Analysing the relationship between information-seeking and help-seeking behaviours in a digital library

This paper aims to investigate the help-seeking behaviour of users during their information-seeking in a digital library, studying the kind of help-seeking situations, help requests and using help resources with different interactive levels. For this purpose, users’ help-seeking behaviour (postgraduate students at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad) was investigated based on different stages of Marchionini’s adapted model.

This research was performed using the mixed method. In total, 38 postgraduate students at Ferdowsi University were selected by Stratified Purposive Sampling method as samples. Selecting a digital library based on considered factors, preparing help resources and designing research scenario were made as the preparation stages of performing the study. The tools used for collecting and analysing data were questionnaires, think aloud protocol and Morae software.

Some of the considerable results of this research were recording the help-seeking signs in all four main stages of the adapted information-seeking model. However, in the search stage, in which a user enters the search process practically, the need for help-seeking was recorded more than it in other stages. Results also confirmed that most help requests by users were for executive help which were rooted in users’ knowledge shortcomings and their passivity in help-seeking process. Because of the flexibility and speed of providing responses, participants also tended to interact with more interactive and flexible help resources and assessed this interaction more useful.

According to the findings of this research, the adapted information-seeking model used in this study was completed, and a theoretical model for information-seeking in a digital library was suggested. In this model, help-seeking is considered as a supportive and complementary behaviour for information-seeking behaviour which begins in help-seeking situations and continues to solve problems in these situations.