Sharing encountered information digital libraries get a social life

• Published in: International Conference on Digital Libraries: Proceedings of the 4th ACM/IEEE-CS joint conference on Digital libraries; 07-11 June 2004 pp. 218 - 227
• Main Authors: Marshall, Catherine C., Bly, Sara
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY, USA ACM 07-06-2004; IEEE; ACM Press
• Series: ACM Conferences
• Subjects: Applied computing > Computers in other domains > Digital libraries and archives; Applied sciences; Collaborative work; Computer interfaces; Computer science; control theory; systems; Consumer electronics; Documentation; Employment; Exact sciences and technology; Human factors; Human-centered computing > Collaborative and social computing > Collaborative and social computing theory, concepts and paradigms > Computer supported cooperative work; Human-centered computing > Human computer interaction (HCI) > HCI design and evaluation methods; Information retrieval; Information systems > Information systems applications > Digital libraries and archives; Information systems. Data bases; Marketing management; Memory organisation. Data processing; Social and professional topics > Professional topics > Computing and business > Computer supported cooperative work; Software; Software libraries; User interfaces; browsing; field study; clipping; encountered information; collaboration; interaction; electronic periodicals; reading; Pervasive computing; Value function; Electronic document; Clipping; Electronic mail; Electronic library; Modeling; Digital information
• ISBN: 1581138326; 9781581138320
• DOI: 10.1145/996350.996401

As part of a more extensive study of reading-related practices, we have explored how people share information they encounter in their everyday reading as a complement to the more traditional digital library focus on sharing intentionally retrieved materials. In twenty contextual interviews in home and work place settings, we investigated how people encounter and save published material in the form of paper and electronic clippings. We found that sharing forms a significant use for encountered materials. Furthermore, the function of these clippings extends far beyond a simple exchange of content to inform the recipient; in fact, the content itself may have little immediate value to the recipient. We also found the practice to be ubiquitous: all of our participants had both shared clippings with others and received them themselves. Specifically, this paper reports on: (1) how sharing encountered items fits into the broader spectrum of clipping practices; (2) the function and value of the shared information; and (3) the social role of sharing the encountered information We conclude that from a technological standpoint, we should think beyond an email model for sharing encountered information and, from a social perspective, we should attend to how sharing this sort of material contributes to the strength of social ties outside of a traditional information needs framework.