Mobile information-seeking behavior: A comparative study

The rapid growth of mobile device ownership among college students has greatly challenged academic libraries to reconsider their service profiles. In a recent research project conducted at the University of Illinois, mobile device ownership among college students was surprisingly high. While such a rapid adoption of mobile devices is a worldwide phenomenon, the authors sought to investigate similarities and differences of mobile information-seeking behavior of college students in diverse regions. The authors conducted a series of surveys at the University of Illinois in the United States and Kyungsung University in South Korea. Understanding mobile information-seeking behavior of college students at different locations will offer valuable insights as many academic libraries are creating new initiatives and service profiles for mobile library users.