Use of Online Information Resources for Knowledge Organisation in Library and Information Centres: A Case Study of CUSAT

The paper discusses the use of online information resources for organising knowledge in library and information centres in Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). The paper discusses the status and extent of automation in CUSAT library. The use of different online resources and the purposes for which these resources are being used, is explained in detail. Structured interview method was applied for collecting data. It was observed that 67 per cent users consult online resources for assisting knowledge organisation. Library of Congress catalogue is the widely used (100 per cent) online resource followed by OPAC of CUSAT and catalogue of British Library. The main purposes for using these resources are class number building and subject indexing

Does online information drive offline revenues? Only for specific products and consumer segments!

While many offline retailers have developed informational websites that offer information on products and prices, the key question for such informational websites is whether they can increase revenues via web-to-store shopping. The current paper draws on the information search literature to specify and test hypotheses regarding the offline revenue impact of adding an informational website. Explicitly considering marketing efforts, a latent class model distinguishes consumer segments with different short-term revenue effects, while a Vector Autoregressive model on these segments reveals different long-term marketing response. We find that the offline revenue impact of the informational website critically depends on the product category and customer segment. The lower online search costs are especially beneficial for sensory products and for customers distant from the store. Moreover, offline revenues increase most for customers with high web visit frequency. We find that customers in some segments buy more and more expensive products, suggesting that online search and offline purchases are complements. In contrast, customers in a particular segment reduce their shopping trips, suggesting their online activities partially substitute for experiential shopping in the physical store. Hence, offline retailers should use specific online activities to target specific product categories and customer segments.

Online information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder:results from an international multisite survey

Background: Information seeking is an important coping mechanism for dealing with chronic illness. Despite a growing number of mental health websites, there is little understanding of how patients with bipolar disorder use the Internet to seek information. Methods: A 39 question, paper-based, anonymous survey, translated into 12 languages, was completed by 1222 patients in 17 countries as a convenience sample between March 2014 and January 2016. All patients had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder from a psychiatrist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations to account for correlated data. Results: 976 (81 % of 1212 valid responses) of the patients used the Internet, and of these 750 (77 %) looked for information on bipolar disorder. When looking online for information, 89 % used a computer rather than a smartphone, and 79 % started with a general search engine. The primary reasons for searching were drug side effects (51 %), to learn anonymously (43 %), and for help coping (39 %). About 1/3 rated their search skills as expert, and 2/3 as basic or intermediate. 59 % preferred a website on mental illness and 33 % preferred Wikipedia. Only 20 % read or participated in online support groups. Most patients (62 %) searched a couple times a year. Online information seeking helped about 2/3 to cope (41 % of the entire sample). About 2/3 did not discuss Internet findings with their doctor. Conclusion: Online information seeking helps many patients to cope although alternative information sources remain important. Most patients do not discuss Internet findings with their doctor, and concern remains about the quality of online information especially related to prescription drugs. Patients may not rate search skills accurately, and may not understand limitations of online privacy. More patient education about online information searching is needed and physicians should recommend a few high quality websites.

How to reach more potential global b2b customers to Finnish high tech company websites

This thesis examines the optimization of a website in terms of creating website visibility and interesting and attractive online information, with the aim of finding ways how the case company can increase the number of online visitors for the websites, who would even-tually contact the case company, and become customers. The theoretical part concentrates on website visibility, academic knowledge about search engine optimization, integrated marketing communications, website effectiveness and influence tactics (mostly non-coercive) in an online b2b buying context. The empirical part included an experiment of two weeks on the case website. Search engine optimization requires the most relevant key terms and keywords to be selected and carefully implemented to meta descriptions of the most informational pages. The information visible to visitors on these pages was also opti-mized to make it interesting and purposeful for the targeted audience. The most suitable influence tactics were implemented to certain pages to attract the website visitors to con-tact the case company. The results suggest that relevant key terms in meta descriptions do improve, or maintain the same high, ranking a page has on search engine result pages, but this is not directly connected to the amount of visitors to the website. The number of visi-tors does not either affect the amount of customer contacts the company received during the experiment period.

Myanmar DIL WORKSHOP SERIES Unit 4: Working Online and Using Information

The Mobile Information Literacy curriculum is a growing collection of training materials designed to build literacies for the millions of people worldwide coming online every month via a mobile phone. Most information information and digital literacy curricula were designed for a PC age, and public and private organizations around the world have used these curricula to help newcomers use computers and the internet effectively and safely. The better curricula address not only skills, but also concepts and attitudes. The central question for this project is: what are the relevant skills, concepts, and attitudes for people using mobiles, not PCs, to access the internet? As part of the Information Strategies for Societies in Transition project, we developed a six-module curriculum for mobile-first users. The project is situated in Myanmar, a country undergoing massive political, economic, and social changes, and where mobile penetration is expected to reach 80% by the end of 2015 from just 4% in 2014. Combined with the country’s history of media censorship, Myanmar presents unique challenges for addressing the needs of people who need the ability to find and evaluate the quality and credibility of information obtained online, understand how to create and share online information effectively, and participate safely and securely.

As fontes de informação online e a influência na reputação das organizações

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Gestão Estratégica das Relações Públicas.

