bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The guided tour technique in information science: Explained and illustrated
Authors: Thomson Leslie
Published: February 2016

This poster elaborates a research technique—that of the guided tour—that has previously been used in qualitative research, including in some studies carried out by information scientists. The guided tour technique hybridizes visual and aural methods; it involves a researcher's relatively shortened, planned entry into a field site, a participant then leading him or her through a personally meaningful location therein while describing and explaining its features, thinking‐aloud the ideas, thoughts, and feelings to which it gives rise, and responding to gentle, conversational inquiries (Thomson, 2015). In prior information science work, the technique has offered up‐close, in‐depth perspectives on information‐rich settings, be these home collections, workplace archives, or public spaces like museums. After the technique is introduced, the second portion of this poster is devoted to a comparison of use of the guided tour technique in two research scenarios. The first of these involves guided tours during an in‐person study, following the example laid out by prior researchers. The second involves examining data unobtrusively gathered online as a further guided tour adaptation. From these scenarios, it is possible for researchers to see how the guided tour technique can best be applied, its shortcomings, and ways in which it may accommodate research contingencies. The poster concludes by reiterating the value that guided tours can bring to information science work.
Mapping significance properties in OAIS: A case study with video games extended poster abstract
Authors: Bettivia Rhiannon S
Published: February 2016

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

The term “Significant Properties” is commonly used in the fields of digital preservation and curation. It is variously defined, which puts it in tension with more precisely delineated standards for preservation, such as the broadly used Open Archival Information System reference model (CCSDS, 2012).

This poster proposes mapping properties identified by both creators of video games as significant into the OAIS reference model. This research uses the framework provided by Giaretta et al. (2009), outlined as a clarification about the relationship between OAIS and significant properties, as a starting point. Utilizing data from the Preserving Virtual Worlds II grant and data from interviews with digital preservationists working in libraries and the cultural heritage sectors as case studies, this project aims to provide a real world example of how well user‐defined significance maps onto commonly employed preservation models. Data from PVWII suggest that social, surface, and affective attributes of games are considered significant by designers and players. These properties encompass the totality of what really makes a game beyond the code and computing environment, even while they do not appear to fit within the precisely defined categories existent in OAIS. This poster argues that OAIS can be made to accommodate such properties because of its requirement to update archival packages as the base knowledge of the designated community changes over time.
Cultural diversity in LIS research: National and international communities as context for the study of ethics, policy, and education
Authors: Agosto Denise , Zhang Bella Jing , Unsworth Kristene , Bossaller Jenny , Turner Deborah
Published: February 2016

This panel will showcase current information ethics, information policy, and library and information science (LIS) education projects from around the world to compare and contrast the current state of LIS research in the global information community. The juxtaposition of selected international projects will highlight the roles that national and international cultural contexts can play in LIS research, policy, and practice.
A systematic review of the literature on consumers' use of patient portals: Preliminary results
Authors: Zhang Yan , Fleischmann Kenneth R. , Gao Jin , Xie Bo
Published: February 2016

To assess our collective understanding of how consumers use patient portals, we conducted a systematic literature review focusing on understanding patients and caregivers' perceptions, needs, requirements, and use of patient portals with the goal of informing the design of effective patient portals. Through multiple rounds of screening, we identified 56 relevant publications for analysis. The preliminary analysis suggested that patient portals are implemented in a wide range of health care settings, ranging from large medical centers to small primary care facilities. Patient portals primarily target patients with chronic conditions. Many aspects of the use of patient portals were covered in the literature, including users' use of specific portal functions (such as managing medications and accessing imaging results), their attitudes toward patient portals, and barriers to patient portal use. Our findings call for more attention from information science researchers to contribute to this important area.
Different geospatial information behaviors of new domestic and international graduate students
Authors: Oh Chi Young , Butler Brian S.
Published: February 2016

This paper presents the findings from an online survey investigating how new students seek geospatial information in an unfamiliar environment. By surveying 149 new graduate students at University of Maryland, College Park, this study identifies the geospatial information needs and information sources used during their adjustment in new environments, and examines the factors that may affect different geospatial information behaviors (GIBs) of new students, such as populousness of students’ countries of origin on campus, gender, age, and program level (Master's, PhD). Findings include (1) international students’ greater emphases on survival‐related geospatial information; (2) gender differences in the importance of navigational and transportation information and frequency of using navigational information sources during adjustment; (3) significant differences among socio‐national and demographic groups for geospatial information needs and for the use of information sources. The findings are discussed in ways to further our understanding of new students’ GIB in unfamiliar environments and inform further research in human information behavior.
Explore eye movement patterns in search result evaluation and individual document evaluation
Authors: Wang Yanyan , Xie Iris , Lee Sukwon
Published: February 2016

