First Weekend LI802 (part deux, after the break)

Robert Taylor created the levels of information need; his article is on reserve for my class. Maybe I'll be able to find a copy to link to here. Update--I found a link to this article and posted it below.

Robert Taylor's Process of Asking Questions

Taylor's Levels of Information Need:

-Visceral Need (actual, but unexpressed)

-Concious Need (within-brain description)

-Formalized Need (formal statement of the need)

-Compromised Need (as presented to the information system)

Lynch (1978) wrote in her paper that most librarians used close-ended questions in most reference interactions. This is important because it defines the user in terms of the library instead of vice versa; it forces the expectations of the library onto the user instead of asking what the user desires. Also, open-ended questions tend to create a more welcoming environment ("How may I help you?") than closed-ended questions ("Can I help you?").

Grover's Diagnostic Cycle (1993) also explored the librarian/user interaction.

-Diagnosis Stage: What? Where? When? Who?

-Prescription Stage: resource is proscribed

-Treatment Stage: user considers resource in relation to need, perhaps the need is fulfilled--the librarian should always ask.

-Evaluation Stage: If information need is not fulfilled, then the cycle starts all over again.