Youth Information Seeking Behavior

This resource is as much a tribute to its editors and contributors, a cadre of champions who have made the study of this underrepresented group their lifework, as it is a testament to their unwavering respect for the young inquiring mind. It begins with a historical overview of the literature on children's use and understanding of electronic information systems, when these retrieval mechanisms were in their infancy. Subsequent essays by leading figures in the field, all peer-reviewed, highlight the theoretical and empirical progress that has occurred since then. Including classic papers originally published elsewhere, the result is a powerful synthesis of thought, practice, and belief. For practitioners and academics, and all those who seek to better understand the complex dynamics of information seeking among children and young adults. Deserves a place on every professional bookshelf for many years to come.

This resource is as much a tribute to its editors and contributors, a cadre of champions who have made the study of this underrepresented group their lifework, as it is a testament to their unwavering respect for the young inquiring mind. It begins with a historical overview of the literature on children's use and understanding of electronic information systems, when these retrieval mechanisms were in their infancy. Subsequent essays by leading figures in the field, all peer-reviewed, highlight the theoretical and empirical progress that has occurred since then. Including classic papers originally published elsewhere, the result is a powerful synthesis of thought, practice, and belief.

School Library Journal

In a thorough, well-organized presentation of what is needed to teach research adequately, but which few if any professionals have the resources or time-mostly time-to implement, Cool introduces the topic by providing a literature review of how children learned to use electronic resources during the 1980s and `90s. What follows are a dozen studies of search behavior in various environments, including what a research library should look like from a child's perspective. The reports move from studies of early elementary through adolescence, concluding with Chelton's take on what the future portends as well as a massive bibliography (in addition to extensive notes at the end of each research report). This volume would be an excellent addition to the school library curriculum at graduate schools, but most working librarians are likely to find the enormity of what must be done, compared to the time they are allotted to do it, a depressing experience without a resident Rumpelstiltskin to perform miracles.-Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Mary K Chelton is Professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Queens College, NYC. Colleen Cool is Associate Professor at Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Queens College, NYC.