An Investigation into Digital Library Users' Collaborative Information Seeking (CIS) of Graduate Students of Kharazmi University with an emphasis on two easy and difficult scenarios

Authors
Mahmood Sangari
Hamidreza Jamali
Abstract
Background and Aim: Understanding collaborative information seeking behaviour requires knowing about personal characteristics, differences between users, and the type of interactions occur during a collaborative behaviour. The aim of this study is to investigate dimensions of collaborative information seeking behaviour of graduate students of Kharazmi University when using a digital library based on easy and difficult task scenarios.

Methods: this was a mixed-method study with 60 (30 pairs) participant randomly chosen from graduate students of Kharazmi University (enrolled in 2017-2018). The sampling technique was purposive random sampling. Participants participated in a test based on easy and difficult tasks of collaborative information seeking using a digital library (Tebyan).

Results: the time spent interacting with peers or librarians was relatively short. Participants in difficult tasks mostly played the role of consultant. Most of information or help requests were of the type of procedural.

Conclusion: the results confirm the important role of librarians in collaborative information seeking and the feasibility of providing human assistant in digital library environment to support users.
Keywords
Collaborative information seeking
Digital library
Easy and difficult scenarios
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Human and Information Interaction
Volume 5, Issue 2
Summer 2018
Pages 73-86