This study aims to explore users’ eye movement patterns in their evaluation of search results and the corresponding individual webpages. Eye‐tracking logs, questionnaires, and interviews were applied to collect data. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and social network analysis were utilized in data analysis. Two transition networks for search result evaluation and individual document evaluation were obtained by social network analysis tool. The findings show that in search result evaluations, participants examined abstract, title and URL the most among all the elements, while in individual document evaluation, full text was examined the most. The transition networks further indicates the most frequent transition action is shifting from title to abstract. For individual document evaluation. The findings will help the enhancement of interface design of search result pages and individual document pages in order to promote search effectiveness and efficiency.
Managing personal health information in the home: Strategies of diabetes patients in the US and China
Authors: Sun Si , Belkin Nicholas J.
Published: February 2016

People around the world have developed many strategies to thrive with diabetes by harnessing health information about themselves and the health condition in general. This study examines the information management strategies (i.e., what people do with the information they gathered) employed by diabetes patients and how these strategies help them reach their health outcome goals. We conducted semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews and photo‐documentation with 52 people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in the US and in China. These participants introduced us to a wide variety of information management strategies that take advantage of space, people and technology. Many of these strategies involve intricate data mining, information visualization, space and technology connectivity management, artwork, and other skills and techniques that are not well supported by existing tools, services and the social contexts. Our findings suggest that the personal information management activities observed in previous studies are not independent of one another. Strategies, or a personalized collection of information management activities and information items, can be just as important as their individual parts. Also, US participants reported performing different strategies at different frequencies compared to their Chinese counterparts, supporting that social contexts can influence how people manage their information. These findings can point to important directions of future developments in technology and health care services, as well as their application in various social contexts.
Knowledge management in LIS education: Bridging research and practice
Authors: Dalkir Kimiz , Bedford Denise A. , Miller Karen
Published: February 2016

This panel provides a state of the art review of knowledge management (KM) education approaches in the LIS field. The panelists will share thoughts and experiences pertaining to the current treatment of knowledge management concepts in Library and Information Science education. The panel is comprised of professionals who have experience in both the knowledge management and LIS disciplines, in both academic and in practical roles. Furthermore, panelists represent perspectives from several contributing disciplines.

Sponsors: SIGKM and SIGED.
Breaking traditional barriers: Collaboration, impact, and information technology in the humanities
Authors: McLaughlin Jeremy L. , Mandernach Meris , Oliszewski Alex , James Christian , Higgins Melissa , Konkiel Stacy
Published: February 2016

The relationship between technology and scholars is changing, along with the definition of technology (information technology, ICT, instructional technology) and its applications in academia and in research (Zhang, ). While technology advances at a rapid pace, the sources of barriers and boundaries to extensive adoption in the humanities have remained the same. This panel brings together student, faculty, and professional speakers to examine key topics related to the role of information and technology in the development of research practices for, and about, the arts and humanities. Two core themes will be examined: 1) the importance of collaborative, cross‐disciplinary programs, and, 2) the visibility afforded by technology and technology‐based engagement allowing greater “impact” in arts and humanities disciplines. Within this context, panelists will discuss a collaborative interactive exhibit of library data, image classification of library collections using Flickr, engagement with digital methods, and an examination of altmetrics and current trends in research assessment. The current and potential impact of information and technology within the context of the arts and humanities is profound. Given the focus on cultural impediments and the need to foster a core set of e‐based traditions in many disciplines, additional examination of the themes of collaboration and impact will help to define the continued importance of this topic within ASIS&T. Additionally, this panel responds to the need of information professionals and humanists for practical, implementable techniques to disrupt tradition and integrate information technology in new ways.
Impact‐Driven work: Tearing down the firewalls between research and practice
Authors: Agosto Denise E. , Bedford Denise , Khoo Michael , Neuman Delia
Published: February 2016

