Describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors
As argued by Case (2012), information has various ambiguities and is hard to qualify as a single discrete concept. However, Case defined information as “any difference that makes a difference to a conscious, human mind” (p. 46). Case did not provide the definition of information from Oxford English Dictionary, but looked instead at the term “informing” which the author found meant either “(1) [t]he action of informing. The action of telling of fact or being told of something” or alternatively as “(2) That of which one is apprised or told; intelligence, news” (Case, 2012, p. 48). Note that this definition does not define information as a static concept, but rather as a verb, as an act of relating “information” from a source through a medium, to the “conscious, human mind.” And it may very well be that information has no meaning unless it is used by the human mind. Therefore, information needs a medium through which to enter the human mind. Information can enter the “conscious, human mind” through many different mediums, including “a Web page, a book, a radio broadcast, a conversation, e-mail, and so on” (Case, 2012, p. 48). Case further investigated several issues relating to information, and asked questions about issues relating to information, such as whether information needed to be effective and have utility to be information, whether it needs a physical form to be information, whether it needs to have a structure, whether “someone (or something) intends to communicate it to another entity?,” and whether the information is true or not (Case, 2012, p. 57). There are several models formulated by various researchers which attempt to explain how information is sought out by individual persons (or other entities), and for what purpose. The first model is the “First Wilson model,” in which the “information user has a need, which may (or may not stem from his or her level of satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with previously acquired information,” which spurs the user “to make direct demands on sources or systems of information” (Case, 2012, p. 139). The next model is “the Krikelas model” which emphasizes “uncertainty as motivating factor, and of the potential for an information seeker to retrieve an answer from their own memory or those of nearby persons.” The Krikelas model also emphasizes two actions, which are “information giving” and “information gathering” (Case, 2012, pp. 140-141). The third model is the “Ellis model,” which looked at eight different stages in information seeking, which are starting (identifying information sources), chaining (following connections between materials), browsing (scanning information), differentiating (assessing sources), monitoring (being aware that information can change, extracting (finding and removing relevant material), verifying (making sure information is true), and ending (or conducting a final sweep of relevant literature) (Case, 2012, p. 144). The fourth is the Kuhlthau model, which “focus[es] on the feelings, thoughts, and actions that follow as a person becomes aware of a gap in their knowledge.” Indeed this model outlines the continuum between uncertainty (feeling), vagueness (thought), and seeking (action) that marks the beginning of an information-seeker’s experience, and the “sense of accomplishment” (feeling), increased self-awareness, and resultant information (action) which arises out of a successful information search (Case, 2012, p. 145). The Leckie Model focuses specifically on the information needs and seeking behaviors of professional individuals, and posits that the occupational tasks are the primary motivator for information seeking. Therefore, it is a task-oriented model, and does not focus on the feelings and thoughts emphasized in the Kuhlthau model (Case, 2012, pp. 146-147). The “Bystrom and Jarvelin Model” similarly focuses on tasks, but takes the bent that the complexity of tasks leads the information user to seek information (Case, 2012, p. 148). The Savolainen Model looks at how our everyday activities influence our information seeking, and views personal needs for information and work needs as “complementary” (Case, 2012, p. 149). The Johnson model focuses on user needs, user beliefs, the utility of information, whether the specific information sought is relevant, and the actions information-seekers take to find the information to locate information (Case, 2012, pp. 152-154). The “Second Wilson model” looked at the context and motivations behind user needs and described them as “activating mechanisms” (Case, 2012, p. 155) Knowing the inner motivations and being able to describe the theoretical constructs by which information seekers look for and acquire “information” will help librarians to identify patron needs, and conduct reference interviews to narrow down the patron information needs and identify sources of information for the patron. For my first piece of evidence, I am submitting a reference desk shadow I completed for INFO 210, in which I personally observed patron interactions and observed what their motivations were for seeking information. For my second piece of evidence, I am submitting my final project for INFO 285. This shows my ability to create survey instruments necessary for deciphering patron needs, patron demographic characteristics, and how they seek information at the library, and specifically the awareness of grandparents raising grandchildren regarding social services at public libraries. For my final piece of evidence, I am submitting a searching exercise from INFO 244 which will show my process for completing searches in an online database and the circuitous process (using various searching strategies such as lawn mowing, pearl growing, et al.) through which a successful search is achieved.
I completed INFO 200, which briefly touched on information-seeking behavior theory, but no coursework was attached to studying information-seeking behaviors. I have completed INFO 210, which explored information-seeking particularly as it applies to reference librarians. I shadowed the reference desk at a local library for a period of two hours and was able to observe how user motivations and information needs affected their interactions with the person at the reference desk, and I also created a mock reference interview in which I looked at a fictional patron’s information needs. I also completed a number of reference interviews from the standpoint of a patron. INFO 244 had me perform searches for items on online databases and taught me specific strategies for locating information in online databases. I also created two projects for INFO 244 and INFO 250 where I looked at information needs and learning theories specifically as part of teaching grandparents raising grandparents how to use computer programs and online databases. I also looked at the motivations for information-seeking rather in several projects relating to grandchildren raising grandparents for several research projects in several courses. I specifically designed a survey for a project in INFO 285 to study the awareness of grandparents raising grandchildren regarding social services available, and asked specific questions in the attached survey instrument regarding their behavior for receiving information on services. I also completed an information resource kiosk project to assist Hispanic single mother patrons, where I looked at their information needs and their attitudes towards the library.
References
Case, D.O. (2012). Looking for information: A survey of research on information seeking, needs, and behavior (3rd edition). Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing, Ltd.