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1 – 10 of over 79000Avi Rushinek and Sara Rushinek
The question of the location of computers, i.e. whether to have a centralised or decentralised processing system, is of particular concern to managers. A study carried out to…
Abstract
The question of the location of computers, i.e. whether to have a centralised or decentralised processing system, is of particular concern to managers. A study carried out to measure the impact of computer location on user satisfaction shows that overall satisfaction with computer systems is greatly affected by user expectations, the number of systems and minicomputers. Microcomputers and central processing have a lesser effect on overall satisfaction. This means that additional variables do not contribute significantly to the overall satisfaction of the computer system. The implications of the study are discussed.
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The possibility of having access to all the world's literature from a single computer terminal stimulated the imagination of the research workers in the late' sixties. It was this…
Abstract
The possibility of having access to all the world's literature from a single computer terminal stimulated the imagination of the research workers in the late' sixties. It was this goal and the fascination of the co‐operation between man and machine, that inspired the major changes that have taken place in Information Retrieval over the past ten years.
Gi Woong Yun, Jay Ford, Robert P. Hawkins, Suzanne Pingree, Fiona McTavish, David Gustafson and Haile Berhe
This paper seeks to discuss measurement units by comparing the internet use and the traditional media use, and to understand internet use from the traditional media use…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to discuss measurement units by comparing the internet use and the traditional media use, and to understand internet use from the traditional media use perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Benefits and shortcomings of two log file types will be carefully and exhaustively examined. Client‐side and server‐side log files will be analyzed and compared with proposed units of analysis.
Findings
Server‐side session time calculation was remarkably reliable and valid based on the high correlation with the client‐side time calculation. The analysis result revealed that the server‐side log file session time measurement seems more promising than the researchers previously speculated.
Practical implications
An ability to identify each individual user and low caching problems were strong advantages for the analysis. Those web design implementations and web log data analysis scheme are recommended for future web log analysis research.
Originality/value
This paper examined the validity of the client‐side and the server‐side web log data. As a result of the triangulation of two datasets, research designs and propose analysis schemes could be recommended.
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Research into the library as place investigates the role of public library buildings as destinations, physical places where people go for various reasons ranging from making use…
Abstract
Research into the library as place investigates the role of public library buildings as destinations, physical places where people go for various reasons ranging from making use of the library's resources and services or seeking to fulfill an information or reading need to less easily identified reasons that may include using the library's building as a place to make social or business contacts, to build or reinforce community or political ties, or to create or reinforce a personal identity. This study asks: How are one rural US public library system's newly constructed buildings functioning as places? The answer is derived from answers to sub-questions about adult library users, user, and staff perceptions of library use, and observed use of library facilities. The findings are contextualized using a framework built of theories from human geography, sociology, and information studies.
This case study replicates a mixed-methods case study conducted at the main public libraries in Toronto and Vancouver in the late1990s and first reproduced in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2006. It tests methods used in large urban settings in a rural, small-town environment. This study also expands on its antecedents by using thematic analysis to determine which conceptualizations of the role of the public library as place are most relevant to the community under investigation.
The study relies on quantitative and qualitative data collected via surveys and interviews of adult library users, interviews of library public service staff members, structured observations of people using the libraries, and analysis of selected administrative documents. The five sets of data are triangulated to answer the research sub-questions.
Thematic analysis grounded in the conceptual framework finds that public realm theory best contextualizes the relationships that develop between library staff members and adult library users over time. The study finds that the libraries serve their communities as informational places and as familiarized locales rather than as third places, and that the libraries facilitate the generation of social capital for their users.
