Competency Description and Scope:

Community is one of the most abstract concepts in information science due to the fact that community requirements, behaviors, and assets influence the design, implementation, and assessment of information services. Community may be seen as the engine that drives the development and delivery of information services; in fact, community is an integral aspect of the information system itself. For my description and scope, I want to demonstrate my grasp of how community is defined, explore theories of information-seeking behavior and needs from experts, how information communities influence information-seeking grounds, and discuss the many roles that information professionals take part in.

Marcia Bates, a leading expert in the fields of information seeking and information system design, proposed the "berrypicking" search model in 1989. This model is more closer to the true behavior of information search behaviors to me than the classic model of information retrieval (IR). Though she has various fantastic strategies to investigate, I particularly like her cognitive model of "berrypicking" since I found IR to be overly linear when I was trying to define my community. Bates claims that searches are progressive and gradual. That is to say, as soon as the information retrieval system returns results, the user modifies their search terms accordingly. Thus, a simple linear model does not represent the nature of information retrieval to me, since the process of searching itself generates feedback that prompts the user to adjust his or her cognitive model of the material being sought. From this viewpoint, knowledge searching is seen as a type of hunting or collecting. Information seekers are shown as hunters searching for possible prey (information) that may be discovered and acquired for use within an information environment.

The traditional IR model is based on the notion of matching a single query to document representations stored in an IR system. This method is typical of lookup (known item) search, when there is just one right search result or answer (Marchionini, 2006, p. 41–46). This category may be expanded to cover searches that are well-focused yet need the use of many documents to fulfill the information demand. However, it has become increasingly clear since the 1990s that the conventional approach may not accurately capture how users interact with search systems naturally, how information needs change throughout a session, and how contextual factors, such as the nature or environment of the task at hand, influence the search process.

Carol Kuhlthau (1987, 1989, 1993, 2004) created the information search process (ISP) model, which is another well-respected search strategy that has evolved over many decades. The whole process of gathering information contains six steps that represent human emotions, ideas, behaviors, and strategies:

(1) Task initiation and intuition: The user considers the issue and possible solutions after becoming aware of their limitations.
(2) Topic selection: The user chooses a subject.
(3) Exploration: The user researches the subject by using search techniques and testing their knowledge of the subject.
(4) Focus formulation: The user develops a focused vision on the subject and obtains confidence and clarity.
(5) Information collection: The user utilizes the retrieval system to gather information relevant to the targeted subject
(6) Search closure and presentation: The user completes the search and is ready to show the results.

Many of these methods emphasize thinking outside the box and making use of the user's innate perceptual, intuitive, and creative abilities when looking for something specific. It also shows how searching for information is inherently dynamic, with the user changing how they search and even what they want to know as they learn more.

Another concept I often like to explore is information demand. I will note Charles Cole's notion within its theoretical and practical settings. He combines many main models in information retrieval and searching and motivates the reader to see the topic through an entirely new lens. This technique emphasizes modern information retrieval theory, practice, and system design (IR). In the field of information demand research, he identifies three main points of view that I will also talk about below (2011):

• Behaviors that suggest a desire for information are used to draw conclusions about a person's information requirements.

• The desire for knowledge arises from the interaction of several contextual elements.

• Information requirements are a natural aspect of the human existence.

Each information demand requires both awareness and action. Demand analysis is also important in the planning of information-seeking strategies because patterns can improve the status of the search regardless of whether they bring the user closer to the answer. When the topics of information demand and ISP models are combined, it gives LIS students a better idea of the experience and behavior of community groups.

Information-seeking behaviors: The practice

In actuality, most people who are looking for information use theoretical search methods and go through the phases of the information-seeking process without even realizing it. From here, we see that information-seeking habits in the modern day take the form of internet search techniques. Information is discovered via user interaction with information retrieval technologies, such as online databases and search engines. The most fundamental method is called "building blocks," and it entails breaking down the search query into a series of ideas that are then searched for using Boolean operators. Footnote chasing, citation hunting, pearl-growing, and topic searching are other typical methods of research (Booth, 2008).

Applying these methodologies, theories, and cognitive research into services and programming

Information organizations may better serve their users by learning the motivations behind their questions and search results. If librarians learn that patrons like to explore in a certain way, they may design a catalog function or themed collections for that purpose. Search strategies for information and conceptual methods are included whenever a patron approaches an information professional. The reference librarian has the power to inspire people to break routines and try something new, perhaps yielding excellent results (Bates, 2010).

Importance to the Profession:

The more context that can be given to the knowledge of information behavior, the more realistic and useful the findings (Bawden & Robinson, 2013; Goltz, E., 2013). Searching for information is dynamic and based on the situation. Not everything has to do with fixing problems or dealing with hard situations. I even found that sometimes the answer to a question is just a matter of luck. I think this is why this particular competency has to present different learning and behavior models, because the "everyday" mindset is a complicated psychological concept. A number of cognitive, emotional, cultural, and situational factors affect "everyday" life information needs and seeking (ELIS). That everyday information-seeking habit develops gradually. One of the recurring results I found in ELIS study is that people prefer human sources since they are easier to obtain and provide rapid response (Savolainen,1995). However, source choices may alter depending on the information-need circumstance. Understanding information-seeking habits and theories is important as an LIS professional because it enables personalized designs that better customers with the information they need. Numerous information-seeking theories contribute to a comprehensive understanding of how users search for information.

Preparation to Understand Competency J

As indicated in my introduction, Marcia Bates will appear often in my early works of the semester since she taught me the meaning and historical significance of information in LIS. In the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Marcia Bates' (2010) definition of the word "information" offers a basic review of the history of information theories and how they relate to one another in their respective interpretations. In a number of circumstances, information is used as a concept. She divides theories into communicatory/semiotic, relevant data, theoretical, systemic, social, multitype, and deconstructionist categories. She also categorizes these ideas as subjective (logical and scientific, with the goal of discovering causes, consequences, patterns, and trends in observable occurrences) and idiographic (humanities-driven, social context, and anything behind the drive for information). By using both [the idiographic and subjective] ways of thinking, we may be able to learn as much as we can about a subject (Bates, 2010).

Other authors you will see me frequently mention are Fisher and Bishop, since both defined the information community for me as a new LIS student. They examined community networks and found five main elements that set successful information communities apart:

• a focus on collaboration and consistent interaction among various information sources

• ability to build around people's requirements for information access and usage

• ability to capitalize on developing technologies' information-sharing capabilities

• capacity to overcome information-sharing hurdles

• ability to develop social connection

Community networks have introduced powerful new approaches to improving people's quality of life. The Internet has aided in the establishment of information communities, or organizations of individuals that seek to create and increase access to dynamic, integrated, and diverse information resources. While the elements listed above are not plainly visible, they are often made public only after some action or request is made indicating that the information seeker need information to solve a specific problem (Case, 2012), Individual information-seeking behaviors may occur and are best characterized in a subjective manner, but they must constantly consider how much idiographic elements influence them.