11.3 Accidentally found on purpose: Information-seeking behavior of historians in archives

11.3 Accidentally found on purpose: Information-seeking behavior of historians in archives

Duff, WM & Johnson, CA

I found this article specifically interesting because in my current job, one of my special projects is essentially to create an archive. This is a heady task for a first semester library school student with no archival experience, but I have more insight into it than my employers, who are mostly art historians. What is interesting about archival creation is that the description and organization is truly at the whim of whoever is in charge of creating the archive. In some instances, there are obvious ways to organize it, in others, it is much harder. While I really enjoy organizing things (in some cases) it is daunting to think about organizing a full set of archives. And as I mentioned in a previous journal about information in the workplace, I want to make sure that my organizational principle is understandable by the archivist who follows in my footsteps.

Not only does my organizational principle have to be understood by the next archivist, it also has to be usable by patrons. For someone to use an archive easily, they have to be able to understand how it is organized. In my case, there were many ways we could organize the archives, but we eventually came up with a standard way. The way that I go about organizing things, however, is very visual, so it is impossible for anyone to help me. In my mind, I have a very elaborate internet ready finding aid, but unfortunately there is not the time or the resources to create that. While I am very conscious of everything needing to be findable in the future, I have also been informed that I (and my archive) are at a disadvantage. Because I am a student with little archival experience, my object descriptions may not have the same degree of accuracy they would have if considered by a “real” archivist. This also puts those who want to peruse my archive at a disadvantage. If the archivist does not do his or her job properly or to the correct degree, the archive becomes very difficult to use. While I am enjoying my exciting and stressful archival experience, I have determined that I do not want to work as an archivist. While I love objects and preserving knowledge, I enjoy hands on knowledge exchange with people, specifically children, much more. Archives are quiet, and the children’s department is lively. I know where I belong.

11.1 Accessing information use by humanists and social scientists: A study at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

11.1 Accessing information use by humanists and social scientists: A study at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

de Tiratel, SR

This is one of the articles from my group presentation week. I liked that the article was directly comparing humanities and social sciences (as two general entities) instead of looking specifically at parts of humanities and other disciplines like so many articles I read. I looked specifically at literature scholars in my presentation, and this article backs up much of what I discussed in my presentation. The library is invaluable as a physical resource to humanities scholars. There is a great feeling about it, and many would rather be in the library researching than many other places. Humanities scholars also have a wide breadth of topics to cover, and many need the interdisciplinary resources of a library. Humanities scholars generally do not use studies or experimental research in their writings. They are interested in the history and context, anything that could have effected what they are researching. While social scientists do not rely completely on experimental research, much of their research must be current. They cannot simply rely on what has happened in the past. I may have a slight bias of understanding towards humanities scholars, since I spent my undergraduate career attempting to become one (literature, specifically). I still find myself researching and analyzing things in the same ways a humanities scholar does, and I do not entirely understand some of the methods of social scientists.

I found it interesting that this study was done in Argentina. In my research of literature scholars I found that many of the studies I was looking at were done in England. It was nice to see a different country. We all seem so surprised when so many of the studies are done in other countries (I know Canada seems to have been popular in many people’s presentations) but there are a lot more countries than just the US. While in one of the articles I read there was a slight difference between “international” and British scholars, in general I doubt there is much difference in scholarly work from country to country.

10.3 Knowledge management and the dynamic nature of knowledge

10.3 Knowledge management and the dynamic nature of knowledge

McInerney, C

I really connect to the idea of knowledge being dynamic. I have always felt that what you retain in your head is affected by the person you are, your experiences and your feelings. Your knowledge is yours alone and you cannot give that same understanding to anyone else. However, in the world, both in schools and in the workplace, we focus on grasping facts from knowledge. In school, you have to memorize facts. As you get older, you are asked to interpret them and apply your own dynamic knowledge. In a workplace, we are often asked to return to the early school days tactic of performing tasks in specific, set ways. However, the longer you are at one workplace, the more specific the way one completes their own duties. If you begin a project in your own, specific way, and someone else must complete it, it can often be impossible for them to finish. I encountered this in my current job. I am working to create an archive, among other things. When I was given the work the previous assistant had done, I could not figure out her organizational system, and she had not written any of it down. Instead, I had to start over. If you are a responsible employee, when you are leaving a job, you will consider if anyone else can pick up where you left off. I have realized that when I leave my current job for the summer, no one else in the office can really use the Access database in which we keep all of our mailing lists. Because of this, I have created my own knowledge artifacts: tutorials on how to do basic actions in our access database. So far, they have been popular. I was careful to use clear, concise and direct language so that the only possible interpretation of the knowledge was the correct one. I am sure someone will find a flaw in my tutorials, but I hope this will make it easier when it is time for me to move on. In past jobs, I wish others had though about educating their coworkers to their organization processes. As information professionals, it is our job to both organize information and get it to those who are seeking it. It makes it significantly harder to pass on the information if a professional can’t even find it.

