Teachers and information seeking

The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of the context of teachers’ information seeking. Research in the role of the library in a learning perspective is in demand. To reach our aim we investigate what teachers say about their experiences of the user training during their studies and what effect it had on their information seeking as teachers. We interviewed four teachers and analyzed the transcripts of their sayings about their experiences of their information seeking during their education and a teaching profession. The theoretical framework includes information needs, information seeking foundations and communities of practice. The main outcome of the study is that user training made our informants familiar with information seeking and information resources. User training had a positive effect in their professional role, even though it was intended to serve their educational needs. Information seeking is a significant aspect of a teaching profession, and our conclusion is that user training also can be developed to include professional needs