Abstract
The first paper in this issue deals with an aspect of information development of urgent importance in the less wealthy countries of the world. In ‘Systematic review of health data quality management and best practices at community and district levels in low and middle income countries’, Eleazar Ndabarora, Jennifer Chipps and Leana Uys of the University of KwaZulu-Natal review a selection of the literature on health data quality management and health information evidences in low and middle income countries, identifying poor quality health data, low level of health information use, and poor management of health information systems as major obstacles to evidence-based decisions based and planning. Nevertheless, they conclude, improved health care services delivery with improved health data efficiency is possible.
The second paper also emanates from South Africa, but deals with a completely different topic. In ‘Traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions protections: prospects in Cameroon context?’ by Charles A. Masango of the University of Cape Town, focuses on policies developed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to protect Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) (folklore) against misappropriation and misuse. The paper asks is whether it is possible or desirable to protect all types of indigenous knowledge, using the case of Cameroon to help to answer these questions. The author draws attention to the situation of indigenous knowledge that is either secret or sacred, and argues that seeking to protect it might endanger it by removing it from the very context which provides its status as indigenous knowledge.
Another complete change of topic comes in the next paper, ‘The rehabilitation of library and information services and professional education in the post-Soviet Republics: reflections from a development project’, by Ian M. Johnson of The Robert Gordon University. The paper evolved from a European Commission project that aimed to support the modernization of library and information services in Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan by assisting the development of new Master’s Degree programmes in librarianship and information studies. A wide range of issues were encountered during the project, including the dissemination of research information as well as the state of publishing, bookselling, libraries, and information services, and the paper notes that the activities of international agencies to offset the catastrophic effects of the disintegration of the centralized Soviet system have lacked coordination. It emphasizes the need for the national governments concerned to take a comprehensive, strategic approach to ensure more sustainable development of their library and information services, and suggests that this approach could also be appropriate for other post-Soviet Republics.
From national strategy to institutional technology; the next paper, ‘Initiating mobile phone technology using QR codes to access library services at the University of Cape Town’, by that university’s Shehaamah Mohamed, reports on a project conducted at the university’s Brand Van Zyl Law Library to review the need to use Quick Response (QR) Codes to provide a simple but effective means for library patrons to access library resources. QR Codes have been used successfully by some local educational institutions, and the paper recommends that they be introduced in the Law Library.
We remain in the academic library environment with the next paper, ‘Academic librarians and their social media presence: a story of motivations and deterrents’, by Niusha Zohoorian-Fooladi and A Abrizah of the University of Malaya. The paper reports on a study which aimed to identify the prevalence of social media used in Malaysian academic libraries, to examine the reasons for creating a social media presence among academic libraries and to understand the obstacles to social media participation among academic librarians. Data gathered from focus study groups of librarians from three research-intensive universities in Kuala Lumpur show that at least four types of social media are deployed in libraries to reach out to users: blogs, multimedia sharing sites, social bookmarking and social networking sites (SNS). Librarians use social media to promote library services, manage organizational knowledge and receive feedback from users, while confronted with workflow, technology, organizational and personal obstacles. The findings suggest that Malaysian academic librarians are not very serious in engaging with social media, and library managements need to provide support for them to develop a more active and participatory role in creating social media presence.
Social networking is the subject of the next paper, ‘‘Understanding motivations for continuance intention of online communities in China: A comparison of social networking site and virtual community active users’, by Dong Hong Zhu and Ya Ping Chang of Huazhong University of Science & Technology. The paper investigated the difference in motivations and in the relationships from motivations to continuance intention between active users of social networking sites and virtual communities. The results show that connecting with old friends, meeting new people, seeking information, seeking entertainment, and seeking social support are significant motivations of active users of both communities.
We return to the academic library environment with the last paper, ‘Readiness for digital reference service (DRS) in university libraries: A survey in the Punjab, Pakistan’, by Amara Malik and Khalid Mahmood of the University of the Punjab. The paper reports a research study which aimed to explore the readiness for digital reference service of 38 university libraries in the province of Punjab, Pakistan, in terms of organizational awareness, willingness, planning and strength of resources. The findings revealed that only a few libraries were at a level of DRS readiness while the others were adopting this system at a slow pace.
In addition to the regular columns by Archie Dick and Msafiri, Editorial Advisory Board member Mesfin Bekalu contributes a Commentary on ‘Communication inequalities and health disparities’. Msafiri’s column in this issue is entitled ‘Street Smart’, while Archie Dick is concerned with ‘Charting the transformation of library and information services’. We apologize to Archie and to our readers for the fact that, whereas this column should have appeared in the previous issue (Vol. 40, no. 1), by mistake the issue included instead a repeat of Archie’s column from Vol. 39, no. 4. ‘African librarianship rising’.
In the next issue
The next issue of Information Development for 2014 will include the following papers: ‘Online environmental activism and Internet use in the Indonesian environmental movement’ by Nanang Indra Kurniawan and Stale Angen Rye; ‘Electronic records preservation in China: An exploratory inquiry’, by Yuenan (Linda) Liu; ‘Planning the information architecture in a local public administration organization’ by Álvaro Rocha and Filipe Sá; ‘The influence of infrastructure, training, content and communication on success of NEPAD’S pilot e-schools in Kenya’, by Hesbon Ochieng Nyagowa, Dennis N. Ocholla and Stephen M. Mutula; ‘Use of food product information in consumption decision among female workers in Nigerian state universities’ by Yemisi Tomilola Babalola, Roseline Oluremi Opeke and Godwin N. Aja; ‘IT outsourcing and impacts in Thailand’s financial institutions’ by Rachchabhorn Wongsaroj; and ‘Why people use social networking services in Korea: The mediating role of self-disclosure on subjective well-being’ by Ju Yeon Kim, Namho Chun and Kyung Mo Ahn.