This publication follows the tradition of publishing selected papers from Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives and Museums (PIALA) annual conferences. This 22th annual conference was held in Tumon, Territory of Guam USA, November 13-16, 2012. The volume begins with a listing of the members of the PIALA 2012 Planning Committee and…

The Telemakus System builds on the areas of concept representation, schema theory, and information visualization to enhance knowledge discovery from scientific literature. This article describes the underlying theories and an overview of a working implementation designed to enhance the knowledge discovery process through retrieval, visual and…

Electronic databases have grown tremendously in both number and popularity since their development during the 1960s. Access to electronic databases in academic libraries was originally offered primarily through mediated search services by trained librarians; however, the advent of CD-ROM and end-user interfaces for online databases has shifted the…

Examines the usefulness of the Eisenberg-Berkowitz Information Problem-Solving model as a categorization for academic reference encounters. Major trends in the data include a high proportion of questions about location and access of sources, lack of synthesis or production activities, and consistent presence of system problems that impede the…

Examines current problems and future roles of libraries in facilitating the growth of knowledge, and discusses the regulative role of price mechanism, autonomy, and centralism, given the role of criticism and the problem-solving nature of research. Issues discussed are examined against national library and information services planning proposals.…

Analyzes information problem solving (IPS) processes of 62 users of the AskERIC Q&A Service, a free Internet-based digital reference service in the domain of education. Identifies patterns of associations between multiple levels of user goals and other situational factors including goal-generating factors, types of information sought, search…

This discussion of the role of the information professional in the utilization of information by all categories of users begins by suggesting answers to two questions: What is information? and Who are the users and their characteristics? Against this background, analyses are made of the intermediary role of the information professional who serves…

Explores aspects of information retrieval skills such as end user training, indexing, controlled vocabulary systems, search protocol, boolean logic, problem analysis, and decision making. Suggests techniques for classroom instruction using simulations of online databases, CD-ROMs, and DIALOG's classroom instruction program. Describes several…