Introduction. Information behaviour is an important conceptual foundation for reference service research. This study examines whether and how reference service research draws on information behaviour theories, models, and concepts. Method. A content analysis of the published English-language research with the database classifications ‘reference service’ and ‘reference work’ from 2010-2019 were analysed for key information behaviour theories, models, and concepts. Analysis. Abstracts of bibliographic database records were coded to identify empirical studies. Lexical searches with qualitative analysis software were used to identify use of information behaviour concepts and references to specific information behaviour theories, models, and concepts. Results. More than half of the empirical papers (316 or 54%) on reference service mentioned information behaviour concepts. Nearly a quarter of these papers used information behaviour in a substantial way. Thirty (5%) of the papers explicitly used key information behaviour theories, models, or concepts, including Kuhlthau’s (2004) information search process and Taylor’s (1968) levels of information need. Conclusion. These findings suggest that information behaviour is being used as a conceptual and theoretical knowledge base for reference services research.
Introduction. This study explores how employees engage in information behaviour in professional environments undergoing digital transformation. While digital tools are introduced to support documentation and knowledge sharing, they may disrupt established information practices and professional routines. The study focuses on how individuals negotiate and adapt their information behaviour in response to new documentation tasks, particularly in contexts where interpersonal communication and professional judgment are central. Method. The study is based on qualitative fieldwork conducted over several months in day care institutions within one municipality in Denmark. Data were collected through observations and informal conversations with managerial staff as they engaged with a newly introduced digital documentation task. Nine observation sessions in total are included in the analysis. Audio recordings were transcribed using the Whisper transcription tool and WhisperX for speaker diarization, processed within a secure, GDPR-compliant research infrastructure. Analysis. Information behaviour was analysed using a thematic approach and furthermore interpreted through the lens of information culture. This analytical perspective enabled an examination of the values, norms, and practices shaping their everyday engagement with information and digital documentation systems. Results. The findings show that employees consistently prioritized human-centred and relational work, while digital documentation tasks were often perceived as peripheral and time-consuming. The introduction of the new system conflicted with established information cultures, highlighting uneven digital competencies, uncertainty regarding responsibility, and limited trust in the system. Adapting to the new documentation practices required additional skills, time, and a renegotiation of existing routines. Conclusion. The study demonstrates that understanding everyday information behaviour is essential for aligning digital documentation initiatives with professional values in relational workplaces. Information culture plays a critical role in shaping how individuals respond to technological change.
Introduction.Universities promote digital mental health support; however, how literacy translates into actual help-seeking remains unclear. This study examined whether health information-seeking behaviour functions as a potential mediating pathway between mental e-health literacy and counselling uptake among Universitas Indonesia students, extending Wilson’s (1999) and Savolainen’s (1995) models of information behaviour. Method. A mixed-methods design was used, combining surveys of 99 counselling users (2022–2025) with four follow-up interviews with experts. Quantitative data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling, and qualitative interviews explored behavioural mechanisms and contextual experiences. Analysis. The quantitative analysis examined the direct and indirect effects of mental e-health literacy, health information seeking behaviour, and counselling decisions. Qualitative data were thematically coded to identify patterns related to digital trust, confusion, and social influence in students’ online information practice. Results. Mental e-health literacy predicted health information seeking behaviour (β = 0.399, p < 0.001) and counselling decisions (β = 0.342, p = 0.007), and health information seeking behaviour predicted counselling decisions (β = 0.295, p = 0.016). The indirect effect was marginal (β = 0.118, p = 0.057), indicating a positive but statistically unsupported mediating effect. The model explained 28.4% of the variance in the counselling decision-making. Conclusion. The findings suggest that health information seeking behaviour supports the relationship between literacy and counselling decision-making but highlights its limited mediating role. Universities should integrate mental e-health literacy training into credible and navigable online ecosystems. The limitations of this study include its single-site focus, small sample size, and potential self-selection bias.
