information seeking behaviour of academics dr. roswitha poll informationsverhalten von...
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Information seekingInformation seekingbehaviour of academicsbehaviour of academics
Dr. Roswitha Poll
InformationsverhaltenInformationsverhaltenvon Wissenschaftlernvon Wissenschaftlern
Evaluation of the German Special Collections Programmefrom the user perspective
The projectThe project
23 university libraries
47 special libraries
3 central libraries
Special collections (Sondersammelgebiete)
Partners:
Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Münster
infas – Institut für angewandte Sozialwissenschaft GmbH
"Invisibility" of the special collections
The projectThe project
Most-used service: ILL
Users do not realize where documents come from
Solution: To assess the role of libraries in information seeking behaviour
the present role
the possible future role
StepsSteps
Evaluation of the literature on information seeking behaviour
Focus groups in 5 subjects
Pre-test of survey
Survey in 5 subjects
Applied economics
Biology
English studies
History
Mechanical engineering
Included: Academics in institutesof higher education or scientific institutes
Questionnaires: 5.059 (sample of 29.161)
Response rate: 1581 = 33,3 %
Professor 28 %
Assistent 14 %
other 54 %
not identified 2 %
< 30 years old 20 %
31 to 40 34 %
41 to 50 21 %
> 51 years 25 %
Survey Survey
responses responserate
Englishstudies 101 21,5 %
biology 382 41,6 %
appliedeconomics 322 25,7 %
history 142 40,7
mechanics 634 36,2
1581 33,3 %
CLIR (2002)Friedlander, Amy: Dimensions and use of the Scholarly Information Environment
All subjects
Academics and students
Telephone interview
3.234 interviews
RSLG (2002) Researchers' Use of Libraries and other Information Sources
5 groups of subjects
Academics
Questionnaire
3.186 answers
ADL (2002) Zukunft der wissenschaftlichen und technischen Information in Deutschland. Arthur D. Little International
All subjects
Academics and commercial firms
Questionnaire
Academics = 1.385 answers
Commercial firms = 832 answers
ComparableStudies ComparableStudies
Information Overload
Evaluation of literature /Focus groupsEvaluation of literature /Focus groups
Important aspects of information behaviourImportant aspects of information behaviour
especially in interdisciplinary studiesespecially in interdisciplinary studies
Deliberate restriction
„„information fatigue syndrome“information fatigue syndrome“
Direct availability asdecisive criterion
„„now or never“now or never“
Information networks
„„invisible colleges“invisible colleges“
Clear differencesbetween subjects
Survey structure Survey structure
Ways of seeking information
Ways of procuring information
Problems, needs, requirements
several times/week
once per week
1-several/month
1-several/half year
seldom never
Frequency of information channels use (%)Frequency of information channels use (%)InformationseekingInformationseeking
Finding helps
bibliographies
current-contents
library catalogues
publishers' catalogues
Contactspersonal contactsmeetings,events
Contents
books
journals
doctoral dissert. etc.
full-text databases
preprint serversInternet search
subject gateway
discussion groups/mailing-lists
general search
36
1
16
1
30
8
11
58
5
30
-
2
11
16
16
2
11
18
12
4
23
28
25
20
16
12
18
24
24
14
19
28
12
9
6
17
48
49
10
14
3
19
24
13
12
5
22
22
32
22
10
8
4
26
15
11
2
1
16
22
30
0
1
2
12
38
24
10
55
15
6
16
23
12
16
12
10
7
13
23
4
11
35
2
Frequency of information channels use (%)Frequency of information channels use (%)
36
1
16
1
30
8
11
58
5
30
-
2
11
16
16
2
11
18
12
4
23
28
25
20
16
12
18
24
24
14
19
28
12
9
6
17
48
49
10
14
3
19
24
13
12
5
22
22
32
22
10
8
4
26
15
11
2
1
16
22
30
0
1
2
12
38
24
10
55
15
6
16
23
12
16
12
10
7
13
23
4
11
35
2
Finding helps
bibliographies
current-contents
library catalogues
publishers' catalogues
Contactspersonal contactsmeetings,events
Contents
books
journals
doctoral dissert. etc.
full-text databases
preprint serversInternet search
subject gateway
discussion groups/mailing-lists
general search
several times/week
once per week
1-several/month
1-several/half year
seldom never
several times / weekseveral times / week
Applied economicsApplied economics 2222
BiologyBiology 66
English studiesEnglish studies 3939
HistoryHistory 6363
MechanicalMechanical engineeringengineering 44
InformationseekingInformationseeking
library catalogueslibrary catalogueslibrary catalogueslibrary catalogues
several times/week
once per week
1-several/month
1-several/half year
seldom never
Frequency of information channels use (%)Frequency of information channels use (%)InformationseekingInformationseeking
Finding helps
bibliographies
current-contents
library catalogues
publishers' catalogues
Contactspersonal contactsmeetings,events
Contents
books
journals
doctoral dissert. etc.
