Suchergebnisse

Citizenship information is information produced by or about national and local government, government departments and public sector organisations which may be of value to the citizen either as part of everyday life or in the participation by the citizen in government and policy formulation. This report describes a research project, funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre, which investigated the extent to which members of the UK public have expressed or unexpressed needs for citizenship information, their preferred routes to the acquisition of such information, and the suitability and approachability of the public library, among other agencies, for the user seeking citizenship information. The key elements of the project were: a national survey of almost 1,300 users of public libraries, Citizens Advice Bureaux and other information and advice agencies; another national survey, this time by personal doorstep interview, of almost 900 members of the UK public; a series of 9 focus group discussions with representatives of various sectors or interest groups, such as libraries, CABx and other information and advice agencies. The report discusses the background to the research, as well as the project methodology and major findings. The project found clear evidence that the public encounter situations in which information is required to help solve problems, and that they feel that access to information and freedom of information are very important to them in exercising their rights as citizens. The great majority of respondents saw public libraries as their preferred option in seeking citizenship information, although there were still areas of concern in that there was evidence to show that certain groups, such as disabled people and jobseekers, are less willing to use libraries. There was also a clear emphasis on public libraries as an appropriate location for computerised access to citizenship information, although other public places such as post offices and shopping centres would also attract a ...

Discusses recent and current research into citizenship information needs at the School of Information and Media, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Reviews the most important results from two large-scale, nationwide surveys (funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre) of the citizenship information needs of the UK public, highlighting those occasions where the response in Scotland differed significantly from national trends. Outlines a current project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, studying the impact of the use of information and communication technologies on the communication of parliamentary information in the UK, with particular attention being paid to the situation in the three new devolved legislatures - the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly of Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. The paper summarises the aims and objectives of the current project and provides a preview of the methodologies to be used, including the development of a novel interactive, electronically assisted interview technique.

This paper reports the results of a survey of information needs and information seeking behaviour of a national sample of the UK population. The survey was the first stage of the Citizenship Information project, funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre. In total, 1294 responses were received giving a valid and demographically representative response rate of 45.7%. Major findings include: that the majority of respondents had sought information in the past (59.4%) and that an even greater number predicted a future need for information (78.4%). Over three quarters of respondents said that they would use public libraries and between half and three quarters would approach Citizens Advice Bureaux, post offices, government departments or family and friends. Face to face communications and reading a book were the most popular means of accessing information, but a wide variety of other preferred options were cited. Only a small proportion expressed a preference for using a computer to seek information, and there was a clear emphasis on public libraries as an appropriate location for accessing electronic information. A highly significant majority (79.2%) believed that access to information was very important for exercising their rights as a citizen.

The aims of the Citizenship Information project were to measure demand for citizenship information and establish the nature of information need exhibited by users. The objectives of the project were to: 1.define and describe citizenship information 2.investigate the nature and extent of problems or situations in which users may exhibit a need for information which would fall within the definition established above 3.to investigate the connections or relationship between information and citizenship or democracy from the users' perspective 4.to explore the impact of demographic factors (i.e. age, social grade, ethnicity, etc.) on need and patterns of use 5.to investigate users' preferred methods of accessing information and preferred methods of information delivery, including electronic methods of delivery 6.to explore the attitudes of users (both public library members and non-members) to the public library service and its role in disseminating citizenship information 7.to identify ways in which public libraries might extend membership by increasing awareness of their role in providing citizenship information 8.to explore the impact upon public libraries of the need for citizenship information, in the light of the data gathered above.