10.1 The role of experience in the information search process of an early career information worker

10.1 The role of experience in the information search process of an early career information worker

Kuhlhau, CC

The title of this article seems to be a bit of a give away. The role experience plays in the career of someone with no experience? Strange. Even stranger, that Kuhlthau, the one who produced one of the easiest to understand information theories, would not think to compare her case study of this one person to anyone else. Perhaps anyone who had been in the field longer or had more experience, so that comparison could be made. I really have a problem with the idea that this entire article is based on one person. Because I feel so strongly that everyone works differently, even those in similar careers (if I didn’t believe that, working in a group in graduate school has taught me that) I don’t feel like these findings can be applied to other people, even in a very general sense. While the subjects feelings may be fairly universal at the start of a new job or when embarking on trying to find employment, what was helpful to him will only be helpful to someone who thinks and works the same way that he does. A few extra short interviews with other people in similar job situations would have made a huge difference toward the way I feel about this article. I really don’t have much else to say about it, because I did not find it especially valid.

9.2 Coming-out: Gay males’ information seeking

9.2 Coming-out: Gay males’ information seeking

Hamer, JS

Information seeking for a homosexual person considering coming-out must be quite difficult. As Hamer notes, it is a time when many are in great fear, first of their own identity, and later on of the reaction of those they love. This kind of secretive information seeking is common when the seeker is embarrassed about the information they are looking for. However, in this case, the seekers may be embarrassed of themselves, of realizing their identity. It makes me sad that homosexuality is still such an outsider group. As teens, those who are heterosexual don’t usually have to go through large amounts of information seeking, stress and fear to discover that they are heterosexual. While information seeking for gay males may be easier now than it was 30 years ago, we still live in a heteronormative world. While no one will be offended by someone’s heterosexuality, someone may be offended by someone’s homosexuality. While I don’t agree with that, it is something a person in the process of coming out must be aware of.

While reading this article I think of an episode of the Canadian teen soap opera, Degrassi The Next Generation. One of the characters, a 9^th grader, has started to realize he has feelings for guys. When they have a sex talk at school, he is too scared to ask the questions he has about his sexuality, even one on one. He turns to the internet to find his answers. The internet has become the great information Mecca for those with questions they are embarrassed to answer. For many, you can find a community that can help with your information seeking needs and even people in similar situations. I hope that someday, the coming out process will not be an outsider situation. I think that librarians need to be open and helpful to all patrons. I feel like it would be hard to be a public librarian and be judgmental of anyone and truly do your job, so it is important to be open to everyone’s information needs. .

9.1 The impoverished life-world of outsiders

9.1 The impoverished life-world of outsiders

Chatman, EA

I really understood the idea of insiders and outsiders when it came to information seeking. I can attribute this to the presentation group, and also to this article. Chatman did a great job of connecting to multiple groups of outsiders, and making the concepts clear. I also think, as a member of a generation who all feel like “outsiders” for one reason or another (most of which are invalid) it is interesting to look at outsiders as being information poor. I understand that in many situations it is not possible for someone to have the same amounts of information than someone else. For someone without a computer or the knowledge to use the internet, many information that is a few seconds away for me is unreachable. If an information establishment (like a library) has hours that do not coincide with the free time you are provided by work, you can never seek information there. There are many factors that can lead someone to be information poor, and therefore an outsider.

It seems to me that people who are usually considered insiders in many ways can be thought of as information outsiders based on one thing. The ability to use technology shapes our current information use and exchange so much, that someone unable or unwilling to use the technology may lose out on lots information exchange.

I feel like it is part of our job as information professionals to help more people become information rich, even if they have many outsider factors working against them. Extended hours, free pamphlets, and especially computer tutorials would make a huge difference in many places. In some populations, having information and help available in multiple languages is invaluable. There are many communities in which a library could not get by without having those kinds of services available.

8.3 Utilization of heroin information by adolescent girls in Australia: A cognitive analysis

8.3 Utilization of heroin information by adolescent girls in Australia: A cognitive analysis

Todd, R

This was a very interesting, very small study. It was interesting to see a study based on a kind of “information prompt”. I imagine this is easier than waiting for someone in the correct demographic to search for the information on their own, and then be able to record it in the same way. I really like the idea of the kind of “mind maps” of the way the girl’s knowledge grew over time.

