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Introduction: This paper presents a qualitative exploration of university students' experience of searching an online public access catalogue. The study investigated how students conceptualise their searching process, as well as how students understand themselves as seekers of information. Method: Following a search task, thirty-eight university students were interviewed using a qualitative, semi-structured interview design. The interviews explored students' experience of searching, conceptualised aspects of their searches, their information seeking strategies, confidence in searching, and any difficulties encountered. Analysis: The interviews were analysed using a grounded theory approach. The analysis involved iterative review and constant comparison of the transcripts, including line-by-line open coding followed by a second round of focused coding. Results: The results of the project present an emergent theory that explores a set of conceptual patterns in students' searching mental model of online systems, a typology of searchers' perceptions of their information retrieval skills (i.e., their searcher self-concept), and categorisation of types of searchers. Conclusion: With increased knowledge of how students conceptualise their search process and view themselves as seekers of information, educators and information professionals can work more effectively with students to search for the literature of their disciplines. Similarly, system designers can devise interfaces that suit students' needs.

Introduction. Universities rely increasingly on contract academic staff for teaching and research activities; yet, working in precarious conditions, these staff face significant challenges in finding relevant workplace information, in engaging with colleagues, and in building their careers. This study examines contract academic staff perceptions of precarity and workplace marginalisation, focusing on the implications of situational and environmental influences on their information practices. Method. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 34 contract academic staff, working in various disciplines across Canadian universities, were conducted to examine their information practices. Analysis. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, drawing on everyday life information seeking and information marginalisation theories. Results. Results of the study show that 1) contract academic staff conduct their work within isolated information environments; 2) this isolation leads these staff to develop highly individualised information practices; and 3) the information activities of contract academic staff are often immobilised, due to the precarious contexts that shape their work and personal lives. Conclusion. Precarious employment and information marginalisation are deeply entwined for contract academic staff. This results in frustration, disappointment, and uncertainty with their work and personal circumstances. Institutional challenges can seem intractable, particularly where task-related information provision (when available) cannot address systemic concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on the topics including theoretical explorations of the field of information behavior and information practices; and expansion and evolution of information behavior and information practices theories.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the information behaviour of early career academics (ECAs) within humanities and social sciences (HSS) disciplines who are starting their first continuing academic position. The proposed grounded theory of Systemic Managerial Constraints (SMC) is introduced as a way to understand the influence of neoliberal universities on the information behaviour of ECAs.Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research used constructivist grounded theory methodology. Participants were 20 Australian and Canadian ECAs from HSS. Their information practices and information behaviour were examined for a period of five to seven months using two interviews and multiple “check-ins”. Data were analysed through two rounds of coding, where codes were iteratively compared and contrasted.Findings SMC emerged from the analysis and is proposed as a grounded theory to help better understand the context of higher education and its influence on ECAs’ information behaviour. SMC presents university managerialism, resulting from neoliberalism, as pervasive and constraining both the work ECAs do and how they perform that work. SMC helps to explain ECAs’ uncertainty and precarity in higher education and changing information needs as a result of altered work role, which, in turn, leads ECAs to seek and share information with their colleagues and use information to wield their personal agency to respond to SMC.Originality/value The findings from this paper provide a lens through which to view universities as information environments and the influence these environments can have on ECAs’ information practices and information behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital tools offer new affordances and methodologies to humanities scholars' research. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach to examine humanities scholars' research practices, including their use of a wide range of resources and digital technologies. Using in‐depth study, several themes emerged from the research relating to the role of technology in shaping humanities scholars' research practices. The themes include: (a) humanities scholars' research approaches and technology tools; (b) the humanities scholar as tool developer; (c) the role of data preparation as a meta‐level research practice; (d) data visualization versus numeric outputs—one size does not fit all; (e) the importance of flexibility and agency; (f) technology tools in support of the researcher as writer; and (g) working alone/working together—technology tools and collaborative practice. The heterogeneous nature of humanities scholars' research practices are explored and the resulting implications for digital tool design. Two new research practices—tool development and data preparation—are proposed. The diverse digital technologies humanities scholars use support the traditional ways of working within their discipline, as well as creating potential for new scholarly practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of observational video recordings to document young children's use of technology in their homes. Although observational research practices have been used for decades, often with video-based techniques, the participant group in this study (i.e., very young children) and the setting (i.e., private homes) provide a rich space for exploring the benefits and limitations of qualitative observation. The data gathered in this study point to a number of key decisions and issues that researchers must face in designing observational research, particularly where nonresearchers (in this case, parents) act as surrogates for the researcher at the data collection stage. The involvement of parents and children as research videographers in the home resulted in very rich and detailed data about children's use of technology in their daily lives. However, limitations noted in the data set (e.g., image quality) provide important guidance for researchers developing projects using similar methods in future. The article provides recommendations for future observational designs in similar settings and/or with similar participant groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the experiences of early-career academics' information behavior, in relation to information acquisition and sharing, leading to information overload and avoidance. It provides practical suggestions to universities to support early-career academics during this time, including limiting mass emails and tailoring information to specific academic communities.

Introduction. This paper presents a qualitative exploration of university students' experience of searching an online public access catalogue. The study investigated how students conceptualise their searching process, as well as how students understand themselves as seekers of information. Method. Following a search task, thirty-eight university students were interviewed using a qualitative, semi-structured interview design. The interviews explored students' experience of searching, conceptualised aspects of their searches, their information seeking strategies, confidence in searching, and any difficulties encountered. Analysis. The interviews were analysed using a grounded theory approach. The analysis involved iterative review and constant comparison of the transcripts, including line-byline open coding followed by a second round of focused coding. Results. The results of the project present an emergent theory that explores a set of conceptual patterns in students' searching mental model of online systems, a typology of searchers' perceptions of their information retrieval skills (i.e., their searcher self-concept), and categorisation of types of searchers. Conclusion. With increased knowledge of how students conceptualise their search process and view themselves as seekers of information, educators and information professionals can work more effectively with students to search for the literature of their disciplines. Similarly, system designers can devise interfaces that suit students' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective -- To test the assumption that giving students time to research independently during a one-shot information literacy instruction (ILI) session, combined with scaffolding, is an effective pedagogical practice and a good use of class time. Methods -- The study was conducted at a student-focused, four-year undergraduate institution with 8,500 full load equivalent students. Following brief, focused instruction in 10 different ILI sessions, first-, second-, and third-year students in 80-minute one-shot ILI sessions were given time to research independently. The librarian and instructor were present to scaffold the instruction students received. Students were asked to track the research they did during class using a research log and to fill out a short Web survey about their preparedness to do research and the usefulness of the ILI session. Results -- Students agreed to have 83 research logs and 73 Web surveys included in the study. Students indicated that they felt more prepared to do research for their assignment after the ILI session and rated individual help from the librarian as the most useful aspect of the instruction session. Students did not rate independent time to do research as valuable as anticipated. Examining the research logs indicated that several things are taking place during the ILI session, including that students are demonstrating what was taught in the session in their searches, that their searches are progressing in complexity, and that students are using feedback from previous searches to inform the formulation of search queries. While students appear to be putting independent search time to good use, many students' articulation of their thesis statement remains poor and searches continue to be fairly simplistic. Conclusions -- This study gives evidence that giving independent research time in ILI sessions, with scaffolding, is an effective use of class time. The study also demonstrates that the majority of students are able to use what is taught during classes and that they are using class time effectively, though searching remains fairly simple. The focus of ILI sessions is on skill development, and future research should be on integrating IL into the curriculum to develop more complex skills and thinking needed in the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined information literacy instruction in Canadian business schools, conducted to identify successful outcomes, as well as opportunities to increase the scope and magnitude of instructional outcomes. Three business schools and their supporting libraries participated in the study, which included analysis of policy documents and interviews with students, librarians, teaching faculty, and administrators. In addition, the SAILS test was administered to business students at all 3 institutions. Critical factors in the learning environments at each school were analyzed, and instructional outcomes were identified. One striking finding was the lack of coherence between the perspectives of students about their information literacy skills and learning, and the perspectives of the librarians and faculty members who teach them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports results from an exploratory study investigating the factors affecting student learning outcomes of information literacy instruction (ILI) given at business schools. Specifically, the potential influence of student demographics, learning environment factors, and information literacy program components on behavioral, psychological, and benefit outcomes were examined. In total, 79 interviews with library administrators, librarians, teaching faculty, and students were conducted at three business schools with varying ILI emphases and characteristics. During these interviews, participants discussed students' ILI experiences and the outcomes arising from those experiences. Data collection also involved application of a standardized information literacy testing instrument that measures student information literacy competency. Analysis yielded the generation of a new holistic theoretical model based on information literacy and educational assessment theories. The model identifies potential salient factors of the learning environment, information literacy program components, and student demographics that may affect ILI student learning outcomes. Recommendations for practice and implications for future research are also made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although technology can often correct spelling errors, the complex tasks of information searching and retrieval in an online public access catalog (OPAC) are made more difficult by these errors in users' input and bibliographic records. This study examines the search behaviors of 38 university students, divided into groups with either easy-to-spell or difficult-to-spell search terms, who were asked to find items in the OPAC with these search terms. Search behaviors and strategy use in the OPAC and on the World Wide Web (WWW) were examined. In general, students used familiar Web resources to check their spelling or discover more about the assigned topic. Students with difficult-to-spell search terms checked spelling more often, changed search strategies to look for the general topic and had fewer successful searches. Students unable to find the correct spelling of a search term were unable to complete their search. Students tended to search the OPAC as they would search a search engine, with few search terms or complex search strategies. The results of this study have implications for spell checking, user-focused OPAC design, and cataloging. Students' search behaviors are discussed by expanding Thatcher's (2006) Information-Seeking Process and Tactics for the WWW model to include OPACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]