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Running head: CHILDREN AND TEENS USING DIGITAL RESOURCES 1

Reference Service for Children and Teens Using Digital Resources:

Rebecca Orosco (Bardales)

San Jose State University

May 5, 2014


Abstract

The digital age has come where children and teens can seek information for online

reference resources. Children and teens information seeking behavior compared to an adults is

different. The Internet and Google are so mainstream and accessible that children and teens

think they know how to search the Internet, but research shows different. Children and teens

need the help of a reference librarian to complete assignments. The digital age of tablet,

cellphone, and laptops are making way to seek information different from years past.


Introduction

Reference services have changed throughout the years. About twenty years ago

a student would go to a school library or public library to seek reference materials. The

reference services that would have been provide came from encyclopedias, periodicals,

and library books. In some cases interviews would be conduct with an expert in a

particular field with a tape recorder. The more sophisticated student would use the

radio, television (such as 60 Minutes) and microfilms as references materials .This is

not the case in today’s society. Reference materials are available every because we live

in a digital world. Many children and teens are able find or seek information almost

instantly from a click of button. The services libraries provide for children and teens has

come to fit their needs, by have digital resources for them to use.

Information seeking among children and teens

When a child and teen is seeking information on any particular subject, they want

in increase their knowledge. According to Marchionini (1997) “information seeking is a

process in which humans purposefully engage to change the state of knowledge” (p. 5).

Nesset mentions (as cited in Pettigrew, Fidel, & Bruce, 2001 p. 44) “the study of how

people need, seek, give, and use information in different context, including the

workplace and living” (p. 98). The concept of information seeking has been around a

long time, however computers and other technologies have made this topic more

interesting because children and teens can seek information from a click of button.

When computers first were developed and available for families to purchase, not every

home was able to buy a computer. In many cases the first time computer available to

children and teens was in the classroom. According to (Gossen & Nürnberger, 2013)


“research about children’s information seeking behaviors began in the nineties with the

appearance of school classrooms with computer equipment” (p.743). It has been over

twenty years since computers have been in the classroom for children and teens to use.

With this known fact very little “research has been done on the retrieval performance of

web search engines for queries formulated by children” (Biai, 2012, p.18790). It is

important to understand how children and teens seek information because the end

result is the increase in knowledge in a digital world and using digital resources.

Leading researchers Gossen & Nürnberger (2013) conducted a study on the concept of

information seeking behaviors among children and teens. The study included query,

search strategy, navigations style, users interface and relevance judgment.

IBS-Query

What is most important to understand about query is the information retrieval systems

should provide information that corresponds to children and teens’ information needs.

The results are that there are different needs adults. Most of the time children and teens

misspell key words, or phrases that are too short or too long, they have limited

vocabulary, and they also will click on the first available results. Although many children

and teens have access to some type of digital devices, many are unaware of how tow

request the proper question (Gossen & Nürnberger, 2013, p.744-745). Without the

proper query, a child or a teen will not be able to locate the proper answer to their

question or information they want to seek. This can lead to many problems when

children and teens are doing researching for a class assignment.


IBS-Search Strategy

Interface is the most important tool a public library can offer to children and teen

patrons. Most public libraries will have an interface for adults, children, and teens to

search and seek information. According to Chowdhury (2010) “an interface is the most

important component of an information retrieval system. Interface has two important

functions. The first allows users to search or browse information and display the results

of a search. A great interface also has the capability to perform further tasks, such as

sorting, saving, and printing search results” (p.265). Children and teens are unique

patrons, so providing an interface that supports their needs in retrieving and seeking

information when doing research is imperative in a digital age. According to Gossen &

Nürnberger (2013), “there are two types of interface for search engines the first is

catalog and query oriented search. In query oriented search engines the user needs to

input some keywords, where as in catalog oriented search he/she browses/navigates

through pre-defined categories” (p.745). Children and teens are unaware of the type of

search engines. Most are familiar with popular search engines such as Google.