This panel will showcase information research that aims to have strong impact on community at the local or national level and offer ideas for increasing the impact of information research on communities. It will also engage audience members in an interactive discussion of ideas for increasing the real‐life impact of information research.
Library assessment and data analytics in the big data era: Practice and policies
Authors: Chen Hsin‐liang , Doty Philip , Mollman Carol , Niu Xi , Yu Jen‐chien , Zhang Tao
Published: February 2016

Emerging technologies have offered libraries and librarians new ways and methods to collect and analyze data in the era of accountability to justify their value and contributions. For example, Gallagher, Bauer and Dollar () analyzed the paper and online journal usage from all possible data sources and discovered that users at the Yale Medical Library preferred the electronic format of articles to the print version. After this discovery, they were able to take necessary steps to adjust their journal subscriptions. Many library professionals advocate such data‐driven library management to strengthen and specify library budget proposals.
CharaParser+EQ: Performance evaluation without gold standard
Authors: Cui Hong , Dahdul Wasila , Dececchi Alexander T. , Ibrahim Nizar , Mabee Paula , Balhoff James P. , Gopalakrishnan Hariharan
Published: February 2016

To make phenotypic characters of organisms widely useful for computerized biology research, biocurators manually convert character descriptions to a structured format, for example the Entity‐Quality (EQ) format. The manual approach is time consuming and affected by inter‐curator variations. In this paper we report a software application, CharaParser+EQ, to our knowledge the first software that produces EQ statements from textual character descriptions. We report a recent experiment that evaluates the performance of the software against three experienced biocurators. While the software is still far from being able to compete with biocurators on this highly intellectual task, the results show (1) CharaParser+EQ's performance (precision and recall) is greatly improved compared to a previous version, (2) the completeness of the ontologies used in the process has significant impact both on the software's EQ generation performance and on the agreement among curators, and (3) unlimited access to external knowledge (published papers, books) by curators has no significant impact on inter‐curator agreements. A detailed error analysis that compares machine and curator generated EQs is included.
Examining the role of information in the civic engagement of youth
Authors: Blandford Alieda , Taylor Dominique , Smit Mike
Published: February 2016

Despite the decline in youth participation in traditional politics over time, engagement in alternative forms of civic engagement is increasing. Existing research focuses on disenfranchised youth; in this paper, we describe an initial exploration of the role of information in initial and ongoing civic engagement. In this pilot study, we conducted a focus group with six teenagers (15–17 years old) recognized by their teachers and peers for being highly engaged in their schools and/or communities, in order to understand the self‐described motivations, influences, and information behaviors of an important demographic which has not been widely studied in existing literature: youth who are highly engaged, but not yet eligible to vote in democratic elections. The participants were from six different provinces in Canada, and included a mix of rural, suburban, and urban youth. Participant responses suggested that their information environment, including the availability of information about civic affairs and opportunities to become directly involved, played a role in their socialization as engaged citizens. Moreover, they indicated that the effect of their information environment on their own civic engagement was cumulative over time: the more an issue appeared, the more likely they were to engage with it. Based on this focus group discussion, we suggest a set of interpretations that describe the role of information environments, the cumulative impact of civic information, and the levels of information consumption used by youth. While these theories will require additional data to confirm or reject, we expect that our observations will help inform efforts to engage youth in civic society.
Mentoring as information practice: Unpacking the black box
Authors: Follman Rebecca Parks
Published: February 2016

Formal mentoring is an increasingly popular tool for professional development and socialization, particularly in higher education, where expertise is contextual and dynamic. As it is currently enacted, however, mentoring suffers from a lack of clarity, as each participant – protégé or mentor – seems to have a different understanding of what mentoring is or should be. If mentor and protégé don't have the same understanding, necessary mentoring may not take place. The challenge for researchers is that the action of mentoring usually takes place in dyadic privacy. Studies of mentoring therefore focus on outcomes and participant satisfaction, without being able to separate the links between mentoring functions and those outcomes. In this paper I propose a model of the mentoring relationship that describes the information practices of mentoring. This model is derived from a study of faculty mentors at a large mid‐Atlantic university. The model will extend our understanding of mentoring by applying the concept of information practices to the mentoring process.
Astronauts and sugar beets: Young girls’ information seeking in family interactions
Authors: Barriage Sarah C. , Searles Darcey K.
Published: February 2016

