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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the trained and untrained users’ mental models compatibility with search module icons in three Iranian digital library applications, namely, Nika, Azarakhsh, and Simorgh.

The population of this survey consisted of two groups including trained and untrained users. The trained user group consisted of 174 samples, all of which were included in the study due to scarcity of the samples. The untrained user group consisted of 8,210 samples, from which 267 cases were selected through stratified sampling.

Results showed that the trained users’ mental models were more compatible with the search module icons than those of the untrained users. The comparison of three software applications showed that the mental models of trained and untrained users had the highest compatibility with the search icons of Azarakhsh and the lowest compatibility with those of Nika. Concerning the untrained users’ status in terms of their fields of study, results showed that users majoring technical and engineering field and those in agriculture had, respectively, the highest and lowest mental models compatibility with the icons embedded in the user interface of the studied applications.

Since the mental models may be incomplete or inaccurate, the study of the trained and untrained users’ mental models compatibility with the search module icons of user interface embedded in various library applications may help in assessing the software’ status and the designers’ level of success in conveying the content. This also may assist information literacy specialists to estimate the required amount of training for trained and untrained users.

In 2008, Mind in Bexley received a research development grant from the Big Lottery Fund and a training grant from Bexley Care Trust to empower service users to participate and contribute to a pilot research project. The project aims were to work with, develop, train and support service users as researchers, in order to record the narratives of service users who have common experiences of mental health distress and treatment. The research development project set up an advisory group, created and developed a partnership with the University of Kent and provided workshops and training sessions to explore some of the principles of research and ethics. In addition, the group undertook a preliminary literature review, developed and refined a research questionnaire and piloted interviews with six service users. Many issues were raised and lessons learned during the planning and conduct of the project. This paper discusses the process and reflects on aspects of the project's design and delivery. In addition, this paper highlights some of the difficulties in undertaking service user research and suggests recommendations as to how to overcome some of these complex issues.

In Part 1 of the paper, the problems a would‐be user faces in accessing the contents of machine stored bibliographic databases are assessed; the online search services solve part of the difficulty, but become part of the problem; current training techniques are summarized and evaluated, and ways of improving training are suggested. In Part 2 of the paper, a new training program is described, the Hands on online multisystem multidatabase trainer, which delivers the training to the home terminal of the trainee, and in which emulations of bibliographic retrieval systems are provided that accept commands, search files, provide messages and displays to mimic the operational services, and in which the user trainee can develop the same skills he would learn in the ‘real’ system. The program has optionally available practice and instructional modules that guide the user in the protocols of telecommunication services, computer log in, file selection, search term negotiation, logical statement structure, interpretation of system messages and displays, and formatting of output from the search. The program can be used as needed with either the emulators or the online system itself. Training and design goals are detailed; namely the use and availability of the trainer outside the university, experience, use, evaluation of the training, extension and future development.

The arrival of CD‐ROM (compact disc read only memory) databases provides the opportunity for libraries to gain valuable experience in teaching end users how to search for bibliographic information. This paper considers some of the issues, by describing the experiences of one small medical school library (Charing Cross and Westminster), which has introduced the Medline database on CD‐ROM. Such issues include the assessment of training needs, the type of teaching sessions and the documentation. Details are given of the one‐to‐one approach adopted at Charing Cross and Westminster for training end users to search Medline on CD‐ROM. Fourteen references guide the reader to further papers on end user searching and CD‐ROM developments.

Training is a critical factor in enabling users to make effective use of their computers. A variety of training methods have been proposed in the literature. These training methods will be considered within the framework of procedural and conceptual training, with special reference to their application in the training of novice end users in the use of applications software. The impact of learning styles and other user characteristics on the selection of training methods for use in this area is discussed. Finally, a current research programme to explore the effectiveness of training methods for novice end users is briefly described.

Uganda has gone a step forward in ensuring that information resources available for researchers and students are maximally utilized. Academic and research libraries are participating in supporting and achieving the missions of their respective institutions by teaching the competency of information literacy (IL). This paper seeks to examine the effect IL has had on the usage of electronic information resources in academic and research institutions in Uganda. It aims to focus on the innovations that Makerere University Library (the biggest and oldest academic library in Uganda) has undertaken to ensure that library users (the Makerere University community and other collaborating universities and research institutions in Uganda) are trained on how to access a variety of available information resources, evaluate the information and apply it to address their needs.

