Toward a Social Framework for Information Seeking (original) (raw)

Changing Trends in Information-Seeking Behavior: A Review

Journal of Knowledge & Communication Management, 2014

In this article, an attempt has been made to highlight various studies about the information-seeking behavior and its related components at different institutions globally. An extensive literature survey was carried out to attain the purpose of the study. Various research articles, books and websites were consulted to give more authenticity to the work. Besides, subject experts, teachers and researchers have been consulted to seek the guidance for the work. Study divulges that information-seeking behavior of users varies from country to country and is influenced by different factors. Significant factors influencing students' information-seeking behavior were found to be related to library awareness, information literacy, organizational and environmental issues, source characteristics, and demographics. Users consult variety of information sources to satisfy their information needs. Information needs are satisfied only when an information seeker has the skill of searching precise and relevant information.

Information outsiders of the 21 st century: Access and implications for information behavior research

Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2013

Equity of access is an imperative in the global information world of the 21 st Century. For the information outsider however, or those who are disenfranchised by social constructions, or economic, educational, or political circumstances, information poverty is a disheartening reality (Chatman, 1992; 1996; 2000; Burnett, Bessant, & Chatman, 2001). The functions of this panel are to explore the information worlds of select marginalized populations and the resulting implications for information behavior. It is intended to begin providing a framework for understanding the interactions between information, information access, and information behavior. The presentations and ensuing discussion offer insight into physical and virtual or digital information access for information outsiders and implications for Library and Information Science (LIS) education and practice.

Source selection among information seekers: Ideals and realities

Canadian journal of information and library …, 2000

In a study examining the information behavior of 9 individuals over 10 weeks in daily life contexts, participants were asked to identify ideal sources of help for the questions and issues they faced. The data show how people' s expectation of the usefulness of information sources varies by the information seeker' s gender, and source characteristics such as accessibility, trustworthiness, and reliability. Usefulness of sources has both cognitive and affective aspects.

Research in Information Science Award: Everyday Life Information Seeking

Bulletin of the Association for Information Science & Technology, 2017

A fter receiving my Ph.D. in library and information science in 1989, I started my academic career at the University of Tampere, Finland, where I have taught since that time. My early studies focused on library issues such as the socioeconomic dimensions of charging for library services [1]. Quite soon, however, my research interest expanded to library as a channel of information seeking. One of most important sources of inspiration was the now classic ASIS&T Annual Review of Information Science article on information needs and uses by Brenda Dervin and Michael Nilan [2]. They strongly advocated a paradigm shift from the traditional system-centered approach to a user-centered perspective on information behavior. The above article also ignited my long-time interest in Dervin's sense-making theory. In 1991, our department organized the first international conference on the Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS). I presented a paper focused on the potential of sense-making theory as a user-centered approach to information seeking. Tefko Saracevic, editor-in-chief of Information Processing & Management, participated in the conference and encouraged me to write a paper reviewing the above topic [3]. Somewhat later Brenda visited our department and provided invaluable ideas about how to approach the complex processes of information seeking and use from the perspective of the sense-making methodology. The critical reflection of the above issues helped me to identify significant gaps in information behavior research. From the 1950s, most studies had focused on work-related information needs and seeking, while issues related to information seeking in non-work contexts were seldom examined. However, there were a few prominent investigations indicating the significance of the non-work context. The development of my research ideas was influenced by the pioneering surveys on citizen information needs

Fields and pathways: Contrasting or complementary views of information seeking

Information Processing & Management, 2006

This research contrasts two different conceptions, fields and pathways, of individual information behavior in context. These different approaches imply different relationships between actors and their information environments and, thus, encapsulate different views of the relationship between individual actions and contexts. We discuss these different theoretical views, then empirically compare and contrast them. The operationalization of these conceptions is based on different analytic treatments of the same raw data: a battery of three questions based on respondentÕs unaided recall of the sources they would consult for information on inherited cancers, a particularly rich information seeking problem. These operationalizations are then analyzed in a nomological network of related concepts drawn from an omnibus survey of 882 adults. The results indicated four clusters for fields and 16 different pathways, indicating increased fragmentation of information environments, with different underlying logics and active ingredients, although the use of the Internet appears to be an emerging common theme. The analysis of the nomological network suggests that both approaches may have applications for particular problems. In the implications, we compare and contrast these approaches, discussing their significance for future methodological, analytical, and theoretical developments.

Information Seeking Behaviour in Digital Library Contexts

Information Seeking Behavior and Challenges in Digital Libraries

The environment in which library services are currently offered has changed drastically. The volume of information has grown enormously; the variety of information, its sources and format of presentation have increased; the speed of information flow has increased; times and places to experience communication media have expanded; the number of information perspectives and points of view has exploded; and the people's interest in and expectation of the availability of information have grown. The information users have also changed and now exhibit remarkably unique information seeking behaviour. They basically want synthesised information with the least effort. They are intolerant to any forms of delay and get bored very fast. Librarians must understand the emerging information seeking behaviour and the resultant expectations to be able to satisfy the users' information needs closely. As they do so, they must acknowledge that the uptake of traditional services has dropped drast...

Information Seeking in Knowledge Society: Choose Right from Wrong

International Journal of Asian Social Science, 2020

In the era of born-digital, most of us nowadays always looking for the fastest way in the information-seeking process. The society has widely used the usage of internet as the information-seeking tools. However, the credibility of information vague without unknown information on the sources of that information. This paper will discuss how the knowledge society deals with the rapid changes in information and the informationseeking process. This paper also discusses the importance of being information literate and the importance of Media and Information Literacy skills to be adapted in the society as well as the discussion regarding the role of the information professional as a gatekeeper to the knowledge society and the importance of digital libraries in providing the right information for the society. Library and information professional is a key player to deliver the right and trusted information to the society and society can contribute towards developing the information society within their community. Contribution/ Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature on how the ways society views online information in a different dimension. It is important to evaluate and judge the quality of information content and the criteria of online information on the web.

An Overview of Users Information Seeking Behaviour on Online Resources

This paper discuses online information seeking behavior of students for sustainable education among students of higher learning institutions. Online information seeking behavior is a relatively new phenomenon. However, it is the active process of obtaining data from the Web. Libraries and Universities are continuously adapting and seeking effective ways to respond to the fundamental and interconnected missions of research, teaching and community service, and that is why some have embraced the use of the Internet in service delivery. On the other hand, this study is more concerned with maximizing usage of this resource by students in fulfilling their primary aim of research and reaching out to these resources on the Internet using the requisite navigational skills. The paper says the Internet offers widespread access to electronic resources and also has the advantages of interactivity, and information tailoring. It also agrees that access is inequitable and use is hindered by navigational challenges due to numerous factors e.g. disorganization, technical language and lack of permanence. Meager information evaluation skills add to students' vulnerability. The paper highlights some information seeking models to assist students in their search for information on the Internet. Also it highlights the role of the library in the information seeking process of students. The paper concludes that though Information and communication technologies are being put in place for use by students, they must possess the requisite skill to use them appropriately.