This paper presents preliminary results from a study examining young girls’ information seeking in family interactions. Video recordings of everyday interactions of families with girls between the ages of 3 and 6 years were coded for instances of information seeking, which were then analyzed using the methodology of conversation analysis. Results indicate that young girls’ information seeking typically occurs in response to ongoing talk and action, with few instances of information seeking unrelated to the locally immediate context of the family interactions.
Random walk on co‐word network: Ranking terms using structural features
Authors: Chiu Wanying , Lu Kun
Published: February 2016

This study proposes a weighted random walk method on co‐word networks to identify important themes of a field using structural features of the networks. The goal is to test whether the weighted random walk method can be used to produce meaningful results on co‐word networks. In addition, we examined the relationships among the results from the random walk method and other two common metrics for identifying important themes in a field: frequency and point centrality. Using a dataset of 17K bibliographic records for the articles in the LIS field from the Web of Science, our results indicate that all three measures are significantly correlated. A detailed comparison of the top terms ranked by the three metrics from the years of 2002–2006 and 2007–2012 is provided. The results show that the three measures are generally similar in revealing hotspots and development of the field. However, some noticeable differences are also found. The random walk method boosted the rankings of some lower ranked terms in the other two metrics (e.g. “universe”, “servic” and “develop”) due to their cooccurrences with top ranked terms (e.g. “information”). The findings of this study help to understand the use of random walk method on co‐word networks.
Investigating an author's influence using citation analyses: Christopher alexander (1964–2014)
Authors: Wania Christine E.
Published: February 2016

Citation analyses are used to investigate the influence of architect Christopher Alexander over the period of 1964–2014. Alexander's work has been so influential that he has been cited by nearly 2000 source items in the Web of Science Core Collection, by Thomson Reuters. Alexander's work has had a profound interdisciplinary reach. Citation analyses reveal that scholars in computing disciplines have cited Alexander's work more than scholars in any other discipline including architecture. Alexander's most cited work, A Pattern Language, is one of two volumes that Alexander refers to as an indivisible whole. These analyses reveal very different citation patterns for the two volumes of this indivisible whole. Although the difference is measurable, in terms of number of citations, we cannot say why this is so. However, the results of these analyses raise several questions including why we, as a community, have for the most part cited only a piece of this indivisible whole. The citation patterns support that this series has been largely reduced to one of its parts, when possibly the whole is greater than the sum of its parts or one of its parts. In this paper I propose that we might begin to see the potential benefits of pattern languages in computing disciplines when we take holistic approach, considering and applying the theory as described in all of the volumes in the series.
Information seeking and sharing in virtual communities: A case study of chinese IT professionals
Authors: Li Yuelin , He Xiaofeng , Hu Die
Published: February 2016

The study aims to examine information seeking and sharing behavior of IT professionals in a virtual community (VC). In total, 200 threads with 1623 postings were extracted from ChinaUnix.net, an IT VC. A content analysis was performed and descriptive statistical analysis was conducted. The study identified four types of information seeking and sharing activities: resource sharing, experience sharing, asking questions, and asking for resources. The results indicate that asking questions is the dominant activity in this virtual community (VC), while experience sharing threads are browsed most in comparison to other threads. Browsing information in the VC is much more preferred by the users than contributing information to the VC. The important information behavior chain in this VC consists of asking, responding, interacting, uploading, linking, posting, and browsing. Interacting is an important vehicle for effective information exchange. The study helps people understand how the users of a VC seek and share information. The study reveals typical information seeking and sharing activities as well as behavior characteristics that support users’ engagement in a VC; it also identifies an information seeking and sharing chain in that context. It also adds new knowledge to users’ information seeking and sharing behavior in the information science area. The study could help designers develop and improve the design of VCs as well as help administrators improve and maintain an active and effective VC.
Impacts of the HackHealth after‐school program: Motivating youth through personal relevance
Authors: Jean Beth St. , Taylor Natalie Greene , Kodama Christie , Subramaniam Mega , Casciotti Dana
Published: February 2016

After‐school programs are uniquely situated to attract and engage youth in a variety of interest‐driven activities that ensure that each individual youth's personal interests are nurtured. In collaboration with school librarians at five middle schools in the greater Washington D.C. metro area, we developed and implemented an after‐school program, HackHealth, which aims to increase disadvantaged middle school students’ interest in science and health, their health and digital literacy skills, and their health‐related self‐efficacy. Based on data collected from the 63 youth who have participated in HackHealth over the past two years (as well as their parents) through surveys, participant observation, pre‐ and post‐interviews, and focus groups, we investigate why these youth joined HackHealth, the health‐related topic each one selected to research during the program and the reasons for their choice, and the perceptions of participants and their parents regarding the short‐term outcomes of participating in the program. The importance of building on youths’ personal interests and ensuring the personal relevance of both content and skills in attracting and sustaining youth participation and engagement in after‐school programs is discussed.
Health information literacy and stage of change in relation to physical activity information seeking and avoidance: A population‐based study among young men
Authors: Hirvonen Noora , Pyky Riitta , Korpelainen Raija , Huotari Maija‐Leena
Published: February 2016

