LRS-V
October 8,2010
Lynn Silipigni ConnawaySenior Research Scientist
Timothy J. DickeyPost-Doctoral Researcher
“I Don’t Have to Know, I Go to One Spot:”
Convenience as a Critical Factor in Recent User Studies of Information
Behavior
“I Don’t Have to Know, I Go to One Spot:”
Convenience as a Critical Factor in Recent User Studies of Information
Behavior
IntroductionIntroduction
JISC-funded meta-analysis
•The Digital Information Seeker:
Report of Findings from Selected OCLC, RIN, and JISC User Behaviour Projects
Theoretical Framework for ConvenienceTheoretical Framework for Convenience
• Rational Choice Theory
• Green, S.L. (2002). Rational choice theory.
• “Satisficing” behavior
• Prabha, et al. (2007). What is enough? Satisficing information needs. JDoc 63(1).
Theoretical Framework for ConvenienceTheoretical Framework for Convenience
• Gratification Theory
• Chatman, E. (1991). Life in a small world: Application of gratification theory to information-seeking behavior. JASIS&T 42(6).
• Everyday-life Information Seeking
• Savolainen, R. (2008). Everyday information practices.
Convenience in the User Studies DataConvenience in the User Studies Data
Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (OCLC, 2005)
• Search engines a “lifestyle fit” for speed & convenience
• Key criterion in resource choice is speed
College Students’ Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (OCLC, 2006)
• Use the library less since they began using the Internet
Convenience in the User Studies DataConvenience in the User Studies Data
Researchers and Discovery Services (RIN, 2006)
• Researchers value the convenience of desktop access
Researchers’ Use of Academic Libraries (RIN, 2007)
• Convenience a major factor in behaviors
• Users expect not to spend much time in locating an item
Convenience in the User Studies DataConvenience in the User Studies Data
Information Behavior of the Researcher of the Future (CIBER, 2008)
• Users demand 24/7 access, instant gratification
JISC National E-books Observatory Project (JISC, 2009)
• Article downloads have nearly doubled
• Convenience a major factor in usage
Sense-making the Information Confluence: The Whys and Hows of
College and University User Satisficing of Information Needs
Sense-making the Information Confluence: The Whys and Hows of
College and University User Satisficing of Information Needs
Sense-making the Information ConfluenceSense-making the Information Confluence
Phrases used • convenience
• convenient
• easy to access
• quick
• fast
• saved time
• time-saver
Sense-making the Information ConfluenceSense-making the Information Confluence
Undergraduates
• Google & Amazon
• Library systems
Graduate students
• Library collections, ILL
• E-books
Faculty
• Personal home or office library
• Colleague
Sense-making the Information Confluence:Academic and personal situations
Sense-making the Information Confluence:Academic and personal situations
Survey Question # of convenience phrases
Situation in university life where you used electronic resources
88
Situation specifically involving research 83
Situation in life outside university where you used electronic resources
64
Troublesome situation in university life 39
Troublesome situation in life outside university 11
TOTAL: 285
Sense-making the Information Confluence:Sources used
Sense-making the Information Confluence:Sources used
Information sources used (from a list provided in the survey)
Convenience phrases
Convenience phrases where source helped
Convenience phrases where
source did not help
Internet search engine 56 52 4Electronic databases 48 44 1College or university libraries 17 12 5Library catalogs 8 6 2Own observations 6 5 1Journal articles 6 4 2Students, classmates 5 5 0Public libraries 5 2 3Newspapers 5 2 3
Magic Wand: Ideal Information SystemMagic Wand: Ideal Information System
Undergraduates
• Keyword searching in all books
• Universal library catalog
• Roving library staff
• Federated searching in databases
• Better hyperlinks
Graduate students
• Better book/journal delivery systems
Faculty
• Selective Dissemination of Information
• VRS
Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services
from User, Non-user, and Librarian Perspectives
Seeking Synchronicity:Evaluating Virtual Reference Services
from User, Non-user, and Librarian Perspectives
Seeking Synchronicity: VRS UsersSeeking Synchronicity: VRS Users
Very Important or Important
• Convenience• 97% (n=133) of all
respondents
• 98% (n=58) of frequent VRS users
• Immediate answers• 89% (n=122) of all
respondents
• 92% (n=54) of frequent VRS users
Convenience as factor in information seeking: VRS UsersConvenience as factor in information seeking: VRS Users
40%
60%
80%
100%
55%,76
85%,11666%,
39
86%,51
All survey re-spondents (N=137)Frequent VRS users (N=59)
Factors important when choosing VRS:VRS UsersFactors important when choosing VRS:VRS Users
Chat reference is con-venient
I needed reference help late at night or on the
weekend
I had a desperate need for quick answers
I could not get to the library
60% 80% 100%
100%, 59
78%, 46
78%, 46
78%, 46
95%, 130
74%, 101
72%, 98
73%, 100
All survey re-spondents (N=137)Frequent VRS users (N=59)
