Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Swartz, Barbara Dawn
Other Authors: Van der Walt, M.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867614046262394880
access_status_str Open Access
author Swartz, Barbara Dawn
author2 Van der Walt, M.
author_browse Swartz, Barbara Dawn
Van der Walt, M.
author_facet Van der Walt, M.
Swartz, Barbara Dawn
author_sort Swartz, Barbara Dawn
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50283
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:45:48.703Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2012
publishDateRange 2012
publishDateSort 2012
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50283 A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa Swartz, Barbara Dawn Van der Walt, M. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. South Africa. -- Library of Parliament Information behavior -- South Africa Information retrieval -- South Africa Internet searching -- South Africa Library users -- South Africa Dissertations -- Information science Theses -- Information science Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examined the information seeking behaviour of the researchers attached to the Parliamentary Research Unit in Parliament. It looked at their use of the Parliamentary Library, their use of the library and its resources, what other avenues for information they use and what suggestions they have for improving the service. A questionnaire was developed and e-rnailed to researchers. As the response rate was poor, it limited the conclusions that could be drawn from the research. In line with other studies, it was found that electronic resources and the Internet played a great role in how they sourced information. Researchers frequented the Internet to find information more than they use the library and they have difficulties with accessing online resources and the catalogue. The manual circulation system was a source of frustration as well. They made use of personal contacts to a certain extent to find unpublished information and very recent information. These categories of information, especially government information, are crucial to their work. Suggestions for improvement centred on the online catalogue, instruction in the use of the online resources, updating the collection of books and journals and consulting researchers where necessary. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek fokus op die inligtingsgedrag van die navorsers in die Parlementêre Navorsingseenheid. Dit ondersoek hul gebruik van die Parlementêre biblioteek en sy bronne, die alternatiewe inligtingskanale tot hul beskikking en watter voorstelle hulle het vir die verbetering van dienste. 'n Vraelys is ontwerp en per e-pos aan navorsers gestuur. Swak terugvoering het die proses om finale gevolgtrekkings te maak, beperk. In ooreenstemming met ander studies, is wel gevind dat die Internet en elektroniese bronne 'n groot rol speel in die proses om inligting te bekom. Daar is ook gevind dat navorsers hierdie tipe bronne verkies bo traditionele biblioteekbesoeke. Opleiding om die elektroniese bronne en die katalogus te gebruik is noodsaaklik. Alternatiewe bronne van inligting soos persoonlike kontakte met ander kundiges word tot 'n sekere mate gebruik om inligting te kry wat beide op datum en ongepubliseer is. Voorstelle vir verbetering fokus op die elektroniese katalogus, opleiding in die gebruik van elektroniese bronne, die kwaliteit en inhoud van die versameling en konsultasie met die navorsers. Masters 2012-08-27T11:33:20Z 2012-08-27T11:33:20Z 2005-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50283 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 81 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle South Africa. -- Library of Parliament
Information behavior -- South Africa
Information retrieval -- South Africa
Internet searching -- South Africa
Library users -- South Africa
Dissertations -- Information science
Theses -- Information science
Swartz, Barbara Dawn
A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
title A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
title_full A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
title_fullStr A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
title_full_unstemmed A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
title_short A study of the information-seeking behaviour of the researchers in the Parliamentary Research Unit at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
title_sort study of the information seeking behaviour of the researchers in the parliamentary research unit at the parliament of the republic of south africa
topic South Africa. -- Library of Parliament
Information behavior -- South Africa
Information retrieval -- South Africa
Internet searching -- South Africa
Library users -- South Africa
Dissertations -- Information science
Theses -- Information science
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50283
work_keys_str_mv AT swartzbarbaradawn astudyoftheinformationseekingbehaviouroftheresearchersintheparliamentaryresearchunitattheparliamentoftherepublicofsouthafrica
AT swartzbarbaradawn studyoftheinformationseekingbehaviouroftheresearchersintheparliamentaryresearchunitattheparliamentoftherepublicofsouthafrica