Information Seeking
Behavior is basically the behavior pattern of
various scholars, researchers and students in
collecting information according to the need of
their subjects. The ISB is dependent upon many
factors, like the culture and society of any country,
the personal behavior of the researcher, the social,
political and economic system of a country also
effects the information seeking behavior of an
individual.
However, in a diverse cultural society the information
seeking behavior differs from person to person
and ethnic group to other ethnic group.
On the other hand, Library information system
is a system to collect and manage information
and knowledge from a specific institution or organization
having enough collection of material and relevant
sources like journals, newspapers, books etc.
therefore a library from where a researcher, scholar,
professor or student can collect, developed and
manage information is know as liberation information
system. However, the working of LIS also depends
upon the social culture of any society as well
the behavior of various individuals vary from
person to person and cultural groups to cultural
groups with in the state and outside.
Many communities and racial groups have developed
separate LIS in their respective areas or institutions
for instance, the Christian schools and universities
have specific libraries that contain material
and information related to their own community,
religion as well as other subjects that are based
on the writers of their community. At the same
time there are also such libraries, which keep
all kind of materials and information related
to any community, ethnic group or any country
in the world.
THEORIES AND MODELS
It is not easy to get empirical evidences for
the theories and models used by different users
for ISB in LIS. However, the following are the
fundamental and important models and theories
in regard for ISB and LIS.
Theory of Mental Model
Every individual has a different psychology and
belongs to a different social and cultural environment.
This social and cultural environment plays a very
important role in developing the psychological
structure of any person. Mental model is basically
the psychological approach of an individual to
conduct research and do through investigation.
There are people who do not care to go in the
depth of things and do research for developing
their personal analysis and opinions about ideas
and events. Therefore, research shows that the
mental model if an individual plays a very significant
role in the information seeking behavior. Borgman
(1986) however, the best way to understand the
theory of mental model in Information Seeking
behavior can be achieved with an extensive research
regarding different behaviors.
Nonetheless a more authentic result can be achieved
by comparing previous information seeking behaviors
and contemporary behaviors. In this we can understand
the ratio of input and output. (Callan, Croft
& Harding, 1992), this means the amount of
effort and energy used while seeking information
Vs the amount of information earned. It shows
the behavior of an individual about his mental
capacity and potential to earn accordingly. So
input means the energy and resources utilized
for the collection and management of information.
Where out here means the information and material
collected while searching. So two things are very
important in the theory of mental behavior model.
The first thing is the mental approach and the
psychological behavior that is shaped by the social
and cultural environment of an individual or a
specific society. While the other thing learned
from this model is the relationship between the
input of an individual’s mental and physical
energy and the output of information achieved
from it.
Information Exchange Theories
Information exchange means sharing information
with each other. Researchers, scholars and students
prepare presentations, documentations and discuss
various issues in academic institutions as well
as organizations. Usually the government or some
private organization financially aids such forums.
Information seeking behavior is a very advanced
way of promoting library information system.
This is not restricted with in a community or
a group of colleges. This extends internationally
and various universities and research institutes
participate in such programs where they share
information regarding various issues. Some time
the information shared is on same issues where
the information exchanged covers different aspects
of the same topic.
In this way not only social relations among
different cultures of the globe are developing
but also an extensive study of an individual helps
transferring information to a group of individual,
including the participants and members organizing
the discussion forum as well as the audiences.
Though this is a modern and advanced information
seeking behavior but not much developed in a manual
way as it is applied via Internet. Therefore,
the Internet revolution has transformed the LIS
into a more fast and easy way. For instance, organizations,
research institutes put there add on Internet
and interested students or researchers from all
over the world apply with their areas of interest.
Some institutions also ask for a detailed resume
along some research sample to visualize the mental
approach and presentation capacity of that individual
prior to selecting him/her for that very forum.
Therefore, researchers and scholars from all over
the world participate in that forum or workshop
and share their information to the audiences.
Bonn Model of International discussion forum
and workshop organized by the students and staff
of Bonn University in Germany. In response the
audience and other speakers get free access to
ask live questions and put their personal opinions.
Therefore, in this way information is not only
earned but also shared in a very fast way with
out any hindrance.
Another example of sharing and exchanging information
among individuals either of same community or
different, domestically or internationally is
discussion forums introduced on the Internet.
For instance, discussion forums related to business
information or legal information and any health
care information.
Therefore, discussion groups and various workshops
organized either with in the academic institutions
or some other place inviting other institutions
of the same community or making it a global discussion
class, is the most advanced model for sharing
information in regard to seek information while
using a library information system.
