Understanding Human Information Behavior - by Beth St Jean & Ursula Gorham & Elizabeth Bonsignore (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This introductory textbook for undergraduate students in information science, information studies, computer science, and related disciplines provides an applied grounding in information behavior. The book positions information behavior as a foundational element undergirding all of the information and computer science disciplines and professions

Review Quotes

Extremely accessible, comprehensive, and useful, Understanding Human Information Behavior: When, How, and Why People Interact with Information discusses the relevance and significance of its subject to our work and everyday life and is well-positioned to empower students to become helpful information and technology professionals.

This comprehensive text is the ideal resource for teaching human information behavior to undergraduate students. The text is organized in a thoughtful way to address all the most important aspects in an easy to digest manner, with the latter part of the book focusing on key areas of study within the information behavior field. The real world examples included in the text will appeal to undergraduate students and help them connect to what information behavior looks like in practice. The authors write in a winningly approachable style that will help students connect with the key concepts. I particularly like the inclusion of Discussion Questions which can be used by instructors as either homework or in class discussion points to foster a rich dialogue about each of the chapters. Applicable research studies are introduced in the text in an approachable way which will facilitate undergraduate engagement with the ongoing work in the discipline. The acronyms list and glossary at the back of the book are two additional, helpful resources for undergraduates to get caught up to speed on the most important topics under the umbrella of human information behavior.

About the Author

Beth St. Jean is associate professor in the College of Information Studies, associate director of the Information Policy and Access Center (iPAC), and an affiliate faculty member of the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds a PhD in information and a Master's degree in information (library & information services specialization) from the University of Michigan School of Information.
Ursula Gorham is senior lecturer in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park (the iSchool). She currently serves as the director of the Master of Library and Information Science Program in the iSchool. She is admitted to practice law in Maryland and previously served as a law clerk in Maryland appellate and federal bankruptcy courts.
Elizabeth (Beth) Bonsignore is an assistant research scientist at the College of Information Studies (the iSchool) and the University of Maryland's (UMD) Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL). As the director of KidsTeam, an intergenerational, participatory design team at Maryland's iSchool, her research efforts involve codesign partnerships and meaningful play with youth. She has also served as an associate chair for the Association for Computing Machinery's (ACM's) Computer-Human Interaction (CHI), CHI-PLAY, and Interaction Design and Children (IDC) conferences since 2016.