A manageable, cyclic approach to studies of user needs and information behaviour

Ref: 
D2
Date: 
03/07/2012
Time: 
09:00 - 12:00
Course trainer(s): 
Prof Ina Fourie
Drs Suzanne Bakker
Course description: 

Health libraries and information services (LIS) need to ensure that services stay relevant, innovative, in-line with institutional policies and resources and on par with users’ expectations and preferences, and what is offered by other health LIS. The workshop purpose is to explore a manageable, cyclic approach health LIS can follow in a dynamic, IT driven environment. Much has been published on user studies and studies of information behaviour. Many textbooks offer advice on research and methods of data collection e.g. questionnaires, interviews, focus group interviews, transaction log analysis, observation. Practising LIS professionals, however, face many questions in deciding when to do a study, how to do it, which questions to ask and where and how to find the resources. Collaboration across institutions and countries, good awareness from literature reviews, and selecting a manageable approach that can help to gain skills and confidence in research, the interpretation of results, generation of ideas for services and adaptation, evaluation of services, etc. can support LIS in improving their services.

The workshop will cover the following – strongly based on experiences from presenters and participants:

  • Introduction & background: user studies & studies of information behaviour.
  • Reasons for studying user needs & information behaviour: (Table format; Based on a literature review).
  • Suggested manageable model: FRUITFUL
  • Awareness of quality management and evidence based librarianship and information practice (EBLIP).
  • Demarcating a study: what you want to do and why.
  • Selection of participants; suggestions for sampling.
  • Choice of methods (Table format).
  • Generating ideas for implementation / adapting services; prioritising.
  • Assessing success of changes & re-evaluation of services.
  • Sharing research results: conference papers, posters, articles, blogs, discussion lists.
  • Ongoing reflection and monitoring of the subject literature & other resources.
Maximum attendees: 
40