According to Large & Behesti (2005) “children and teens are now using the web widely

as an information source for both leisure and learning tool and not aware of the

specialized portals that are design for them” (p.318). Children and teens are seeking

information because they have access the Internet. Searching the Internet has become

a past time. Research done by Gossen & Nürnberger (2013), concluded children and

teens browsing performance is better than that of child who prefers browsing. This is

true because browsing search engines imposes cognitive skills, which fits their natural

trends Another key factor to why browsing search is because children have a smaller

vocabulary to search by keyword. The limited domain knowledge of children is also a


problem in keyword oriented search engines. Many children do not know how to select

single key words. However, research done by by Gossen & Nürnberger (as cited in

Jochmann-Mannak et al., 2010) says, children prefer typing keywords than browsing the

main categories. This is due to children and teens being exposed to Google, which is a

keyword orientated interface (p.745). Google is user friendly interface. It is clean and

transparent compared to other interface engines.

IBS-User Interface

Many libraries have an option where children and teens can seek information on

an interface that is atheistically appealing to children and teens. It is important for

children to have their own interface. According to Gossen & Nürnberger (2013), says

children can experience difficulties with too advanced metaphorical navigation. When a

child and a teen have their own interface is important for them to have reference

materials such as databases and the catalog is available. Many libraries have a function

that is on their interface that may display a search engine box; many times this search

engine box is linked to search the Internet powered by Google. Many children and teens

are familiar with the popular websites. Large & Behesti (2005) mentions, “it is been

known children and teens use popular searching engines to start researching such as

Google, Yahoo, and MSN and are unaware of children and teen search engines”

(p.319). Another leading research says, “the behavior has become the norm for “Google

generation. We need to develop a better understanding of the retrieval capabilities of

the engines i.e. Google Yahoo!, and Bing on queries that children formulate to find

information for specific tasks” (Bila, 2012, p.1880). One possible way to fix this is to

have an icon or web link set up for a child and teen to search the Internet like Ask


Jeeves that is more appropriate for their searching capabilities. Children and teens need

the proper tools for researching and must be aware of websites such as askkids.com.

The purpose of these websites is to find appropriate content on the Internet (Gossen

&Nurnberger, 2013, p. 739). It may be necessary for library staff to direct children and

teens to use these search engines as they are adequately set up for their needs when

researching.

IBS- Relevance Judgment

When children are seeking information many have a hard time making a judgment when

they are searching for a valid website with credibility. “Children also have difficulties to

judge the relevance of the retrieved documents to the information needed. Children are

frustrated by too many results and do not have the ability to determine the most relevant

and best documents” (Gossen &Nurnberger, 2013, p. 739). This is a problem when

children are seeking information for children and teens. Society may think that children

and teens are getting the correct information for assignments. Wihbey (2013) says,

“Educators note that students sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between

commercially influenced sites and peer-reviewed academic journals, for example. They

also see many young people patience with the search process can quickly run thin”

(Online Information, credibility and the Google Generation: Research, Tips, and

Resources). The best way to address this problem is to have a reference classes for

children and properly show them how seek information properly. Many libraries also

provide databases that are available for them use. When shown properly how to use

them will benefit children and teens in the long run. Gossen &Nurnberger created this

flow charter to visibly display how children and teens go through the process of


information seeking behavior. The flow chart is perfect for librarians to see and

remember how children and teens seek information. Children and teens enter the library

with hope they are going to find the correct information, but from the study done by

Gossen & Nürnberger it shows that children and teens have trouble searching and

seeking information for the Internet.

Figure. 1 shows aspects of information-seeking behavior

Internet

Technology devices such as cell phone, smartphone, desktop or laptop

computer, or tablets provide the Internet. Wi-Fi is just as important when children and

teens own one of these devices. The purpose of Wi-Fi is to certify the interoperability of

wireless computer networking devices (“Merriam-Webster”, 2014). Especially in this

society many businesses offer free Wi-Fi to patrons to use. The Internet is just as

important as a technology devices. The percentage of computers that are available to

children and teens is very high. As it turns out, many of children and using child and

teen age appropriate search engines. Research done by Brenner says (2012), “Eight


out of ten teens have a desktop or laptop computer. Among the 20% of those who do

not have their own computer, two-thirds (67%) have access to one they can use. Taken

together, this means that 93% of teens have a computer or access to one” (p.2).