full-text databases
preprint serversInternet search
subject gateway
discussion groups/mailing-lists
general search
36
1
16
1
30
8
11
58
5
30
-
2
11
16
16
2
11
18
12
4
23
28
25
20
16
12
18
24
24
14
19
28
12
9
6
17
48
49
10
14
3
19
24
13
12
5
22
22
32
22
10
8
4
26
15
11
2
1
16
22
30
0
1
2
12
38
24
10
55
15
6
16
23
12
16
12
10
7
13
23
4
11
35
2
Frequency of information channels use (%)Frequency of information channels use (%)
36
1
16
1
30
8
11
58
5
30
-
2
11
16
16
2
11
18
12
4
23
28
25
20
16
12
18
24
24
14
19
28
12
9
6
17
48
49
10
14
3
19
24
13
12
5
22
22
32
22
10
8
4
26
15
11
2
1
16
22
30
0
1
2
12
38
24
10
55
15
6
16
23
12
16
12
10
7
13
23
4
11
35
2
Finding helps
bibliographies
current-contents
library catalogues
publishers' catalogues
Contactspersonal contactsmeetings,events
Contents
books
journals
doctoral dissert. etc.
full-text databases
preprint serversInternet search
subject gateway
discussion groups/mailing-lists
general search
several times/week
once per week
1-several/month
1-several/half year
seldom never
nevernever
Applied economicsApplied economics 1010
BiologyBiology 77
English studiesEnglish studies 1616
HistoryHistory 1818
MechanicalMechanical engineeringengineering 1313
full-text databasesfull-text databasesfull-text databasesfull-text databases
InformationseekingInformationseeking
12121212
%
Percentage of information found in groupsPercentage of information found in groupsof information channelsof information channels
ContentsContents33
books, journals, doctoral books, journals, doctoral dissertations, full-text databases, dissertations, full-text databases, preprint serverpreprint server
InternetInternet Internet search, subject portals, Internet search, subject portals, discussion groups, mailing listsdiscussion groups, mailing lists
ContactsContacts personal contacts, meetings / personal contacts, meetings / eventsevents
FindingFindinginstrumentsinstruments
library catalogues, bibliographies, library catalogues, bibliographies, databases, current-contentsdatabases, current-contents
Findinginformation Findinginformation
29
19
19
Percentage of problemsPercentage of problems (rest: no problems) (rest: no problems)Informationseeking Informationseeking
bibliographies
current-
contents
libr. catalogues
books
journals
doct. diss. etc.
full-text datab.
preprint servers
subject gateway
Internet search
27
3
14
29
2
4
2
0
3
2
9
16
14
6
9
6
7
3
12
10
12
9
11
3
3
2
6
2
11
28
13
13
6
17
24
26
12
12
3
1
8
7
9
1
1
5
12
4
7
6
10
8
6
0
0
3
11
35
9
2
not up-to-date
not complete
too generallocally not acquired/
accessible
too compli-cated
never used
Percentage of problemsPercentage of problems (rest: no problems) (rest: no problems)
27
3
14
29
2
4
2
0
3
2
9
16
14
6
9
6
7
3
12
10
12
9
11
3
3
2
6
2
11
28
13
13
6
17
24
26
12
12
3
1
8
7
9
1
1
5
12
4
7
6
10
8
6
0
0
3
11
35
9
2
bibliographies
current-
contents
libr. catalogues
books
journals
doct. diss. etc.
full-text datab.
preprint servers
subject gateway
Internet search
not up-to-date
not complete
too generallocally not acquired/
accessible
too compli-cated
never used
locally not acquired/accessiblelocally not acquired/accessible
Applied economicsApplied economics 2222
BiologyBiology 3030
English studiesEnglish studies 3030
HistoryHistory 2525
Mech.Mech. engineeringengineering 2020
journalsjournalsjournalsjournals24242424
Informationseeking Informationseeking
Percentage of problemsPercentage of problems (rest: no problems) (rest: no problems)Problems inseeking Problems inseeking
bibliographies
current-
contents
libr. catalogues
books
journals
doct. diss. etc.
full-text datab.
preprint servers
subject gateway
Internet search
27
3
14
29
2
4
2
0
3
2
9
16
14
6
9
6
7
3
12
10
12
9
11
3
3
2
6
2
11
28
13
13
6
17
24
26
12
12
3
1
8
7
9
1
1
5
12
4
7
6
10
8
6
0
0
3
11
35
9
2
not up-to-date
not complete
too generallocally not acquired/
accessible
too compli-cated
never used
Percentage of problemsPercentage of problems (rest: no problems) (rest: no problems)
27
3
14
29
2
4
2
0
3
2
9
16
14
6
9
6
7
3
12
10
12
9
11
3
3
2
6
2
11
28
13
13
6
17
24
26
12
12
3
1
8
7
9
1
1
5
12
4
7
6
10
8
6
0
0
3
11
35
9
2
bibliographies
current-
contents
libr. catalogues
books
journals
doct. diss. etc.
full-text datab.
