The study investigates the information-seeking behavior of Greek astronomers, focusing on their awareness of current developments, the methods they use to stay updated, and the sources of information they rely on. Findings reveal that professors and researchers prioritize keeping up to date more than PhD and MSc students, spending an average of seven hours per week on this activity, predominantly utilizing electronic resources like Google and arXiv. The study concludes that academic status, age, and subfield significantly impact these behaviors, with a notable decline in the use of printed materials and libraries.

1. Information seeking behaviour
of Greek astronomers
Hara Brindesi*, Sarantos Kapidakis*
*Laboratory on Digital Libraries and Electronic
Publishing, Archive and Library Sciences Department, Ionian University
1st Workshop on Digital Information Management

2. Contents
Definitions
Aims of Information seeking behaviour studies
Aims of the study
Population
P l ti
Methodology
Main results
Conclusions
Bibliography

3. Definitions
Information behaviour
Information seeking behaviour
Information search behaviour
Wilson s
Wilson’s nested model

4. Information seeking behaviour studies
Aims
Evaluation of information collections (Broadus
(Broadus,
1980, Christiansen, Davis, & Reedscott, 1983,
Subrahmanyam, 1983).
Improvement of Information systems (Ellis,
1993, Kuhlthau, 1993, Marchionini, 1995)
1993 Kuhlthau 1993 Marchionini 1995)
Information literacy seminars (Hepworth Μ and
(Hepworth, Μ and
Wema, Ε. 2006, Pinto, María and Sales, Dora 2007,
Walker, J. R., Moen, William E., 2001).

5. Aims of the study
Our main aims were to investigate three aspects of the
Greek astronomers’ information seeking behaviour
astronomers behaviour.
I. The importance they place in keeping up to date
with current developments.
developments
II. The methods they depend on for keeping up to
date.
date
III. The information sources they mostly use.

6. Further aims of the study
The study uses an intradisciplinary approach in order
to investigate:
similarities and diff
i il iti d differences in information seeking
i i f ti ki
behaviour among astronomers with different
characteristics,
characteristics including academic status, age,
status age
subfield of astronomy or affiliated institution.

7. Population
106 astronomers of the area of Athens
Professors of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of
University of Athens
Athens University PhD and MSc students
Academy of Athens researchers
Athens National Observatory researchers

8. Methodology
13 face-to-face semi-structured interviews
Analysis of the interviews
Online questionnaire which was filled in
questionnaire,
by 73 recipients

9. Main results
I. Interest in keeping up to date with current
developments
d l t

10. The rapid awareness for new papers is absolutely important for the majority
of the astronomers
Interest for rapid awareness
60,0 52,1
50,0
40,0
40 0 A little important
26,8 Somewhat important
30,0
18,3 Quite important
20,0 Absolutely important
10,0 2,8
0,0
1

11. The interest for rapid awareness is apparent for the professors
and researchers less for the PHD students and even less for
researchers,
the MSc students.
Rapid awareness/Status A little important
Somew hat important
80,0% Quite important
Absolutely important
70,0%
60,0%
60 0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
Prof essors Researcher MSC PHD

12. Percentage distribution of importance of keeping up-
to-date
to date by subfield of astronomy
100% 100%100%
90% 90,50%
80%
70% 76,90%
76 90%
60% 70%
66,70%
50% 60%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
y S1
og
...
ics
s
ol
ar
ics
of
ys
sm
y
St
y
m
ph
y
ys
m
ph
Co
no
no
ph
e
so
tro
ac
tro
tro
ilo
as
Sp
as
As
ph
ic
al
ct
d
ic
an
la
m
ga
na
ry
tra
to
Dy
s
Ex
Hi

13. How many hours per week
do astronomers spend for keeping up-to-date?
Astronomers in Greece spend on average 7 hours per week for keeping
up-to-date.
Professors and researchers show greater interest in keeping in touch
with current developments in comparison to PhD and MSc students.
Academy of Athens researchers spend more hours per week for
keeping up-to-date, in comparison to the scholars of Athens University
and The Athens National Observatory.
There are no great differences among various age g p , except for
g g g groups, p
the groups “18-24” and “25-34” that seem to show lower interest in
comparison to the rest.

14. Hours/week (on average) for keeping up to date
up-to-date
in relation to the subfield of astronomy
16,00
16 00 14,33 14,00
14 33 14 00
14,00
12,00
10,00
7,30 7,00
8,00 6,00 5 90
5,90 5 08
6,00 5,08
4,00
2,00
0,00
gy .. ics
y y
ics rs
o lo o f. ys n om n om ys St
a
ph ro ro h
sm phy e st st op
Co o c a a tr
os pa al tic As
il S ic c
ph am g ala
d n
an Dy tr a
or
y Ex
st
Hi

15. Main results
II. Methods used for keeping up-to-date

16. Methods used for keeping up to date
up-to-date
1,0%
2,9% Conferences
4,1% Coleagues
5,4% Online searches
13,7% Seminars
5,4%
13,7% Browse ADS
9,3%
Browse arXiv
Browse e-journals
12,0% ADS email alerts
10,5%
10,7% 11,5% Journals email alerts
Newsletters
Browse print journals
Publishers catalogs

