Conference Agenda

Objectives

It is crucial that people have access to quality information about their health and about healthy behaviour. Health information is increasingly being disseminated digitally, which creates a requirement for people to adapt to the information environment and take new technologies in use. The Prague Declaration describes the ability to make effective use of the information environment to enhance one’s knowledge throughout life as a basic human right of lifelong learning. To be able to benefit from digital health information demands that people possess the informational and technological competence which is required to take advantage of the digital information environment (Bol, et al., 2016). Older adults have been found to adopt new information and communication technology (ICT) at a slower rate than those who are younger (Anderson and Perrin, 2017; Statistics [country], 2014; Vorrink, et al., 2017). However, although they lag behind those who are younger there has been a substantial growth in older people’s use of digital sources. This includes the use of the internet, as well as mobile technology such as smartphones and tablet computers (Anderson and Perrin, 2017; Statistics [country], 2014; Loos and Ivan, 2022), and the same goes for the use of social media (Faverio, 2022). Thus, to examine the adoption of health ICT by older people in more detail, it was decided to focus specifically people aged 56 years and older and examine changes in their attitudes to and use of health ICT in the period 2019 to 2022.

Methodology

Quantitative methods were used and data for the studies were gathered by surveys. Random samples from the National Register of Persons in [country] were used. In 2019 the total sample size was 1.500 people, response rate was 39%, and in 2022 the sample size was 1,200 people, response rate was 45%. Because of the response rates, the data for both surveys were weighed by gender, age, place of residence and education, so that it corresponded with the distribution in the population. Reference figures for age, gender and place of residence were obtained from the National Registry of [country] and for level of education from Statistics [country]. The focus of the paper is only on people that are 56 years or older only. In 2019 the number of participants in that age group was 173 and in 2022 it was 214. In addition, the emphasis was on questions that measure the use of health information and communication technology and their perceived possibilities of doing so, and attitudes towards it. The measurements consisted of two sets of questions: 1. Frequency of the use of health ICT was examined by two questions about the participants use of the system “Heilsuvera”: a) to communicate with doctors or to get information about their health, for example to book appointments, view drug prescriptions, or send messages to their doctor; b) to seek information about healthy lifestyle, such as nutrition or exercise. A five-point response scale was used (Very often – Never). 2. Possibilities of taking new health ICT in use was examined by two questions in the form of statements. The first asked if the participants found it difficult to begin to use new technology; and the second, how easy it was for them to get help at using technology when they were in need for it. A five-point response scale was used (Strongly agree – Strongly disagree). The analysis of the data is descriptive. All analysis is based on weighed data. Survey results from 2019 and 2022 will be compared.

Outcomes

The purpose of addressing this is to understand better how older adults can benefit from development in information and communication technology and enhance their abilities to adopting healthier lifestyles through health information. An improved awareness of the issue may help to identify their needs for support at using health information and communication technology and increase the efficiency of providing them with digital health information.

DLSU Libraries is composed of one main library and five satellite libraries located at four campuses, serving more than 25,000 patrons. In September 2020, the Libraries launched AnimoSearch, a next-generation discovery service powered by Ex Libris Primo that offers a unified search interface for accessing diverse library resources. AnimoSearch allows users to find relevant materials quickly and easily, utilizing multiple databases and advanced search features like relevance ranking, filtering, and saving searches.

In thi study I investigated the use of transaction log analysis to study the information behavior of AnimoSearch users. My goal was to learn how users interacted with the service as well as what information needs and behaviors they exhibited during the information-seeking process. Specifically, I attempted to answer the following questions:

• What are the most commonly used search terms in a discovery service?

• What are the most frequently used facets and how do they affect the success of a user’s search? and,

• How do users’ search behavior and resource access patterns vary by user segment?