Reports results of 27 case study visits to UK public libraries, Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABx) and other advice agencies to examine existing levels of citizenship information provision within these organizations. The study covered all 13 UK Government Office Regions and one library authority, plus either one CAB or other advice agency, was visited in each region. The visits consisted of interviews with staff and examination of the organizations' collections of citizenship and community information. Data was gathered on: the extent to which these organizations provide citizenship information and/or advice; staff and training issues; types of citizenship enquiries most frequently received; local demographic factors that affect citizenship information needs; type and arrangement of materials used to answer enquiries; the public's preferred methods of approaching the organizations; user satisfaction with services; use of information and communication technologies to aid citizenship information provision; links with other citizenship information providers; and future plans to develop service. The findings suggest that public libraries can learn from Citizens Advice Bureaux and vice versa. Concludes that public libraries could develop a more proactive approach to the identification of issues where information is being or will be required by users. Specialized local needs identified included: greater need for HIV/AIDS information; financial problems and debts; seasonal unemployment; and, in Belfast, dealing with the effects of bombing or intimidation. Problems identified included: users from other catchment areas utilizing the service; and users' requirement for privacy and confidentiality in their approach to the agency, particularly in close-knit communities.

This paper reports the key results of the Citizenship Information research project funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre. This research comprised two large-scale surveys of the citizenship information needs of the UK public. The paper focuses upon the detailed analysis and examination of the results as they related to issues of social class and status. The research revealed that social class and status had an impact upon information need and information seeking behaviour, although the pattern emerging was not a simple one. Certain social classes and status groups were not exploiting public library information resources as effectively as they might; equally, certain groups were less willing (or able) to take advantage of new technologies to access information and participate in democratic activities. Those groups most willing to use a range of information sources were more conscious of disadvantage resulting from a lack of information. The paper concludes that there is a real danger of exclusion for certain groups of the UK population and that information policy must reflect an awareness of the most appropriate patterns of information dissemination in order to overcome barriers to access for each of these.

This review gives an overview over citizenship and information at the European Commission. Citizenship information is currently an important topic at the European Commission, because the Commission regards it as an important step to an involvement of European citizens into the European unification process and ultimately as a condititio sine qua non to the success of the European unification efforts. This report first introduces the European concept of citizenship information: European citizenship is different to national citizenship, in so far as it is a citizenship complementary to national citizenship. Citizenship information covers information about rights and information for democratic control. There is little information about obligations because the European citizen has no direct obligations to Europe. Information about rights is regarded most important to the ordinary citizen; information for democratic control is most eagerly supplied by the Commission.

This paper reports the results of the second stage of the Citizenship Information research project funded by the BLR&IC: a national survey, by personal doorstep interview, of the citizenship information needs of 898 members of the UK public. Major findings include: that the public obtain most of their information on current issues via the media, and that they generally feel well informed on these issues. The public believe, however, that government is not doing enough to inform them about the Single European Currency and local council cutbacks. Small proportions of the sample had encountered problems in relation to employment, education, housing or welfare benefits and had consulted a range of information sources in order to solve these problems. Over a quarter of respondents had experienced disadvantage through a lack of access to information. Significant proportions of respondents were poorly informed about legal rights, welfare benefits and local politics. A highly significant majority (91.7%) believed that freedom of information was important for exercising their rights as citizens. Although access to computers in the home is presently limited, the majority of respondents indicated a willingness to use computers to vote and interact with government. Public libraries were the preferred source of government information and were seen as appropriate locations for a range of other types of citizenship information.

Los acelerados cambios en las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación han traído consigo otro tipo de cambios que abren la posibilidad de analizar y entender la realidad de otras formas. Uno de esos cambios es la forma en la que los individuos obtienen y generan información para actuar ante diversas situaciones, ya sean de carácter individual o social. En este sentido particularmente interesa, en este documento, la necesidad de entender y debatir esas formas en las que los individuos, mediante la utilización de las tecnologías, obtienen y generan información, se organizan e interactúan para generar acción colectiva y cómo estos mecanismos de interacción van moldeando una nueva forma de ciudadanía, denominada por algunos autores como "ciudadanía digital". Las conclusiones apuntan a que, si bien existe un consenso relativamente amplio sobre las virtudes y oportunidades que representa el uso de las tecnologías para facilitar la obtención y generación de información, así como consolidar la participación ciudadana y mejorar el afianzamiento democrático, existen ciertas problemáticas que frenan considerablemente la extensión y el logro de los éxitos. ; The rapid changes in information and communication technologies have resulted in other changes that have opened the possibility of analysing and understanding reality in other ways. One of these changes is the way in which individuals obtain and generate information to act in a range of situations, be these of an individual or social nature. In this context, this article is particularly concerned with the need to understand and debate the way in which individuals, by using these technologies, obtain and generate information; organize and interact to generate collective action; and how these interaction mechanisms mould a new type of citizenship, coined by some authors as "digital citizenship". The article concludes that – while there is relatively wide consensus on the virtues and opportunities that the use of technology represents to facilitate obtaining and generating information, as well as consolidating citizenship participation and strengthening democracy – certain problems considerably hinder their extent and success.