In this study we investigate young men's seeking and avoidance of physical activity and exercise information. Stage of exercise behavior change as identified in the Transtheoretical Model and everyday health information literacy are studied in relation to these actions. The data were collected with a questionnaire survey (n=1,040) administered at the Finnish Defence Forces’ call‐ups in September‐December 2013 in Oulu, Finland. Statistical analyses include analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The results indicate that stage of exercise behavior change is associated with information seeking on physical activity and exercise, but only vaguely with avoidance of information. By contrast, everyday health information literacy was associated with avoidance of information and not with information seeking. Future studies should look more carefully into the relationship between health information behavior and literacy. Moreover, information behavior in stages of behavior change should be studied in the context of other health behaviors and among other populations.
Educators of the information society: Information literacy instruction in public and academic libraries of canada
Authors: Henkel Maria
Published: February 2016

As information literacy is a key competence of the information society, information literacy instruction in public as well as academic libraries is crucial. Today, librarians do not only act as providers of information but also as educators of the information society's citizens. This study aims to assess the perceived quality of information literacy instruction in libraries of Canada's informational cities: Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Therefore, librarians were interviewed by means of a questionnaire inspired by the SERVQUAL diagnostic tool. The questionnaire comprises of two parts: The first part consists of questions regarding information literacy instruction, in the second part the focus is on the seven competence areas of information literacy. Based on the difference between the librarians’ “Expectation” and “Experience” scores, gap scores for all questionnaire items were calculated and are now being presented and discussed. At the same time, results of public and academic libraries are compared to show the differences in information literacy instruction and the perceived value of the different information literacy competence areas.
Looting hoards of gold and poaching spotted owls: Data confidentiality among archaeologists & zoologists
Authors: Frank Rebecca D. , Kriesberg Adam , Yakel Elizabeth , Faniel Ixchel M.
Published: February 2016

Researchers in the social and health sciences are used to dealing with confidential data, and repositories in these areas have developed mechanisms to prevent unethical or illegal disclosure of this data. However, other scientific communities also collect data whose disclosure may cause harm to communities, cultures, or the environment. This paper presents results from 62 interviews and observations with archaeologists and zoologists. It focuses on how researchers’ perceptions of potential harm influence attitudes about data confidentiality, and how these, in turn, influence opinions about who should be responsible for managing access to data. This is particularly problematic in archaeology when harm is not to a living individual but is targeted at a community or culture that may or may not have living representatives, and in zoology when an environment or a species may be at risk. We find that while both archaeologists and zoologists view location information as highly important and valuable in facilitating use and reuse of data, they also acknowledge that location should at times be considered confidential information since it can be used to facilitate the destruction of cultural property through looting or decimation of endangered species through poaching. While researchers in both disciplines understand the potential dangers of allowing disclosure of this information, they disagree about who should take responsibility for access decisions and conditions.
Social search behavior in a social Q&A service: Goals, strategies, and outcomes
Authors: Jeon Grace YoungJoo , Rieh Soo Young
Published: February 2016

Recent advancements in social technologies allow information seekers to reach out to a larger, more distributed group of people online when searching for information. In this study, people's question‐asking behavior using a social Q&A service is conceptualized as social search behavior. We are particularly interested in investigating social search goals, strategies, tactics, informational outcomes, and social outcomes. We collected a total of 406 questions posted on Yahoo! Answers by 78 participants over one week. Interviews based on those questions and answers they received were conducted and content‐analyzed. We identify five distinct search strategies and 15 tactics positioned on a continuum of two different dimensions in terms of answer quantity and answer quality. Pursuit of quantity or quality is influenced by five categories of goals identified in this study. The goals and associated strategies and tactics also influence people's perceived informational outcomes and social outcomes. Contributions of this study to the social search research community and implications for practitioners in the area of social Q&A services are discussed.
Online search in english as a non‐native language
Authors: Chu Peng , Komlodi Anita , Rózsa Gyöngyi
Published: February 2016

