There are several methods of information-seeking behaviors and many pathways that individuals and groups utilize when attempting to sate an information need. Whether engaging in berry-picking, ELIS, or information encountering, one thing remains in common: those seeking information frequently will attempt to find their answers at the library. Therefore, it is essential that library staffpeople are aware of the various ways that information is sought – and why it is sought in the first place.
Information-seeking behaviors, regardless of the form that they take, arise for a common reason. When individuals find themselves at a lack of understanding, struggling to accomplish a goal, or are otherwise mired in information poverty, they will seek to rectify this situation. Spink and Cole (2004) emphasize that a desire to accomplish a goal is the primary impetus that spawns information-seeking behaviors. Other researchers such as Dervin (1998) opine that the desire for the world to make sense is a more important catalyst. But it is one of the earlier researchers into information seeking, Kuhlthau, who proposes an overarching theory – that a gap in knowledge or a recognition of a need for data, is the cause for information-seeking (Kuhlthau, 1991). Regardless of the core reason, in order to resolve this issue, more data must be acquired – and Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process assures us that as those information seekers gain data, they pivot from uncomfortable feelings of confusion and doubt to feelings of confidence and focused perspectives (Kuhlthau, 1991). However, this process is easier said than done.
Several common pitfalls that can entrap information seekers, such as the mentality behind the Small World theory (Pendleton & Chatman, 1998) and the aforementioned information poverty (McKeown, 2016). The Small World theory argues that the information that could bridge a given gap may not be sought – or even disregarded – if the seeker is occupied with a small social environment. Those operating out of these situations may not see the relevancy of information-seeking, or feel that such efforts are not worth the energy. Similarly, those in environments that have been stricken with information poverty, information seeking can bring risk. For those without ready access to information and communication technology, it is easy to find oneself isolated, and excluded from wider societal events. Fortunately, libraries can do a lot to counteract the challenges posed to information seekers – especially those in information-poor environments.
First of all, the mission of libraries themselves are designed around free access to information. Already this establishes a good groundwork for providing paths for information seekers. But just providing information is not enough – instead, library staff can enhance their ability to assist those seeking to gain knowledge by tailoring their approaches according to those seekers’ approaches. Above, there were three types of information seeking described: berrypicking, Everyday Life Information Seeking (ELIS), and information encountering – and understanding the differences between them will further create enable staffpeople to assist patrons.
The first of these, berrypicking, was proposed by Bates in 1989, and is characterized by a fluid approach and shifting search techniques. Berrypicking information seekers may have some idea of the data they are looking for, and will glom on to small bits of information that seem relevant, then drill down. In order to provide such individuals with the ideal information searching experience, a library would want to offer the ability to glance at every resource in a large collection (Bates, 1989), so that they could determine which ones suited their needs best. The freedom to explore – and not feel as though they are unwelcome in a space – is essential for berrypickers.
Those who explore information best through ELIS, or Everyday Life Information Seeking, are following a model proposed by Savolainen (1995). Individuals who learn best from trusted sources, and from discussing topics with other people, fall into this category. If possible, they also prefer familiar sources. This type of information seekers require a different approach than berrypickers. They may feel overwhelmed by an abundance of information, and would be better suited by a knowledgeable reference staffperson – ideally one who they have encountered before. By engaging in casual conversation, an ELIS information seeker will feel at ease, and more able to express the informational need that they are seeking to fill.
Finally, information encountering is an information-seeking methodology that takes a middle ground between these previous two examples. An individual employing this strategy receives the transmission of information via accidental encounters with their environment. Either by interacting with the people around them, or by simply happening upon interesting data, they gain knowledge. Additionally, the knowledge discovered here serves not only a current information gap, but one that may arise in the future – setting a further goal is just as important to clarifying a past question for information encounterers. Fortunately, in order to a library to be friendly to this type of information seeker, all they have to do is facilitate a spontaneous environment. Roving reference staff and new book displays will draw the eye of these individuals, and entice them to explore further.
These methodologies are only a small sampling of the ways that information-seeking behaviors can be accommodated at the library – but understanding these does lay an excellent groundwork for understanding how all patrons can be assisted in obtaining the information that they are looking for.
In order to develop my ability to understand and enable information-seeking processes, I have studied theory in the course of obtaining my MLIS degree, as well as practiced those skills in my reference work at the library. INFO 200 was the most valuable class in this regard, as it allowed me to explore how specific individuals seek to overcome gaps in their knowledge. Once I was armed with an understanding of their various methodologies, I was able to implement that in person at my branch.
Both in answering virtual questions and in face-to-face conversations, I have now adapted my assistance to better suit the information-seeking styles of the patrons I was engaging with. For online queries, I opted to provide a wider range of information, so that the asynchronous method of communication would not lead to frustration or lacking answers. When I engaged with patrons in person, I asked targeted questions designed to fully answer their questions – and offered them the opportunity to evaluate if they had gotten all that they needed. These strategies ensure that proper closure to reference questions occurs, and that the question-asker feels both listened to and satisfied with the answers they have discovered.
Providing front-desk reference service and answering online email queries has provided me with ample opportunities to apply the knowledge that I have gained through my coursework. However, I have also been able to practice information-seeking skills outside of others. Thanks to the work that I have done towards my degree, I have been able to identify my own information-seeking style. I tend towards a berrypicking style of information gathering – and this information allows me to more effectively write papers and research reports. By knowing how people – including myself – learn, I am able to more efficiently span gaps in knowledge.
