Targeting users in information provision – more than researchers, students and professionals

Abstract

Purpose -A previous contribution (Fourie 2013) set the scenario for pursuing options to find a balance between information communication technology (ICT), information retrieval systems (IRS) such as databases, library catalogues, repositories, Google Scholar, digital libraries, portals, search engines and the users of these systems. This contribution pursues the issues by asking how information service providers can target their users. The emphasis is on making a difference, and to move beyond merely targeting researchers, post-graduate students and professionals such as doctors, chemists, and lawyers.Design/methodology/approach -The contribution will be written against the background of research from information behaviour, user studies and marketing.Findings -Information services and database producers mostly focus on post-graduate students, researchers and professionals. There is little support for under-graduate students and novices to a profession. Acknowledging preferences for Google and social media, more effort is required to gain the interest and loyalty of upcoming professionals -starting with under-graduate students.Originality/value -Although there are many publications on user studies and marketing in the Library and Information Science literature, this contribution aims to draw on new ways of targeting users, and to note new potential user groups.

Identification and development of patron personas for an academic library

“…For example, if an evaluation of a service indicates that it is used by Focuser and Islander personas, the library can indicate that the product serves about 44 percent of the patrons. This substantiates the value of the service and aids in the creation or elimination of specific library services when tough planning decisions must be made (Fourie and Fourie, 2014;Olsen, 2004).…”

“…For example, if an evaluation of a service indicates that it is used by Focuser and Islander personas, the library can indicate that the product serves about 44% of the patrons. This substantiates the value of the service and aids in the creation or elimination of specific library services when tough planning decisions must be made (Fourie and Fourie, 2014;Olsen, 2004) Aspects of evaluations may also be framed in terms of personas. For example, after a recent administration of the LIBQual +® survey, patrons' comments from the survey were categorized, where possible, into specific personas.…”

“…Personas focus efforts to make better tactical decisions in the provision of services and products. They may also be used as a check when a change is made that confirms the value and quality of the service or product (Fourie and Fourie, 2014). For personas to be infused throughout the organization, several steps need to be taken to avoid misuse and confusion.…”

“…Personas focus efforts to make better tactical decisions in the provision of services and products. They may also be used as a check when a change is made that confirms the value and quality of the service or product (Fourie and Fourie, 2014).…”

Comparison of personas between two academic libraries

“…Once developed, personas are used in a variety of situations, including changes to library services (Al-Shboul & Abrizah, 2014;Cunningham, 2005;Fourie & Fourie, 2014;Olsen, 2004), developing smart-space technology (Bilandzic & Foth, 2013), changing website design (Guenther, 2006), training employees (Idoughi, Seffah, & Kolski, 2012), and improving library chat services (Tempelman-Kluit & Pearce, 2014). Personas become a new way to identify patron needs and examine library services.…”