Library log analysis and its implications for studying online information seeking behavior of cultural groups

Abstract

Log analysis, as one of the less overtly intrusive ways to study information seeking behavior online, has been used to closely monitor patterns of user system usage looking at activities and actions since the 1980s (Villén-Rueda et al., 2007). However, to date there have been limited studies discussing its usage in respect of information seeking behaviors of cultural groups in the academic library context. With the growth in international student numbers, the increasing remote use of the library service and a globally connected digital environment, the particular needs and behaviors of different cultural groups, when studying in different settings, merits far greater attention.This paper uses a library log analysis in order to explore international Chinese users' usage of an academic library in the UK and discusses the implication of it as a research method in Library and Information Studies (LIS) research, reflecting on the potential for greater analysis of different cultural groups. The findings demonstrate that log analysis can be used as a method to better understand particular cultural groups information seeking behaviors; it also discusses the limitations of log analysis and gives suggestions for future research work.