Information Poverty Research Articles

Are Knowledge Management Courses in South Asia Designed Well? A Content Analysis of Syllabi and a Case Study

Abstract: Knowledge management (KM) is a set of processes to improve organizational functioning by harnessing organizational knowledge. KM has been taught in different global universities—either as standalone courses or as programs of study. While KM is also taught in a number of library and information science (LIS) programs in South Asian (SA) universities, it is not clear which schools offer KM courses, what topics are covered, which readings are assigned, and how student learning is assessed in these courses. How does KM education in a developing SA country compare with KM education in a developed country? What are the enablers and barriers to KM course design and delivery in South Asia? We explored the answers to these questions through a content analysis of syllabi of KM courses in SA LIS programs as well as a case study comparing the way KM is taught in an SA country and in the United States. Through applying theories of expectancy, information poverty, Bloom’s taxonomy, and context, the study recommends a model KM syllabus template and a research framework for KM education in South Asia. The study concludes that for SA KM education to reach global standards, systemic barriers would need to be addressed.

The (mis)Information World of Moms for Liberty: A Digital Ethnographic Case Study

Moms for Liberty (M4L) is an American organization that has played an outsized role in the dramatic increase in book bans and challenges in school and public libraries. This group provides an opportunity to study the various ways that information and attention is driven bi-directionally between the public and private spheres. The aim of this digital ethnographic case study was to better understand how the norms and values that underlie the small world of M4L influence the larger lifeworld and social milieus of communities. If public policy is ideologically constructed, what does this mean for information practitioners whose institutions exist in small worlds? Jaeger and Burnett’s theory of information worlds and Engeström’s activity theory model were combined to form the lens of interpretation to analyze the normative behavior and information values of M4L and the impact of its object of motivation for creating information poverty in the lifeworld through censorship efforts via political activism and propaganda. Data sources included public messaging from M4L and affiliated social media pages, primary sources from M4L’s official website, official interview transcripts, news headline data, and relevant public policy data. This poster reports on the early findings and emerging implications of the study, as well as the potential value of the proposed theoretical-methodological framework for ethnographic and case study research within the information disciplines.

A Reassessment of Ignorance from the Perspective of the New Meanings of Rationality

In this article, we take a view of ignorance in relation to the new meaning of rationality, including the specific perspectives of limited rationality. We begin by suggesting that the problem of ignorance is far from the implied clarity of everyday expression, and there is a risk of inappropriate use of the concept. We show that not understanding what ignorance is, is part of ignorance, trying to avoid the situation of ignorance over ignorance. We propose a definition of ignorance by reference to the possible accessible and useful knowledge at a given time, suggesting that the understanding of ignorance is dependent on three variables: time, knowledge accessible at each moment of the present and utility. We analyze some asymmetries, including the one caused by the fact that we are often rigorous (but, nevertheless, interested) judges of others ignorance and very biased (that is, somewhat ignorant) about ourselves. We assess responsibility for our own ignorance by suggesting some limitations to the forms of ignorance for which we are responsible. We suggest that some variants of the unknown meet the definition of ignorance, and if we consider that most human decisions are made in conditions of information poverty, we can find that ignorance is frequently part of our cognitive strategies. Ignorance can be intentionally included in some of our cognitive strategies, one of which is provided by the principle of cognitive economics. The article can be one of the starting points for a set of recommendations on what can be ignored, what should and should not be ignored, when we are ignorant with no considerable effect and where/when we should not be

Surfacing the ‘silent foundation’: which information behaviour theories are relevant to public library reference service?