The rapid changes in information and communication technologies have resulted in other changes that have opened the possibility of analysing and understanding reality in other ways. One of these changes is the way in which individuals obtain and generate information to act in a range of situations, be these of an individual or social nature. In this context, this article is particularly concerned with the need to understand and debate the way in which individuals, by using these technologies, obtain and generate information; organize and interact to generate collective action; and how these interaction mechanisms mould a new type of citizenship, coined by some authors as "digital citizenship". The article concludes that – while there is relatively wide consensus on the virtues and opportunities that the use of technology represents to facilitate obtaining and generating information, as well as consolidating citizenship participation and strengthening democracy – certain problems considerably hinder their extent and success. ; Los acelerados cambios en las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación han traído consigo otro tipo de cambios que abren la posibilidad de analizar y entender la realidad de otras formas. Uno de esos cambios es la forma en la que los individuos obtienen y generan información para actuar ante diversas situaciones, ya sean de carácter individual o social. En este sentido particularmente interesa, en este documento, la necesidad de entender y debatir esas formas en las que los individuos, mediante la utilización de las tecnologías, obtienen y generan información, se organizan e interactúan para generar acción colectiva y cómo estos mecanismos de interacción van moldeando una nueva forma de ciudadanía, denominada por algunos autores como "ciudadanía digital". Las conclusiones apuntan a que, si bien existe un consenso relativamente amplio sobre las virtudes y oportunidades que representa el uso de las tecnologías para facilitar la obtención y generación de información, así como consolidar la participación ciudadana y mejorar el afianzamiento democrático, existen ciertas problemáticas que frenan considerablemente la extensión y el logro de los éxitos.

This book chapter presents the authors' theory of Information Interchange. The theory draws upon the authors' earlier research on government and parliamentary information service provision, and on citizens' information behaviour, at the regional, UK and European levels. The theory considers the roles and aims of both the information provider and the information user in assessing the effectiveness of the information communication process. It builds upon the dichotomy that appears to exist between the view of the provider and that of the user.

This paper reports the results of the second stage of the Citizenship Information research project funded by the BLR&IC: a nation-wide survey, by personal doorstep interview, of the citizenship information needs of almost 900 members of the UK public. Major findings include: that the public obtain most of their information on current issues via the mass media, and that they generally feel well informed on these issues. The public feel, however, that government is not doing enough to inform them on European Monetary Union and on local government cutbacks. Small proportions of the sample had encountered problems concerning employment, education, housing or welfare benefits, and had consulted a range of information sources in order to overcome these problems. Over a quarter of respondents had experienced disadvantage through a lack of access to information. The majority of respondents felt well informed about areas relating to citizenship, but significant proportions were poorly informed in legal rights, welfare benefits and local politics. A highly significant majority (91.7%) believed that freedom of information was important for exercising their rights as citizens. Respondents tended to overestimate their voting patterns, but there was little evidence of participation in other forms of political activity. Although access to computers in the home is presently limited, the majority of respondents would use computers to vote, convey opinions to government, and obtain government information. Public libraries were the preferred source of government information, and were seen as appropriate locations for a range of other types of citizenship information.