Theory of Cyberspace model
Cyberspace model is basically an outcome of Internet
revolution and globalization. There was a time
when individuals use to collect information by
running into different libraries, borrowing books,
coping relevant material and spending the whole
day in the libraries. Then states started developing
and traditional methodologies of research started
changing which also changed the traditional information
seeking behavior of individuals.
Electronic media and print media started playing
a very important role in the information seeking
behavior of individuals. Researches started getting
current information from media either by newspapers,
magazines or programs like current affairs, news
watch, or any discussion programs related to international
affairs, international political economy or geographical
channels opened that extended the library information
system from electronic media to door to door.
Therefore, the information seeking behavior
of individuals started changing however, presently
due to globalization and advancement of information
technology, individuals have an easy access to
information by just clicking on a dial up. Since
researchers in various fields and professionals
constantly need information and manage to seek
information to apply in their professional fields,
they go for something authentic and fast. (DONALD,
2002)
Now web browsing has become a very common behavior
to seek information from various libraries all
over the world. Now researchers do not have to
limit themselves into a certain library.
Research lovers can now read a huge amount of
material on any single subject containing a variety
of theories, models, approaches and ideas with
authentic experimentations, survey and observations.
This saves the time an individual and helps them
to make a hypothesis of their projects and easy
conclusion. So Internet or cyberspace is the most
advanced and modern model and theory of information
seeking behavior in relation to the library information
system.
APPLICATION OF ISB MODELS AND THEORIES
ON AFRICAN AMERICANS
Basically African Americans are Black Americans
who migrated to America long time ago. Though
they are treated unjustly since the beginning
but after they immigrated to America, they were
openly treated inhumanly and made slaves. However,
the Civil Rights movement gave them popularity
among the international community and they gained
recognition as a separate identity but still are
fighting for their basic rights as they are discriminated
among the whites all over the world.
Therefore, the psychological behavior of African
Americans are very different then the whites while
seeking information in a library information system.
Similarly there sharing intensity is also different
then native Americans. This is due to their environmental
behavior that they are internally frustrated due
to undue oppression and unjust behavior. So they
use their skills and emotional frustration very
well in seeking information.
They struggle really hard to rise up as a nation
having a distinctive identity. They have maintained
their separate community and are not less then
any other ethnic group in the world. Lets try
to understand the application of the above theories
and models to the information seeking behavior
in the information library system of African Americans.
However, in order to achieve a good and authentic
result, it is important to take a deep survey
regarding the behavior of different individuals
and organizations as well as libraries in regard
to ISB and LIS.
Application of The Theory of Mental Model
To ISB of African Americans
Since the mental approach and psychological behavior
plays the most important role in shaping the information
seeking behavior and the behavior of collecting
and managing information from various libraries
of an individual, specifically individuals of
various ethnic groups.
Research shows that in order to maintain professional
authenticity without wasting time, now students,
researchers and professional do not go for the
traditional use of theories by running to libraries
again and again. They look for some thing that
is at the same time authentic, speedy and completely
applicable to their needs.
Therefore, research shows that the behavior of
African Americans in seeking information in various
specialized groups varies from consumer to patients
and professionals.
If we take a survey of the past few years, it
comes to our understanding that information seeking
studies related to veterinary medical students
(Wiese, Leysen, 1998), health information consumers
(Baker, Pettigrew, 1999) the faculty of health
sciences (Curtis, Weller, Hurd, 1997) older African
American women, (Gollop, 1997) professional related
to rural health programs and study (Dorsch, 2000)
and students, researchers and professionals related
to life and health care departments as well as
scientists and health care providers (Detlefsen
1998) shows that African Americans related to
such fields and departments prefer a fast study
environment.
Therefore, they do not follow the traditional
theoretic study and prefer surveys from journals
and other research materials or use the Internet
to collect and manage their information.
Application of Information Exchange Model
to the ISB of African Americans
The African Americans are struggling for their
individual identity and rights since a long time.
With the development and modernization of the
world they have developed themselves as a distinctive
community even living in America, these blacks
posses a very well organized information seeking
behavior. For instance, they have well-organized
conferences regarding the maintenance of libraries
and it’s functioning.
However, exchanging and sharing information in
relation to ISB, the behavior of individuals is
shaped from their child hood. Where parents play
a very important role and helping their children
to communicate to other people of the society
and participate in various class discussions.
As far as the case of African Americans is concerned,
they are more serious in providing such attention
to their children.
