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This article is part of a doctoral study undertaken in the Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria. It describes a now-completed investigation of the information-seeking behaviour of secondary level in-service geography teachers in Lesotho using focus group discussions. There were 82 participants in this sub-study teaching in various schools that offer geography both at junior and senior secondary levels in Lesotho. The study used Leckie, Pettigrew and Sylvain's (1996) model of the information seeking of professionals as its framework. Although Leckie et al's (1996) model identifies five work roles that trigger information needs, the empirical component this study identified three work roles: educator role, administrative role and non-academic role. In addition, the secondary geography teachers who were studied tend to use syllabus documents, learners' textbooks and colleagues as predominant information sources. They prefer information that will be easily understood by their learners and go to great lengths to seek information related to what they will deliver in class. This article offers a descriptive report of some key results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consulting engineers are professionals who are either self-employed or work for a consulting engineering company. They do not all necessarily have formally organised information services, such as libraries, available in their companies to provide in their information needs. The objective is to report on a qualitative study investigating the information behaviour of a small group of self-employed consulting engineers working in Gauteng. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling was used to select the eleven responding consulting engineers for this study. Semi-structured time-line interviews were conducted to collect the data. The gap-metaphor in Dervin's sensemaking approach was used to analyse the data. Leckie, Pettigrew and Sylvain's general model of the information-seeking of professionals provided the framework for the study. The results showed that consulting engineers rely heavily on people, personal files and personal knowledge for information. Other frequently used information sources include the Internet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites and digital cameras. Consulting engineers need information from varied sources in the initial stages of a project. Information in the final stages of a project comes from the project itself. In conclusion comments are made on the use of Leckie et al's model and the gap-metaphor in Dervin's sense-making methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central Cancer Library (The Netherlands Cancer Institute) and the Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria conducted a cross-country exploratory study to evaluate the current awareness service (CAS) offered by the Library via PUBMED. The intention was to determine satisfaction with the service, the topics of interest, the reasons for using the service and potential problems, and to pave the way for ongoing research that is manageable for library and information (LIS) practitioners and that can eventually make a theoretical contribution. The intention was furthermore to promote the service to South African oncology nurses as a method of staying abreast in their field: they have access to the library website and can access monthly updates on the topic(s) of their choice. Twenty eight oncology healthcare professionals (mostly oncology nurses) participated: 6 from The Netherlands and 22 from South Africa. For participants from The Netherlands it seems as if professional interest and evidence-based nursing are the most important reasons for using the CAS, and for South African participants it seems to be the need to offer a good service to patients. The value of small-scale evaluation projects and cooperation between academia and praxis was shown, and the way paved for continuation of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selection of aspects, identified from the literature on human information behaviour (HIB) (healthcare as well as other contexts) is explored with regard to offering practical advice on how these can be incorporated into information literacy programmes for healthcare professionals. The aspects explored are based on the author's interpretation of selected literature and include: awareness of information needs and the value of information as well as the ability to express information needs; healthcare professionals as persons-in-context; the importance of affective issues in the daily tasks of healthcare professionals and the role of emotions (e.g. being anxious, frustrated, bored or unmotivated); importance of personality and learning style on information needs and the success of information seeking; importance of everyday-life information needs and how this may overlap with task-related information needs; and the realities of barriers to information seeking and how to deal with these. The intention is to highlight issues normally not considered in reports on training in information literacy. Apart from practical advice on the various aspects, it is argued that library and information (LIS) professionals should sensitise healthcare professionals to the complexity of human information behaviour and the need to understand their own information behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexities, as well as seemingly simplicities of book indexing are considered against conceptualisation and determining what an entity is about. This is done by considering an academic, theoretical perspective as well as the perspective of indexers in praxis. Various viewpoints on conceptionalisation are briefly considered, namely the simplistic approach, content-oriented approach, requirements-oriented approach and socio-cognitive view. Suggestions on bridging the gap between pragmatic indexing and theoretical indexing discourse