Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Acknowledgements
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Part 1 Best practice for the use of mobile technologies in libraries
- Part 2 Challenges and strategies involved in embracing mobile innovation for libraries
- Part 3 Mobile technologies enhancing information access and pursuing the Millennium Development Goals
- Part 4 The impact of mobile technologies on libraries of the future
- 18 The unintentional iPad-lending programme – experience from the Sojourner Truth Library
- 19 Library and e-learning: further adventures with augmented reality
- 20 A library location-based service: the app ‘Bavaria in Historical Maps’ presents Bavarian history on the mobile internet
- 21 The geography of information: placing our information needs and behaviours in context
- 22 Developing adaptable, efficient mobile library services: librarians as enablers
- Conclusion
- Index
21 - The geography of information: placing our information needs and behaviours in context
from Part 4 - The impact of mobile technologies on libraries of the future
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 June 2018
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Acknowledgements
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Part 1 Best practice for the use of mobile technologies in libraries
- Part 2 Challenges and strategies involved in embracing mobile innovation for libraries
- Part 3 Mobile technologies enhancing information access and pursuing the Millennium Development Goals
- Part 4 The impact of mobile technologies on libraries of the future
- 18 The unintentional iPad-lending programme – experience from the Sojourner Truth Library
- 19 Library and e-learning: further adventures with augmented reality
- 20 A library location-based service: the app ‘Bavaria in Historical Maps’ presents Bavarian history on the mobile internet
- 21 The geography of information: placing our information needs and behaviours in context
- 22 Developing adaptable, efficient mobile library services: librarians as enablers
- Conclusion
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Information seekers can now find the answers to their questions in many more ways than before. One of the most prevalent ways is through the use of mobile devices. According to the Pew Research Internet Project (2014), 90% of Americans have a cellphone and 58% of Americans have a smartphone. Though these figures represent only the USA, we see a similar rate of adoption amongst other nations. For many nations, the accessibility of mobile devices has caused their adoption to outpace that of traditional computers.
With more and more people using their mobile devices for different activities, librarians and information professionals must begin to look at how people are using their devices for information-seeking. With a new communication medium come different ways with which information needs can be fulfilled. In this chapter, we look at the various ways in which people use their devices to answer their questions. We will begin with a description of the ‘geography of information’, a framework that looks at the relationship between space and information. Within this framework, we will review the history of location services as well as location-aware applications. We end the chapter with a call to libraries to take a more active part in this conversation.
The geography of information
Many people do not consider the way that their physical environment affects their information-seeking behaviour. At the most basic level, our physical location tends to dictate the types of searches we are conducting. For example, when we are in a classroom, we search for information related to the subject we are learning about or the activity that we are involved in. However, when we are at a bar, we might look for information related to trivia, news events, gossip, etc. From a more general perspective, therefore, our information needs are context dependent.
In the context of this chapter, the ‘geography of information’ refers to the conversation between geography and knowledge. Our geography affects our information needs and our knowledge of the surrounding landscape, while our information needs and knowledge of the surrounding landscape affects our view of the geography. Through this conversation, we can develop a better understanding of our information needs.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- M-Libraries 5From devices to people, pp. 193 - 198Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2015