Information behaviour research: Global insights and African realities

Information behaviour (IB) describes all forms of human interactions with information including intentional and unintentional information activities. It is an interdisciplinary field which integrates contributions from diverse disciplines. This paper discusses the global trends in information behaviour research, emphasising the shift from the system centred to user centred research, early focus on occupations, the shift to studying people‟s everyday life experiences, studying people in contexts, the evolution of theories, models and methodologies, as well as the interdisciplinarity of the information behaviour field. The paper provides useful insight into information behaviour research globally and in Africa. It addresses the specific realities of information behaviour research in Africa, highlighting unique challenges that require some attention from information professionals. The paper provides recommendations for context driven research in information behaviour within the African continent.