The Searchers: Australian Information Seekers and Citizens

The Searchers is an Australian Research Council Linkage project conducted by Professor Julian Thomas, Professor Denise Meredyth, Dr Vivienne Waller and Mr Ian McShane from Swinburne University's Institute for Social Research, in collaboration with the State Library of Victoria.

This project will examine some of the challenges faced by major public libraries (that is, libraries that provide collection and reference services at state (provincial) or national levels). The project will focus on the challenges associated with the online information environment and the use of new digital technologies.

The project has three components:

• research on current information-seeking and the role of public libraries in online information provision
• analysis of wider developments in online environments and search models
• evaluation of the policy and strategic implications for public libraries highlighted by the research.

The project will run from mid 2007 to mid 2010. It will guide the State Library of Victoria in developing appropriate models of information provision and contribute new thinking on the role and position of major libraries in the 21st century.

For more information about this project visit the Searchers blog.