Introduction. In this paper, I examine internal information behaviours, those information behaviours that deal with information that is already held by a person in their mind or arises from internal information processing. These behaviours have not been a focus in information science research but are critical to how we interact with the external information world. Method. A review of 10 years of information science literature was undertaken to extract examples of internal information behaviours. Analysis. Thematic analysis of the information behaviours was conducted to assemble 53 internal information behaviours into 7 overarching themes. Results. The internal information behaviours cover areas of avoiding, creating, judging, monitoring, realising, seeking, and using information. Conclusion. What people do with information they have already incorporated into their knowledge of the world has been under-studied. This study reveals what we already know about internal information behaviours and provides a mapping of these behaviours into seven major areas of information behaviours.
Introduction. Information practices research remains largely focused on human activities and interactions, separate from broader environments. Although some approaches emphasise contextual, sociotechnical aspects, the agencies and affordances of other nonhuman beings, objects, and/or environments remain underexplored. Analysis. Seeking different approaches in order to attend to the entirety and complexities of environments and relationships involved in information practices, two studies where such needs arose are presented as examples: explorations of the information practices of environmental sound recordists and of vehicle residents. Results. Through engaging with theoretical approaches from other disciplines, the study examples highlight the importance of recognising information and related practices as always in states of decay and renewal, reliant on and in relation with all components of a particular environment. Conclusion. Preliminary theoretical implications focus on the importance of considering relationships with nonhuman elements and actors alongside sociotechnical perspectives through the concept of information composting. Practical implications ask researchers to further attend to implicated environments and constituent actors/elements when seeking holistic and situated understandings of interactions with information.
Introduction. This interdisciplinary literature review pairs research on Generation Z current events information behaviour with informed voting behaviour research to identify areas of overlap, gaps, and appropriate theories to frame further study. Method. Relevant journals and scholarly databases for information behaviour, information studies, political science, history, and sociology were searched for recent work on the identified topics. Studies were cross-checked for demographic relevance and applicability to the identified topics. Analysis. Key characteristics for Generation Z current events information behaviour and voting behaviour were identified across articles. These behaviour characteristics were then compared between the two areas of focus to identify where one might be applied to support the other. Results. The review of literature identifies strong potential for current events information behaviour research to support informed voting behaviour for emergent voters. Commonly occurring information behaviour theories are identified to frame future work. Conclusions. Literature on current events information behaviour is gaining strength, and research related to the impact of informed voting is robust. Where those two areas meet, however, remains a largely untapped vein to explore. Based on current literature, further study in this direction would help information science practitioners better support young adult information needs related to civic engagement.
Introduction. The ISIC conference series has served as a central venue for interdisciplinary research on information behaviour since 1996. This paper commemorates 30 years of ISIC by examining its scholarly impact and collaborative characteristics. Method. A descriptive and bibliometric analysis was conducted on 495 ISIC papers published between 1996 and 2024. Citation data (N=20,865) were retrieved via SerpAPI from Google Scholar. Author metadata, including affiliation and academic seniority, were manually extracted from conference proceedings and journal publications. Results. Collaboration has increased over time, with a shift from single-author papers to multi-authored contributions. Authors from 42 countries have participated and citing authors represent a broad range of institutions and research interests, with ‘information behaviour’ being the most frequent. ISIC papers have been cited extensively, with an average of 39.8 citations per paper. Conclusion. The ISIC conference continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the field of information behaviour. Its international reach, interdisciplinary nature, and sustained scholarly influence underscore its importance. Future research should explore citation contexts to better understand how and why ISIC papers are cited.
Introduction. As technology becomes increasingly embedded in K–12 classrooms worldwide, it is essential to understand teachers’ and students’ everyday information practices—especially in light of declining student engagement and the urgent calls to foster critical thinking. This study draws on the expanded everyday information practices model (Savolainen & Thomson, 2022) and the substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition (SAMR) model (Puentedura, 2009) to examine how teachers and their students seek, create, use, and share information in technology-rich classrooms, and how these practices relate to beliefs and cognitive outcomes. Method. Using survey data from 9,627 teachers in 245 schools across 28 countries voluntarily participating in the Apple Distinguished Schools program, this study uses descriptive statistics and correlations to analyse 15 classroom information practices and eight pedagogical beliefs. Results. Findings reveal three key patterns: (1) average frequency of information practices do not necessarily align with teachers’ perceptions of students’ critical thinking or complex problem–solving; (2) expanded everyday information practices categories alone do not predict cognitive outcomes. Information practices aligned with SAMR’s upper levels—are more strongly associated with those outcomes; and (3) teacher beliefs tend to mirror use frequency. Conclusion. This study bridges educational technology and information science by offering new insights into how everyday classroom information practices shape teaching and learning.