are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article covers the history of bibliographic control in South Africa, with the focus on the legislation regulating legal deposits and a national agency for bibliographic control, and the various role players (eg interest groups, bibliographic networks, the national archival service and service providers for bibliographic control tools). A selection of bibliographic control tools, including union catalogues, bibliographies, indexes and databases, as well as advisory groups and research reports, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library and Information Science professionals can proactively facilitate successful disintermediation to specific user groups such as oncology nurses. By drawing on their skills as intermediaries they can empower oncology nurses to set up their own current awareness services (CAS) available via the World Wide Web (WWW). Such services include table of content services, electronic newsletters, book-alerting services, conference announcements, WWW discussion groups, Web pages with newsworthy content and article alerting or selective dissemination of information services. A few examples of each are included. A cursory glance at the literature of oncology nursing can point out potential interest in current awareness services, which can be used as bases to collect information on more specific information needs for specific groups (e.g. through focus group interviews). To be successful at facilitating disintermediation, Library and Information Science professionals should approach disintermediation as an exciting opportunity to open new niches for themselves. They should be prepared to move beyond information literacy courses and empower oncology nurses to use current awareness services in addition to their needs for retrospective searches and factual information. This article takes a theoretical look at facilitating disintermediation. Drawing on their substantial experience of intermediation Library and Information Science professionals should consider the following: linking potential information needs and perceived information needs to the benefits that can be expected from current awareness services, the need to verify information and computer skills as well as prior knowledge and perceptions concerning the value of information as well as the information infrastructure for oncology nurses. They should also consider findings from Web information-seeking studies (e.g. the impact of the task environment, motivation and experiences of anxiety), and possible frustrations oncology nurses might experience with WWW current awareness services. They should take up the challenge to explore solutions to these frustrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distance teaching programmes can offer working adults valuable opportunities for furthering their careers in a dynamic indexing and abstracting environment that includes database indexing, book indexing and Web indexing. On the basis of experience gained at the University of South Africa (UNISA), a study of the practice of distance teaching and an instructional design model developed by the author, suggestions are offered for the design of distance teaching programmes for indexers and abstractors. The model specifies the aspects to consider, namely teaching philosophy, characteristics of distance teaching (including the benefits and disadvantages), situation analysis, formulation of aims and learning outcomes, actual development of the programme (including the selection of media and teaching strategies), selection of assessment methods, offering of learner support and evaluation of the programme. Suggestions are made for the teaching of indexing and abstracting, bearing in mind that there are different models of distance teaching programmes. The choice of a model would depend on the particular situation (e.g. the availability of information technology infrastructure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A socio-cognitive approach to document representation in addition to the systems-orientated approach might solve problems in information retrieval (IR). If introduced in a simplified and pragmatic manner in the teaching of indexing and abstracting, it might also help to bridge the gap between IR theory and indexing and abstracting praxis. The purpose of information retrieval systems (IRSs), information retrieval and the problems with IR research is considered as background to a socio-cognitive approach. Academic interpretations of the socio-cognitive approach as well as a simplified interpretation more suitable to teaching practice are considered. The latter is used to suggest a model of learning content, a constructivistic learning environment, learning experiences based on collaborative learning, and portfolio assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Web-based course developed for teaching reference work at the Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria (UP) (South Africa) is discussed. The significant impact of technological changes on the scope and nature of reference work, as well as the implementation of a telematic teaching model at UP, served as the rationale for offering the course through WebCT. Although students had positive experiences, a number of unexpected implementation difficulties were experienced. Since the majority of students come from disadvantaged backgrounds, most of these problems can be ascribed to the role played by the digital divide. These problems were identified through focus and chat group s, the lecturer `5 experiences, and informal feedback from students. A framework of instructional design principles for Web-based teaching is suggested based on the basis of the difficulties identified. It allows for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and should be useful for similar teaching situations in both developing and developed countries. Specific suggestions are made for the adaptation of the reference work course at UP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]