Reading in information behaviour and information literacy frameworks

Published date03 April 2018
Date03 April 2018
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/CC-04-2017-0013
Pages60-64
AuthorAndrew Kenneth Shenton
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Collection building & management
Reading in information behaviour and
information literacy frameworks
Andrew Kenneth Shenton
Monkseaton High School, Whitley Bay, UK
Abstract
Purpose This paper aims to explore the placement of the skill of reading in models devoted to information behaviour and information literacy
process frameworks, with particular attention to children and young people.
Design/methodology/approach The work is based on an analysis of pertinent literature that has been published over a period of some 80
years. The sources include monographs, essays in books, academic journal papers, conference proceedings and articles in professional
periodicals.
Findings Much thinking on information behaviour tends to assume that reading takes place either for leisure purposes or to support study,
whilst information literacy (IL) frameworks typically either emphasise higher-order reading skills or present generic stages in which reading is
subsumed within a category of more abstract action. Many IL models implicitly assume that the individual has already mastered the
fundamentals of reading.
Research limitations/implications Although extensive, the authors literature review is by no means exhaustive. It does not refer to all models
of either information behaviour or information literacy.
Practical implications Information professionals need to acknowledge the true variety of motivations that prompt young people to read, and
those responsible for information literacy instruction must determine how far they view their role as providing teaching in basic reading skills.
Originality/value The paper is unusual in examining reading from two quite different perspectives - those of information behaviour and
information literacy - and, despite its academic orientation, concludes with a range of suggestions intended to be of use to practi sing librarians.
Keywords Information literacy, Reading, Children, Young people, Information needs, Information behaviour
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
In the mid-1970s, a paper written by Dervin (1976), who is
today regarded as one of the great gurus in the elds of
communications and information science, appeared in the
Journal of Broadcasting. An impression of its impact can be
gauged from the fact that in April 2017 a search of the Web
undertaken via Google Scholar revealed that it had been cited
over 120 times and, some 40 years after the articles
publication, Case and Given (2016) chose to conclude the
fourth edition of their substantial monograph on information
behaviour by drawing heavily on Dervins analysis. Essentially,
her work discussed ten questionable assumptions which, she
felt, had hindered understanding of peoples information
needs. The purpose of this paper is to highlight two other
widely maintained arguments pertaining to information and
users that are of equally dubiousvalue. Drawn from the closely
related areas of informationbehaviour and information literacy
(IL), they effectively misrepresent why and how many young
people read non-ction.
A widespread oversimplication
Over the past 25 years, especially, there has been a tendency to
conceptualise dichotomously the motivations prompting
youngsters to read they do so, we are often told, either to support
their studies or for leisure purposes. Scant attention is frequently
given to other factors, such as the need to respond to spontaneous
life problems or situations that naturally arise at certain stages in a
young persons life. As is the case in a study context, reading here
plays what Mann (1971,p.9)termsautilitarianor extrinsic
role the process is undertaken to achieve a higher-level purpose.
In Britain, some of the blame for the prevalence of the binary
stance must be laid at the door of the Government and, in
particular, the Department of National Heritage (1995,p.5),
henceforth referred to here as the DNH. Separating the scenarios
that stimulate reading into those resulting in needs and those
leading to wants, the DNH claims that the former is largely
dictated by the formal education system, whereas the latter
emerge from self-interest, the desire for informal education and
information, [and] the search for enjoyment.Manns (1971,p.9)
sociological modelof reading is basically similar, in that it, too,
separates very specically reading stemming from obligations with
that which is pleasure-oriented, although here it is workand
leisurethat Mann presents as opposite poles of a continuum.
Still, even before the post-War age, there were in existence schools
of thought that contrast sharply with the clear lines of demarcation
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9326.htm
Collection and Curation
37/2 (2018) 6064
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2514-9326]
[DOI 10.1108/CC-04-2017-0013]
Received 18 April 2017
Revised 18 April 2017
Accepted 1 May 2017
60

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