Virtual user geography of library websites

The author generalizes the results of library user survey. The survey was held within the framework of the study “Webometric monitoring of libraries”. The study goal was to assess the virtual geography of library website users and to specify target audience. The user audience of 11 library websites was assessed by following criteria: geographical data (user location, probable user residence area); user demographic data (sex, age); loyalty indicators (bounce rate, visit depth, visit duration); website user desired actions (estimation of desired action conversion). Based on the findings, the author concludes that: library offline services impact website user geography; there is a close interdependence between library location and website traffic; users resident in the library region make the most loyal website users; women prevail in the library user audience. The target website user audience is identified; recommendations are offered for the further strategic development in the web-space. The study conclusions and recommendations would facilitate generated demanded content and efficient promotion of library information resources and services in the web-space.

Analysis of Urban Forest Healing Program Expected Values, Needs, and Preferred Components in Urban Forest Visitors with Diseases: A Pilot Survey

Although the effectiveness of urban forest therapy has been studied and proven, most people are not well aware of the positive healing effects of urban forests that are easily accessible in daily life compared to the known healing effect of forests located outside urban areas. In addition, there has been a study on the analysis of urban forest healing program needs in the general population, but there is a lack of evidence on the expected values and needs of urban forest healing for people with diseases. Therefore, this pilot survey aimed to investigate the expected values, needs, and preferred components of urban forest healing programs in urban forest visitors with disease via an online user survey and see if there were any differences in the purpose of the urban forest visits and expected values of urban forest healing depending on the type of disease. The survey was conducted on 294 urban forest visitors with diseases. About 79% of respondents agreed with the healing effects of urban forest, however most respondents expected healing effects on mental health rather than on physical health (“mood change” was the highest with score of 4.43/5, followed by “reliving stress” (4.35/5) and “mental and physical stability” (4.31/5)). In addition, more than 82.0% of respondents agreed to participate in the program if a healing program for disease was developed. The results of the current pilot survey indicate that the purpose of the urban forest visits and expected values of urban forest healing were largely not different by the type of disease, and people with disease had a relatively lower awareness and lower expected values of urban forest healing effects on physical health, but high demand for the program. Urban forest therapy programs should be developed based on the specific clinical characteristics of the disease to maximize the effectiveness of the program. Additionally, policies should be implemented to promote the beneficial effects of urban forest healing not only for mental health but also for physical health.

Energy saving potential of occupancy sensors in intermittent-use space types.

<p>For decades, studies have been suggesting the idea of occupancy sensors in intermittent use spaces for energy savings. This work investigates the potential energy savings of occupancy sensors in hallways, stairwells, seminar rooms and lavatories of an education building. Lighting is one of the largest consumers of energy in the building industry and these space types are often fully illuminated for long periods of vacancy. Lighting is for the user, not the building. Discussions centre around light use habits, energy saving behaviours and sensor technology such as time delay and daylight sensors. The experiment uses wireless light sensors and PIR sensors to measure light energy use and occupant use of 20 intermittent use spaces. A user survey was planned to run alongside the experiment to investigate user perceptions of changes in lighting but was discontinued due to unresolved software issues. Results of the experiment encouraged the use of occupancy sensors in intermittent use spaces. Lavatories attained highest energy saving potential 54%, seminar rooms highest annual cost savings per fitting $15.47 and highest annual energy savings 482kWh and hallways calculated the quickest payback of 8.6 years. Hallways, stairwells, seminar rooms and lavatories all offer potential for energy savings, supporting the theoretical ideas and success of occupancy sensors in intermittent use spaces.</p>

Energy saving potential of occupancy sensors in intermittent-use space types.

<p>For decades, studies have been suggesting the idea of occupancy sensors in intermittent use spaces for energy savings. This work investigates the potential energy savings of occupancy sensors in hallways, stairwells, seminar rooms and lavatories of an education building. Lighting is one of the largest consumers of energy in the building industry and these space types are often fully illuminated for long periods of vacancy. Lighting is for the user, not the building. Discussions centre around light use habits, energy saving behaviours and sensor technology such as time delay and daylight sensors. The experiment uses wireless light sensors and PIR sensors to measure light energy use and occupant use of 20 intermittent use spaces. A user survey was planned to run alongside the experiment to investigate user perceptions of changes in lighting but was discontinued due to unresolved software issues. Results of the experiment encouraged the use of occupancy sensors in intermittent use spaces. Lavatories attained highest energy saving potential 54%, seminar rooms highest annual cost savings per fitting $15.47 and highest annual energy savings 482kWh and hallways calculated the quickest payback of 8.6 years. Hallways, stairwells, seminar rooms and lavatories all offer potential for energy savings, supporting the theoretical ideas and success of occupancy sensors in intermittent use spaces.</p>

