Information-Seeking Behavior Models in Library Science
This paper examines the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behavior as they apply to library and information science practice. Drawing on seminal models developed by Bates (1989), Ellis (1989), Kuhlthau (1991), and Dervin (1992), the paper outlines how users search for and select information according to personal context, cognitive stages, and sense-making processes. It further discusses the practical value of these models for librarians, demonstrating how an understanding of patron behavior can guide more effective and individualized reference services. The paper concludes by connecting theoretical competency to real-world library management.
- Introduction to Information-Seeking Behavior: Defines the topic and notes demographic variation
- Foundational Models: Kuhlthau, Bates, and Dervin: Sense-making and berrypicking frameworks explained
- Ellis's Six-Stage Cognitive Model: Six cognitive steps from starting to extracting
- Applying Information-Seeking Models in Library Practice: How librarians use models to assist patrons
- Conclusion: Theory linked back to library management competency
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- It integrates multiple foundational theoretical models coherently, showing how they complement and reinforce one another rather than treating each in isolation.
- The transition from theory to practice is clear and concrete: the paper demonstrates exactly how a librarian can apply each model during a reference interaction.
- Consistent citation of primary sources throughout the paper establishes credibility and grounds every claim in the literature.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective synthesis of a body of literature. Rather than summarizing each theorist separately in disconnected blocks, the author draws explicit connections — for example, linking Bates's berrypicking concept to Kuhlthau's sense-making framework — to build a unified picture of information-seeking behavior. This comparative synthesis is a hallmark skill in graduate-level literature-based writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by situating the topic within a program competency, then introduces and compares the four major theoretical models before pivoting to applied library practice. A brief conclusion ties theory back to professional utility. This theory-to-application arc is well-suited to professional graduate programs in library and information science.
Introduction to Information-Seeking Behavior
A core competency of the Master of Library and Information Science program is the ability to describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behavior. Such behaviors can differ among library users according to demographics and the level of effort a user is willing to invest in a search (Wicks, 2004). As Schwieder (2016) notes, information-seeking strategies range from low-effort approaches to high-effort approaches.
Foundational Models: Kuhlthau, Bates, and Dervin
The fundamental concepts of information-seeking behavior stem from work initiated by Bates (1989), Ellis (1989), Kuhlthau (1991), and Dervin (1992). Kuhlthau (1991) defines information-seeking behavior as a personal search for meaning: a process by which an individual develops "a personal point of view" (p. 361). Regardless of the user's demographic background, the process involves searching for meaning that meshes with what the person already knows about a subject. Because this meaning will differ from user to user depending on background, history with the subject, and personal interests, information-seeking behavior varies from individual to individual — a variation that Kuhlthau (1991) captures through the concept of "sense-making within a personal frame of reference" (p. 361).
Kuhlthau's concept aligns closely with Bates's (1989) notion of berrypicking — a process by which individual users select nuggets of information much as one picks berries from a bush: what looks good and appealing is what gets chosen for further processing (p. 2). Dervin (1992) elaborates on the sense-making process by identifying four components: (1) situation, (2) gap, (3) outcome, and (4) bridge. In Dervin's (1992) model, identifying and closing the gap is the central purpose of the information-seeking process — a view essentially supported by both Bates (1989) and Kuhlthau (1991).
Ellis's Six-Stage Cognitive Model
Ellis (1989) offers a different model of how information-seeking behavior generally unfolds: a six-stage, entirely cognitive process consisting of the following steps:
(1) Starting — sources are identified; (2) Chaining — references and citations from initial sources are used to build on earlier findings; (3) Browsing — information is grouped and sorted; (4) Differentiating — sources are vetted and distinguished based on quality and characteristics; (5) Monitoring — an active watch is kept for updates in the field or on the subject; and (6) Extracting — relevant information is finally selected.
Conclusion
Describing the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors is important in library science management because knowing how patrons will choose to seek out and select information can help librarians make that experience better for patrons. Whether the patron is berrypicking or displaying signs of the more structured, cognitive approach Ellis (1989) describes, the librarian who has mastered this competency will have the tools to assist — whether by expanding or narrowing the pool of available sources to match the user's preference, or by asking targeted questions to help identify the individual's own relationship with the subject.
References
Bates, M. J. (1989). The design of browsing and berrypicking techniques for the online search interface. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://pages.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/bates/berrypicking.html
Dervin, B. (1992). From the mind's eye of the user: The sense-making qualitative-quantitative methodology. In J. D. Glazier & R. R. Powell (Eds.), Qualitative Research in Information Management (pp. 61–84). Libraries Unlimited.
Ellis, D. (1989). A behavioural approach to information retrieval system design. Journal of Documentation, 45(3), 171–212.
Kuhlthau, C. (1991). Inside the search process: Information seeking from the user's perspective. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 42(5), 361–371.
Schwieder, D. (2016). Low-effort information searching: The heuristic information-seeking toolkit. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 35(4), 171–187.
Wicks, D. A. (2004). Older adults and their information seeking. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 22(2), 1–26.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.