Abstract: Employs the concept of 'life in the round', drawn from social network theory and the model of information dissemination, including the supporting theories of information poverty and normative behaviours, to explore the information behaviours of marginalised populations participating in small institutionalised worlds. Uses the context of residential aged care as an exemplar for the application of the theory of 'life in the round' and provides examples to support application of these concepts to the information practices of health-care assistants.