In order to demonstrate the competency I have gained with both understanding information-seeking behaviors and utilizing that understanding to better connect others with information, I have assembled a collection of three documents. The first of these is the Literature Review Matrix I assembled from INFO 200: Information Communities. This matrix summarized the findings of those who had previously explored the nuances of the blues fusion dancing information community – and revealed the particular importance of information encountering, as well as the mindset of frame matching. The second document I decided represented my experience well is my final project from INFO 210: Reference Information Services, which comprised of an analysis of the questions asked through the online email inbox. By identifying the most common types of questions and the ways that they were answered, I was able to gain a better understanding of the needs of the online patronage of Contra Costa County, as well as insights about how to better provide them with answers. Finally, I returned to INFO 200. My final paper from this course fully explored the information community of blues fusion dancers – how they are unique, what strategies they use to acquire information, and how we can use their organization as a model for how to provide for other groups. In sum, I believe that these three projects cover a base understanding, a practical application, and an academic study of the subject of information communities.
As a prelude to writing a research paper on the information community of blues fusion dancers, I had to assemble a literature review matrix. I intended to gather documents that discussed the background of information-seeking in dance, how blues fusion dancers acquired information specifically, and most importantly, how study of dance had been conducted thus far. When I started on my information-gathering journey, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there already existed a solid body of work on the subject of blues fusion. Frameworks have been posited that explain the basic mechanics of changing posture, tension, and energy, and studies have been conducted on how social dancers utilize incidental information-gathering to build their skills. All of these documents were critical in establishing a baseline understanding of how this information community grows and develops – and set me up well to write my final paper.
I selected this document as representative of my experience studying information communities, because it worked as a practical application of what such knowledge can do. The information community of email reference question-askers is one that I engage with on a twice-weekly basis, so understanding the best way to provide information for this group would benefit my not only in an academic sense, but also a practical one. In this paper, I took 100 recent emails that had been sent in to the email reference inbox, and analyzed common trends in questions and questions. I discovered that the majority of questions pertained to problems with online access, and that 58% of the questions sent in were able to be answered by a comprehensive enough prewritten answer. This data also permitted me to identify what questions necessitated follow-up emails – allowing me to better craft prewritten responses in the future. As a result of this study, I have been able to improve my ability to interact with this information community, and create a document that will be able to instruct my colleagues on the developments I have discovered.
My final paper for INFO 200 combined all of the information I had discovered in the research matrix. In this paper, I explored the diverse resources utilized by the blues fusion dance community, the unique methods of communication and information-seeking the members of this community utilize, and how the community continues to develop. One of the most interesting aspects that I discovered was that there exist two simultaneous levels of communication in blues fusion: the inter- and intra-personal. Inter-personal communication is what allows this group to meet and build their skills – it includes online discussion boards that set up events, as well as lessons conducted in person. But it was the intra-personal communication that I found to be exceptionally worthy of study. Blues fusion relies on the bodily feedback that dancers experience from each other – responding to ΔPTED, or changes in Pressure, Tension, Energy, and Direction of energy (Demers, 2013). However, even though there is usually a lead and a follow, these changes are not mandated from one dancer to another. Instead, follows and leads have the opportunity to interpret moves as they see fit, following, altering, or even taking a new direction to a given move. This ensures that information-seeking occurs in a very unique way – as the only way to gain experience with dancing is to do it more.
Understanding information seeking is an essential part of library work. As information professionals, we have to be able to understand the underlying methods of gathering information, and that different methods may work better for different individuals. By tailoring our approaches through careful reference interviews, and addressing people in the contexts that they will best be able to understand, we can create positive information-seeking environments. We can also use this information outside of our careers to understand how we gather information, and place ourselves in situations that are conducive to our own information-seeking styles.
I intend to continue to explore the various methods that people use to gain knowledge, so that I can both improve my own reference interactions, and ensure that the branches that I work at have a myriad of approaches that can cater to a variety of needs. Additionally, while I feel that berrypicking will remain my primary method of information-seeking, I will explore other alternatives, so that I can ensure that my research methods are well-rounded and remain up-to-date.
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DeMers, J. D. (2013). Frame matching and ΔPTED: a framework for teaching Swing and Blues dance partner connection. Research in Dance Education, 14(1), 71–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647893.2012.688943
Dervin, B. (1998). Sense-making theory and practice: an overview of user interests in knowledge seeking and use. Journal of Knowledge Management, 2(2), 36–46. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673279810249369
Kuhlthau, C. C. (1991). Inside the search process: Information seeking from the user’s perspective. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 42(5), 361–371. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(199106)42:5<361::AID-ASI6>3.0.CO;2-#
Mckeown, A. (2016). Overcoming information poverty : investigating the role of public libraries in the twenty-first century (1st edition). Chandos Publishing.
Pendleton, V., & Chatman, E. (1998). Small world lives: Implications for the public library. Library Trends, 46(4), 732–752.
Savolainen, R. (1995). Everyday life information seeking: Approaching information seeking in the context of "way of life". Library & Information Science Research, 17(3), 259-294.
Spink, A., & Cole, C. (2004). A human information behavior approach to the philosophy of information. Library Trends, 52(3), 373–380.
Spink, A., & Cole, C. (2006). Human information behavior: Integrating diverse approaches and information use. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 57(1), 25–35. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20249