The document discusses research into the information seeking behaviors of scholarly biographers versus popular biographers. It reviews previous literature that found biographers use a wide variety of resources, including archives, manuscripts, books and websites. The study aims to understand if biographers' methods differ based on whether they intend to publish academically or popularly. Surveys and interviews were conducted, finding that both groups are motivated to publish, but scholarly biographers engage more with other researchers while popular biographers focus on book publications.

1. Biographers Fall 2010 LIS 608 Human Information Seeking Behavior Lauren Orso Emily Fairey Caitlin Arndt People Seeking People

2. Defining Biography Biography as History Biography as Popular Literature Biographers

3. Our Research Question When scholarly biographers research their topics, are they searching in the same ways and using the same resources as their more popular counterparts? Biographers

4. Literature Review Biographers

5. Tibbo (2003) The study focuses on U.S. History scholars and their access to primary source materials According to Tibbo’s breakdown, it’s clear that biographical historians make use of a wide variety of resources (digital, print or otherwise). Tibbo suggests that history scholars actually want digital resources, not necessarily technophobes. Biographers Tibbo, H.R. (2003). Primarily history in America: How U.S. historians search for primary materials at the dawn of the digital age. American Archivist 66(1), 9-50.

6. Tibbo (2003) What needs to be done? More directed study of biographical historians How can archives better serve the biographer’s need for primary source material? Biographers

7. Dalton & Charnigo (2004) A study of historians that analyzes: and examines the use of electronic materials . “… which materials historians consider to be the most important and how they discover them.” (p.400) Biographers Dalton, M. S., & Charnigo, L. (2004). Historians and their information sources. College & Research Libraries, 65(5), 400-25.

8. Dalton & Charnigo (2004) When historians were asked to name their most important primary and secondary sources a few stood out: Biographers Top Primary Sources: Archives Manuscripts Books Newspapers Top Secondary Sources: Books Journal Articles Dissertations Websites Seven of the historians surveyed listed websites as an important primary source!

9. Dalton & Charnigo (2004) They also assert that historians are lone wolves. Why? Because they rarely co-author publications… Biographers

10. Dalton & Charnigo (2004) What needs to be done? Are historians really anti-social? With such a wide range of desired materials, how can librarians and archivists provide for them? Biographers

11. Historian / Biographer Miller (2005) doesn’t view their methods as notably different Lee (2009) suggests that the methods of popular biographers are much more akin to investigative journalism. Biographers Lee, H. (2009). Biography: A very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Miller, R. (2005). Biographical research methods. London: Sage.

12. Identifying key concepts Technology Use Import of Personal Contacts Use of Archival Collections Biographers Is there a methodological divide?

13. Our Study

14. Methodology IRB Surveys with Survey Monkey Getting the survey to reflect the research question paring it down to 10-15 minutes striking a balance between open ended and "option-selecting" questions. Allowing the possibility for future contact Interviews Creating questions that complement and parallel the survey. Future Suggestion: Group Interview Coding of participants Record Keeping with recorder and with transcriptions Modifying Questions to fit group context Biographers

15. Data Collection Pilot Invitation letter Identity, Incentive, Confidentiality Contacting participants: Methods: List-serves Facebook Direct Emails Personal Acquaintances Journals of Biography Societies of Biography Survey Monkey Automatic Collection Telephone Interview transcription

16. Survey Results Biographers In addition to the 85 % who plan to publish in book form, there are also several different modes used by a 1/7 minority, such as journal articles, theses, instruction, and even websites. Goal of Research Academics

17. Size of circles relate number of responses to number of respondents Biographers

18. Survey Results Biographers Conversely, popular biographers think primarily of book publication, with a small percentage (28%) aiming to publish in magazines. The overall majority of book publication is significant. Goal of Research Popular

19. Size of circles relate number of responses to number of respondents Biographers

20. Survey Results Surprise! Scholars like to talk with one another!

21. Survey Results 3 respondents added comments emphasizing the importance of interviews

22. Interview Analysis Development of looser question approach “ Inner voice” of subject : The search modes Diversity in Academic publication formats Existing publications vs. primary sources Searching before and after internet: a history “ Internal” vs. External resources Problems: Archival, digitial and human failure Biographers

23. Interview Models: “Wider and wider concentric circles of searching” and “Putting out the fishing line and seeing what you get—where does that lead you next?”

24. Limitations Biographers

25. Practical Implications Biographers Biographers need most... a strong personal network a reliable Internet connection unlimited time, money and access.

26. Some Quick Demographics 57% female (8 respondents) 43% male (6 respondents) average age: 52 youngest: 27 oldest: 75 Tech Habits: 42% check e-mail "constantly," or 16+ times per day 14% (2 respondents) check e-mail 3 times or less per day. Most have been writing professionally: mean= 14 years mode= 10 years Biographers

27. Conclusions Biographers Motivated to PUBLISH! Goals of Research (combined) Publication (book) (58%) Publication (periodical) (15%) Instruction (11%) Thesis/Dissertation (11%) Personal Website (5%)

28. Future Work Biographers outside the conventional realm of written histories may benefit most from new research regarding their habits. These include: children's nonfiction writers documentary filmmakers students Reliability and Usability of: personal sources Internet information Biographers

29. Questions?