Looking for Information: A Survey of Research on Information Seeking, Needs, and Behavior

by Donald O. Case

'Looking for Information' explores human information seeking and use. It provides examples of methods, models and theories used in information behavior research, and reviews more than four decades of research in the topic.

Genres: Nonfiction, School, Library Science, Science, Textbooks, Adult, Grad School

423 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty much the bulk of my reading these days, with a flurry of the articles/projects/studies referenced Case references.

Welcome to library school.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Obviously this isn't the kind of thing you curl up with for fun on a Friday night, but even judging by the standards of textbooks I found Case's Looking for Information a ponderous slog. I read this in conjunction with my Assessing Information Needs class, and in effect the entire work is simply a massive literature review on that topic, one which almost strangles itself on its own in text citations.

Early chapters introducing information behavior and offering examples are decent if uninspiring, and the fifth chapter on concepts related to information needs and information seeking (such as relevance, salience, selective exposure, etc.) is actually something approximating readable. Unfortunately from there we roll into chapters six and seven, both fully devoted to describing models and theories (and heaven forfend you confuse the two!) in excruciating detail while somehow never actually explicating the aforementioned model or theory through the use of an example that might illustrate what said critter looks like in the real world. Oddly, all the examples so desperately missing from this section show up in the chapter dedicated to listing types of methods of information gathering, which was full of samples of real-life instances of researchers who made use of case studies or interviews when it would have been better served with a closer examination of the pros and cons of each method.

This volume does come with a limited (read: far from complete) glossary, as well as an appendix of questions for discussion and application that would probably have been better split up and appended to the chapters they applied to. The most useful part for me, frankly, was the 73 pages (and that's in what looks like 10 pt type) of references, which at least provide an excellent jumping off point for additional reading and research.

[Michael Cabus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-reading this; I forget how interesting this book was. It covers information design in a unique way, and there are good insights into how people search for content. Having taken a design degree after my library science degree, I see how this book was presented was a real detriment to the material. Information design effects so much, and tying this to general UX of information design would make a dynamite class..my class was disorganized to say the least, and my professor clueless about the book's larger implications. Too bad, but reading it with a different view will prove it to be worthwhile.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, considering it’s basically just a huge literature review. It accomplishes its purpose in a surprisingly readable way.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an outstanding overview of current and historical research in Information Science. If you need a collection of definitions of terms, this work offers it. If you need to identify the key studies in information behavior for specific user groups, this book highlights all the heavily cited works since the field began. I've used this book numerous times in my LIS degree program, and I only wish I had gotten ahold of it earlier. It's expensive, but a great investment for LIS students.

[Assigned for SLIS 5040 - Human Information Behavior]

[Kristin Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know, I'm weird. I loved it because I love everything addressing information science.

[Kristi Hovington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The role of a librarian is, essentially, helping folks find information, and getting a masters in library/info science involves copious amounts of reading about information behavior, information retrieval, and research. I have read a lot of books about these subjects over the past year, but this book is the most engaging, marrying theory with practical examples. I really enjoyed this one.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for my MSLIS class on Use and Users of Information. I referenced this book repeatedly throughout the course. As Use and Users is my focus I see myself going back to this again and again.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me this was a textbook for a Masters in Library Science required class. It gets the job done and has a great deal of good information in it. True to its nature of being a survey, it contains many great starting points for further research, and an easy to use bibliography.

[nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

i hate this book because i hated the class. i don't even know if we're supposed to read anymore from here, but i'm done reading it.

[Yuki Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book. I'd say it's a very clearly and well structured text book. Good guide for literature review

[Angelina | Bookstagramwithange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this in my MS-ILS program for library school. It’s a lot of research on users information behavior. It discusses the cognitive and emotional side of users behavior. It also goes into different theories/models and frameworks. I dislike reading textbooks. I liked this book though, in the fact it made me think outside of the box and helped me see things from a user-centered approach.

[Drea]

ONE SEMESTER LEFT.

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of references to other scholars and scholarly work without much commentary on its usefulness or application. Still, a decent primer for information behavior.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the textbook for my 1st online MLIS class at UW, so I SHOULD be currently reading it, but we'll see how that goes!

Update: Well, I read most of this for the class. It actually was the most accessible of all the assigned readings. I just wish I had found the definitions that were buried in a third appendix a lot earlier. It would have made figuring out what a bibliometric study, among other terms, easier. I liked how the author didn't go for easy answers, and didn't try to dumb down or simplify things too much, but it was still easy enough for beginners to comprehend. I had to laugh, though, when, after a full chapter of working through a definition for the word 'information' the author said that there was no established definition. Okay....

[Malene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good information is to be found in this book, but I also think Case uses a lot of space to describe things that could have been described using half the space.
I've read this for my class on Information Seeking.

[Jessica Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

school book. oh yeah.

[Tracy Miller]

Class is over!

[Katy German · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your basic dry intro text, safe as milk. Content seems to cover all the basics, and if I have to give this back, I'll miss it.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise and understandable summary of the field. What more can you ask of a textbook?

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated it. Horrendously boring lit review that should not have been assigned as a text book for an intro class.

[Suvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tenttikirja. Avaa ymmärrettävästi tieteellisen tutkimuksen ja informaation käsitteen maailmaa. Jospa vaikka tenttikin menis läpi.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adding books from grad school to GR.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

My book of tedium for this semester. LOTS of theories are discussed.

[Tayler K · Rating 2 out of 5]

LIS 601

I read about 220 pages of this book and about 220 pages of assigned articles. And, I might not have read about 180 other pages that were assigned...

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

A textbook for school read in Summer 2016 semester. It had some good points, but was very dense writing style.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how useful this is for my course but it was a set text so I ploughed through it.

[Cody · Rating 2 out of 5]

The specific hue of blue says it all!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! Booooooring! But I guess it's important.

[Noora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aika itsestäänselviä oli jotkin asiat ja osa tylsää. Lukihan tuon...