Introduction. Despite extensive discussions on the theory/practice gap in library and information science, there is a paucity of research on the value and use of formal theory by librarians in their daily practice. Method. Our card sort and interview study investigated which information behaviour theories were relevant to public librarians from Slovenia and the United States in their reference practice and how they encounter those theories in their practice. Results. All of the information behaviour theories were considered relevant by some of the participants. Bounded rationality or “satisficing” was seen as most relevant for information service, while the key difference between Slovenian and United States librarians was observed in their perception of “information poverty”. Participants were generally able to provide examples of how the theories were used in practice, but usually did not recall learning about the theory or the theory’s name. Conclusion. Information behaviour theory is relevant to reference practice in public libraries although its use by librarians may be implicit. These findings may be useful to instructors in LIS programs to convey to students the value of learning theory. Questions remain about why librarians find certain theories more relevant than others and what factors contribute to the differences in their perceptions.

Self-efficacy of Menstrual Hygiene Management and Menstrual Absenteeism Among Students of a College in Kolkata

Background: Gender inequality, cultural taboos, poverty and lack of proper information can cause menstrual health needs to go unmet. It restricts mobility, personal choices, work participation and well-being. Nevertheless, self-efficacy in the menstrual hygiene management of college students has been relatively unexplored. Objectives: We aimed to assess the self-efficacy of menstrual hygiene management and its association with college absenteeism, demographic and academic profiles. The study also aimed to explore concerns and beliefs related to menstruation. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive mixed-method study was conducted to assess the self-efficacy of the menstrual hygiene management (using a novel scale) of students from a general college in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The study also explored concerns and beliefs related to menstruation among the study subjects. The sample size was calculated to be 96. For the qualitative part, 30 willing students were purposively chosen. Results: The mean age of participants was 19.38 years (SD ± 1.23). Predominantly they belonged to nuclear families (65.6%) with a median family income of ₹12,000. Absenteeism for menstrual reasons was 12 (12.5%). There were 50 (52.1%) participants who reported facing religious restrictions. Self-efficacy had a mean score of 29.90 (standard error of mean = 0.513) and a median score of 31. The presence of religious restrictions, any restrictions and type of family were significantly associated with college absenteeism by the chi-square test ( P < .05). The logistic regression model showed a significant association with religious restriction. Conclusion: The study revealed multiple concerns of college-going students regarding menstrual hygiene despite reported high self-efficacy for menstrual hygiene management.

Tackling Cyclicity in Causal Models with Cross-Sectional Data Using a Partial Least Squares Approach: Implications for the Sequential Model of Internet Appropriation

Working with SEM and cross-sectional data, and depending on the studied phenomenon, assuming an acyclic model may mean that we obtain only a partial view of the mechanisms that explain causal relationships between a set of theoretical constructs, given that variables are treated as antecedents and consequences. Our two-step approach allows researchers to identify and measure cyclic effects when working with cross-sectional data and a PLS modelling algorithm. Using the resources and appropriation theory and the sequential model of internet appropriation, we demonstrate the importance of considering cyclic effects. Our results show that opportunities for physical access followed by digital skills acquisition enhance internet usage (acyclic effects), but also that internet usage intensity, in reverse, reinforces both digital skills and physical access (cyclic effects), supporting Norris (Digital divide: civic engagement, information poverty, and the internet worldwide. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2001) social stratification hypothesis regarding future evolution of the digital divide.

Information poverty subtleties of a small-scale farming community in KwaZulu-Natal

The purpose of this study was to examine the information poverty subtleties of a small-scale farming community in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to determine the information needs of the selected small-scale farmers and to determine the factors that influenced the information poverty of the selected small-scale farmers. The study was guided by Elfreda Chatman's theory of information poverty. An exploratory research design employing purposive and convenience sampling selected twenty-six small-scale farmers who participated in the focus group discussions. Data obtained was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed a variety of unmet information needs. The causal factors included a lack of financial resources, government support, outdated beliefs, and geographic disadvantage. The research has implications for the execution of development initiatives aimed at providing small-scale farmers with access to information products and services to eliminate information poverty.