preprint servers
subject gateway
Internet search
not up-to-date
not complete
too generallocally not acquired/
accessible
too compli-cated
never used
too complicatedtoo complicated
up to 30 years oldup to 30 years old 44
31-4031-40 44
41-5041-50 77
51 and more51 and more 1111
Internet Internet searchsearch
Internet Internet searchsearch
6666
Problems inseeking Problems inseeking
Direct(contacts/purchase)
Local library Delivery services
Internet
Percentage (groups)Percentage (groups)Procuringinformation Procuringinformation
Applied economics
Biology
English studies
History
Mech. engineering
22 38 11 29
17 33 11 39
23 43 15 19
19 58 12 11
20 36 11 33
too slow too expensivetoo time-
consumingtechnical defects
never used
Problems in percentageProblems in percentage(rest: no problems) (rest: no problems)
Procuringinformation Procuringinformation
Local library
print collection
databases/E-journals
Direct
purchase
personal contacts
institutional contacts
Delivery services
ILL
document delivery of libraries
commercial services
Internet
79
14
122
506
1 1
7300 14 4
10
13 1
82314
236
114
2
18
012 48 23
1
12
44
21 19 9
32
54 2
1-2 2-3 4-5 6-10 10ff.
hours per weekhours per week
Applied economics
Biology
English studies
History
Mech. engineering
7 41 27 21 4
5 39 31 19 4
22 35 25 21 9
4 29 27 33 6
9 43 26 18 3
8 40 28 21 4
Expenditureof time Expenditureof time
Expenditureof time Expenditureof time Frequency of delegationFrequency of delegation
in most cases sometimes never
Special subject
Info. for Teaching
Info. for Research
ILL
Doc. delivery sevices
Copying / Printing
Literature lists
Abstracts of articles
5 34 59
6 25 67
6 37 55
29 22 46
15 19 62
33 32 33
8 29 61
3 15 79
Desired format of delivery Desired format of delivery Delivery ofinformation Delivery ofinformation
Applied economics
Biology
English studies
History
Mech. engineering
electronic print depends on
form and size of information
34 21 51
55 19 33
18 30 56
13 45 48
36 26 46
Journals 73 % frequent use
Books 67 % "
Internet 71 % "
Münster
Journals and books are the most frequented sources of information
CollectionsRole ofLibraries Role ofLibraries
RSLG
Print journals and books are most frequently named important for information
Print material 93 %
Electronic material 59 %
Local library 38 %
Internet 31 %
Direct contacts/Purchase 20 %
ILL / Document delivery 11 %
Münster
The local library offers the highest success in procuring information
The local libraryRole ofLibraries Role ofLibraries
RSLGInformation providers rated as essential
Local library 83 %
Private collection 81 %
Local library 60 %
CLIR
What percent of the information that you use for research comes from the ...?
Personalized servicesPersonalized servicesNeeds,wishes Needs,wishes
87
94
86
80
87
88
17
7
9
10
19
14
57
60
62
57
48
55
51
48
35
43
48
47
27
10
20
21
33
24
2
2
3
3
2
2
7
3
9
14
5
6
7
4
5
5
4
4
How would you define your research profile?
Keywords Thesaurus Classi-fication
Author Journal otherInstitution No
definition possible
Applied economics
Biology
English studies
History
Mech. engineering
Selection
Rating
Structuring
Ease of use
Access to full texts
Search for full texts
Personal profiles
Alerting-Service
Help/Reference service
Selection
Rating
Structuring
Ease of use
Access to full texts
Search for full texts
Personal profiles
Alerting-Service
Help/Reference service
5,2
3,7
5,8
6,2
6,1
6,0
4,6
4,3
4,6
5,2
3,7
5,8
6,2
6,1
6,0
4,6
4,3
4,6
Structuring
Ease of use
Access to full texts
Search for full texts
Structuring
Ease of use
Access to full texts
Search for full texts
Subject gateways: Important criteria Subject gateways: Important criteria (scale 1 - 7)(scale 1 - 7)Needs,wishesNeeds,wishes
Mainresults Mainresults
"information waste"
quantities exceeding capacities
reaction: managing without
Information overload – information dropping
too many sources
too differently organized sources
varying technics
clumsy ways of delivery
no "one-stop-shopping"
High expenditure of time
Highest effort for interdisciplinary studies
Small circles with the same special subjects
Informal, changing quickly
Exchange of actual information
Exchange of documents
Younger academics often "outside"
"Invisible colleges"
databases "too complicated"
Internet search more difficult in older groups
Information literacy missing
Mainresults Mainresults
Human Sciences / Social sciences
Clear differences as to subjects
Natural Sciences / Engineering
Mainresults Mainresults
Strong bias on "completeness"
Higher priority for local library and print collection
Tendency to "aimless" seeking, inspiration by the unexpected
Immediate accessibility of information is important
Tendency to drop what is not immediately available
Tendency to selective seeking
The wishes
To do To do
E-journals
Digitization of relevant print sources
More information in electronic format
Integrated search ("google for research"), especially for interdisciplinary studies.
More advice, schooling
Quick and easy ways of document delivery
More of the library
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