Information seeking in any age is important as it is the way humans seek to find

knowledge. When children and teens are researching and looking for references to

complete school assignments most of the will use some type of technology device and

the Internet to start and mostly likely complete the school assignment. Many children

and teens will do their research at home, however there is a small percentage that will

use the library’s Internet access. Public libraries offer computers as well as tablets for

patrons to use. According to the America Library Association (2013), public access

computer use continued to be one of the fastest growing services in public libraries. In

Fiscal Year 2010, public libraries reported a computer use rate of more than one use for

every five visits to the library. Public libraries have responded to the demand by

increasing access, doubling the number of public computers in the past 10 years

(“American Library Association Public Use: ALA Library Fact Sheet 6: Use sage report

by Libraries-Public Library Survey (PLS) Federal Report”, 2013). Libraries are just as

important when it comes to researching and providing reference tools for children and

teens. In, fact many public libraries are updated with the last trends and many know

tricks and tips on how to research properly and effectively.

Google and World Wide Web

Children and teens today have access to computers and other technology

devices they can use as a service point when researching for reference materials.

When a person wants to know the answer he/she will simply go to a laptop or desktop


computer, tablet or; use a cell phone to find the answer. Many children and teens will

use the searching engine Google. According to Google Company “Google.com was

registered as a domain on September 15, 1997. The word google was added to the

Oxford English Dictionary in June of 2006 as a verb” (“Our History in Death”, n.d.). The

word itself Google is part of children and teen’s lives. The expression Google it is a

popular phrase in society. Everyone will say this expression, even older people who are

unable of what Google has to offer. According to O’Kelly (2011) “The researchers found

that Google was the most popular source for students looking for everyday life research

and second-most popular when completing course assignments (p.332). The way

Google works it offers an autosuggestion. Burchill & Ramussen (2014) say that

autosuggestions havethe ability to limit results after an initial search by for, language,

author, subject area or any other facet” (p.77). This is what children and teens like about

Google. A study done by Pettir Vakkari titled Comparing Google to a Digital Reference

Service for Answering Factual and Topical Request by Keyword and Questions

compares Google to a digital service called Ask-an-Expert-services including librarians.

In her study she analyzes how effectively Google retrieves answers to queries inferred

form question to Ask-a-librarian Vakkari (2011 p.928).

Google verses Digital Reference

In the digital world where children and teens use Google to find answers rely only

on the information found on the Internet to be truth and factual, they need to remember

libraries offer digital resources as well. In this study it was necessary to look at how

searches were conducted. Vakkari agrees with the success of search engines in

retrieved answers to requests also depends on how users formulate queries (as cited


Spink and Jansen, 2004 p. 929) The way a child and teen formulate their query is

important because the query will reflect the results when using Google as a reference

material. “Due to the difference between search engines and digital Ask-a-Librarian

services the reasonable feature on which to compare the performance is their ability to

provide correct answers to questions” (Vakkari, 2011, p.929). When a test was done

with Google, Yahoo, a library reference, and AllExperts the conclusion was Google had

a high quality of answers. In regards to factual, opinion and personal advice questions,

advice questions were the best and factual questions was horrible. As far as simulated

typical web queries, Google retrieves correct answer forty-two percent of the topical

question and twenty-nine percent for a factual question, compared to the fifty-five

percent the average of correctly answered reference questions in public libraries.

Google was not outperformed by the Ask-a-Librarian service. The main point here is no

Matter the question or search engine used, the way a child or teen asks the question

will depend on how they ask it. The child must be able to be able to make a judgment

call. This will come with age

Trends in the Digital Age

The Internet and search engines such as Google due play a vital role in

researching. However, let’s not forget services that are provided by libraries. Libraries

offer a wide range of digital reference to children and teens. Some services that are

offered are the Internet, Wi-Fi, child literacy computer, and possible tablets for children

and teens to use in the library. These services have changed to demand in libraries.

Tablets, Applications, Nooks, and Kindles are just the tip of the trends that are

happening in libraries and in the digital technology. Many of these digital devices can be


seen as providing reference materials for children and teens. Libraries have started to

incorporate digital storytelling to their storytime programs. According to McDonald,

(2011) “digital storytelling is simply using computer or web-based tools to tell stories.

These stories can take several different forms, such as personal narratives, historical

narrative, stories of practice, and stories that inform or instruct” (p.40). The reason to

have a digital storytelling is to make aware of tools that children and teens already use.