Non‐native English speakers (NNESs) often search in English due to the limited availability of information in their native language on the Web. Information seeking in a non‐native language can present special challenges for users. Current research literature on non‐native language search behavior is insufficient and even less is known about how online systems and tools may accommodate NNESs’ needs and assist their behaviors. To gain a better understanding of user behavior and the search process of NNESs, this paper presents a study of online searching in English as a foreign language (EFL) or second‐language (L2). Particular attention is paid to language selection, search challenges, query formulation and reformulation, as well as user interaction with online systems and tools. Results from eight focus groups (36 participants) and 36 questionnaires indicate NNESs face a unique set of challenges that may not be present for native speakers when searching for information in English. A user interaction model is abstracted to address the iterative and spiral search process of NNESs. Implications for design of systems and tools to assist this particular user group are discussed.
#Criming and #Alive: Network and content analysis of two sides of a story on twitter
Authors: Kitzie Vanessa , Ghosh Debanjan
Published: February 2016

On December 3, 2014, after a grand jury decided not to indict the white police officer in the death of Eric Garner, the social networking platform Twitter was flooded with tweets sharing stances on racial profiling and police brutality. To examine how issues concerning race were communicated and exchanged during this time, this study compares differences between tweets using two trending hashtags #CrimingWhileWhite (#cww) and #AliveWhileBlack (#awb) from December 3 through December 11, 2014. To this end, network and content analysis are used on a large dataset of tweets containing the hashtags #awb and #cww. Findings indicate that there are clear differences, both structurally and in linguistic style, between how individuals express themselves based on which hashtag they used. Specifically, we found that #cww users disproportionately shared informational content, which may have led to the hashtag gaining more network volume and attention as a trending topic than #awb. In contrast, #awb tweets tended to be more subjective, expressing a sense of community and strong negative sentiment toward persistent structural racism.
The Quality and helpfulness of answers to eating disorder questions in yahoo! answers: Teens speak out
Authors: Bowler Leanne , Monahan Jocelyn , Jeng Wei , Oh Jung Sun , He Daqing
Published: February 2016

This research project investigated teens’ perspectives on the quality and helpfulness of health information about eating disorders found on Yahoo! Answers, a Social Q&A site. A mixed methods approach was applied, using survey methods and semi‐structured group interviews to gather data for the project. Eighteen teens completed a web‐based questionnaire using sample question/answer sets about eating disorders from Yahoo! Answers. The teen participants were asked to choose one answer as “best” and then rank its credibility, accuracy, reliability, and helpfulness. Open‐ended questions allowed teens to explain the rationale for their choice of “best” answer and to discuss why the chosen answer might (or might not) be helpful for teens. Following the questionnaire, six teens participated in a focus group interview using a semi‐structured format that asked open‐ended “why” questions in order to draw forth comments on criteria for evaluating the quality and and helpfulness of health information in Yahoo! Answers, as well as to reveal aspects of critical thinking. Findings suggest that, 1) teens make a distinction between health information in Social Q&A that is credible versus that which is helpful, 2) they value health information that isn't from a credible source if it addresses other needs, and, 3) when making judgments about health information on the Web, they apply an array of heuristics related to information quality, opinion, communication style, emotional support and encouragement, guidance, personal experience, and professional expertise.
Online privacy and informed consent: The dilemma of information asymmetry
Authors: Bashir Masooda , Hayes Carol , Lambert April D. , Kesan Jay P.
Published: February 2016

Every day billions of users allow cloud‐based internet services to collect, store, and manage their personal information. The use of this information is constrained only by long, wordy privacy agreements that users likely did not read before clicking “Agree.” Even if they were to read them, would users understand these policies? We present the results of a two‐part privacy survey that assessed users’ knowledge and opinions of online privacy issues. We asked users not only what they think, but what they know. Results expose several key knowledge gaps, demonstrating a problem of information asymmetry between users and internet services providers, and strong dissatisfaction with the current system. These findings demonstrate that there is insufficient comprehension and voluntariness in the consent process for users to give informed consent to the collection and management of their personal information, which may in part explain the “privacy paradox.”
Library patron privacy in jeopardy an analysis of the privacy policies of digital content vendors
Authors: Lambert April D. , Parker Michelle , Bashir Masooda
Published: February 2016

