5 Identifying of User’s Information Needs

Prof A S Chandel

Introduction

Identification of information needs is a pre-requisite to design and develop any information system to provide need-based information services to the users. In earlier times before systematic beginning of users‟ studies during 1940s, generation of library services were mostly based upon professional perception without gathering the factual data of information needs of users. Nevertheless, the libraries have been always aiming at serving the users in a best possible way by providing them the desired reading resources they are likely to use. With the advances in library profession, it was felt that empirical data should be collected from the various Communities and groups of users in order to generate and provide need-based effective and meaningful services to the perspective users. In India, S R Ranganathan (1933) particularly through his Five Laws of Library Science brought to the conscious level of library professionals that users are the focal point and every activities of the library profession revolves around them. He brought forth as to how the messages embedded in his laws could be complied with to serve the users in a most effective manners and ways. The philosophy emanating from these laws emphasizes that users have to be always kept in sight while building resources and services. To quote Taylor (1986) The „principal strength of value added model lies in its stress on the user and on the needs and dimensions of the information environment as a major element in the design and evaluation of system.‟

It has been a great concern of the profession as to how user-centered services could be generated and disseminated. Mismatch between the resources and the users‟ need must be minimized as far as possible. This presupposes that information professionals must know the information needs of the users, they are going to serve. Further, they should also know as to how people seek, retrieve and prefer to use information. When we think of marketing of information, we must first know our clientele to have salability of our Information products. The producers or the generators of any product should always Commodities that meet day-to-day needs of the perspective consumers without any barriers and drudgery. Information user is happy when he gets what he/she is looking for. To achieve this, information of the users to be first identified before planning such services (Chandel, Saraf, 2004).

According to Wilson (1980) perfect knowledge of inquirer is predictions and perfect knowledge of all texts, which could possibly be used by an inquirer, would be necessary before that ideal set could be identified. For library it is important to investigate the preferences of its users to be able to acquire adequate information sources (Vilar and Zumar, 1995)”…a knowledge of the requirements of the different users of scientific information and the uses to which they wish to put the information they secure should be the ultimate determining factor in the designing of methods of storage and retrieval of scientific information.” (Bernal, 1959).

Before, this module is further elaborated, let us attempt to define and understand connotation of „needs‟. Need is a psychological concept and human being according to Karl Marx is a creature of need. These needs are to be satisfied to avoid complications and unpleasantness and remove uncertainty. Need is a requisite which is required or wanted or desired. Need is a necessity such as food, water, security, etc.

3. What Need is?

To define need is difficult. But human being is a creature of need as stated by Karl Marx. Even philosophers have avoided and neglected definition of need (Reader, 2005). Ohlsson (1995) observed that there are two concepts expressed by the term „need‟ – one referring to certain psychological drives and one referring to certain casual connections between states. Psychological drives of Ohlsson is similar to Maslow theory of hierarchy of needs (1943).

Dictionary meaning of need is a condition or situation in which something is required or wanted, e.g., I need a glass of water. Business Dictionary defines „need‟ as a motivational force that compels action for its satisfaction. Needs range from basic survival needs (common to all human beings) satisfied by necessity, to cultural, intellectual, and social needs (varying from place to place, and age group to age group).

{General: A motivating force that compels action for its satisfaction. Needs range from basic survival needs (common to all human beings) satisfied by necessities, to cultural, intellectual, and social needs (varying from place to place and age group to age group) satisfied by necessaries.

We need food, shelter to survive. People need health care. But there is a difference between need for food and health care. Anything, which is necessary but lacking leads to generation of need. These needs are due to lack of and deprivation of something which are to be satisfied in order to avoid unpleasantness, remove anxiety and feeling and to move on to higher level need. Other terms used as synonymous or near synonymous to „needs‟ are requirement, demand, want, preference. Needs are contingent, wants and preferences in contrast are in-contingent (Ohlsson, 1995). When some demand is put to seek something, it implies that there is a need behind this demand. So we may infer that demand is also the expression of need. The difference between wants and needs has been summarized as under (McCain,2012):

	WANTS	NEEDS
1	Subjective	Objective
2	Relative	Abstract and absolute
3	Uncontingent	Contingent
4	Insatiable	Satiable
5	Attributable to human individuals	Attributable in principle to any entity

Students may refer the articles written by Nicholas and Herman (2009) Line (1974) Robert (1975)and Brittan (1970) for further detail to find out the difference in the usage of these terms.

