INFORMATION SEEKING AND MYTHS

For decades, information professionals were concerned about the systems that had to be set in place for a researcher to easily find information being searched to resolve a particular information gap. The concern was to provide for the information which would be sought after by the users of a particular library setting without understanding the needs and information seeking behaviours of the patrons. Such an arrangement brought about irrelevant information resources that had to be weeded or information systems that had to be redesigned. We are now in the era where patrons’ needs and information seeking patterns have to be understood before developing any information system or purchasing an information resource. The centre has now shifted from systems to the user of the systems. The aim is satisfy the needs and wants of patrons being served.

Serving users with relevant information has got some myths which an information professional has to aware of to avoid unprofessional conduct. The myths include more information is always better, objective information can be transmitted out of context, only formal sources are essential, there is relevant information for every need, it is always possible to make information available or accessible, individual situations and context can be ignored, only objective information is valuable.