While the library profession has long defended readers’ privacy, a public library patron's personal information is no longer solely in the hands of intrepid librarians determined to defend intellectual freedom. Libraries use vendors to provide a large portion of their digital content. These vendors gain access to extensive personal information about patrons. Libraries often must negotiate with content providers to ensure privacy protections for their patrons that are in accordance with the American Library Association's Code of Ethics. This paper presents the results of a content analysis of the privacy policies of five of the top digital content vendors of American public libraries. We examined whether these privacy policies (1) meet the privacy standards of the library community, (2) meet other industry standards, and (3) are accessible and understandable to public library patrons. Our results demonstrate that while vendors are largely meeting the Fair Information Practices standards of American industry, the policies fail to meet the heightened standards of the library community.
Switching sources: A study of people's exploratory search behavior on social media and the web
Authors: Choi Dongho , Matni Ziad , Shah Chirag
Published: February 2016

Searching the Web for information via search engines is a ubiquitous phenomenon and a well‐established field of study in Information Science. Social media sites also continue to evolve and by now have gained enough popularity and momentum to be used as not just vessels for communication with others, but also as important repositories of information. However, it is not clear if the information behavior of users of traditional search engines differ from those performing information searches strictly on social media sites. To address this, we examined data from two user studies on people's exploratory searching behavior: one group only used Web search engines, while the other exclusively used social media sites to search for information. Information search behaviors of both groups regarding exploratory tasks were observed and analyzed through search log and surveys. The results indicate that, while people using social media sites for exploratory search tasks find a smaller quantity and a less diverse set of documents than what they might discover when utilizing traditional Web search engines, they do perceive to end up with more relevant documents. They also report doing less work and feeling less challenged.
Information attribute motivators of personal health information management activities
Authors: Sun Si , Belkin Nicholas J.
Published: February 2016

Understanding the motivating factors for personal health information management (PHIM) activities can inform the design of interventions to help people engage in healthful PHIM activities. This paper examines the attributes of health information that can motivate people's PHIM activities. We explored this topic through a qualitative study using semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews with 47 American and Chinese patients living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. We found 10 information attribute motivators, including the availability, abundance, credibility, accuracy, consistency, timeliness, usefulness, process level, and presentation style of, as well as the emotions elicited by, health information objects. Those motivators tell rich and complex stories of how health information is appreciated and handled on a daily basis by patients living with different health conditions or from different social contexts. Many of the motivators have not been examined in detail in the literature, pointing to the importance and necessity of involving them when designing interventions to improve health care outcomes through motivating PHIM activities.
How is she? Information and the surgical waiting lounge
Authors: Ascher Diana L.
Published: February 2016

This paper describes an exploratory ethnographic study of the information‐seeking behavior of visitors in the Surgical Waiting Lounge at the UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion in December 2013. A model of information practice is examined in relation to existing information‐seeking behavior theories, frameworks, and approaches. The finding that visitors’ information poverty and inhibited information‐seeking behavior manifested in a process of information gleaning—notable for its hypervigilance and meaning inference—is discussed. Similarities are drawn between this behavior, crisis situations, and situational anxiety disorder. Finally, recommendations are described in the context of anxiety‐reducing interventions and established post‐operative information practices.
Bracing for impact: The role of information science in supporting societal research impact
Authors: Given Lisa M. , Kelly Wade , Willson Rebekah
Published: February 2016

Academics are increasingly being asked to demonstrate the impact of their research beyond the walls of the academy. Societal impact measures were introduced as part of the Research Excellence Framework exercise in the UK in 2014 with a number of other countries, including Australia, considering similar assessments. As societal impact measures continue to proliferate there will be significant implications for academics, institutions, and academic libraries to document and support these activities. Information science is well‐placed not only to guide practical supports within our institutions, but also to develop metrics and qualitative approaches to assess this type of research impact. This exploratory qualitative study — situated in a constructivist grounded theory methodology — investigated academics’ experiences and perceptions of the concept of societal research impact and the supports needed to facilitate this work. The definition of impact varied greatly among participants, but regardless of the participant's conception, interviewees felt that they were not prepared, trained, or had access to the needed supports to adequately document non‐academic types of impact. The data point to a number of emergent themes including a lack of relevant methodologies for tracking societal impact, the shortcomings of metrics approaches to document impact outside of academe, and the need for academic libraries to extend current reference and training supports to provide researchers with the tools and skills needed in this new impact landscape. Implications for research and development in information science related to scholarly communication, researchers’ information behaviors, and impact measures are also explored.
Standing out in the academic LIS job market: An interactive panel for doctoral students
Authors: Singh Rajesh , Miller Karen
Published: February 2016

