1

LIS 205: Introduction to Information Sources & Services

Unit 4: Part 1—Information Seeking Behavior and the Reference Interview

Kevin Rioux, PhDand Nancy Becker, EdDDivision of Library and Information Science

2

Understanding the User is Crucial

• To recognize the discrepancy between what people do and what we think they do

• To develop responsive services

• To conduct effective reference interviews

3

Information Search Model

– Linear model based on strategies

• User perceives a need in his/her environment

• User searches for information

• Uses variety of sources

– Information systems

– Human

– Personal

• Result may be successful or not

• Success=satisfaction

• Failure=Repetition and/or frustration

4

Problems Associated with the Information Search Model

• Linear with no allowance for – Re-definition of need– Growth or learning

• Isolates information search skills from critical thinking and other higher level skills

• Many traditional models of reference interactions are based on this model of user behavior

5

Information Search Process Model

• Process oriented• Emphasis is on learning transferable skills

– Cognitive development– Enhancing user effectiveness

• Kulthau’s (Rutgers) model of information seeking process– Research based

• Studied high school students• Has been replicated with other groups

– Incorporates affective, cognitive, and physical components

6

Kuhlthau’s Model

• Stages

– Initiation

– Selection

– Exploration

– Formulation

– Collection

– Search closure

7

How Does This Relate to Reference Interviews?

• User is an active participant in the information search process

• Cognitive processes are involved in information seeking

• Acknowledges an affective component of information seeking/behavior

• User knowledge increases with experience

8

Unit 4: Part 2 – The Reference Interview

9

Why Do a Reference Interview?

• Allows the professional to reach a clear understanding of the user’s need

• Most user questions need some negotiation for clarity • Some questions, as presented, may be misleading • An effective interview facilitates clarification and expansion of the

question

10

Information Needs

• May differ from wants/demands

• Often ambiguous

• Not easily articulated

• May be poorly understood by user & information professional

11

Information Seeking

According to Dervin: • Not objective and external

• But rather constructed by the user

• What the user finds informing

• Sense-making process

12

The Reference Interview

• The user and the librarian tap into each other’s and their own memories to establish a similar information base, including of the query and a perception of an acceptable answer. (Marilyn White)

• Anomolous States of Knowledge (ASK Hypothesis)—Nick Belkin (Rutgers)

13

Other viewpoints

• Goal is to match frames to come to a common understanding (Chu)

• Similar to physician-patient interviews (Grover)

14

Barriers to Effective Interviewing

Communication errors Environmental noise Meaning differences Pronunciation variants Second-hand errors

Psychological barriers Brought by the user Imposed by the librarian

15

Environmental noise

• Volume of noise in the area

• Number of interruptions

• Privacy concerns

16

Meaning Differences

When you don’t understand the terminology Ask the user to explain what he/she means Restate your understanding of the questions in your own words

Don’t confuse the user with library jargon Avoid library acronyms RLIN, OCLC, ISBN

Translate terms into natural language Controlled vocabulary: Subject Citations: Author, title, etc.

17

Communication Errors

Homophones Encourage user to talk about the topic Elicit more contextual information (Information seeking in context—

very important research area in LIS) “Oranges & peaches”: Origin of the Species

Ask open questions Ask neutral questions

18

The Reference Process

• Bridging the gap between need and information

• Useful intervention in the individual sense-making process (Dervin)

19

Interviewing Strategies

Listen

Actively and carefully Don’t prejudge Consider what is said and what is NOT said

20

Interviewing Strategies

Pay attention to the user

Make eye contact Body language counts!

21

Interviewing Strategies

Get the user to talk

Ask questions Closed Open-ended

22

Find out:

Context

Why is this information needed? Scope

Are there any parameters, e.g., time, geographic, language, etc.

Limitations What has the user already tried/done?

23

After the Interview

• Encourage patron to return for additional help, if needed

• Observe patron

• Follow-up with “Did you find what you needed?”

24

Termination of the Interview

• Knowledge-related

• Interpersonal communication

• Policy & institutional factors

25

Policy Questions

• Is the mission of the department to educate or provide answers? • Are there different levels of service for different classes of users? • How much time should be spent with a user on one query?

26

Policy Questions

• What is the minimal level of acceptable service?

• Are there types of questions which are not handled?

27

Unit 4:Part 2—Geographical Information Sources

28

Geographical Sources

• Types– Maps and atlases– Gazetteers– Guidebooks

• Use– Ready reference– Research

• Environmental analyses• Historical studies

29

Maps and Atlases

• Maps

– Graphic representation on a flat surface of certain boundaries of the earth, as well as the moon, the planets and the solar system

• Atlases

– Systematic collection of maps

30

Types of Maps

• Thematic– Serves a special purpose or theme, e.g., historical, economic, etc.

