Barriers to Information Access for Specialized Scholars: An Analysis of Information-Seeking Behavior of Social Scientists in Developing Countries

Abstract

Developing countries must overcome the obstacles to information access so that they can join the global networks of the developed world and become part of the “information age.” Studies on the information-seeking behavior and information needs of library users in developing countries are limited. This chapter examines the information-seeking behavior of social science faculty in developing nations in an attempt to explain the barriers to information access for these specialized scholars. Information users in developing countries face different challenges than users in developed nations so it is essential to understand the various obstacles that must be overcome by library and information users in developing nations. Comparisons are made to the information-seeking behaviors and information use of social science faculty in developed nations. Patterns of information-seeking behavior in social science faculty are examined and also compared to existing and proposed models of such behavior.