Competency J

Information-Seeking Behaviors & Concepts

Describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors and how they should be considered when connecting individuals or groups with accurate, relevant and appropriate information.

Introduction

As humans, we are constantly needing, seeking, and evaluating information. Information-seeking is the conscious effort to acquire information in response to a knowledge gap, an information need is a recognition that the knowledge you currently have is inadequate, and information behavior refers to passive and active behaviors when finding, using, or avoiding information (Case, 2018). An information need is as diverse as information users themselves. 

Each user or information community possesses different characteristics that radically change their searching behavior including literacy level, geographic location, relational factors, stigmas, and task-specific factors (such as how urgently a user needs the information) (Hirsh, 2022). Information professionals should strive to conduct formal evaluations of library services, which should include analyzing the needs and behaviors of the various communities that utilize their organization’s resources. By adopting this approach, professionals can offer better guidance, more impactful programming, and equal access to resources for marginalized information communities. 

Information Needs

Information-seeking is conducted in response to a recognition of a knowledge gap, referred to as a need. Individuals needing information may not seek it out due to a lack of resources, do not recognize their need as being one, do not believe their need can be addressed through information sources, or have determined that the risks involved in seeking out information outweigh the benefits (Hirsh, 2022). To complicate matters further, not all information inquiries are needs-driven. Sometimes an individual stumbles upon information, such as on a social media platform. This can unfortunately lead to the dissemination of false information. Information professionals must sometimes evaluate a specific community’s need and address it through programming or workshops. For example, Los Angeles is an area full of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners, and the Los Angeles Public Library offers online and in-person tutoring for reading, writing, or conversational English skills or classes that cover English communication, grammar, and vocabulary skills.

Information Seeking Methods

Information professionals over the years have strived to understand the search behaviors and thought processes of users. These are only a few of the vast number of information-seeking models that have been implemented over the years.   

Berrypicking Model

The berrypicking model is based on the theory that a search query evolves and that information is “gathered” in bits and pieces. The stages of this model include the nature of the query, the nature of the overall search process, the range of search techniques used, and the information ‘domain’ or territory where the search is conducted (Bates, 1989). Berrypicking occurs when a user adjusts their search strategy based on what works and what doesn’t. The query itself (as well as the search terms used) is continually shifting, in part or whole (Bates, 1989). An example of this technique could be browsing citation lists or footnotes to find new resources, which in turn could radically change the course of the query.

Information Search Process 

Carol Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process Model (ISP) was created to test whether a person’s uncertainty decreases from the beginning to the end of the problem-solving process (Spink, & Cole, 2006). Kuhlthau (2012) theorizes that it is important to track students’ thoughts, actions, and feelings during the search process, in relation to the stages (initiation, selection, etc.) required to move on to the next task. An interesting observation that Kuhlthau has drawn from her long-term research regarding youth services in public and school libraries, is that information technology advancements have increased confusion and uncertainty. Information professionals can help remedy this problem by conducting further research and keeping up with emerging technologies. Patience and empathy should also be exercised when assisting students, especially those who are unfamiliar with information searching, through the research process.  

Problem-Solving Model

Wilson’s problem-solving model is divided into four stages: problem identification, definition, resolution, and solution statement or presentation (Spink, & Cole, 2006). This model relies on the information user being aware of their need, which is also referred to as a “knowledge gap”. This is the third version of the model, with two previous iterations before it. This major revision drew upon research from a variety of fields other than information science, including decision-making, psychology, innovation, health communication, and consumer research (Wilson, 1999). Wilson discusses how information-seeking is both an active and passive activity. Sometimes, people tend to receive information from different sources (i.e. family, friends, social media) in a fragmented manner, which may confuse or frustrate users. Information professionals can alleviate this discouragement by helping users navigate the research process and develop information literacy skills.

The World Wide Web & Information Literacy

The creation and expansion of the World Wide Web have changed the way people seek information in addition to how libraries function. Informational professionals should seek to understand how people use digital libraries and information resources to evaluate how to meet user’s information needs (Hirsh, 2022). This inclination to merely browse the web instead of conducting a formal search can be misleading and lead to a user developing bad information-seeking habits. Anyone can type vague keywords into a search and browse until they find information that satisfies their inquiry (Case, 2018). However, this information may not be authoritative, or written by someone who is an expert or has authority in that field of study. This idea of authority ties into the important concept of information literacy. The American Library Association (ALA) defines information literacy as the ability to recognize when information is needed and be able to locate, evaluate, and effectively use relevant information (Case, 2018). With the rise in popularity of social media and mobile devices, misinformation is a prevalent issue on the web. Information professionals play a crucial role in fighting misinformation and providing users with the skills and knowledge to seek accurate, relevant, and authoritative resources.