Definitions of Information Needs

The concept of information needs was first time used by Robert (1962). Taylor attempted to describe how an inquirer obtains an answer from an information system, by performing the process of seeking information consciously or unconsciously (Wikipedia). However, Menzel (1964) preferred the term „demand‟ in place of „need‟. Our collection development policy is also based upon demand theory. In all literature of Library& Information Science, mainly two terms have been frequently used, i.e. ,Information needs and information seeking behavior.

It is not only information needs of users exclusively which is to be met, libraries are also expected to meet the requirement, demand and want of the users. Users may put demand on the system to get information, may require some piece of information or want to read and consult some information resources which may not be based upon their actual needs. Therefore, for the purpose of this study, „information needs‟ should be considered in a broader perspective which also includes information requirement, want and demand of information, though difference among these terms have been discussed in the preceding paragraphs. Information needs is not the basic need as need for food, shelter and health care.

Information seeking theories often refer to the concept of information needs, a presumed cognitive state wherein an individual‟s need state triggers the search behavior characteristic of information seeking in a given context (Designdialogues, Nov. 15th, 2010). On day-to-day basis people engage themselves in information seeking at some level (consciously or unconsciously) (Krikelas,1983).When an attempt is made to define information needs, both the terms „information‟ and „need‟ should preferably be defined individually for better understanding of the concepts of two terms. But both these terms are difficult to define, as such there is no consensus in defining these terms. Need is an internal process and information is nebulous term. In view of this situation, Wilson (1981, 2005) suggests that the term „information needs‟ be abandoned and replaced with the term „information-seeking behavior.‟ He writes (2005): the term ”information-seeking behavior” should be adapted in place of information needs as behavior is observable, whereas needs being internal mental states, are not.” „Information needs‟ and „information seeking behavior‟ cannot be treated as conveying same meaning, nor information needs can be adapted to mean information seeking behavior and vice versa. When information need is felt, the process of information seeking begins. In other words, information needs generate information seeking or information gathering behavior. Information seeking behavior includes how users look for information, how they make use of resources, what are their preferences, choices, how they interact with the barriers of information communication and information systems in use, how they perceive their need and formulate search strategies to access information (Chandel, 2004).This makes the difference between „information need‟ and „information seeking behavior‟. But the argument of Wilson is convincing in order to resolve the issue by replacing information needs with information seeking behavior to come out of the complexity in defining „information need‟. But the meaning and the concept of both the terms are different.

Belkin (1977) gave the concept of Anomalous State of Knowledge (ASK). He identified the fundamental problem of communication between information generator and information user and concluded that cognitive level of recipient of information is anomalous with respect to some goal. ASK is similar to unconscious need of Taylor (1968), when user is not able to conceptualize what he actually needs. However, it may not be true in all cases. When reference is made to unconscious need, unexpressed need, anomalous state of knowledge, it is difficult to bring „information need‟ under a precise definition. When people recognize a gap in their state of knowledge, that is, when they experience “an anomalous state of knowledge”, they wish to resolve that anomaly and seek information. But libraries are not supposed to meet the information needs only but have to provide all resources whatever is required or demanded or /wanted by the users. The following statements may explain the difference among terms like need, demand, requirement, preferences and wants which almost convey the same meaning so far as meeting information needs is concerned:

i) There is a demand of course books as observed by the library staff.

ii) Survey revealed that majority of the users above the age group of 60 years like to read religious books.

iii) In public library, users often look for recreational and inspiration materials.Users often want to read new arrival and new publications in their area of interest. People need digital libraries in 21st Century.I need morning newspaper to begin the day.

iv) Local history is one of the subjects of interest of local community.

Krikelas defines information needs as a state of uncertainty recognized by individual (Henefer, and Fulton,2008). Information needs is felt in different circumstances encountered by the individual. Information is also sought even without the feeling of its „need‟. It is not always need based. One may search information out of inquisitiveness to know latest advances in the subject, resolve problems in hand relating to work one is engaged in. Information is also sought for recreational, inspirational and motivational purposes which don‟t fall under the category of human basic needs. One may also gather information to keep updated and influence people around him with his knowledge. Some people have instinctive derive to seek information to go on changing their knowledge structure and keep themselves abreast with latest developments. Therefore, „information need‟ is to be considered in a broader sense which includes want, demand, preferences, choices for information resources.

