Information Needs Analysis: Principles and practice in information organizations

Analyisng and assessing the information needs of clients is key to the provision of effective service and appropriate collections in both face-to-face and virtual library services. The importance of information needs analysis is widely recognized by the information professionals, but currently there is little substantive, detailed work in the professional literature devoted to this important topic. This much-needed management text is designed to fill that gap, by supporting practitioners in developing an information needs analysis strategy, offering the necessary professional skills and techniques to do so. It offers guidance to leaders and senior managers in all areas of library work, especially those involved in collection management, service provision and web development and is equally applicable to the needs of academic, public, government, commercial and more specialized library and information services. The text adopts a hands-on, jargon-free approach and includes relevant examples, case studies, reader activities and sources of further reading. Key areas covered include: what information needs analysis; how is needs analysis conducted; what are the varieties of needs analysis; and how are analyses evaluated and reported.