Perception of leakage: data from the Ostomy Life Study 2019

Background: Leakage is a common problem for people with a stoma. Aim: To investigate how people with a stoma and stoma care nurses perceive different patterns of effluent under the baseplate. Methods: The Ostomy Life Study 2019 included a user survey and a nurse survey covering experiences of leakage and the perception of leakage. Findings: Most people with a stoma perceived effluent reaching outside the baseplate as leakage (88–90%), whereas effluent close to the stoma only was not perceived as leakage by the majority (81–91%). Effluent covering major parts of the baseplate was perceived as leakage by most respondents with a colostomy or ileostomy (83%), whereas fewer respondents with a urostomy perceived this as leakage (57%). Most of the nurses (70%) did not perceive effluent close to the stoma as leakage. Conclusion: This study revealed that effluent confined to the area next to the stoma is generally not perceived as leakage.

Effect of Geospatial Uncertainty Borderization on Users’ Heuristic Reasoning

A set of mental strategies called "heuristics" – logical shortcuts that we use to make decisions under uncertainty – has become the subject of a growing number of studies. However, the process of heuristic reasoning about uncertain geospatial data remains relatively under-researched. With this study, we explored the relation between heuristics-driven decision-making and the visualization of geospatial data in states of uncertainty, with a specific focus on the visualization of borders, here termed "borderization". Therefore, we tested a set of cartographic techniques to visualize the boundaries of two types of natural hazards across a series of maps through a user survey. Respondents were asked to assess the safety and desirability of several housing locations potentially affected by air pollution or avalanches. Maps in the survey varied by "borderization" method, background color and type of information about uncertain data (e.g., extrinsic vs. intrinsic). Survey results, analyzed using a mixed quantitative-qualitative approach, confirmed previous suggestions that heuristics play a significant role in affecting users' map experience, and subsequent decision-making.

The Readability and Usability of Building User Guides

<p>Building user guides are intended to inform building occupants about the building systems within their workplace. They are created to describe and document all the necessary information pertaining to the buildings operation, maintenance, management and basic trouble shooting procedures. They have been found to be useful, as building systems are becoming increasingly complex. There is evidence to suggest that the Building User Guides are designed at a level that is too technical and too difficult to use for the average building user and that they are therefore not doing their job. This research evaluates how easily building occupants are able to read and use building user guides, that have been designed for use in green buildings (where they can contribute to the building’s New Zealand Green Building Council’s sustainability rating). Twenty-three Building User Guides by a range of firms and writers were sampled from all over the country. The building user guides were assessed for their readability and how easy they are to use. Their readability level was assessed using the Simple Measure of Gobbledegook (SMOG) as a basic measure of readability, while a second measure, a word frequency profiler was used to assess the vocabulary needed to read current building user guides. A usability study was completed through a user survey. This was completed by 47 respondents. The survey used both a Performance Test and a Text Evaluation Questionnaire to assess the building user guide’s usability. The readability study found that the building user guides were written at a level that meant the majority of New Zealanders would struggle to comprehend. The constant use of technical language and jargon present in the building user guides detracted from the overall readability of the document that. A consequence of these results would be the users failing to understand aspects of a building user guides. Furthermore, this could lead to the incorrect use of a building’s services, which in turn could affect the efficient use of GreenStar rated buildings and their performance in practice. The usability study found that users were capable of finding some set information within the building user guide. Of the tested aspects in the usability survey it was found that the contents page had the biggest impact on the participant’s perception of usability. Other key aspects found that would increase the usability include: bolder headings, a clearer layout, the addition of a frequently asked question section as well as the ability for the building user guide to be searched for key words. A set of guidelines were developed from the findings of this research, for future building user guides to follow.</p>

