Understanding Research Behaviors, Information Resources, and Service Needs of Scientists and Graduate Students: A Study by the University of Minnesota Libraries

Abstract

In September 2006, the Libraries embarked upon a series of studies of University of Minnesota scientists and graduate students in the sciences in order to understand and incorporate their unique information needs into projects already underway at the Libraries, and to develop new services and tools where needed. Through focus groups and interviews with over 70 deans, faculty members, and graduate students representing departments on the Twin Cities’ campuses, from the Institute of Technology (a college that includes physical science departments and engineering), the College of Biological Sciences, the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences, and the Academic Health Center (which includes six health sciences schools and colleges and the University of Minnesota Duluth department of Pharmacy), the study concluded in May 2007.