Introduction. Information behaviour research has traditionally relied on researcher-led methods such as interviews, surveys, or experiments. While these approaches provide control and comparability, they often limit the potential to observe unexpected or situated information behaviour. Method. This paper introduces situated storywalks, a participant-led method developed by the authors, integrating elements of guided tours, observations, participatory research, and touchstone tours. In situated storywalks, storytellers guide researchers through physical or virtual spaces while narrating their experiences, expectations and interactions. Analysis. The approach was developed and applied in a case study at a large German library, where storytellers with diverse accessibility needs were invited to share their experiences through storywalks. The collected data, including audio recordings, field notes, and photographs, were analyzed qualitatively, identifying emergent patterns in spatial and affective engagement. Results. Findings demonstrate that situated storywalks help uncover dimensions and nuances of information behaviour that may remain hidden in more traditional, researcher-controlled methods. Conclusion. Situated storywalks expand the methodological repertoire of information behaviour research, enabling richer, context-sensitive, and co-constructed understandings of how people interact with information in everyday-life environments.
Introduction. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, this article explores how older adults in Québec, Canada, navigated information overload in the context of their everyday information behaviours. Trust was considered a central concept, influencing how individuals select, interpret, and ultimately apply information in their lives. Method. The project was conducted in partnership with the Conference of Regional Roundtables for Older Adults in Québec. An exploratory qualitative design was employed, involving 24 individual interviews with older adults. Analysis. All interviews were transcribed, and a thematic content analysis was carried out using NVivo Pro software. Results. The findings reveal that older adults engaged with information during the COVID-19 pandemic through active evaluation, and critical reflection. Rather than passively receiving official messages, participants carefully assessed information, exhibiting thoughtful and discerning behaviours. Trust operated as both a cognitive and relational mechanism, shaping how they sought, evaluated, and applied information in contexts of uncertainty and overload. Conclusions. Older adults are active information consumers, critically evaluating sources and content to support their health and well-being. These findings highlight the need for public authorities to communicate transparently, avoid sensationalism, and implement feedback mechanisms, such as forums or interactive sessions, to strengthen trust and address public concerns.
Introduction. This paper revisits Sonnenwald’s (1999) information horizons theory to better account for the socio-technical conditions of contemporary digital life. Method. Using conceptual analysis (Furner, 2004) and a critical synthesis of interdisciplinary literature across education and journalism or news environments, it evaluates information horizons theory’s five original propositions in light of platforms and algorithms that mediate human information behaviour. Results. The paper finds that platforms such as search engines, social media, and generative artificial intelligence systems not only mediate access to information, but actively structure what users can see, trust, use, and share. While retaining’s emphasis on individuals, contexts, situations, and social networks, the proposed framework—platform-structured information horizons—adds an algorithmic gate as a fifth element that shapes information-seeking, collaboration, visibility, and perceived possibility. Conclusion. This contribution is both retrospective and forward-looking: it preserves the strengths of information horizons theory while calling on information behaviour researchers to more fully interrogate the systems shaping agency today—and to imagine theoretical futures that meet the challenges of the next several decades.
Introduction. For vehicle residents—people who live in vehicles—reduction and minimalism are byproducts of living in a small space. Their physical personal collections, and practices around managing these collections, illustrate how information practices can be sustainable. Method. This multi-method study used ethnographic and visual methods. Data was collected using participant observations, information horizon interviews, guided tours and photographs of participants’ immediate information spaces. Analysis. For the current study, 25 guided tours and ~125 photographs of participants’ immediate information space were analysed, using abductive analysis and, additionally, visual analysis for the photographs. Results. Vehicle residents highlighted aspects of reduction, minimalism, and reuse in their engagement with their personal, physical collections. We propose a model of components for sustainable information practices, including each of the three aspects: reduction, minimalism and reuse, placing physical personal collections at the centre of an ongoing (recycling) process. Conclusion. By looking at vehicle residents’ physical personal collections (and the practices involved in selecting and maintaining them), this study expands previous definitions of sustainable information practices. By pointing to possible components of these practices and focusing on (more tangible) physical aspects, vehicle residents’ information practices are highlighted as an example to further explore sustainable information practices in future research.
Introduction. Academic librarians regularly deliver information and digital literacy instruction. This study explores the information behaviours and practices exhibited by academic librarians in the context of instructional planning, with a focus on information foraging and information-resource use. Method. A short-term microethnographic study was conducted of academic librarians (n=3) from a postsecondary institution in Toronto, Canada. Data gathering involved unobtrusive observations in librarians’ offices, fieldnotes, photographs, and semi-structured interviews. Analysis. A manual stepwise analysis process was conducted, involving open coding, focused coding, and the writing of integrative memos. The thematic narrative was employed to present findings, which manifested in the writing of excerpt-commentary units. Results. Findings reveal that instructional librarians exhibit information foraging behaviours in the instructional planning process. Instructional librarians rely on a combination of documentary and social information resources to complete the task of instructional planning. Temporal pressures, experience levels and feelings of inadequacy also shape information behaviours and practices. Conclusion. While instructional librarians take pleasure in seeking and retrieving instructional information, they often lack adequate time for planning or adequate information from faculty colleagues. Regardless, institutional repositories of instructional materials and strong relationships with fellow teaching librarians are integral to their information behaviours and practices.
Introduction. This study explores how self-stigma influences the information behaviour of individuals living with alcohol use disorder by integrating Goffman’s theory of stigma and impression management with Chatman’s theories of information poverty and small worlds. It examines how secrecy, selective disclosure, and bounded trust shape information seeking, sharing, and avoidance in stigmatised contexts. Method. A conceptual and theoretical synthesis approach was used, drawing from sociological and information behaviour literature to identify points of intersection between stigma, identity management, and information control. Analysis. The analysis highlights how individuals with alcohol use disorder construct trusted small worlds where insider trust is high, but information exchange remains limited. Within these worlds, secrecy and selective engagement with information function as protective strategies rather than mere barriers. Results. The study introduces the adapted concept of information insularity—a self-protective form of information control where individuals create informational islands to maintain safety, identity, and belonging. Conclusion. Findings suggest the need for stigma-sensitive and anonymous information systems that foster trust while expanding access to credible, evidence-based resources. Theoretically, this work reframes self-stigma as an informational condition and contributes to understanding how social vulnerability shapes everyday information behaviour.
Introduction. This study examines the informational functions of queer spaces (physical and digital) and the consequences of their loss for identity formation, community support, and information circulation. Method. We conducted fifteen semi-structured Zoom interviews with US queer adults who had lost access to a queer space. Participants were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling and received a small honorarium. Analysis. Interviews (mean 53 minutes) were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a six-step thematic analysis with an abductive coding approach. Iterative analysis generated three primary, interrelated themes that structure the findings. Results. Queer spaces operate as information hubs that enable embodied information encountering, localised circulation, and grassroots information activism (e.g., archiving, resource curation, community networks). Loss of these spaces disrupted localised knowledge flows, hindered identity work, and forced redistribution of labour to digital and decentralised networks. Participants described strategies to sustain legacies, including social media archiving, community organising, and do-it-yourself resource sharing, yet noted challenges of fragmentation, gentrification, and threats of violence. Conclusion. Findings highlight the need for localised, community-driven information provision and suggest roles for libraries, archives, and policymakers in preserving queer spaces and the information practices they sustain.
Introduction. This study conducts a scoping review and comparative analysis of human information behaviour following data breaches, with a focus on information avoidance. Drawing on parallels with health information behaviour, the research explores how the psychological repercussions of data breaches are shaping cybersecurity victimhood and behavioural responses to digital information post-incident. Method. An interpretive, scoping review methodology is employed to map literature across cybersecurity and health domains. Sources were identified through systematic searches of academic databases, focusing on conceptual overlaps between data breach victimisation and health-related information avoidance. Analysis. Comparative thematic analysis was conducted to identify shared psychological and behavioural traits. Key dimensions included emotional distress, cognitive dissonance, institutional distrust, and uncertainty management. Analysis is synthesised into tables to highlight conceptual convergence. Results. The findings reveal significant parallels between data breach victims and people avoiding health information. Both groups exhibit avoidance driven by anxiety, perceived threats, lack of control, and distrust. Psychological repercussions manifest as digital disengagement, selective exposure, and changes in information behaviour. Conclusion. Information avoidance among data breach victims reflects a complex interplay of emotional, cognitive, and social factors. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for designing supportive interventions and extending health information behaviour theory into the cybersecurity domain.
