A * quick * search of Library Literature doesn't turn up much! "Browsing"
is used as a descriptor in LibLit (on SilverPlatter), but returns only 33
hits. Of those, the few that look possibly applicable date from the early
1990's, truly pre-web.
I suspect that web use has significantly altered the way people seek
information.
"Information-seeking" as a LibLit descriptor also turns up little... Too
broad of a concept in general, and the cited articles tend to reference
specific populations or work-related disciplines, such as:
"Information needs and information-seeking behavior of artisan fisher folk
of Uganda"
An area for research identified!
But note that in Bry's example, the students preferred browsing thru a *
directory *... I assume that means that someone/something filtered the
information into a loose classification of materials.
So even tho browsing was preferred... It was directed by some form of
structure.
-- deg farrelly, Associate Librarian Arizona State University West Library PO Box 37100 Phoenix, Arizona 85069-7100 Phone: 602.543.8522 Email: deg.farrelly@asu.edu
> From: "Griest, Bryan" <BGriest@ci.glendale.ca.us> > Reply-To: "videolib@library.berkeley.edu" <videolib@library.berkeley.edu> > Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 18:59:06 -0700 > To: "'videolib@library.berkeley.edu'" <videolib@library.berkeley.edu> > Subject: RE: [Videolib] Interfiling Videos and DVDs with book collection > > Bry writes: > I was part of a research team at UCLA that studied searching v. browsing > techniques among 4th and 12th grade students using an online archive web > site. We found that (much to our surprise, given the prevalence of Google as > the dominant information portal) in each group of students, just as many if > not more of the subjects preferred browsing through a directory to find > specific items than entering search terms in the search box. While I don't > know if this conclusion translates to the offline environment, it was an > eye-opening discovery nonetheless. Does anyone out there know of studies > that assess offline preferences?