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This paper reports the results of the second stage of the Citizenship Information research project funded by the BLR&IC: a nation‐wide survey, by personal doorstep interview, of the citizenship information needs of almost 900 members of the UK public. Major findings include: that the public obtain most of their information on current issues via the mass media, and that they generally feel well informed on these issues. The public feel, however, that government is not doing enough to inform them on European Monetary Union and on local government cutbacks. Small proportions of the sample had encountered problems concerning employment, education, housing or welfare benefits, and had consulted a range of information sources in order to overcome these problems. Over a quarter of respondents had experienced disadvantage through a lack of access to information. The majority of respondents felt well informed about areas relating to citizenship, but significant proportions were poorly informed in legal rights, welfare benefits and local politics. A highly significant majority (91.7 per cent) believed that freedom of information was important for exercising their rights as citizens. Respondents tended to overestimate their voting patterns, but there was little evidence of participation in other forms of political activity. Although access to computers in the home is presently limited, the majority of respondents would use computers to vote, convey opinions to government and obtain government information. Public libraries were the preferred source of government information, and were seen as appropriate locations for a range of other types of citizenship information.

As part of the research underpinning an Honours dissertation a study of the agencies providing European information in Scotland was carried out in the spring of 1994. The aims of this study were to investigate the nature of the services offered by the existing agencies, to consider their accessibility and geographic spread, and to determine the extent of the interaction which took place between these agencies. The study sought to provide a broad picture of provision across a physically large geographic area. Given the relatively few agencies involved, visits were made to each and structured interviews were carried out with staff.

Discusses the results of an unobtrusive test of Scottish public library reference services, carried out by students of the School of Librarianship and Information Studies at the Robert Gordon University, which indicate that, despite a marginal improvement on previous surveys, there is still serious cause for concern in the quality of response to enquiries. Major problems found include: little attempt to investigate information need; poorly formulated search strategies; failure to exploit fully on‐site resources; and lack of evaluation of client satisfaction.

This paper reports the results of case studies of Scottish food and drink exporters which sought to explore the use of customer language in marketing and exporting products to France. The findings provide evidence for three levels of language orientation, illustrating differing attitudes to the impact of customer language use, despite consensus that such is good practice and “courteous” in responding to customers. Given the diverse import community, language is more influential in certain contexts and at certain points in the marketing process. Changes in the exporter/importer dynamic may indicate greater need for customer language skills amongst exporters, but this was regarded with mixed feelings by the case study companies. Trends such as the increased demand for product information and the growing reliance on electronic communication had an impact on language of communication, in particular with the shift to processed products. A number of paradigms of Internet usage are identified, with the more proactive companies employing a multi‐level, multilingual approach.

This paper reports the results of a survey of information needs and information seeking behaviour of a national sample of the UK population. The project was funded by the BLR&IC and comprised a survey by questionnaire covering all regions of the United Kingdom. 1,294 responses were received giving a valid and demographically representative response rate of 45.7 per cent. Major findings include: that the majority of respondents had sought information in the past (59.4 per cent) and that an even greater number predicted a future need for information (78.4 per cent). Over three quarters of respondents said that they would use public libraries and between half and three quarters would approach CABx, post offices, government departments or family and friends. Face to face communications and reading a book were the most popular means of accessing information but a wide variety of other preferred options were cited. Only a small proportion expressed a preference for using a computer to seek information and there was a clear emphasis on public libraries as an appropriate location for accessing computerised information. A highly significant majority (79.2 per cent) believed that access to information was very important for exercising their rights as citizens. Many significant variables, in terms of age, gender, status and region were found. In particular it was felt significant that young people were less sure of the importance of being able to access information.

This paper seeks to report the results of a study, which investigated the use of the internet by political parties and individual candidates in Scotland as part of their campaign for election to the UK Parliament in 2010.

Three methodologies were used in gathering data: the content of the web sites of 18 parties and 12 candidates was analysed in order to identify the ways in which participation by the Scottish electorate was encouraged via the provision of information and of opportunities for interaction, debate and feedback; the extent to which parties and candidates adopted and used social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, during the campaign was investigated and measured; and using e‐mail, Facebook and Twitter, a series of enquiries based around topical campaign and policy issues was directed at parties and candidates to measure the speed and extent of response, as well as any efforts made towards the creation of an ongoing relationship with potential voters.

Party and candidate web sites were being used extensively for information provision, income generation and the recruitment of members and volunteers. However, Scottish political actors were reluctant to encourage online contact and debate, and were unwilling to answer contentious policy questions online. Social media applications were adopted by a significant number of parties and candidates, but were used primarily for the one‐way flow of information to known associates and party activists.

This study forms part of an ongoing series of investigations by the authors, which has examined the use of the internet by political parties and candidates during parliamentary election campaigns in Scotland. These are the only such studies which have looked specifically at the Scottish political arena.