Online Ultrasound Measurements of Membrane Compaction

There are several filtration applications in the pulp and paper industry where the capacity and cost-effectiveness of processes are of importance. Ultrafiltration is used to clean process water. Ultrafiltration is a membrane process that separates a certain component or compound from a liquid stream. The pressure difference across the membrane sieves macromolecules smaller than 0.001-0.02 μm through the membrane. When optimizing the filtration process capacity, online information about the conditions of the membrane is needed. Fouling and compaction of the membrane both affect the capacity of the filtration process. In fouling a “cake” layer starts to build on the surface of the membrane. This layer blocks the molecules from sieving through the membrane thereby decreasing the yield of the process. In compaction of the membrane the structure is flattened out because of the high pressure applied. The higher pressure increases the capacity but may damage the structure of the membrane permanently. Information about the compaction is needed to effectively operate the filters. The objective of this study was to develop an accurate system for online monitoring of the condition of the membrane using ultrasound reflectometry. Measurements of ultrafiltration membrane compaction were made successfully utilizing ultrasound. The results were confirmed by permeate flux decline, measurements of compaction with a micrometer, mechanical compaction using a hydraulic piston and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The scientific contribution of this thesis is to introduce a secondary ultrasound transducer to determine the speed of sound in the fluid used. The speed of sound is highly dependent on the temperature and pressure used in the filters. When the exact speed of sound is obtained by the reference transducer, the effect of temperature and pressure is eliminated. This speed is then used to calculate the distances with a higher accuracy. As the accuracy or the resolution of the ultrasound measurement is increased, the method can be applied to a higher amount of applications especially for processes where fouling layers are thinner because of smaller macromolecules. With the help of the transducer, membrane compaction of 13 μm was measured in the pressure of 5 bars. The results were verified with the permeate flux decline, which indicated that compaction had taken place. The measurements of compaction with a micrometer showed compaction of 23–26 μm. The results are in the same range and confirm the compaction. Mechanical compaction measurements were made using a hydraulic piston, and the result was the same 13 μm as obtained by applying the ultrasound time domain reflectometry (UTDR). A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to study the structure of the samples before and after the compaction.

Information needs in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND Parents' knowledge about cancer, treatment, potential late effects and necessary follow-up is important to reassure themselves and motivate their child to participate in regular follow-up. We aimed to describe (i) parents' perception of information received during and after treatment; (ii) parents' current needs for information today, and to investigate; and (iii) associations between information needs and socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. METHODS As part of the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a follow-up questionnaire was sent to parents of survivors, diagnosed < 16 years and after 1990, and aged 11-17 years at study. We assessed parents' perception of information received and information needs, concerns about consequences of the cancer and socio-demographic information. Information on clinical data was available from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry. RESULTS Of 309 eligible parents, 189 responded (67%; mean time since diagnosis: 11.3 years, SD = 2.5). Parents perceived to have received verbal information (on illness: verbal 91%, written 40%; treatment: verbal 88%, written 46%; follow-up: verbal 85% written 27%; late effects: verbal 75%, written 19%). Many parents reported current information needs, especially on late effects (71%). The preferred source was written general (28%) or verbal information (25%), less favored was online information (12%). Information needs were associated with migration background (P = 0.039), greater concerns about consequences of cancer (P = 0.024) and no information received (P = 0.035). CONCLUSION Parents reported that they received mainly verbal information. However, they still needed further information especially about possible late effects. Individual long-term follow-up plans, including a treatment summary, should be provided to each survivor, preferably in written format.

Online & electronic services from the National Archives and Records Administration.

Mode of access: Internet.

A simple remote sensing based information system for monitoring sites of conservation importance

Monitoring is essential for conservation of sites, but capacity to undertake it in the field is often limited. Data collected by remote sensing has been identified as a partial solution to this problem, and is becoming a feasible option, since increasing quantities of satellite data in particular are becoming available to conservationists. When suitably classified, satellite imagery can be used to delineate land cover types such as forest, and to identify any changes over time. However, the conservation community lacks (a) a simple tool appropriate to the needs for monitoring change in all types of land cover (e.g. not just forest), and (b) an easily accessible information system which allows for simple land cover change analysis and data sharing to reduce duplication of effort. To meet these needs, we developed a web-based information system which allows users to assess land cover dynamics in and around protected areas (or other sites of conservation importance) from multi-temporal medium resolution satellite imagery. The system is based around an open access toolbox that pre-processes and classifies Landsat-type imagery, and then allows users to interactively verify the classification. These data are then open for others to utilize through the online information system. We first explain imagery processing and data accessibility features, and then demonstrate the toolbox and the value of user verification using a case study on Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Monitoring and detection of disturbances can support implementation of effective protection, assist the work of park managers and conservation scientists, and thus contribute to conservation planning, priority assessment and potentially to meeting monitoring needs for Aichi target 11.

A Study of Online Hotel Reservations on Asia Pacific-Based, European-Based, and North American-Based Travel Websites

This paper reports a study that examined hotel reservation services on travel websites. Using a systematic search, 90 travel websites were selected with an equal number of North American-based, European-based, and Asia Pacfic-based websites. These regions represent the areas of the world with the most Internet users. Based on the developed framework of information quality, the contents of the selected travel websites were evaluated. Be empirical results indicated that the travel websites achieved different levels of quality in online information, and that North American-based websites performed significantly better in some attributes.