Dr. Eliza Dresang
Eliza Atkins Gleason Professor
edresang@ci.fsu.edu

Overview

My primary area of research interest is theoretical and applied approaches to information behavior, particularly as related to multimedia, networked information systems and handheld digitally-influenced resources. The user groups upon which I most often focus are youth and the adults who work with them in information seeking situations. The environments on which I most frequently focus are contemporary school and public libraries and virtual arenas in which youth seek information. I am interested particularly in how digital-age resources and environments, including policies, facilitate or impede or interact with information seeking behaviors. I am also interesting in the management of information organizations, particularly in the research and practice evaluation of library services, with a focus on outcome based planning and evaluation.

Theoretical Investigation of Information Behavior in the Digital Age (Radical Change)

• Definition and development of original theory based on digital age principles (interactivity, connectivity, access)
  
• Application of the theory to information resources for youth
  
• Application of theory to information behavior of youth (with handheld and digital technologies)
• Relation and interaction of this information behavior theory with other contemporary theories of information behavior

Facilitation or Impediment of Information Seeking Behavior of Youth

• Investigation of ways in which information seeking of youth differs from that of adults
  
• Investigation of ways in which national or related state legislation (including the No Child Left Behind Act and the Children’s Internet Protection Act) facilitate or impede access of youth to information and information resources.
  
• Investigation of formal and informal censorship of resources for youth or information behavior of youth
  
• Investigation of how and under what circumstances national or state legislation (including the No Child Left Behind Act and the Children’s Internet Protection Act) affect behavior of librarians securing resources for students.
  
• Investigation of areas of youth information needs related to changing demographics of the U.S.
  
• Investigation of how gender interacts with information behavior of youth, particularly in relation to technology

Management and Evaluation of Library Services

• Leadership, particularly in a school media setting, including impact of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
  
• Investigation of youth’s use of networked technology in public library setting
  
• Planning and evaluation using outcome based methodology
  
• Investigation of community-building that occurs with outcome-based evaluation
  
• Building models of planning and evaluation for use in a public library setting