They may learn or increase their learning curve when using this tool such as a tablet or

computer.

With digital technology at the fingertips of so many children and teens, however

some are not able to get the technology and the references that are on the tablets,

iPods, and touch screen devices. An article titled What’s the Buzz? Maughan (2014)

quotes Katie O’Dell says, “Her library normally comes across children and teens who

never experienced a touch screen technology or app content, but are exploring the

recourses in the public library” (p. 34). In many cases parents who are less technology

savvy may be reluctant to purchase some of these items for their children and teens. By

offering these services in a public library it allows low-income families to explore the

resource.

Many parents are old school and would prefer their child to read a tangible book.

Those days are still around, but in today’s worlds reading can come from a computer,

cell phone, and tablet. “Although many adults are quick to condemn time spent online

as wasted cognitive time it does not necessarily mean that children and teens are

spending time online instead of reading. Much of youth’s online activities involve

reading and writing such as texting friends, surfing the web and playing interactive on


line games” (Agosto, 2012, p. 36). What this does is allows children and teens to

explore websites and some may come across interesting websites that provide valid

reference resources. It may also teach children and teens to make a judgment call on

the site they choose to interact with. There are many more trends that are available to

children and teens. There are even websites like Study Island that are required by

school districts to use as a learning and resource tool for all ages to use.

References In A Digital World

Libraries cannot stay away from budget cut in fact most public libraries are the

first budgets to decrease. Many public libraries are always providing and searching for

free programs to offer their patrons. MARS comes out with a list of the best free

reference websites available. This list of comes out every fall. This year MARS has a list

of twenty-one free reference websites.

Website Name Website Address Census Bureau: Economic Indicators,

www.census.gov/cgi-bin/briefroom/BriefRm

ChooseMyPlate.gov www.choosemyplate.gov

Citi-Data.com www.city-data.com City Mayors: Mayors Running the World's Cities

www.citymayors.com/index.html

Codecademy www.codecademy.com Coursera www.coursera.org Densho http://densho.org/densho.asp Dietary Supplements Labels Database

http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov/dietary

DOAB: Directory of Open Access Books

www.doabooks.org

Dynamic Periodic Table www.ptable.com Historical Newspapers http://guides.library.upenn.edu.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/historicalnewspapersonline Holocaust Encyclopedia, www.ushmm.org

Human Body Maps, www.healthline.com/human-body-maps

Journalist's Resource, http://journalistsresource.org

LibriVox http://librivox.org

Media History Digital Library, http://mediahistoryproject.org

MyEnvironment, www.epa.gov/myenvironment

National Association of Counties (NACo)

, www.naco.org

Old Maps Online, www.oldmapsonline.org

Pew Social and Demographic www.pewsocialtrends.org

http://www.census.gov.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/cgi-bin/briefroom/BriefRm

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

http://www.city-data.com/

http://www.citymayors.com/index.html

http://www.codecademy.com/

http://www.coursera.org/

http://densho.org/densho.asp

http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov/dietary

http://www.doabooks.org/

http://www.ptable.com/

http://guides.library.upenn.edu.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/historicalnewspapersonline

http://www.ushmm.org/

http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps

http://journalistsresource.org/

http://librivox.org/

http://mediahistoryproject.org/

http://www.epa.gov/myenvironment

http://www.naco.org/

http://www.oldmapsonline.org/

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/


Trends

SAH Archipedia: Classic Buildings,

http://sah-archipedia.org

STATS: We Check out the Numbers Behind the News,

www.stats.org

Web Gallery of Art, www.wga.hu/index.html

World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/

This list can be of value to many libraries. Many of the websites that are listed are for

adults, however there are a few that can help with children and teens’ class

assignments. Reference resources no longer can come in a forma single medium like

print material. In this digital age many great reference resources are available on

Internet.

In the age of digital technology comes the world of chatting, some people may or

may not consider this as a reference tool. Many libraries have a reference service that is

available through a chat line. According to Thompson (2003), “many libraries now offer

chat-based live digital reference services, but few have taken the route of marketing the

service directly to K-12 students as their primary audience” (p. 35). In 2003 there were

two libraries in Maryland took this idea and implemented a service called AskUs Now!

for children and teens. The purpose the service was developed was because a librarian

knew children and teens were searching the Internet without a librarian’s, so they had

the thought to put librarians online where they can help patrons. (Thompson, 2003).