• Topographic– Represents the exact physical configuration of an area

• Physical– Shows features and the nature of the earth’s surface, atmosphere and

climate, distribution of plant life, etc.

31

Types of Maps

• Political

– Shows political boundaries, e.g., towns, cities, counties, and states

• Index

– Shows the total geographic coverage encompassed by a set or series of maps

32

Cartography

• Definition: Art of map-making• Major goal & headache: Achieving an accurate representation• Major source of maps and mapping information: US Government• Key publishers: Oxford University Press, Rand McNally, C.S.

Hammond, Baedeker, DeLorme, John Bartholomew, Michelin, Kummerly & Frey

33

Evaluation of Maps/Atlases

• Authority• Currency (changing names)• Revision policy• Encyclopedia information• Nationalism

• Topical approaches• Balance/content• Quality of maps• Scale and projection• Topographical representation• Format• Scale• Indexing

34

Evaluation of Maps/Atlases

• Vernacular vs. language of the country of publication (Florence vs. Firenze)

• Transliteration of names (Zhriev, Zchriev)

• Place name control• Location of small towns• Statistical data• Subject access

35

Some of the best

• The Times Atlas of the World

• Hammond: Atlas of the World

• Rand McNally: The New International Atlas

• Oxford University Press: Atlas of the World

• DeLorme: Street Atlas USA CD-ROM, Topo USA

36

Some specialized Atlases

• The Historical Atlas of the United States

• Times Atlas of World History

• The Historical Atlas of Political Parties

• Atlas of the Second World War

• Atlas of the Holocaust

• An Atlas of World Political Flashpoints

• Atlas of the Arab World

37

Collecting Maps and Atlases

• Selection

• Acquisition

• Access

• Storage

38

Geographic Information System

• What is GIS?In the strictist sense, A GIS is a computer system capable of assembling,

storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced information, i.e. data identified according to their locations. (U.S.G.S.)

• USGS Geographic Information Systemshttp://www.usgs.gov/research/gis/title.html

• Your Internet Guide to Geographic Information Systemshttp://www.cast.uark.edu/

39

Gazetteers

• Geographical dictionaries, usually of place names

• Some atlases include gazetteers

• Useful for both descriptive and locational information

• National Gazetteer of the United States of America

• Merriam-Webster Geographical Dictionary

40

Guidebooks

• Provide basic information useful to travelers about a place

– Popular guides, e.g., Fodor’s, Michelin Guides, Green Guides

– Aimed at a particular audience, e.g., Let’s Go Europe, Lonely Planet

– Specialized, e.g., guides to museums

– Literary/armchair travel

41

Online Geographic Resources

• Periodical Historical Atlas of Europe

http://www.euratlas.com/• OSSHE Historical & Cultural Atlas• http://uoregon.edu/~atlas• Geography IQ World Atlas

http://www.geographyiq.com• Library of Congress Map Collection

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome

42

More Online Geographic Sources

• Google Maps

– http://maps.google.com/– Satellite imagery– Street maps– Hybrids

• MapQuest– http:www.mapquest.com

• University of Arkansas Center for Advanced Spatial Technologyhttp://www.cast.uark.edu/

• Map Machinehttp://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/

• U.S. Geological Surveyhttp://www.usgs.gov/

• Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austinhttp://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/index.html

43

Unit 4:Part 3—Biographical Information Sources

44

Biography

• One of the most common types of ready reference

– General curiosity

– Imposed search for biographical info

– Need to introduce a speaker

• Biographical sources

– Writings

– Place of birth/death

– Family situations

• Living people

• Deceased people (retrospective biographies)

45

Biographical Directories vs. Dictionaries (not always distinct)

• Biographical directories tend to have

– Shorter entries

– More succinct

– May cover more people

• Biographical dictionaries

– Longer essays

– Much more detailed

– Narrower coverage

46

Evaluating biographical materials:

• Scope– Cover specific populations– Be aware of vanity books

• Comprehensiveness• Accuracy

– Biographee-based information– Secondary information

• Currency– Usually are revised every year or every other year

• Needs of users• Cost• Uniqueness

47

Important biographical sources

• Who’s Who in America (also covers Canada and Mexico)– biennial– Not based on just wealth and notoriety, but on achievement– Government officials are usually automatically included, as are major

university administrators and business leaders– Includes a retiree index– ‘*’ indicates that the entry was created by the editors without the input of the

biographee.• Specialized Who’s Who sources

– Women– Regional– Ethnic– International – Professional– Etc.

48

Important biographical sources, cont’d.

• Current Biography (very useful!)

– Biographical essays about newsworthy people in a variety of fields.

– Based on articles that have appeared in newspapers and magazines

– Family details, height, clothing, personal style and habits

– Available via the SJ Library OPAC

• Contemporary Authors

• Biography.com

• Many in the SJU Library Databases and eReference links