2 Evolution of User Studies

Dr.Jitendra Shrivastava

Introduction

 

User studies, use studies, information-need studies, information transfer studies, communication behavior studies, information dissemination and utilization studies, user-research, etc., are all closely related and often not clearly defined and there is no universal definition. There is a need to understand the information need, information seeking behavior of the user to facilitate library and information centers to provide effective and quality services to its users.

 

It becomes necessary to point out the limitations of use and user studies. Use studies may not reveal the effects of use, indirect use of a library and information centers and many fruitful interactions of users with library. Further, use of a library and information centers and its utility to users are often quite different. A library or information center may be used but it may not be useful; another may be useful but may not be used; a third may be neither useful nor used and ideal is one which is both used and useful.

  1. Evolution of User Studies

User Studies are one of the most important and most researched areas in library and information Science.Earlier user studies were mainly related to scientists involved with biochemistry, medicine, engineering, physics etc. The high concentration of user studies in these sciences can be partially attributed to the fact that the publication of professional and scientific information in these disciplines was much more developed at the time in comparison with the humanities Technology, health, industry, and agriculture.

 

It may be worth noting here that Dr. S.R. Ranganathan has grouped users on the basis of types of services enunciated by him into: the freshman, ordinary inquirer, specialist inquirer, and general reader.

 

2 User Studies in 1930’s

 

In the literature of LIS, the earliest reference we come across is to the study conducted by L.R. Wilson in the late 1930s. It was an attempt to investigate the distribution and status of libraries in the USA and was not aimed at obtaining information relating to library use or users.

 

3 User Studies in 1940s

 

The foundation for the user studies was laid down in 1948 in the Scientific Information Conference of the Royal Society, where Urquhart and Bernal brought out their research findings. Urquhart (1948) conducted his study on the distribution and use of scientific and technical information.

 

He was associated with the sources of reference to the literature borrowed, the purpose of consulting the borrowed item, and the usefulness of the item in relation to factors like year of publication and its form.

 

4 User studies in the 1950’s

 

The concept of users and their information needs found some expression at the first conference of Royal Society held at London and became a subject of discussion at the International Conference on Scientific Information held at Washington in 1958: Prof. J.D. Bernal’s paper entitled `The Transmission of Scientific Information: a user’s analysis” received a great attention.

 

It may be mentioned here that a pilot study on the use of scientific literature by scientists was conducted by R.R. Shaw in 1956 on behalf of National Science Foundation. Shaw’s study is considered as one of the pioneering efforts in the direction of user studies.

 

5  User studies in the 1960s

 

Literature review shows that number of user studies increased rapidly. In 1963 the American Psychological Association (APA) conducted a series of studies concerning psychologists, which was one of the first and most important projects carried out in social and behavioral sciences (APA 1963– 1969).

 

Menzel refers first (Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 1966) two comprehensive bibliographies of User Studies in 1964 and 1964, each containing 438 and 676 studies respectively.

 

Numbers of comprehensive studies have emerged on the subject: Use of Scientific Literature example, Davis and Bail compiled a bibliography consisting of 438 such studies as early as in 1964.

 

6 User studies in the 1970s

 

Moving towards the 1970s, user studies flourished and introduced a diversity of target user groups like magistrates, urban citizens, personnel working in local authorities, university students,etc. The 1970s also mark the point that user studies examined the use of particular information Systems, their efficiency and effectiveness and how this can be maximized. More scientists began to realise deficiencies in the use of methodological techniques and conceptualization although no theoretical framework had been developed. The trends of user studies during this period were well documented in the three chapters of ARISTon information needs and uses (Crane 1971; Martyn 1974; Crawford 1978).It has been recorded that by 1977, more than 1000 important studies were conducted on the subject of `user studies’. It must be mentioned that the growth of science and technology and, the importance accorded to the use of scientific information proliferated such attempts of user studies.

 

An event of great significance in the history of user studies was the establishment of the centre for Research on User Studies (CRUS) in 1975 by The British Library at University of Sheffield. The main objective of this centre was to create a national centre to act as a focus for research in user studies. Let us hope that researchers on different facets of `user studies’ will receive encouragement from the centre in future and a theory of user studies would be developed. The establishment of a centre for research on user studies indicates the importance of the subject `user studies’.

 

Martin (1976) in his article “User Studies and Library Planning” discussed the user studies and appraised their role in library planning. Author provided various guidelines for conducting user studies and concluded that user data strengthens the planning and decision-making processes at several levels, so the responses of users should be an integral part of the ongoing practice of librarians, providing constant feedback.

 

7  User Studies in the1980s

 

The 1980s were a decade that was characterized by an increasing awareness surrounding the conceptual Frame work and methodological issues of user studies. One of the first attempts at articulating this awareness was the publication, in the journal Social Science Information Studies of the papers Presented in a symposium of qualitative approaches to the study of information problems.

 

Belkin (1980) formulated the theory of the Anomalous State Knowledge for information seeking behavior that included six stages: starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring and extracting.

 

Kuhlthau (1988) conducted a study examining the application of library skill in assigned library research by high school seniors. The objectives of the project were “to explore the experience of students in the library search process, to reveal evidence supporting the hypothesis that there are a sequence of stages to an information search and to propose a model of the user’s stage within the search process” (Kuhlthau 1988: 232).

 

8 User Studies in the 1990s

 

In the 1990’s Internet becomes information provider to information community.The 1990’s witnessed the implementation of conceptual theories that was developed during 1980’s and number of researchers adopted conceptual theories and framework in designing to their research design with qualitative research methods.