I wonder, though about the difference in searching, knowledge gathering and knowledge retention based on a prompt and based on actual desire for knowledge. I know that I search different for my own personal curiosity than I do when I am trying to complete a school assignment. I am able to retain large amounts of mostly useless information I gain from reading Wikipedia while procrastinating than from hours spent researching a paper in the library. If the required topic does spark my interest, the different isn’t as large, but there is still a gap, especially in retention. And this is from someone who truly enjoys seeking knowledge. The average adolescent girl is probably not as nerdy as I am, and would not enjoy the searching process as much, at least in a prompting situation.

I also wonder what the difference between boys and girls in this searching process would be. Since boys were not studied, any possible gender differences cannot really be addressed. I would also be interested to see a similar study done with younger children, on a more age appropriate topic. It is often said that children retain information more readily, and I wonder how true this is.

8.1 Waiting for chiropody: contextual results from an ethnographic study of the information behaviour among attendees at community clinics

8.1 Waiting for chiropody: contextual results from an ethnographic study of the information behaviour among attendees at community clinics

Pettigrew, KE

Even as a young patient, it can be intimidating to ask for information from medical professionals, especially in a clinic kind of atmosphere. Many people feel very judged and uncomfortable when they are asking for medical care, as if they will be persecuted for not taking better care of themselves. An elderly person taking care of their own medical needs may have this problem, but much worse. Many elderly people do not want to ask someone younger than them for advice. Some may fear that they will seem feeble, either physically or mentally, and do not wish to be sent to a home because it is determined they cannot take care of themselves. For someone who is very proud, admitting a need for help can be very difficult.

Last year, I was a temp worker in an assisted living facility for the mentally ill. Many of our residents were somewhat schizophrenic, and none of them could live entirely on their own. Many were elderly, and on government subsidized healthcare to both pay for their housing and medical care. This was a situation where not only could they not control their own finances and medical costs, but they also had extenuating mental circumstances. The social workers and nurses tried to make sure all the residents fully understood why they needed to take their medication, but the ultimate decision was up to them. Because of their mental problems, some of the residents chose not to take their medication. Some felt it was the reason they had problems, and others simply felt like it took away control over their own lives. While they were being presented with the information, because of the illness, they were not receiving it fully.

7.5 The development of children’s Web searching skills – a non-linear model

7.5 The development of children’s Web searching skills – a non-linear model

Ennochson, A.

Development of technology skills is, I feel, one of the biggest topics in Information Science today. Many older information seekers who have not been exposed to technology may struggle with newer systems and things as simple as web browsing. Children, however, I have never been concerned about. I grew up on computers; we had one in my house from the time I was four years old. I’ve had internet access at home since I was nine. From elementary school on, we had computers in the classrooms, and it was a requirement in my 7^th grade year to take a typing and technology class. While this taught me 10 fingered typing, I already had many of the technology skills. In my high school, we had smart boards and laptops for use in various classrooms. In many cases, the students were better with the technology than the teachers. For those of my generation and the next, internet and technology use from childhood is becoming the norm.

Because of my extensive experience with computers from childhood, I was surprised to read the results of this study. I cannot compare everyone’s technology use to my own, but I felt like it should be easier for children to have a successful web search. I think part of the problem may be using systems not designed for children’s use. Because children may think in broader terms than adults, or in other cases, significantly more specific, a search system must be able to cater to that. It can be oppressive as an adult being bombarded with search results, and it may be worse for a child. If the children get frustrated, they will be turned off from using the system again. I agree with the article that training for both students and faculty could be very helpful in this situation. I think very specific searching exercises could help children understand what kind of search terms will yield their requested result.

7.3 Student learning through Ohio school libraries, Part 1: How effective school libraries help students

7.3 Student learning through Ohio school libraries, Part 1: How effective school libraries help students

Todd, R. & Kuhlthau, C.

It is very hard to say how effective something is without having a specific study, some kind of way to measure effectiveness. This study tries to measure effectiveness by asking the students if they felt like they were helped by the library. While one can assume that the students will be honest, it is easy to say "yes, i use the library and it has been very helpful" when you have never actually used it. It is also possible that classes were coached beforehand on the importance of the library or had their answers otherwise influenced by faculty or staff members. While that isn’t really what we want to think about having happened, it is possible in any case.

Another flaw in the study was the use of a Likert scale to determine degree of helpfulness. Other than it not allowing for extra comments, the scale used did not offer space for “does not apply” and seemed to have a positive slant. It is obvious that those conducting the study were going for a specific result. While I agree with their result (and their bias), the study could be taken more seriously if this were adjusted to include more options.

While the study has its flaws, it is positive however that the students seem to understand the importance of the library. As the students seemed to think that the library was helpful to them, it is obvious they understand that it is needed. If they did not understand how important it was they may have not been as quick to say it was helpful (even if it wasn’t, or they couldn’t cite a specific instance in which it was helpful. The fundamental importance of the library must have occurred to many of the students answering the survey, and it is shown in the results.