Though encouraging and promoting communication
to seek information and research via exchange
of information is not a traditional method thus
not commonly used at all levels. The African Americans
have started introducing their children with this
tool since their childhood. For instance, The
Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales is an
initiative to provide a quality-based literature
to the children that can help developing their
mental approach in a very young age. (Harms, Clifford,
and Cryer, 1998).
Similarly many other organizations are formed
to encourage children communication to develop
skills to exchange information at a professional
level. Therefore, in this way not only the White
Americans and other communities of the world but
also the African Americans are modernizing the
use of library information system but also developing
their information seeking behavior according to
today’s demand.
Application of theory of cyberspace model:
Information seeking behavior and the use of library
information system is changing with the development
and advancement of various ethnic groups in collecting
and using information according to their needs;
the African American has also developed them accordingly.
Despite the fact that they are still struggling
as an ethnic minority specifically in America,
all the Blacks have united from all over the world
and maintained a variety of libraries not with
in their respective countries but also on the
Internet.
Therefore, they are no less then any other ethnic
group in using the library information system.
In fact their information seeking behavior shows
that they have produced a variety of informative
material and organized their libraries in cyberspace
for not only the easy access of Blacks but also
for all other communities of the world. This is
helping them in making the world recognize their
actual identity, skills and creativity.
Therefore, African Americans have developed a
library information system of their own on the
Internet as well as in various universities and
research institutions that are shaping the information
seeking behavior of not only these Black but also
the other communities and ethnic groups of the
world. Researchers and scholars related to all
fields are earning information from the library
information system maintained by the African Americans.
One can find ample amount of resources, notes,
surveys, archives, journals and books that cover
each and every aspect related to the African Americans
and other blacks living in the world.
Library information system is a system of collecting
information related to any discipline from one
single institute. This library information system
shapes the information seeking behavior of various
researchers, scholars as well as professionals
and students. It also shows the psychological
nature of an individual to be inquisitive and
apt research as their information seeking behavior.
African Americans being a ethnic cultural group,
has also maintained a library system of their
own which shapes the information seeking behavior
of not only the people related to their community
i.e. Blacks but also provides extensive knowledge
to the other ethnic groups as well as communities
of the world at large. This is possible due to
globalization and the Internet revolution.
Prior to this, they were dependent on the library
system of the dominant communities and could not
maintain a history of their own. However, with
the passage of time and development and modernization,
Blacks not only succeeded to make the world recognizing
their identity and rights but also achieved to
maintain a library information system of their
own that determines the information seeking behavior
with a comparative study from other communities.
Therefore, using various models and theories
to collect and manage information and data from
library information system, African Americans
have their distinctive identity in this regard
as they not only possess a library information
system of their own ethnic community on land in
various areas of the globe. But also have taken
a huge area of cyberspace in providing a library
information system of the African Americans as
a separate identity among other communities and
societies of the world.
Works Cited :
1. Borgman, C. L. (I 986) “The user's
mental model of an information retrieval system:
An experiment on a prototype online catalog.”
“International Journal of Man-Machine Studies”
2. Callan, J.P., Croft, W.B. & Harding, S.M.
(1992) “The INQUERY retrieval system. In:
DEXA 3.” “Proceedings of the Third
International Conference on Database and Expert
Systems Applications.” Berlin: Springer
Verlag, 83-97.
3. CASE, DONALD O. “Looking for Information:
A Survey of Research on Information Seeking, Needs,
and Behavior.” San Diego, CA: Academic Press,
2002
4. Pelzer N, Wiese WH, Leysen JM. “Library
use and information-seeking behavior of veterinary
medical students revisited in the electronic environment.”
(Bull Med Libr Assoc) 1998
5. Baker, L M and Pettigrew, K E “Theories
for practitioners: two frameworks for studying
consumer health information-seeking behavior.”
(Bull Med Libr Assoc) 1999
6. Curtis KL, Weller AC, Hurd JM. “Information-seeking
behavior of health sciences faculty: the impact
of new information technologies.” (Bull
Med Library Assoc) 1997
7. Gollop JL. “Health information-seeking
behavior of older African American women.”
(Bull Med Library Assoc) 1997
8. Dorsch JL. “Information needs of rural
health professionals: a review of the literature.”
(Bull Med Library Assoc) 2000
9. Detlefsen EG. “The information behaviors
of life and health scientists and health care
providers: characteristics of the research literature.”
(Bull Med Library Assoc) 1998
10. Harms T, Clifford, RM and Cryer, D. “Early
Childhood Environment Rating Scale.”
(1998)
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