Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on research carried out at the Department of Information and Communications at Manchester Metropolitan University. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reflects on two factors: the context of the Department within the...

Purpose – This paper seeks to make a contribution to understanding of knowledge sharing in the public sector, with specific reference to a context in which multi‐agency working is important, and the information being shared is personal case information. Design/methodology/approach – A...

The present applications of printed indexes in books, periodicals, quick reference sources and indexing and abstracting publications are considered, and the future for printed indexes in each of these spheres is examined. The printed index is often a supplement to the document which it indexes....

An examination of the work of Consumer Advice Centres and of the information sources and support activities that public libraries can offer. CAC's have dealt with pre‐shopping advice, education on consumers' rights and complaints about goods and services, advising the client and often...

This article has examined the changing role of MKIS. The types of questions to which MKIS need to respond have been identified, and the range of types of MKIS systems are introduced. It is proposed that the marketing mix is extended to include 5 ‘P’s, the conventional four: product, price,...

There is currently a general air of euphoria concerning the potential for electronic publishing on CD‐ROM and over the Internet. Yet many publishers are proceeding cautiously and are supplementing their print products with CD‐ROM or online full text products. Most publishers view the future...

TQM is defined as managing the entire organization so that it excels in all dimensions of products and services which are important to the customers. Excellence in a TQM organization is defined by customer requirements and needs.

Have library managers been sufficiently aggressive in identifying and understanding their customers, given that the future of individual services and the profession as a whole rest to a large extent on customer perceptions? What do library managers need to know about their customers? This...

Purpose – The paper aims to report on a research project that explores the extent and scope of scientific publishing, communication, and collaboration amongst Libyan scientists. Design/methodology/approach – The paper commences with a literature review on scientific communication and...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the social adoption of the mobile phone by Irish teenagers in city, town and rural settings. It aims to investigate two key areas that have influenced the teenagers' social adoption of the mobile phone: first, the influence of locational and...