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Stephen Munday and David W. Young
The attitudes of doctors towards Computer‐Based Information Systems(CBIS) are crucial to the successful implementation of medical audit,resource management and clinical protocols…
Abstract
The attitudes of doctors towards Computer‐Based Information Systems (CBIS) are crucial to the successful implementation of medical audit, resource management and clinical protocols. We present the results of a postal questionnaire survey of 846 consultants (471 replies) on their attitudes towards computers. The survey revealed doctors′ requirements (demands) of CBISs and also their concerns (expectations) about the likely impact of these systems. Clear differences are found between the concerns of doctors who are computer users and those who are not. The latter displaying more negative attitudes. It is assumed that if the attitudes of the non‐users become like those of the user′s implementation of CBISs will be more successful. Requirements for CBISs were very similar between the two groups, suggesting that changes in attitudes are not required, but that systems should display the features listed in the demand section of the questionnaire. A strategy for the implementation of CBISs should have two strands. It should meet the demands and reduce the concerns of non‐users over computer systems. The findings of this survey present for the first time an empirical basis for the development of such a strategy.
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The manager must take into account various human factors when introducing computers into the library. A survey of literature reveals the key fears of employees involved in library…
Abstract
The manager must take into account various human factors when introducing computers into the library. A survey of literature reveals the key fears of employees involved in library automation — to be concerned with job security, job satisfaction and health and safety. These findings are compared with data collected from a questionnaire administered to staff in four libraries, all in the process of automating various tasks. The effects of computerisation of the library service on users is also examined, with an analysis of literature and a questionnaire sent to 30 students in the College for the Distributive Trades. The author discusses ways in which the manager can interest and motivate staff by eliminating causes of dissatisfaction and by taking positive steps in appealing to employees' self‐interest in the possibilities of career advancement and the challenge of mastering something new. Staff selection procedures need to be amended to acquire the necessary skills, and training should be ongoing. The response of users to library automation is often enthusiastic but real benefits can be difficult to measure. The onus is ultimately on librarians to demonstrate that they still have a key role to play in the provision of information.
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Thomas N. Garavan and Clare McCracken
End‐user computing is now a reality in many organizations. Thevariety of end users is considerable and it has many implications fortheir training and development. Focuses on some…
Abstract
End‐user computing is now a reality in many organizations. The variety of end users is considerable and it has many implications for their training and development. Focuses on some of these issues, in particular the problems of end‐user computing, anxiety problems of computer users, the importance of learning style and the implications for the role and delivery of training support. Highlights these issues through a case study of end‐user computing in the academic environment.
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Lalitha K. Sami and N.B. Pangannaiah
The purpose of the present paper is to review the impact of information technologies on users of libraries and to understand the problems encountered in their information…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present paper is to review the impact of information technologies on users of libraries and to understand the problems encountered in their information technology (IT) usage by reference to the concept of “technostress”, the inability to cope with the new computer technologies in a healthy or positive manner.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review was undertaken to further our understanding of the influence of IT based services on the users of libraries.
Findings
The paper provides a literature derived set of information about library users who initially find it difficult to cope with the new technology and experience anxiety (termed “IT anxiety”, “technostress” or alternatively “technophobia”). This is bound to affect their adoption of IT technologies negatively. They may eventually begin to avoid contact with computers. Since this avoidance strategy is highly impractical in the modern IT dependent world, the various causes of technostress must be analysed, so that users can be trained to overcome technophobia.
Research limitations/implications
The conclusions in the present paper are based on articles from different sources and not on any field study.
Practical implications
Being a review article, it reflects the problems encountered by a range of users in different countries. The paper also pragmatically provides factors to be considered in designing a training module.
Originality/value
The paper organises information collected from different sources and presents a consolidated picture of the problems encountered by users in exploiting computers in libraries, while suggesting the means to overcome these problems.
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Magid Igbaria and Kranti Toraskar
Formulates and tests an integrated model of the determinants of enduser computing (EUC) success. Assesses their effects on job satisfactionand the quality of work life. Tests the…
Abstract
Formulates and tests an integrated model of the determinants of end user computing (EUC) success. Assesses their effects on job satisfaction and the quality of work life. Tests the model using multiple regression analysis based on a sample of 177 (in the USA!). Claims a symbiotic relationship between EUC and the worker. Demonstrates that EUC success is influenced by the users′ computer experience, training and organizational level.
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