Characteristics of Information Needs

Main characteristics of information needs could summarized as below:

Information needs is subjective as well as objective with inter-relationship between the two. Needs are objective because it is a discoverable matter of fact what needs a person has.’
Needs differ from: individual-to-individual, group to group, institution to institution, society to society, environment to environment, and from time to time conditioned by the purpose and function at hand (Chandel and Veena, 2004).
Need-Creating Event/Environment are responsible factors behind information needs and information gathering (Krikelas, 1983).
Need-Creating Event/Environment are responsible factors behind information needs and information gathering (Krikelas, 1983).
Information needs is often non-specific, intangible. visceral and thus unknowable and non-specifiable in a query to an information system ( Belkin, Oddy, and Brooks, 1982).

Types of Needs

There are different types of needs conditioned by the different purposes in hand. The environment in which one works or in which one lives will have bearing on the type of information one needs as well as one defines that need. Voigt (1959) had identified only three types of needs: Current approach (to keep up-to date), Everyday approach, Exhaustive approach. Menzel (1964) added one more function to Voigt list that of enabling a scientist to „brush up on a field – that is to familiarize himself with more or less well defined field of inquiry. Need may also arise from isolated event (Henefer and Fulton, 2008). Krikelas (1983)believed in only two types of needs; immediate need and deferred needs. Whittaker (1993) gave the following types of information needs:

i) Regular: Such as current awareness, browsing of subject journal

ii) General: General reading according to the interests hobbiesetc.

iii) Quick reference: Fact-finding, statistical informatio

iv) Relating to personal problems: Travel, diagnosis of diseases, finding a job, etc.

v) Personal development: Study abroad, qualifying competitive examination, and improving professional competence.

vi)Research: Writing thesis, project report, dissertation, literature survey and review, etc.

Gorman (1995) identified following types of information needs:

i) Unrecognized: not aware of information or knowledge

ii) Recognized: aware that information needed mayor may not be pursued

iii) Pursued: information seeking occurs, mayor may not be pursued

Taylor (1962)identified following four stages in the minds of the inquirer when asking four types of questions, giving rise to information needs:

i) Actual, but unexpressed, need for information (the visceral need)

ii) The conscious, within-brain description of the need (the conscious need)

iii) The formal statement of the question (the formalized need).

iv) The question as presented in the information system (Compromised need).

Orr (1970) gave a detailed account of types of information needs. He identified why of information needs based upon input and output functions which are given below:

Input Functions:

Regular Needs

Current Awareness: To keep abreast of new development.
Everyday Reference: To obtain specific items of information essential for day-to-day conduct of o-going project.
Personal: Such as food, drinks, etc.
Stimulation: Suggest new ideas, approaches and problems.
Feedback: To obtain reactions to own work and refine problem definitions.

Episodic Needs

Retrospective: Search to learn of past work possibly relevant to and useful for current or project.Exhaustive: All relevant work.Limited: Limited by size or by criteria (e.g., literature of last 10 years).Instructions: To acquire new competencies or to „brush up‟ in areas where competency has declined.Consultation: To obtain tailor-made „solutions to, or expert opinion on specific problems recognized as outside areas of special competence.

Output Functions Responding This is in response to input needs of the users which may be explicit or implicit. The output response could be:
Informing

Alerting (Current awareness)
Answering (Everyday reference)
Referring (Retrospective search)
Teaching (Instruction)
Advising (Consultation)
Reacting to meet personal needs

Requesting: To solicit input from others explicit or implied requests aimed at meeting own needs for current awareness, everyday reference, retrospective search, instruction and consultation, as well as for stimulation and feedback.

Promoting: To advance own ideas, projects, career, or reputation, namely:

Proposing: To obtain support from sponsors, collaboration and cooperation from other.

Preempting:To establish a proprietary „claim‟ for contribution, pending definitive disclosure or „registration‟.Registering: To make a contribution part of the permanent record esteemed by reference group or sponsors.Re-enforcing: To improve chance of achieving desired end by citing own contribution, etc.
Defending: To refute criticism.