 

Number of studies has been conducted to know impact of Internet on the user and information community.In the year 1993 Tillman et.al conducted a study on the use of internet as a reference tool by special librarians.In the year 1996 another small case study was conducted by Eager and Oppenheim, to examine the information needs of academics. The major objectives of this study was to know and test an alternative observation technique (shadowing).In this technique participant’s would be observed whole day.

 

Another study was conducted and published by Abel’s et.al 1996; Liebscher et al,1997) to explore the factors that influence the use and option of electronic networks by engineering and science faculties at small industries.

 

Eager and Oppenheim (1996) undertook a small case study examining the information needs of academics. The main purpose of the study was to test an alternative observation technique (shadowing), in which the participant’s would be observed throughout the day.

 

A recent study (Abels et al. 1996; Liebscher et al.1997) was published examining the factors that Influence the use and adoption of electronic networks by science and engineering faculty at small institutions. The study identified a number of factors that are likely to influence use and adoption of electronic networks. These included perceived accessibility, proximity, workstation availability, and experience, ease of use, academic discipline, task and perceived utility.

 

9  User Studies in 2000’s

 

Wildemuth (2003) in article titled “Why Conduct User Studies? The Role of Empirical Evidence in Improving the Practice of Librarianship” emphasized that by gathering evidences about library users, their interactions with library services and materials and context in which those materials and services are used, librarians can make sound decisions for the future.Carr (2006) “What Users Want: An Academic ‘Hybrid’ Library Perspective”. Author described the development of user centered approach in academic libraries over the recent decades.

Varghese (2008) “User Studies in the Electronic Environment: Review and Brief Analysis”. The article summarized the results of 101 user studies conducted in the electronic environment.

 

10 Some Important Library User studies

 

Number of library user studies has been made by various organizations in various countries, some important library user studies and their findings are described below:-

 

10.1 Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) and the Digital Library Federation, Dimentions and use of the Scholarly Information Environment 

Number of Interviews- 3,200

55.4% of all respondents browsing library book stacks to get information

52 % graduate students use print resources

59% graduate students use print indexes and abstract

11% use of e-journals

28% users find reading materials on a screen satisfactory

14% wants more print as compared to 11% e-Journals, 89% wants more books

 

10.2 OCLC White Paper on Information Habits of College Students (June 2002) with sample of

 

1050 qualified respondents:

Among its findings are these:

31 % of all respondents use Internet search Engines to find answer to their questions

89 % use campus library’s print resources including, books, journal, articles, and encyclopedias Americans have not yet found ideal information resources.

 

10.3 Electronic Publishing Initiative at Columbia (EPIC) survey of responses from 1,233 students and scholars (2004)

 

Some important findings are:

  • Dependent on physical library 75.8%
  • To retrieve books and articles from library’s website 81.5%
  • Physical library use more than once a month 67.7%
  • Search engines were not precise 80.2%
  • Physical Library is still an important destination for students
  • More than half of the respondents somewhat strongly agree that electronic resources can result an overload of information…. And almost half of the respondents agree that this overload can be overwhelming for them

10.4     User Studies in India

 

INSDOC conducted a use survey relating to its current awareness service entitled “INSDOC List of Current Scientific literature” as early as in 1964. As a result of the findings of this survey, INSDOC had to wind up the above mentioned current awareness service’ and had to start the compilation of `Indian Science Abstracts’.

 

Another significant study is conducted by Carl M. White regarding the use of Delhi University Library in 1965.

 

In the same year (i.e. 1965) the Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC) organized a seminar on “Users and Library and Information Service. Though the seminar did not discuss or, report any worth-while study/survey, but it helped in drawing the attention of the authorities of special libraries and information centers towards these problems.

 

Another significant effort was made by M.S.Sridhar. His doctoral research work was on Information seeking behaviour (ISB) of the Indian Space Technologists (IST) of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bangalore. The results of this study have been published under the title “Information Behaviour of Scientists and Engineers”. This study is a contribution towards user studies.

  1. Recommendations and Suggestions

In changing environment of information overload, digital environment,fast growing information users; and changing information seeking behavior of users, there is a need to conduct user study to know the user’s behavior towards information.

 

User study shows following facts which may facilitate to improve library and information services to its users:-

  • Information awareness of the users
  • Interaction of user to library and information resources
  • Information literacy skills of the information users
  • Information use patterns of the library and information centers
  • Information seeking behavior of the users
  • Information need of the users
  • Information priorities of the users
  • Evaluation of information user and information centers

 

12. Summing Up

 

User is an important component of the library and information centre. In a present Information Society it has been universally accepted that “Information is for use or Information for all.”Right information helps user to solve problems, decision making, policy making and to prepare research projects.

 

There is a need to develop healthy relationship between users and library & information centers. Now it becomes necessary to conduct user study by the library and information centers to know facts about the library and information centre users. Healthy relationship between library or information centre and users facilitates more information use and helps in evaluation of library or information centers as well as users behavior.

While using e-resources user experience problems of search engines, overload of information and user wants prefers physical library use. There is a need to conduct user studies to know user’s problems especially in fast growing digital environment.

 

References

  • Murugan, V. Senthurvel. “User Studies and User Education.” International Journal of Library and Information Science 3, no. 9 (2011): 187-89.
  • Siatri, Rania. “The Evolution of User Studies.” Libri 49 (1999): 132-41.
  • Sridhar, M S. “Understanding the User – Why, What and How?” Library Science with a Slant to Documentation and Information Studies 32, no. 4 (1995): 151-64.
  • Wilson, T D. “Recent Trends in User Studies: Action Research and Qualitative Methods.” Information Research, 5, no. 3 (2000).