17. Main results
III. Information sources usage

18. 0,00%
10,00%
20,00%
30,00%
40,00%
50,00%
60,00%
70,00%
80,00%
G o o g le
90,00%88,20%
G o o g le S
ch o la r
29,70%
AD S
67,60%
E le ctr o n i
W e b site
s
ic r e fe r e
64,20%
n c e m a te e ri a l
P r in te d r
e fe r e n ce
e
m a te ria l
20,60%
A r X iv
E le ctr o n
60 90%58 60%
60,90%58,60%
ic jo u r n a
ls
55,40%
P rin te d jo
n
u rn a ls
21 70%
21,70%
C ita tio n s
54,30%
P r in te d b
ook s
E le ctr o n
38,80%
ic b o o ks
,
C o lle a g u
es
31,80%
25,40%
O PAC s
D B s w ith
22 10%
22,10%
o b se r v a
tio n s
O cc u p a ti
17,10%
o nal m e
e tiin g s
IS I W e b
o f S cie n
e ce
Sources usage at least twice a week
7,40%
We b of K
n o wle d g
e
11,60% 4,30%

19. Main conclusions concerning usage
of information sources
ADS is used by everyone in our sample
Google is used by everyone in our sample.
Google Scholar i not used so much, mainly when it
G l S h l is t d h i l h
is compared to the use of Google.
Databases such as “ISI Web of Science or “Web of
ISI Science” Web
Knowledge” are not so popular among the Greek
astronomers.
Wikipedia is increasingly used.
The use of printed materials as well as the use of
libraries have been decreased to the minimum
With the only exception of the printed books that are more
popular than those in an electronic format.

20. Main results
Information sources usage vs. academic status
Journals and books in printed format, as well as Google
Scholar are used mainly by professors.
Books in electronic format are used mainly by PhD and MSc
students.
students
Citations are used heavily by researchers.
Unlike the majority of astronomers, MSc students don’t use
ADS neither do they use arXiv database heavily.

21. Main results
Information sources usage vs. subfield of
astronomyy
Scholars occupied with the subfield of “dynamic
astronomy don t
astronomy” don’t use arXiv org so heavily
arXiv.org heavily.
Cosmologists use ADS less than the scientists of
the other subfields.
Observations
Observations΄ databases as well as the printed
reference material are used mainly by the scholars
of the subfield of “Stars”.

22. Main results
Information sources usage vs. age
Astronomers of 55 years old and above, rarely use the eprint
archive arXiv.org, as well as electronic library catalogs and
electronic books.
The same age category uses mostly "Google Scholar and
Google Scholar"
printed journals.
The age category of “18-24” uses mostly G
f “18 2 ” Google, websites,
electronic reference material and printed books.

23. Main results
Most important sources of information in relation to information needs
Observation needs: Observations΄ databases, ADS.
Research needs: ADS, ArXiv.org, electronic journals
ADS ArXiv org
However, Athens University scholars favour Google as a source of information.
Current developments needs: ArXiv.org, ADS
However, A h
H Athens U i
University scholars as well as A d
i h l ll Academy of A h
f Athens researchers f
h favour
the use of printed books.
Teaching needs: ArXiv.org, Websites, printed books
However, Academy of Athens researchers as well as those of The National
Observatory favour Google as a source of information.
Writing needs (articles, books, e.tc.): ADS, ArXiv.org, Web of knowledge,
g ( , , ) , g, g ,
OPACs.
Personal information needs: Websites, Google, ArXiv.org, Wikipedia.
Investigation needs for a subject area not well known : Wikipedia, Websites.
However, Academy of Athens researchers favour printed books.

24. Conclusions
Statistical results revealed that participants΄ information seeking
behaviour is significantly affected by variables such as academic status,
g y y ,
age, subfield of astronomy or affiliated institution.
Usage of printed materials as well as usage of libraries have been
decreased t th minimum, as astronomers currently use, mainly,
d d to the i i t tl i l
electronic resources.
The rapid awareness of new developments is absolutely critical for the
majority of them.
As far as the resources and methods participants use for keeping up to
date, there is high reliance on resources entailing human contact (e.g.
seminars, colleagues, etc.).

25. Bibliography
Broadus, R.N. (1980).
Broadus R N (1980) Use studies of library collections. Library
collections
Resources & Technical Services, 24(4), 317–324.
Christiansen, D.E., Davis, C.R., & Reedscott, J. (1983). Guide to
collection evaluation through use and user studies Library Resources &
studies.
Technical Services, 27(4), 432–440.
Ellis, D. (1993). Modeling the information-seeking patterns of academic
researchers: A grounded theory approach. The Library Quarterly, 63(4)
approach Quarterly 63(4),
469–486.
Hepworth, Μ and Wema, Ε. (2006) "The design and implementation of
an information literacy training course that integrated Information and
Library Science conceptions of information literacy, educational theory
and information behaviour research: a Tanzanian pilot study" ITALICS,
Vol. 5 Νο1, [Avalilable at: www.ics.heacademy.ac.uk/italics/vol5-
1/pdf/hepworth-evans-final.pdf (Date of access: 1/07/08)]
Kuhlthau, C.C. (1993). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library
and information services. Norwood, NJ: Ablex

26. Bibliography
Marchionini, G. (1995).
Marchionini G (1995) Information seeking in electronic environment.
environment
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Pinto, María and Sales, Dora (2007) A research case study for user-
centred information literacy instruction: information behaviour of
translation trainees Journal of Information Science, 33 (5) 2007, pp.
531–550
Subrahmanyam, T. (1983). A study of information seeking behaviour
information-seeking
of doctoral candidates in social sciences. Herald of Library Science,
22(3), 200–204.
Walker, J. R., Moen, William E., (2001) Identifying and Categorizing
Information Seeking Behaviors in the Networked Environment: An
Exploratory Study of Young Adults, School of Library and Information
Sciences University of North Texas, Final Report. [Avalilable at :
http://home.swbell.net/walkerjr/ISBS/internetart.pdf (Date of access :
15/05/08)]
Wilson, Thomas D, (2000). Human information behavior, Informing
Science. Available at http://inform.nu/Articles/Vol3/v3n2p49-56.pdf