Data were collected for the study using interviews to both library staff and users of the selected institutions: two library staff in charge of e‐resources and ten students/researchers were interviewed from each institution. However, user statistics for the years 2004‐2005, as well as the IL training sessions conducted, were the main sources of information. The study focused on academic and research institutions – Makerere University, Uganda, Martyrs University, Nkozi and National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS). The researcher is physically involved in the IL program in Makerere University. The usage statistics were compiled and interpreted.

The paper finds that availability of information does not necessarily mean actual use. The study shows that some of the available resources have not been utilized at all. This means that users are not aware of the availability of such resources, they do not know how to access them, or they do not know what the resources offer. All this calls for continued information literacy programs. IL is very vital in influencing utilization of e‐resources. Information professionals are needed to pass on IL skills to library users, while library users should endeavor to find out what information is available online for their consumption. Their attitudes and perceptions also influence the level of utilization.

The paper shows the extent of information literacy and its influence on electronic resources in Uganda. It points out the challenges for the future and provides a number of recommendations for the way forward, which will be helpful both to the relevant communities in Uganda and to other academics in similar circumstances.

As libraries increasingly automate and provide external access to their resources, a continual and growing need emerges for training of staff who implement, employ, and support these systems, and, in turn, train end‐users to exploit their new capabilities. The objectives and training techniques that have been adopted by individual institutions and technology providers vary, some being broadly structured toward educating staff members to function in the emerging electronic (virtual) library environment, some being more narrowly structured to facilitate adaptation and use of a specific new system that is being implemented. This symposium expresses the diverse training needs, experiences, and practices adopted by individual libraries, by consortia comprising a large number of libraries, by technology vendors striving to serve their library customers, and by academic computing services that share strategic responsibility for implementing online access to library resources.

The existing authentication procedures (pin, pattern, password) are not very secure. Therefore, the Gait pattern authentication scheme is introduced to verify the own user. The current research proposes a running Gaussian grey wolf boosting (RGGWB) model to recognize the owner.

The biometrics system plays an important role in smartphones in securing confidential data stored in them. Moreover, the authentication schemes such as passwords and patterns are widely used in smartphones.

To validate this research model, the unauthenticated user's Gait was trained and tested simultaneously with owner gaits. Furthermore, if the gait matches, the smartphone unlocks automatically; otherwise, it rejects it.

Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed model is proved by attaining better accuracy and less error rate.

Quotes recent (1994) literature suggesting that workers receive more training and support in their local work area than from a centralized management information systems (MIS) group. Suggests that there is therefore little knowledge about how users learn the computing skills necessary for them to achieve their tasks. Explores the issues. Presents four case studies, two having a central MIS training and support functions and two having none. Observes that in four work groups members depended on locally emerging arrangements for training and support.

Although end‐user computing (EUC) training has received significant attention among academics and practitioners, the effective transfer of trained EUC skills is a relatively neglected issue. Analysis of factors affecting the EUC transfer process will aid in understanding and improving training transfer. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to underscore key trainee characteristics and facets of the work environment that influence EUC training transfer.

The theoretical framework includes prior computer experience, computer anxiety, computer self‐efficacy, pre‐training motivation and perceived job utility as significant trainee factors influencing the EUC transfer process. In addition, the model includes supervisory support as an important constituent of the EUC transfer process.

The model highlights the mediating roles of computer self‐efficacy and pre‐training motivation in predicting motivation to transfer. In addition, it points out that several factors work simultaneously to influence motivation to transfer EUC training.

Supervisory support in the pre‐ and post‐training environment is extremely crucial in determining EUC training success. Specifically, supervisors should be able to communicate to employees the purpose and importance of training, the relevance of computer training to their jobs and the outcomes expected.

This paper contributes to the literature by emphasizing the importance of supervisory support and individual characteristics in predicting motivation to transfer.