Iranian Women's Experiences of Breastfeeding Support during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on health systems worldwide has been associated with less attention to maternal support in breastfeeding. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of breastfeeding mothers, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of the pandemic on breastfeeding initiation and maintenance. A qualitative, descriptive study was conducted by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study participants included 28 mothers who had children aged 0 to 12 months, lived in Guilan Province, Iran, and had breastfed their children at least once after March 2021. Conventional content analysis was performed simultaneously with data collection. Data analysis led to the extraction of three main categories and nine subcategories: in the shadow of peace (receiving correct information from reliable sources, observing health and quarantine principles, and enjoying the awareness of not having COVID-19 [both the mother and the infant]), under the stress (information poverty, invalid and stressful information, and stressful association of underlying diseases), and in the delusion of exposure (refusal to breastfeed, and non-compliance with recommendations). Mothers' breastfeeding experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic indicate factors such as receiving or not receiving breastfeeding support, quarantine and the resulting stress, and exposure to conflicting information. Mothers felt that their experience with breastfeeding during the pandemic encouraged them to continue breastfeeding, but it is important to support breastfeeding mothers. Monitoring and supporting vulnerable groups such as breastfeeding mothers, for mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be considered during the planning phase.

Can different information channels promote farmers' adoption of Agricultural Green Production Technologies? Empirical insights from Sichuan Province.

Information accessibility is a pivotal factor influencing farmers' adoption of Agricultural Green Production Technologies (AGPT). However, the widespread issue of information poverty presents a significant obstacle to this adoption process, thereby hindering the progression towards sustainable agricultural development. To address this information deficit, farmers have begun to utilize the Internet and participate in government-led onsite assembly training programs to acquire the necessary knowledge. Yet there is still a lack of research evidence on the effectiveness and comparative advantages of internet and offline training. This study explores the impact of various information access channels on farmers' adoption of green production technologies in agriculture, focusing on a sample of 731 family farms located in Sichuan Province. The issue of endogeneity was addressed using the Conditional Mixed Process Estimation Method. The sample underwent a t-test and heterogeneity analysis. The findings revealed that both internet-based information access and participation in training significantly bolstered farmers' adoption of AGPT, with the former proving to be more effective. Notably, heterogeneity was observed among farmers, differentiated by age and the number of village cadres within their family units.

A Case Study of Farmers’ Behavioral Motivation Mechanisms to Crack the Fractal Multidimensional Relative Poverty Trap in Shaanxi, China

China’s approach to addressing rural poverty has evolved from a thorough resolution of absolute poverty to a focus on providing essential support for vulnerable individuals and improving the income and welfare conditions of those who are relatively poor, taking into account multiple dimensions. This study utilizes a dataset consisting of 526 research sets collected from the central region of Shaanxi Province. The research employs structural equation modeling to examine the fractal multidimensional relative poverty trap experienced by farm households. Additionally, the study investigates the behavior motivation mechanism that can potentially alleviate the multidimensional relative poverty trap at the farm household level. The study found that (1) farm households in the central Shaanxi region are caught in a multidimensional relative poverty trap, with education poverty and health poverty having a conduction and amplification effect; health poverty and education poverty amplify employment poverty; and consumption poverty amplifies education poverty and health poverty, and education poverty further amplifies information poverty. (2) Multidimensional relative poverty in farming households creates a self-reinforcing poverty trap, and community relative poverty amplifies the multidimensional poverty trap in farming households. (3) Farmers can overcome the multidimensional relative poverty trap through the behavior motivation mechanism.

Information literacy and information behaviour of disadvantaged people in the COVID-19 pandemic. Case study of beneficiaries of the charitable foundation

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to explore information literacy and information behaviour in the group of the charitable foundation beneficiaries, their attitudes, choices, and behaviour regarding particularly COVID-19 information.
 Methods: Two series of quantitative CAPI studies were carried out. The first consisted of basic questions about access and preferences related to information sources. The other was explicitly related to COVID-19 pandemic information. Basic statistical descriptive measures were used in the analysis.
 Results: Poverty and the concept of small worlds seem to be a specific living context of people from vulnerable groups. Information flow is based mainly on personal sources. Their searches for pandemic information did not differ significantly from everyday behaviours. The respondents felt fatigued with information about the pandemic dominating the media and informal discussions.
 Conclusions: In relation to previous studies, we see similar behaviours and competencies levels indicating information poverty, although differences in source preferences are also observed. Volunteers appear to have a limited informative role concerning the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other studies of people in crisis.
 Originality: The status of information literacy of the studied population indicates new tasks for caregivers in terms of provision of information and development of information skills, in particular in health or life-threatening circumstances.