This idea is a very good idea. If children and teens are not coming into the library for

help why not go to them? This is just another example of a free reference service that is

available in a digital world.

Table. 1 lists free websites

http://sah-archipedia.org/

http://www.stats.org/

http://www.wga.hu/index.html

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/


The world of references has changed. In years past a child and teen would come

into the library and find aisles of encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries. This is no

longer the case. References such as these are now accessible on the Internet. In an

article titled Librarians: Paper or Digital it discusses what is on a librarian’s desk? Is it a

book or something digital? In this case the librarian had a tablet on hand with popular

reference books such as The Bulebook, The American Heritage Dictionary, and Black’s

Law Dictionary. (Brudno, 2013 p. 9). The time has come where print materials are no

longer needed in public libraries. The time has come where digital devices are need to

keep up with children and teen’s needs.

Conclusion

Children and teens are digital savvy. No longer are the days where a child and teen will

walk into the library and check out reference books. The day has come where children

and teens are Internet savvy and they are the Google generation. Children and teens

will use Google to seek and find information, but digital technology is still new and a few

children and teens have a difficult time using this the digital tools properly. However,

digital technology is forever changing with different trends public libraries will provide

the changes and tools to serve all patrons.


References

Agosto, D. (2012). More than just books. Children & Libraries: The Journal Of The

Association For Library Service To Children, 10(3), 36-40.

Best Free Reference Websites. (2013). Reference & User Services Quarterly, 53(1), 71-

76.

Bilal, D. (2012). Ranking, relevance judgment, and precision of information retrieval on

children's queries: Evaluation of Google, Yahoo!, Bing, Yahoo! Kids, and Ask

Kids. Journal Of The American Society For Information Science & Technology,

63(9), 1879-1896. Doi:10.1002/asi.22675

Brenner, J. (May 21, 2012). Pew Internet: Teens. Retrieved from

http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/April/Pew-Internet-Teens.aspx

Brundo, S. (2013). Librarians: Paper or digital. Information Today, 30(1), 9.

Burchill, M., & Rasmussen, N. (2014). Implementing VuFind: A public library improves

electronic search quality and saves searcher time. Public Library

Quarterly, 33(1), 76-82.

Chowdhury, G. (2010). Introduction to modern information retrieval. New York: Neal-

Schuman Publishers, Inc.

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A survey. Information Processing & Management, 49(4), 739-756. doi:

10.1016/j.ipm.2012.12.006

http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/April/Pew-Internet-Teens.aspx


Large, A., & Beheshti, J. (2005). Interface design, web portals, and children. Library

Trends, 54(2), 318-342. doi: 10.1353/lib.2006.0017

Marchionini, G. (1997). Information Seeking in Electronic Environments. Cambridge,

UK: Cambridge University Press

Merriam-Webster (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wi-fi

Maughan, S. (2014) What's the buzz?. Publishers Weekly, 261(7), 32-34.

McDonald, R. (2011). Digital Storytelling for Teens and Children. PNLA Quarterly, 76(1),

39-42.

Nesset, V. (2013). Two representations of the research process: The preparing,

searching, and using (PSU) and the beginning, acting and telling (BAT) models.

Library & Information Science Research (07408188), 35(2), 97-106.

O'Kelly, M. K., & Lyon, C. (2011). Google like a librarian: Sharing skills for search

success. College & Research Libraries News, 72(6), 330-332.

Our history in depth (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.google.com/about/company/history/

Public library use (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet06#usagelibs

Thompson, J. (2003). After School and Online. Library Journal, 128(20), 35-37.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wi-fi

https://www.google.com/about/company/history/

http://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet06#usagelibs


Vakkari, P. (2011). Comparing Google to a digital reference service for answering

factual and topical requests by keyword and question queries. Online Information

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Wihbey, J. (April 29, 2013). Online Information, Credibility and the “Google

Generation”:Research, tips, resources. Retrieved from

http://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/news-media/online-information-

credibility-google-generation-research-review-tips-resources

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