Users and information needs

1. Aparna S

2. The user can refer to any person who interacts
with an information system to search for and
select resources he/she needs.

3. Categories of users
 According to various libraries
 Students
 Research Students
 Teachers
 Scientists
 Professionals
 Policy makers
 Intermediaries and communicators
 Administrative staff
 Public figures Elected by Electorates
 Software programmed

4. According to Characteristics of users
 Demographic Data
 Social Status Data
 Psychological Data
 Educational Data
 General Work Data
According to Dr. S.R. Ranganathan
 The Fresher
 Ordinary Reader
 Specialist Reader
 General Reader
Categories of users

5. Categories of users
According to Werner Kunz
 Potential User
 Expected User
 Actual User
 Beneficiary User
According to Whittaker
 General Readers
 Subject Readers
 Special Readers
 Non-Reading Users

6. Categories of users
Users in scientific information
According to J.D. Bernel

7.  `Information needs` refer to individual needs of the users
regarding information .
• Information needs & Demand.
• Information needs & Information Seeking Behaviour.
• Purpose of different type of information needs.
Information needs

8. Types of information needs
 As per voigt
• Current approach
• Everyday approach
• Exhaustive approach
 As per Menzel
• Brushing up approach
 As per Gorman
• Unrecognized
• Recognized
• Pursued

9. Types of information needs
As per Taylor
• Visceral need
• Conscious need
• Formalized need
• Compromised need
As per Whittker
• General
• Quick reference
• Relating to personal problems
• Personal development
• Research

10. Categories of users meeting Information needs
Different Categories of information users search for what
are their demands, preferences, choices etc.
Libraries generates services in such a way that users
get maximum satisfaction from library services.
More interaction of users may prove to be productive.

11. Conclusion
Users access information systems with their expectations,
diversity of skills, knowledge and needs.
We need to understand the users of our systems well enough
to assist them in all their diversity.
Then only we can serve them, to connect them to information
they need.
Thank you !