“Get Our Feet Wet and Hands Dirty”: Black Community‐Based Librarianship and the Fight Against Information Poverty, 1940‐1975

ABSTRACTFocusing on information services to marginalized urban communities in the United States between 1940 and 1975, this paper argues that African American librarians played foundational roles in early community‐based librarianship (CBL) initiatives. In doing so, Black librarians skillfully and resourcefully fought information poverty, pushed for social and political equality, and promoted their communities’ well‐being through proactive information provision. By fighting the systemic racism throttling inner‐city Black communities, their labors constituted a seminal contribution to the post‐World War II United States Freedom Struggle. Theirs was a specifically Black CBL. Underpinned by the theoretical work of Elfreda Chatman, this heretofore hidden history offers fruitful lessons for current library and information science practice. It therefore aligns with the annual meeting theme, “Translating Information Research into Practice, Policy, and Action,” particularly its emphasis on “creating effective models of information provision, creating empathetic information services” and on “understanding the power of information to develop human happiness, equality, and wellbeing.”

More than ESL

International students are frequently consolidated into a monolith of students with language needs and information poverty, constituting a disservice to both students and the library staff who seek to better serve them. In this study we interview international students to better understand the potential for cultural collaboration in programming in an academic library setting, and the barriers that keep students from participating. Our findings broaden the view of international students from remedial library users in need of catch-up information literacy and language education, and position them more holistically as potential full partners in programming efforts moving forward.

Research on Information Poverty in Ethnic Border Regions

The information revolution has ushered in a new era of information and economy, with information resources becoming a key resource for regional economic strength and core competitiveness. In the process of informatization in China, there is a significant gap between the central and western regions and the eastern regions in terms of information infrastructure, information resource transmission and acquisition capabilities, information resource utilization and development potential, and information industry development. Therefore, information differentiation and the digital divide have also become important factors leading to the wealth gap in the information age. Against the backdrop of promoting the development of poverty-stricken areas and rural revitalization strategies, the issue of information poverty among the vast rural population in the western region, especially in ethnic border areas, cannot be ignored. To solve the problem of information poverty in ethnic border areas, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of rural information environment, improve farmers’ information literacy, strengthen the construction of information service talent team, and improve the effectiveness of information services.

A review of literature on information poverty

A review of literature on information poverty

Library and information services’ reflections on emergency remote support and crisis-driven innovations during pandemic conditions

Crisis-driven innovation is needed to manage a scarcity in resources. The recent COVID-19 crisis exacerbated the prevailing digital exclusion in the education sector in particular. Sudden changes in otherwise stable higher education environments necessitated immediate and decisive innovation, particularly where education support services were concerned. This study reports on an academic library and information service’s reflections on emergency strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conceptualised through the lenses of existing digital exclusion frameworks and information poverty frameworks. The findings from the qualitative data gathered via focus group interviews emphasise the importance of emergency remote library and information services. The pandemic conditions and sudden remote service delivery model highlighted the prevailing socio-economic and socio-technical inequalities and exclusions among students. The value of the study lies in the reflections made on the institution-wide crisis-driven innovation strategy implemented, and the realisation that library and information services must offer active academic support. The study offers a library and information services model to prepare for future eventualities.

