Dykes and information needs : Problems of access to fiction.

The aim of this Masters thesis is, partly, to examine the information needs of lesbians: what discernable information needs they have, how they seek information and which information sources they use. The purpose is also to examine what part fiction plays regarding the information needs mentioned above and how fiction indexing could improve retrieval. The study is conducted through ten qualitative interviews with lesbians as well as through textual analysis. The theoretical framework includes queer theory and theory concerning information needs and uses. The results indicate that lesbians have evident information needs that mostly concern identity. Many kinds of information, including gay fiction, are sought after in various ways. Information sources used are, among others, libraries and the Internet. Gay fiction seems to be important when coming to terms with ones lesbian identity. The analysis shows that the indicated information needs probably are due to the overall heterosexual norm in society. Fiction becomes a way of finding ones own reality. Gay novels, films, etc are often difficult to retrieve if author or title is unknown. Several barriers to retrieval are recognised, for example lack of adequate fiction indexing. In order to improve information retrieval, fiction indexing is suggested as an important mean.Uppsatsnivå: