Exploring the information behaviour of users of Welsh Newspapers Online through web log analysis

Abstract

Structured Abstract:Purpose: Webometric techniques have been applied to many websites and online resources, especially since the launch of Google Analytics. To date, though, there has been little consideration of information behaviour in relation to digitised newspaper collections. This paper addresses a perceived gap in the literature by providing an account of user behaviour in the newly launched Welsh Newspapers Online.Design/methodology/approach: The author collected webometric data for Welsh Newspapers Online using Google Analytics and web server content logs. These were analysed to identify patterns of engagement and user behaviour, which were then considered in relation to existing information behaviour.Findings: Use of Welsh Newspapers Online, while reminiscent of archival information seeking, can be understood as centring on the web interface rather than the digitised material. In comparison to general web browsing, users are much more deeply engaged with the resource. This engagement incorporates reading online, but users' information seeking utilises website search and browsing functionality rather than filtering in newspaper material. Information seeking in digitised newspapers resembles the model of the 'user' more closely than that of the 'reader', a value-laden distinction which needs further unpacking.Research limitations/implications: A larger longitudinal dataset would increase the study's significance. Additionally, the methodology of this paper can only tell us what users are doing, and further research is needed to identify the drivers for this behaviour.Originality/value: This study provides important insights into the underinvestigated area of digitised newspaper collections, and shows the importance of webometric methods in analysing online user behaviour.

Trends in digital newspaper discovery: a natural experiment

“…This research directly highlights the lack of newspaper use studies within the United States. Gooding noted the gap in recent literature surrounding user information seeking behavior for digitized newspaper collections in his research study, which employed "webometric techniques" to evaluate the use of the then newly launched Welsh Newspapers Online discovery interface (Gooding, 2016). While this method explored web server content logs, this research remains highly relevant to this present study.…”

From Information to Knowledge Creation in the Archive: Observing Humanities Researchers' Information Activities

“…Though some scholars have pointed to digital technologies altering reading practices, with an increase in the use of e‐texts (Given & Willson, 2018; Sukovic, 2008; Talja & Maula, 2003; Toms & O'Brien, 2008), such findings are less relevant to archives as the most recent data suggests that the majority of physical archival holdings are not digitised (Poll, 2010). Furthermore, Gooding's (2016) study of webometric data from Welsh Newspapers Online also found that users' behaviours in an online environment were more indicative of changes to search than to reading.…”

Metadata categorization for identifying search patterns in a digital library

“…Sfakakis and Kapidakis (2002) distinguished different search patterns for search in various collections -ranging from medical bibliography, and archaeological records, to PhD dissertations -of the Hellenic National Documentation Center in terms of average session length (mostly short sessions with about three interactions) and use of certain search fields, such as any, author, title. More recently, Gooding (2016) showed differences between online and off line search behavior in a Welsh newspaper archive, describing online behavior in terms of number of visits, browsing and viewing content, and time spent on search (about 17 minutes per session and visiting over 20 pages per visit). The data used combine Google analytics with log analysis.…”