I utilized transaction log analysis to investigate user behavior and information needs. Analysis of transaction logs is a non-obtrusive approach to gather data from a significant number of users with the aim of comprehending the behavior of online users (Jansen, 2006; Philip, 2004). Log studies take the most natural observations of how people use systems without experimenters or observers changing what people do. In Primo, transaction logs refer to a record of all the activities that occur within the system such as searches, clicks on search results, and access to specific resources. I quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed the transaction logs from the academic year 2021-2022 , with an emphasis on identifying patterns of user behavior as a way to understand the context and motivations behind these behaviors. I obtained relevant data from the Primo usage reports such as actions, devices, facets, sessions, and popular searches as well as zero result searches. I used descriptive statistics to calculate frequency counts, means, and standard deviations to summarize the characteristics of the user population, such as their search behavior and the sorts of resources accessed. I also analyzed various user segments to identify common patterns in user activity. In addition, I undertook a content analysis of the search queries to discover prevalent themes and subjects sought by users. These data will aid in identifying popular subject areas and informing collection development decisions.

The study’s findings provided important insights into the information behavior of AnimoSearch users. Results reveal users typically conducted a large number of searches and interacted with a wide range of different resources during a single search session. Most initial searches were conducted in the “Everything” category, while the “resource type” filter was the most commonly utilized for refining results. In contrast, filtering by author was the least frequently employed. Zero search results often occurred when users entered a long string of keywords in the search box. According to the logs, users frequently modified their search queries and employed a variety of search strategies to find the information they required. The study’s findings had important implications for the design of discovery services. It emphasized the importance of systems that support complex and iterative search processes, provide users with a variety of relevant resources, and ensure the reliability and relevance of search results.

This study added to the growing body of research on transaction log analysis as a method of studying information behavior. This approach can provide valuable insights into users’ information needs, behaviors, and preferences by analyzing interactions between users and information systems. The study also emphasized the significance of taking into account the context of use when designing and evaluating information systems. Results of the study will also help developers and vendors to gain insights into how users engage with the system that can be used to improve the design and functionality of the service to better meet user needs.

References

Jansen, B. J. (2006). Search log analysis: What it is, what’s been done, how to do it. Library & Information Science Research, 28(3), 407–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LISR.2006.06.005

Philip, D. M. (2004). Information-seeking behavior of chemists: A transaction log analysis of referral URLs - ProQuest. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 55(4), 326–332.

This paper reports on a study that aimed to understand what self-tracking practices LGBTQ+ students engage in and why; and to reveal how these information literacy practices connect with their LGBTQ+ identities. LGBTQ+ refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community, with the plus standing in for a wide range of other identities such as pansexual, asexual and aromantic, and intersex. People with LGBTQ+ identities can have specific challenges with mental and physical wellbeing, combined with a fear of discrimination when accessing formal healthcare (Bachmann and Gooch, 2018). An information literacy practice is understood to be a contextual, socially constructed and embodied way of knowing in an information landscape (Lloyd 2017).

The discourse on self-tracking identifies that it can engender a sense of empowerment and control through the collection of data that builds knowledge about oneself (Lupton 2016). This can lead to a sense of positive change and improvement and the achievement of health goals (Lunde et al. 2018). Previous research identified four dimensions to information literacy in self-tracking: understanding the value of quality in data inputs, the ability to interpret tracked information in the context of the limitations of the app or device; awareness of privacy and data ownership and the nuances of sharing tracked data (Cox et al. 2017; McKinney et al. 2019). Participatory surveillance from health apps, particularly around gendered issues such as menstruation is a concern (Healy 2021). There is little research on the distinctive nature of self-tracking in the LGBTQ+ community and the nature of information literacy in this landscape, and this small exploratory study makes an important contribution to the research in this field.

This study adopted an interpretivist, qualitative methodology: six semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed by a student researcher as part of a paid research internship. The research team then carried out coding and thematic analysis.

Key findings are that participants track to manage and monitor their health; experiencing tracking as a way to support mental health was emphasised. While they felt distrust about the way apps used their data, they simply accepted the risk. This was typically because the convenience of the app outweighed their concerns about privacy. Data sharing was nuanced: often restricted because of self-consciousness or fear of being judged, but embraced when there was a feeling of working towards a shared goal. There was some connection between app use and LGBTQ+ identity. The presentation concludes with some observations about the empowering nature of information literacy in this landscape in relation to data quality, interpretation, sharing and privacy, and LGBTQ+ identities.