Types of information needs depends upon nature of problem in hand which varies from individual to individual in different circumstances. The very purpose of going into the details of types of information needs is to find ways and means of meeting these needs to the utmost satisfaction of different types of users belonging to different communities by generating such services which have relevance to the users. Some writers distinguish information needs according to the activity in which information gained is used, Menzel (1964). Knowledge of different types of information needs provides background to generate different types of services to different types of users. Today‟s users are entirely different to earlier users of two or three decades ago. Internet and Google experience have changed the information seeking behaviour of the users. They expect everything in a single click irrespective of the location and possession. Most of the users today want comprehensive information in full-text.

Meeting Information Needs

The classification of information needs is quite diverse as discussed above and it is quite challenging to meet varied needs of different types of users. Any type of need or demand can confront the professional who should be ever prepared to meet the situation. Menzel (1964) had identified three themes to provide expected services to the scientists to meet out their requirements which has the same relevance to day as 50 years ago:

The guiding slogan must be speed, efficiency and comprehensiveness. The overriding aim in other words is to bring information to scientist promptly, to bring him all that is relevant, and to bring it to him with a minimum of waste motion, especially on the scientist’s own part.
The prototype activity is exhaustive search. This means the delivery to the scientist of all documents satisfying a small set of criteria that he has defined in advance.
The achievement of these goals lies along the roads of greater systematization, greater streamlining, greater mechanization, greater automation of information processing and dissemination.

Though these were conceived as untested themes and assumptions but have passed through the test of the time and seem to be proven facts. During 1960s there was hardly any application of technology to achieve the above goals which Menzel had very thoughtfully conceived and foresighted. In the present electronic age, nothing can be achieved without systematization, mechanisation and automation. These are the roads leading to reach library users to meet out their information needs.

It is interesting to note that IFLA (2011) had used the term wishes of the users in place of needs of the users.

What are the wishes of our present users have been summarized by IFLA (2011) as under:

Ease of access, i.e. users would like to have as much content as possible online and remotely accessible from wherever they are, using any device they have at hand.
Ease of search across databases and available content assets, i.e. users would like our search engines to be like Google, easy to use, yet much better and more precise
Richness of content, i.e. users would like to have easy access to a very rich repository of content in all formats and languages, 24 by 7.
Affordable services, i.e. users are prepared to pay for service, however, they would like libraries to help them negotiate for lower fees and make the payment process easy and convenient. Most would prefer to pay as they use, rather than by subscriptions.
Content translated into the mother tongue languages that they understand, i.e. users would like access channels and navigation paths to be in the languages that they choose, and the content to be in the language that they are able to read
Easy access to resource persons or librarians who can help them to navigate and provide suitable coaching when they need help.

8 Summary

The purpose of identifying information needs of users is to provide need based value added information services. Users are always to be kept in view and emphasis should be on their needs which also include demand, wants, preferences and also the wishes. A large number of literature have been published on users studies particularly on „information needs‟. The precise definition of information needs is still lacking. Information need is not similar to need for food, shelter, healthcare, etc. Information needs is not the basic need. If information need is not satisfied, it may not lead to consequence as being starved without getting food or not getting healthcare. Information is not only sought when needed, however, users may seek information for recreation, to keep themselves up-to-date in their subject of interest. Many users out of their hobby also seek information. They may be driven to find information out of curiosity and interest which may not fall strictly under the definition of need. Information is sought when one feels that his knowledge is not adequate than required to meet the situation, this inadequacy has to be removed by providing right information.We have discussed different types of needs of different users which obvious have different sources and services to be generated and provided. The basic function of the library begins with collection building, if it is developed based upon „needs‟, resources would be used. Therefore, identifying information needs of users plays an important role providing need-based services.

It is also equally important as to how these services should be provided. Google and other service providers search engines have attracted library users and majority of the our users are being withdrawn away from the libraries. Convenience and ease of use are dominating factors. User information seeking behaviour have entirely changed, their dependence on libraries is declining. Therefore, it is not only important to assess the information needs of the users, but it is equally important how to provide services to them according to their expectation. Information need has to be interpreted in a broader sense of the term so that whatever is sought is provided timely and effectively provided. It hardly matters whether it is demand or want or need.

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