Digital Libraries in the Context of Users' Broader Activities

Abstract

Surprisingly little of the work on understanding information seeking and the design of digital libraries has taken much account of the background of the users or the context within which they are working. It has recently been noted (e.g., Kuhlthau, 2005) that there is little interaction between those who study information seeking and information retrieval. The challenge is arguably greater than this: there is additionally a need to understand how digital libraries (and related information sources) are used and also how such systems fit into people's broader work tasks. Without such an understanding, it is a matter of chance as to whether new systems that are developed actually meet the needs of their users or not. This JCDL workshop brought together researchers with an interest in designing digital libraries, and those who study information seeking and use in context, to exchange ideas and insights, and create new interaction possibilities. These themes carried through into the two technical sessions of the workshop. The first session focused on novel tools for supporting writing and collaboration, allowing users to become active participants in the construction of knowledge. The second discussed broader, user-oriented understanding of how digital and physical information resources support user activities. The two themes represented a contrast between technically motivated and user centred approaches to the development of novel technologies. This exposed interesting new opportunities, in that user studies identified needs that could be addressed by emerging technologies. Conversely, technologies suggest new interaction possibilities that change the relationship between users and information and work, creating a coevolution between technology and use. The morning session on writing and collaboration tools comprised four presentations. Ingo Frommholz presented the DiLAS service for annotation of digital documents within a digital library context, using compelling scenarios such as the aha! moment to be shared with colleagues and the uh? moment when help needs to be sought from knowledgeable peers. These were supported by asynchronous interactions across multiple libraries, using annotations of documents to share insights or solicit