References

Bachmann, C. L., & Gooch, B. (2018). LGBT in Britain: Health report. Stonewall. Retrieved from https://www.stonewall.org.uk/system/files/lgbt_in_britain_health.pdf

Cox, A. M., Mckinney, P. A., & Goodale, P. (2017). Food logging: An information literacy perspective. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 69(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/09574090910954864

Healy, R. L. (2021). Zuckerberg, get out of my uterus! An examination of fertility apps, data-sharing and remaking the female body as a digitalized reproductive subject. Journal of Gender Studies, 30(4), 406–416.

Lloyd, A. (2017). Information literacy and literacies of information: A mid-range theory and model. Journal of Information Literacy, 11(1).

Lunde, P., Nilsson, B. Bergland, A., Kvaerner, K., & Bye, A. (2018). The effectiveness of smartphone apps for lifestyle improvement in noncommunicable diseases: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(5), 1–12.

Lupton, D. (2016). The quantified self. Cambridge: Polity Press.

McKinney, P., Cox, A. M., & Sbaffi, L. (2019). Information literacy in food and activity tracking among parkrunners, people with type 2 diabetes, and people with irritable bowel syndrome: Exploratory study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(8).

Introduction

Extensive research has been done on information literacy and information behaviour (e.g., Case & Given, 2016, Wilson, 2022), but less on dictionary literacy (e.g., Lew, 2013). The interrelationship between and interdependence of these fields have, however, not been addressed extensively. An interdisciplinary view of the three fields forms the topic of this paper.

Objectives

The paper intends to show that dictionary literacy forms a subset of information literacy. We contend that a user’s attitude towards both fields are influenced by their information need in a specific context, the tools available to resolve the information need and, ultimately, depends on their level of information literacy skills and critical thinking skills, from the perspective of their information behaviour. We focus on text reception, viz., understanding the meaning of a word within its context when reading a text. (Text reception and text production are aspects of the communicative function in the Function Theory of Lexicography (Tarp, 2008).)

Methodology

We discuss, at a theoretical level, why we hold the opinion expressed in the objectives. We illustrate this with examples from texts in e-readers (such as Kindle) and on the web, linked to e-dictionaries, with drill-down options on demand to further resources.

Outcomes

The advantages and limitations of such linking are briefly discussed at the hand of examples. It will also show that the information contained in the dictionary is often not sufficient to resolve a user’s information need satisfactorily and that access to additional information sources is often required. It furthermore confirms that the user should always critically evaluate the outcome of their consultation of their information sources to ensure that the meaning or sense assigned to a word is valid in context.

Conclusion

e-Dictionaries provide easy and fast access to dictionary articles, either in stand-alone e-dictionaries (apps or web), or in e-dictionaries linked to e-texts. A user is, however, still required to evaluate the results to ensure the information is valid in context, and may often be required to consult further resources. To enable the user to obtain the required information successfully in such a consultation requires a proper understanding of dictionary and information literacy and a knowledge of other potentially relevant resources, as well as critical thinking skills, and to adapt their information behaviour to use various information sources optimally.

References

Case, D. O., & Given, L. M. (2016). Looking for information: A survey of research on information seeking, needs, and behavior. Bingley: Emerald.

Lew, R. (2013). Online dictionary skills. In P. Gantar, J. Kallas, I. Kosem, S. Krek, M. Langemets, & M. Tuulik (Eds.), Proceedings of the eLex 2013 Conference (pp. 16–31). Ljubljana: Trojina.

Tarp, S. (2008). Lexicography in the borderland between knowledge and non-knowledge. Berlin: Max Niemeyer.

Wilson, T. D. (2022). Exploring information behaviour: An Introduction. Retrieved January 10, 2023 from http://informationr.net/ir/Exploring%20information%20behaviour.pdf