Information Use, User, User Needs and Seeking Behaviour: A Review

Subhash Reddy B.; M Krishnamurthy; Ashok Y Asundi

doi:10.14429/djlit.38.2.12098

Subhash Reddy B. AMET University, Kanathur, Chennai - 603 112, India
M Krishnamurthy DRTC, Indian Statistical Institute, Bengaluru - 560 059, India
Ashok Y Asundi Department of Library and Information Science, Bangalore University, Bengaluru - 560 056, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/djlit.38.2.12098

Keywords: Information user, Information needs, Information behaviour, Anomalous state of knowledge

Abstract

The studies on the user, user information behaviour, and seeking have been continuing since last 50 years or more. Ranganathan’s five laws brought the phrase ‘use’ reordering from preservation. The studies on user and user behaviour with varying characteristics has not changed and still going on to study the impact of ICT and use of electronic resources. Several hidden revelations on users’ approach to information identified by Voigt, types of readers identified by Ranganathan and the ASK model by Belkin have been expounded to visualise the user categories and attributes of the user, user information behaviour and so on. The aim of this paper is only a perspective review of the literature on information user, with an intrinsic scope for some new research possibilities in this area.

Author Biographies

Subhash Reddy B., AMET University, Kanathur, Chennai - 603 112, India

Mr Subhash Reddy B. is currently pursuing his PhD from AMET University, Chennai. Presently working as Librarian, PES University, Bangalore. He has professional experience in working in the engineering college library, and he has develop special interests in user studies, information seeking behaviour, and library automation.

M Krishnamurthy, DRTC, Indian Statistical Institute, Bengaluru - 560 059, India

Dr Madaiah Krishnamurthy received his PhD from Bengaluru University. Currently working as an Associate Professor of Information Science at DRTC, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore. He is the author of over eighty articles. His research interests are digital libraries, institutional repositories, social networking, library management and automation.

Ashok Y Asundi, Department of Library and Information Science, Bangalore University, Bengaluru - 560 056, India

Prof. A.Y. Asundi was the former Professor and Chairman, of DLISc, Bangalore University, Bengaluru. He was a member of Advisory Group of IFLA-SIG on LIS Education in developing Countries. He has written about 12 books and has contributed more than 250 papers to scholarly journals and Conference proceedings.