Purpose: As smartphones become ubiquitous, it is important to understand emerging information behavior as a result of wide spread use of smartphones. The purpose of this study is to investigate information behavior in the mobile environment by studying undergraduate smartphone users in China.
Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a survey of 205 undergraduate students in China.
Findings: Smartphones are used predominantly for accessing news and connecting to social media, rather than for academic purposes such as accessing library resources or researching. While students use smartphones for reading e-books, much of this reading is recreational during their spare time.
Research limitations: The inherent limitations of self-reported measures and the small sample size of this study mean that the results cannot be generalized across different age groups and cultures.
Practical implications: When targeting users on the move, information professionals should be aware that the needs and behaviors of smartphone readers are significantly different compared to users of fixed devices, and should provide services in a mobile-friendly way.
Originality/value: The younger generation is accustomed to instant information access. For libraries to relevant, they must redesign their services. It is important for libraries to leverage the strengths of mobile technology and to balance traditional services with mobile delivery. Even though many mobile users will use desktop or laptop computers to access library resources, they will benefit from the availability of mobile-friendly library services.
English Abstract:
Purpose: As smartphones become ubiquitous, it is important to understand emerging information behavior as a result of wide spread use of smartphones. The purpose of this study is to investigate information behavior in the mobile environment by studying undergraduate smartphone users in China.
Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a survey of 205 undergraduate students in China.
Findings: Smartphones are used predominantly for accessing news and connecting to social media, rather than for academic purposes such as accessing library resources or researching. While students use smartphones for reading e-books, much of this reading is recreational during their spare time.
Research limitations: The inherent limitations of self-reported measures and the small sample size of this study mean that the results cannot be generalized across different age groups and cultures.
Practical implications: When targeting users on the move, information professionals should be aware that the needs and behaviors of smartphone readers are significantly different compared to users of fixed devices, and should provide services in a mobile-friendly way.
Originality/value: The younger generation is accustomed to instant information access. For libraries to relevant, they must redesign their services. It is important for libraries to leverage the strengths of mobile technology and to balance traditional services with mobile delivery. Even though many mobile users will use desktop or laptop computers to access library resources, they will benefit from the availability of mobile-friendly library services.
1.School of Information, San Jose State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192-0029, USA 2.School of Information Management, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Recommended Citation:
LIU Ziming,HUANG Xiaobing,FU Yue’an. Information behavior in the mobile environment: A study of undergraduate smartphone users in China[J]. Chinese Journal of Library and Information Science,2014,7(4):1-15.