Introduction. This study explores parents’ information behaviour in the context of childhood vaccination, focusing on source selection and on the role and formation of epistemic trust. It applies two frameworks to analyse the results: the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion (ELM) and the behavioural and social drivers of vaccination (BeSD) framework. Method. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 25 respondents. Sampling (Polish/Ukrainian and vaccine-hesitant/supportive) aimed to maximise variation across these groups, and data collection proceeded until thematic saturation was reached. Analysis. The study used iterative analytic cycles: (1) inductive coding and (2) an explanatory, framework-based mapping of inductively derived categories onto the ELM and BeSD of vaccination domains to deepen understanding of information behaviour patterns. Results. Parents’ accounts allow the distinction between central and peripheral information seeking, as well as the phenomenon of information source proximity creation. They also indicate which behavioural and social drivers are salient in shaping information behaviour. Conclusions. Viewing information seeking as a continuum with endpoints of systematic and heuristic processing captures parents’ behaviour well. For the creation of information source proximity, epistemic trust is necessary but not sufficient; closeness—understood as both immediate accessibility and an emotional bond that includes understanding—is also required.
Introduction. We report on initial findings from an exploratory investigation into the health information seeking behaviours of LGBTQ+ people with disabilities. Previous research has shown that these groups individually have specific health information needs, but few investigations have focused on individuals with both identities. Method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants via Zoom. These interviews were recorded and transcripts were used for analysis. Analysis. Qualitative analysis was carried out using both deductive and inductive techniques through the Atlas.ti program. Results. Most sought information regarding their disability, their LGBTQ+ identity, and the intersection of both. They used information sources such as healthcare providers, online searches, and their peers. Barriers were encountered and included a lack of relevant information, invalidation, misinformation, stigma, and information overload. When seeking LGBTQ+ and disability-friendly healthcare providers, intuition (‘vibes’) were used when information was lacking. Conclusion. Interviews are ongoing. Initial findings show that intuition and social support are necessary to meet information needs when other sources are unavailable or irrelevant. It also underscores the need for knowledgeable and empathetic healthcare providers that understand and respect the intersection of their identities.
Introduction. This paper analyses taxonomies of societal engagement and impact associated with research as ‘boundary objects’ that mediate and make visible the information behaviours of academics undertaking this work. Method. The study uses ‘boundary objects’ (Star & Griesemer, 1989) as an analytic lens to explore institutional approaches in Denmark and Australia that classify societal engagement and impact activities. Analysis. The team used quad-ethnographic analyses of the taxonomical structures used in three schema - two used in proprietary research information management systems (Pure and Symplectic Elements) and one empirically designed taxonomy (ReACT) - to identify alignment and/or disjuncture with academic engagement and impact work. Results. The findings show proprietary system taxonomies limit the scope of reportable engagement and impact activities, rendering many academics’ information behaviours invisible. Adopting empirically derived taxonomies that more closely represent engagement and impact work can make academics’ related information behaviours visible, thereby informing approaches to capability development and tracking of relevant impact work. Conclusion. The study identifies the limitations and benefits of how each schema represents (or renders invisible) academics’ experiences of undertaking societal engagement and impact work.
Introduction. Integration into a host society is often complex and challenging for refugees, requiring access to relevant information sources. This study explores the role of place as an informal information source that supports the integration of Middle Eastern women refugees in Sweden. Method. Twenty Middle Eastern women refugees, residing in Sweden for three to five years, were interviewed. The qualitative data were analysed using the concept of information grounds to understand how cultural communities facilitate information sharing. Analysis. Interview data were coded thematically to identify key factors shaping cultural communities and patterns of information sharing. The analysis focused on the influence of gender, collectivism, and cultural similarities (language, values, religion) in fostering trust and participation. Results. Two main categories of information sharing emerged: 1) information about life in Sweden, and 2) information about participants’ own culture and traditions. Techniques such as storytelling, sharing experiences, humour, and social media use were commonly employed.