The Readability and Usability of Building User Guides

<p>Building user guides are intended to inform building occupants about the building systems within their workplace. They are created to describe and document all the necessary information pertaining to the buildings operation, maintenance, management and basic trouble shooting procedures. They have been found to be useful, as building systems are becoming increasingly complex. There is evidence to suggest that the Building User Guides are designed at a level that is too technical and too difficult to use for the average building user and that they are therefore not doing their job. This research evaluates how easily building occupants are able to read and use building user guides, that have been designed for use in green buildings (where they can contribute to the building’s New Zealand Green Building Council’s sustainability rating). Twenty-three Building User Guides by a range of firms and writers were sampled from all over the country. The building user guides were assessed for their readability and how easy they are to use. Their readability level was assessed using the Simple Measure of Gobbledegook (SMOG) as a basic measure of readability, while a second measure, a word frequency profiler was used to assess the vocabulary needed to read current building user guides. A usability study was completed through a user survey. This was completed by 47 respondents. The survey used both a Performance Test and a Text Evaluation Questionnaire to assess the building user guide’s usability. The readability study found that the building user guides were written at a level that meant the majority of New Zealanders would struggle to comprehend. The constant use of technical language and jargon present in the building user guides detracted from the overall readability of the document that. A consequence of these results would be the users failing to understand aspects of a building user guides. Furthermore, this could lead to the incorrect use of a building’s services, which in turn could affect the efficient use of GreenStar rated buildings and their performance in practice. The usability study found that users were capable of finding some set information within the building user guide. Of the tested aspects in the usability survey it was found that the contents page had the biggest impact on the participant’s perception of usability. Other key aspects found that would increase the usability include: bolder headings, a clearer layout, the addition of a frequently asked question section as well as the ability for the building user guide to be searched for key words. A set of guidelines were developed from the findings of this research, for future building user guides to follow.</p>

A Survey of the Information Needs of Four Professional Occupational Groups and a Survey of New Special Libraries

<p>This thesis consists of two surveys. The first attempts to identify the information needs of accountants, consulting engineers, lawyers and pharmacists in an effort to provide direction for the development of library and information services to those professions. A personal interview survey was conducted among a random sample of practitioners from each profession in the Wellington district. It was concluded that all four professions need continuing education opportunities to assist them to obtain improved access to both professional and general information. This need has arisen in part because librarians have not adequately marketed their services. It was further concluded that co-operation from each professional body, practitioners, society as a whole, and librarians is needed so that information centres to meet the needs of practitioners can be established. The second survey attempts to establish a methodology that can be used by librarians of special libraries in the conduct of user surveys which will provide them with evidence of the effect of their services. It also attempts to demonstrate the benefits found by staff in firms where special librarian positions had been established for less than five years. Self-completed questionnaires were distributed to professional staff in six Wellington firms. It was concluded that there are some basic patterns common to the development of new special libraries, and that the employment of a librarian can be of tangible benefit to a firm. Guidelines for those setting up new special libraries are suggested. It is further concluded that application of the user survey methodology established in this thesis would assist librarians of special libraries to assess their existing services, and to change emphases where necessary to meet expressed needs. It is also shown that librarians need to market their services, and understand their role in educating staff to exercise their individual and collective responsibilities as part of a firm's network of information resources.</p>

A Survey of the Information Needs of Four Professional Occupational Groups and a Survey of New Special Libraries

<p>This thesis consists of two surveys. The first attempts to identify the information needs of accountants, consulting engineers, lawyers and pharmacists in an effort to provide direction for the development of library and information services to those professions. A personal interview survey was conducted among a random sample of practitioners from each profession in the Wellington district. It was concluded that all four professions need continuing education opportunities to assist them to obtain improved access to both professional and general information. This need has arisen in part because librarians have not adequately marketed their services. It was further concluded that co-operation from each professional body, practitioners, society as a whole, and librarians is needed so that information centres to meet the needs of practitioners can be established. The second survey attempts to establish a methodology that can be used by librarians of special libraries in the conduct of user surveys which will provide them with evidence of the effect of their services. It also attempts to demonstrate the benefits found by staff in firms where special librarian positions had been established for less than five years. Self-completed questionnaires were distributed to professional staff in six Wellington firms. It was concluded that there are some basic patterns common to the development of new special libraries, and that the employment of a librarian can be of tangible benefit to a firm. Guidelines for those setting up new special libraries are suggested. It is further concluded that application of the user survey methodology established in this thesis would assist librarians of special libraries to assess their existing services, and to change emphases where necessary to meet expressed needs. It is also shown that librarians need to market their services, and understand their role in educating staff to exercise their individual and collective responsibilities as part of a firm's network of information resources.</p>