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Paper has been the format of choice for disseminating geographic information for millennia; however the arrival of the internet and mobile technologies has created new modes of map consumption. This paper investigates the future role of paper mapping in a society where access to online digital mapping is freely available. The research consists of an online survey to investigate how people use and view online/digital and paper maps, together with a task-based user study to investigate the suitability of each map format for a variety of given tasks. Similar to previous research, we categorize participants into two groups (experts and non-experts/novices) based on their level of geographic skill. Results demonstrate that geographic knowledge and the context of use clearly relate to preference of map format. As geographic skill increases, there is a greater preference for paper maps; non-experts prefer online/digital maps. Also, paper is the preferred medium for planning and executing navigation on foot across all groups. Overall, results suggest that paper maps are here to stay for the foreseeable future and remain the preferred choice for some in the digital age.

People are increasingly investigating their family history (or genealogy) as part of their everyday information-seeking activities. This paper provides insight into this behaviour and presents a new conceptual model that captures the stages of activity carried out during people’s lifelong family history research. The model offers a multi-phase view of the research process, intended to illustrate: (a) the different research phases themselves; (b) the inter-relationship between phases; (c) distinct phase-specific behaviours; and (d) phase-specific resource preferences. Data collected from amateur family historians by interview and questionnaire has helped to validate the model and provide insights into the information resources used. The findings complement existing knowledge about family history research and will benefit: family historians as they seek to navigate within the research process; providers of genealogical resources as they seek to better support users; and academics as they study information-seeking behaviours in various contexts.