This proposal builds on the previous successes of the interactive doctoral student panels sponsored by SIG ED at the 2013, 2012, and earlier ASIS&T annual meetings. The all‐new 2015 panel features faculty in various stages of their academic careers, including a relatively new assistant professor to a seasoned chair or dean. The panelists are prepared to address audience questions on such topics as the traditional academic job market, alternative career paths including post‐doctoral opportunities, the development of personal research agendas, and the challenges of online instruction.

The panel discussion will focus around the academic job market and how applicants can present themselves in the best light depending upon the type of position sought. Doctoral students will gain valuable insights on finishing their dissertation, weighing postdoctoral opportunities, and preparing for their first academic position by interacting with the panelists. This panel will provide for an anonymous mechanism for doctoral students and new faculty to ask questions without feeling inhibited or intimidated. The panel may be of greatest benefit to those doctoral students nearing the end of their doctoral program, but will also be useful to new doctoral students and new assistant professors.
ASIS&T addressing missed information opportunities and victims' information agency in the fight against sexual human trafficking
Authors: Westbrook Lynn
Published: February 2016

In the United States’ battle against sexual human trafficking, the nascent integration of criminal justice and social service agency work is severely hampered by an array of information problems, which are amenable to mitigation from Information Studies scholars. Naïve information organization and infrastructure design undermine many of these integrated projects. More critical however, is their general focus on process with little reference to supporting victims’ personal agency through their required mastery of information resources. Using a systematic analysis of current scholarly research articles on sexual human trafficking, this study identified 31 research and application projects developed in reference to concrete support for government and social service agencies. For each study, analysis examines the nature of the victims’ personal information agency, as well as the primary actors in each information situation. Disciplinary distinctions regarding the human rights approach to prostitution, underpin many of Information Studies’ missed opportunities for contributing to agency effectiveness.
User Experience Librarians: User Advocates, User Researchers, Usability Evaluators, or All of the Above?
Authors: MacDonald Craig M.
Published: February 2016

User Experience (UX) is gaining momentum as a critical success factor across all industries and sectors, including libraries. While usability studies of library websites and related digital interfaces are commonplace, UX is becoming an increasingly popular topic of discussion in the community and is emerging as a new specialization for library professionals. To better understand this phenomenon, this paper reports the results of a qualitative study involving interviews with 16 librarians who have “User Experience” in their official job titles. The results show that UX Librarians share a user‐centered mindset and many common responsibilities, including user research, usability testing, and space/service assessments, but each individual UX Librarian is also somewhat unique in how they approach and describe their work. As a whole, the research sheds light on an emerging library specialization and provides a valuable snapshot of the current state of UX Librarianship.
Information quality, privacy policies, and data safety practices in online social networks for health: A longitudinal analysis
Authors: Costello Kaitlin L.
Published: February 2016

This paper describes a longitudinal analysis of online social networks designed for patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Observational analysis of 20 indicators in three domains – practices for auditing and moderating the quality of content provided by users, accessibility of privacy policies, and data sharing policies and member control over data sharing – was conducted on 10 sites in 2013 and again on 12 sites in 2015, with 7 of the same sites included in both samples. The sites were identified using Google. Indicators for each domain were scored dichotomously. These scores were compared among sites in order to analyze their general practices and policies. Total composite scores were also analyzed to determine whether individual sites had significantly different practices and policies in comparison with the group. Finally, scores for each domain were compared across years in order to assess whether practices and policies had changed over time.

Differences in site practices and policies between 2013 and 2015 were not significant, although there is much room for improvement in all domains. Quality was variable across all sites, with gaps in medical disclaimers, a lack of external review of privacy policies and data safety audits, and missing information about internal quality control in the form of moderators. Although most sites employ moderators, their credentials are not often reported. Privacy policies are inaccessible across the board, with none readable at below a twelfth‐grade level. Data safety practices are also problematic, with most sites sharing user data with third parties.

The quality and safety of social networks for CKD is variable, and improvement is feasible. Suggested improvements include auditing privacy policies and data safety practices, making information about moderators easily available, and third‐party audits of information posted by users to ensure the removal of misinformation.