"Expertise" in information seeking.

Abstract

Librarians currently view research as an activity mainly driven by literature. Thus, they consider access to literature to be critical, and provide numerous tools to assist patrons in gaining that access. Researchers, however, do not use bibliographic tools regularly. They prefer to trace references in relevant papers, talk with colleagues, and subscribe to key journals to find the information they need. It is hypothesized that researchers search in this fashion because they approach literature in a fundamentally different way than librarians. This difference is illustrated through a model of skill acquisition, showing how researchers develop a "problem-oriented" approach to literature, as opposed to the subject or "aboutness" approach of librarians. It is suggested that the librarian, in order to help the researcher, must have enough knowledge of his/her area of study to grasp the problem as a problem. Further avenues for research are suggested.