Humanities scholars as information users

This study investigated the information seeking
behavior of Jewish studies scholars as a
representative case of the information behavior of
humanists. The purpose of the study was to provide a
comprehensive view of the issue; therefore, it
examined several elements in the information
behavior of this group of scholars. First, the study
identified which of the information-seeking
strategies proposed by Ellis''s behavioral model of
information behavior were used by Jewish studies
scholars in their academic work. In addition, the
study investigated the possibility of a relation
between the information strategy used by the
researcher and the stage of the research. Secondly,
the study examined the use of information channels
by Jewish studies scholars as well as the extent to
which these patterns of use emulate the information
behavior of other Humanities scholars. Furthermore,
the study examined the obstacles researchers
encountered in their information activities and how
do these obstacles influenced the scholars''
information behavior and choice of information
channels.

Autorentext

Jenny Bronstein received her Ph.D. in 2006 from the Department of Information studies at Bar Ilan University (Israel). Her research interests are social technologies and user studies in information behavior. Dr. Bronstein has published in refereed LIS journals and teaches at the Information Science department at Bar-Ilan University.

Klappentext

This study investigated the information seeking behavior of Jewish studies scholars as a representative case of the information behavior of humanists. The purpose of the study was to provide a comprehensive view of the issue; therefore, it examined several elements in the information behavior of this group of scholars. First, the study identified which of the information-seeking strategies proposed by Ellis's behavioral model of information behavior were used by Jewish studies scholars in their academic work. In addition, the study investigated the possibility of a relation between the information strategy used by the researcher and the stage of the research. Secondly, the study examined the use of information channels by Jewish studies scholars as well as the extent to which these patterns of use emulate the information behavior of other Humanities scholars. Furthermore, the study examined the obstacles researchers encountered in their information activities and how do these obstacles influenced the scholars' information behavior and choice of information channels.