Librarians are well aware that their services should be focused on users, their needs and requirements. This also applies to library catalogs, digital libraries, discovery services, and other tools that enable users to find information. Given the many changes in cataloging and classification, as well as in information technology and the way people interact with information, it is essential to continuously explore and analyze users' information behavior and needs. User studies can give catalogers, cataloging policy makers, and system developers a better understanding of end-users, which they need to create meaningful data and useful systems that support users in their information seeking process.
This special issue of Cataloging & Classification Quarterly will focus on user studies that can guide and inspire future developments in cataloging, classification, and bibliographic information systems design. The aim is to showcase examples of user studies, present new findings from user-centered research, and examine how different user research methods can be used in the context of bibliographic organization.
Potential topics for original research articles and review articles include (but are not limited to):
- User studies and the development of cataloging and metadata standards and knowledge organization systems
- User studies guiding community or domain-centered metadata
- Research on users' tasks, needs, mental models, and information behavior that informs the design of library catalogs and digital libraries
- Design and evaluation of the user experience in library catalogs and digital libraries
- Novel user research methods.
