/research/projects/imls/default.htm

originally: http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/imls/default.htm

Sense-Making the Information Confluence:
The Whys and Hows of College and University User Satisficing of Information Needs

Institute of Museum and Library Services logo  The Ohio State University logo  OCLC Online Computer Library Center logo

This project is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and in-kind contributions from Ohio State University and OCLC.

Goals

This project will

  1. Provide useful findings about
  2. Apply diverse user-research interpretations to the inquiry, in order to

The findings from this research will be relevant to

  1. Practicing librarians
  2. Use and User study researchers
  3. Practitioners and researchers collaborating from different disciplines

Through formal reports and conference presentations investigators will share with the community

  1. empirical findings and implications
  2. examples of approches for bridging diifferences between researchers and practitioners in multiple fields --approaches for identifying unities and for making sense of differences.

Why OCLC is conducting this research and how it helps libraries

This research project

Methodology

The interviews, focus groups and field observations will aim to find answers for a variety of questions, such as how people viewed their information needs in particular situations, what they were trying to accomplish, and how system features helped and hindered their ability to meet their information needs.

Schedule

The two-year research period began December 31, 2003.

Presentations

Publications

References

Project team