Everyday Life Information Seeking (ELIS) with Emphasis on Ethnicities and Minorities: A Systematic Review

Examining previous research in the field of information-seeking regarding daily rapid access behavior patterns, determining the research gaps, components and sub-components of interest, research methodology and spatial distribution of the existing body of research.

This systematic review is based on Prism standard. The related research were probed and extracted from 11 national databases from 2012 to 2020 and 5 none-Iranian from 1995 until 2021. Considering the input and output criteria, 25 research sources, including journal articles and dissertations, were identified.

Information and communication channels, information needs, and challenges in accessing information are the most important issues addressed. The sub-components of the investigated topics included books, magazines, newspapers, radio, satellite, internet, virtual social networks, family, relatives, friends, elders and libraries. Information needs included education, culture, economy, society, religion, health, climate, transportation, sports, nutrition, and customs. Challenges in accessing information involved inaccessibility of transportation systems, communication and information infrastructure, health centers, as well as language problems. The research literarure empolyed both quantitative and qualitative with more attention to ethnography. Also, questionnaires, interviews and observations were used. The study population in Iran are Tribes (42%), minorities (14%), teachers and other employees (28%), adults (14%); unfortunately, no study on children, clerics, youth and adolescents, and the elderly is available. The study population in the world are clergy (5%), minorities and immigrants (27%), youth and adolescents (16%), the elderly (5%), students, teachers, workers and other staff (28%) and adults (27%). Research has been conducted in Iran, Australia, USA, New Zealand, Spain, China (Taiwan), Africa (Nigeria), Canada, Pakistan, and Finland.

Attention to information behavior of everyday lifein the research literaure has intensified globaly. A wide range of studies have tageted information and communication channels, such as virtual social networks, paying attention to the information needs of minorities, ethnic groups, and focusing more on individual variables. However, there is little research addressing the impact of socio-economic, cultural and consumption capital on the everyday life information seeking on nomads, immigrants and other groups. In Iran, information resources, tools, technologies, and libraries have not been successful in meeting information needs of tribes and nomads. At the global level, benefiting from qualitative research methodologies has facilitated theorising in the field, whereas in Iran relying on quantitative techniques has prevented generating theories. As can be seen in research outside of Iran, due to the extensive, multidimensionality and complexity of information behavior, it is necessary for information seeking behavior experts to continue further investigation. Everyday life in the current period leads towards qualitative and individual research projects with mixed methods.