What contextual factors affect information poverty? Evidence from ethnic villages in rural Southwest China

To solve the problem of information poverty, it is necessary to understand the factors influencing it. Past studies have examined information poverty from the perspectives of economic poverty and deficiency or deprivation. However, these studies do not fully explain the formulation of information poverty because they may overemphasize the economic and material side of information and neglect the social and communicative aspects. A quantitative study was conducted to examine how contextual factors (i.e., external situations, social relations, individual situations, and social interactions) affected the information poverty of ethnic villages in rural Southwest China. Research results showed that geographic locations, information assets, individual literacy, and individual psychology significantly influenced information poverty. Social norms and beliefs also affected information poverty; however, this influence was insignificant. These findings extend existing studies on information poverty and provide practical guidance for stakeholders (e.g., governments, libraries, and intellectual works) to alleviate information poverty.

Dictionaries Behind Bars: Prison Library Services and Information Poverty in Michigan Prisons

Dictionaries Behind Bars: Prison Library Services and Information Poverty in Michigan Prisons

Information literacy, well-being, and rural older adults in a pandemic

Many older adults residing in rural communities faced particularly damaging consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Given the impact of the pandemic on the ability to rely on traditional forms of information (i.e. interpersonal communication), reliance on digital technology and other non-traditional sources of information grew. Those who lacked the information literacy, defined in this study as the ability to find and evaluate the reliability of information to address an information need, may have faced psychologically damaging consequences caused by the proliferation of misinformation and information poverty. Informed by an ecological understanding of human information behavior, this paper reports on the findings of a study of rural older adults’ information literacy skills and sense of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. A mail survey, based on concepts from psychology and information science and question wordings adapted from the 2021 Health and Retirement Survey and Jones-Jang et al.’s study of literacies and fake news, was distributed in the summer of 2021 to older adults living in rural Kansas. About 206 valid responses to the survey were received. These were analyzed using correlation and regression testing. The findings indicate a significant relationship between information literacy skills and one’s overall sense of well-being. Personal (age, gender, health, life control), economic (employment, finances), and social-relational resources (social engagement, relationship quality) all were shown to relate positively to information literacy skills. These findings provide definition to our understanding of the importance of information literacy in modern understandings of psychological well-being.

Household vulnerability and adaptive capacity on impacts of climate change and adaptability solution in Soroti District, Uganda

Abstract. Ogallo EA, Wambua BN, Mukhovi MS. 2022. Household vulnerability and adaptive capacity on impacts of climate change and adaptability solution in Soroti District, Uganda. Intl J Trop Drylands 6: 63-76. This study aimed to assess the vulnerabilities, impacts, and adaptation strategies of households in the Soroti District, Uganda. The data from household surveys, interviews with key informants, and focused group discussions were used to obtain data on climate change and variability impacts, adaptation strategies, and vulnerability. The rainfall and temperature data from Soroti meteorological station was also used to determine climate variability and change. The Microsoft Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 16 program entered all the quantitative data. The results were then represented in tables, graphs, and charts. The temperature and rainfall analysis show that the area's climate has recently changed. These scenarios were confirmed by people's perception, along with increased drought, floods, and incidences of diseases and pests. That could have serious implications for agriculture, the major source of livelihood within the district. For instance, the delay of the 2013 March-April-May (MAM) rainfall onset and extended dry spell between the seasons led to subsequent poor harvests and serious crop failure. Other major impacts of climate change and variability on livelihoods include low fish catches, decreased water availability, lack of animal feeds, and decline in soil fertility. Although the entire district is vulnerable to the impact of climate change and variability, vulnerability is heightened for women, children, the poor, and the less educated. However, the residents have adopted certain coping and adaptation strategies to deal with the climate change impacts. The current coping strategies include selling household assets, wage labor, petty trading, and reducing consumption. Adaptation strategies include shifting planting dates, off-farm jobs, planting different crops, diversifying crops, and diversifying from farm to non–farm activities. However, these strategies are insufficient due to overarching stressors such as over-dependence on rainfed agriculture, poverty, and lack of information and technology. Moreover, there is an urgent need to alleviate poverty and unemployment within the district by creating employment opportunities for the locals and enhancing the micro-financing efficiency to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change and variability. There is also a need for robust contingency planning and the relevant institutions' involvement in early warning. Local knowledge integration in climate policies also could enhance resilience and improve adaptation.