Factors important when choosing VRS:VRS UsersFactors important when choosing VRS:VRS Users
12-18 (N=26) 19-28 (N=23) 29+ (N=88)60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
92%,24
70%,16
66%,58
I had a desperate need for quick answers:VRS users
Very important or important
Reasons for chat as first choice for information:VRS Users
Reasons for chat as first choice for information:VRS Users
Conve
nient
Quic
k hel
p--sp
eedy
answ
ers
After
-hou
rs, c
an't
get to
libra
ry
Alrea
dy at
--in
use
of a
com
puter
Don
't hav
e to
leav
e hom
e-offi
ce
Relia
ble in
form
atio
n-sou
rces
Easier
to
go on
-line
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%
29%,22
18%,14
12%,9 9%,
77%,
57%,
5
4%,3
VRS users (N=76)
Comparing specific aspects of FtF:VRS Non-UsersComparing specific aspects of FtF:VRS Non-Users
Convenience of my access to FtF reference help is• 45%, (n=83) Excellent or very good
Don’t choose chat reference because it may be unavailable when needed
• 60%, (n=110)
Strongly agree or agree
* VRS non-users (N=184)
Comparing specific features of other formats:VRS Non-Users
Comparing specific features of other formats:VRS Non-Users
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
91%,50
84%,116 73%,
19
VRS non-users (N=184)
Convenience as factor in choosing information sources: VRS Non-Users
Convenience as factor in choosing information sources: VRS Non-Users
Star
t with
Inte
rnet
Star
t with
Goo
gle
Goo
gle
Wik
iped
ia
Goo
gle
Scho
lar
Star
t with
Wik
iped
ia
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%
30%,32
15%,16
12%,13
5%,5
4%,4
3%,3
VRS non-users (N=107)
Alternatives to the library and why:VRS Non-UsersAlternatives to the library and why:VRS Non-Users
Alternative source is the Internet
Databases associated with Internet
Google Scholar
Wikipedia
Expert web sites
Yahoo!
Journals associated with Internet
Online book sellers
Why: Personal convenience
Why: Inconvenience of the library
Why: Internet as starting point
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
46%, 49
11%, 12
6%, 6
3%,3
3%, 3
3%, 3
2%, 2
1%, 1
1%, 1
38%, 40
25%, 26
2%, 2
Possible reasons for trying chat:VRS Non-UsersPossible reasons for trying chat:VRS Non-Users
Convenience
Needing immediate answers
Unable to get to the library
Using the service after hours
Perceiving chat reference as faster than email
Valuing using chat reference from home
Unable to telephone the library
Citing general ease of use
Experiencing bad weather
Avoiding a long distance call
Preferring chat to holding on the phone
-10% 10% 30% 50% 70%
61%, 65
26%, 28
7%, 7
7%, 7
4%, 4
4%, 4
4%, 4
2%, 2
2%, 2
1%, 1
1%, 1
VRS non-users (N=107)
Implications for PracticeImplications for Practice
• Make library experience more like the Web
• Google, Amazon.com, iTunes
• Provide more authoritative, reliable digital sources
• e-journals, data sets, VREs, open source materials, multimedia objects, blogs
• Advertise library brand better
• Develop economic model for resources
Implications for ResearchImplications for Research
Investigate how and why people get information in different contexts and situations
Theoretical research combining individual and social factors that influence information-seeking behaviors
Connaway, LS & Dickey, TJ. (2010). The Digital Information Seeker: Report of Findings from Selected OCLC, RIN, and JISC User Behaviour Projects. London: HECFCE.
Connaway, LS & Dickey, TJ. (2010). The Digital Information Seeker: Report of Findings from Selected OCLC, RIN, and JISC User Behaviour Projects. London: HECFCE.
•Perceptions of libraries and information resources (OCLC, December 2005).
•College students’ perceptions of libraries and information resources (OCLC, April 2006).
•Sense-making the information confluence: The whys and hows of college and university user satisficing of information needs (IMLS/Ohio State University/OCLC, July 2006).
•Researchers and discovery services: Behaviour, perceptions and needs (RIN, November 2006).
•Researchers’ use of academic libraries and their services (RIN/CURL, April 2007).
•Information behaviour of the researcher of the future (CIBER/UCL, commissioned by BL and JISC, January 2008).
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/reports/2010/digitalinformationseekerreport.pdf
Connaway, LS & Dickey, TJ. (2010). The Digital Information Seeker: Report of Findings from Selected OCLC, RIN, and JISC User Behaviour Projects. London: HECFCE
Connaway, LS & Dickey, TJ. (2010). The Digital Information Seeker: Report of Findings from Selected OCLC, RIN, and JISC User Behaviour Projects. London: HECFCE
•Seeking synchronicity: Evaluating virtual reference services from user, non-user and librarian perspectives (OCLC/ IMLS/ Rutgers, June 2008).
•Online catalogs: What users and librarians want (OCLC. March 2009).
•E-journals: Their use, value and impact (RIN, April 2009).
•JISC national e-books observatory project: Key findings and recommendations (JISC/UCL, November 2009).
•Students’ use of research content in teaching and learning (JISC, November 2009).
•User behaviour in resource discovery (JISC, November 2009).
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/reports/2010/digitalinformationseekerreport.pdf
Questions