, women gaining control over their moral, relational and social lives.