http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12283/4645 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:06:35 GMT 2026-04-17T15:06:35Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12283/4680 Reframing library search as cognitive work : introducing the Library Search Analysis (LSA) model Lugya, Kiwuwa Fredrick; State, Nassali Eliz Information behaviour research has evolved from a traditional focus on information sources to a user-centric perspective. While Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) is a well-established framework for analysing complex sociotechnical systems in domains like process control and aviation, its application remains nascent within the specific context of library and information science, particularly for modelling endogenous user search behaviour. This paper posits a novel theoretical integration, arguing that CWA’s constraint-based, work-centred framework provides a uniquely powerful lens to move beyond descriptive models of information seeking. We propose a refined, user-centred application of CWA to dissect the complex interplay between the library environment, organisational structures, user tasks, and cognitive strategies. This approach offers a novel methodological pathway to generate design requirements for information systems that are not merely usable but are cognitively congruent, supporting the adaptive expertise of library users. By bridging CWA’s systemic rigour with the nuanced realities of information behaviour, this paper aims to advance both theoretical discourse and practical design paradigms within information science. Keywords: Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) ; Information Behaviour ; Library Search Strategies ; Cognitive Ergonomics ; Constraint-Based Analysis ; Library Search Analysis (LSA) model This article proposes reframing library search as cognitive work by introducing the Library Search Analysis (LSA) model, based on Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA). It argues that while existing information behavior models describe user actions, CWA’s constraint-based framework provides a systemic approach to analyze how library environments, tasks, and cognitive strategies interact. The LSA model adapts CWA to diagnose self-directed search behavior and generate design requirements for cognitively congruent information systems. This integration offers both a theoretical advance in information science and a practical tool for researchers and designers to enhance user support in complex information environments. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12283/4680 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12283/4646 Enhancing access and efficiency: the role of library research guides in supporting academic success at Busitema University. Lugya, Fredrick Kiwuwa This mixed-methods study evaluates the implementation, perceived impact, and systemic barriers of standardized research guides at Busitema University, a multi-campus institution in Uganda. Through concurrent qualitative and quantitative data collection—including in-depth interviews with 30 students and 15 lecturers, openended surveys (n = 142), and document analysis—the research identifies both the transformative potential and critical limitations of the discipline-specific guides. Findings reveal a significant awareness gap, with 55 % of interviewed students unaware of the guides' existence. Among regular users (40 % of interviewed students), concentrated in Engineering and Health Sciences, self-reported data indicated perceived time savings and enhanced research efficiency. The study highlights the pivotal role of lecturer-librarian collaboration, with successful partnerships in 8 of 15 cases correlating with higher reported guide engagement. However, institutional constraints—such as lack of recognition for collaborative work, cited by 73 % of non-adopting lecturers—and infrastructural challenges, including weekly internet outages faced by 75 % of rural students, significantly hindered scalability and consistent access. The research demonstrates how localized content curation, incorporating 336 Ugandan policies and 524 scholar profiles, enhanced contextual relevance and addressed decolonial pedagogical aims. Persistent issues with content currency, including broken links reported by 23 % of users, underscored sustainability challenges. Based on these findings, we propose an integrated intervention framework grounded in library and pedagogical scholarship: (1) LMS integration for seamless curricular embedding, (2) incentive structures to formalize faculty collaboration, and (3) participatory update cycles to maintain resource relevance. These evidence-based recommendations contribute to global conversations on equitable resource access, offering a replicable model for balancing standardization with contextual flexibility in resource-constrained academic environments. Journal article Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12283/4646 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z