Searching for Swedish LGBTQI fiction: challenges and solutions

• Published in: Journal of documentation Vol. 78; no. 7; pp. 464 - 484
• Main Authors: Golub, Koraljka, Bergenmar, Jenny, Humelsjö, Siska
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Publishing Limited 2022; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap; Children & youth; Comics; Community Relations; Drama; End users; Fiction; Gays & lesbians; Gender Studies; General Literary studies; Genusstudier; Heterosexuality; Homosexuality; Indexing; Information Needs; Information retrieval; Information retrieval thesaurus; Information Studies; LGBTQ literature; LGBTQ people; LGBTQI fiction; Library and Information Science; Library catalogs; Library materials; Library of Congress Subject Headings; Litteraturvetenskap; Political power; Questionnaires; Search interfaces; Searching; Self Actualization; Sexual Identity; Sexual Orientation; Subject heading schemes; Subject indexing; Subject searching; Tagging; Transgender persons; User needs; User Needs (Information); User survey; Sweden; User survey; Information retrieval thesaurus; Search interfaces; LGBTQI fiction; Subject searching; Subject indexing
• ISSN: 0022-0418; 1758-7379; 1758-7379
• DOI: 10.1108/JD-06-2022-0138

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the needs of potential end-users of a database dedicated to Swedish lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) literature (e.g. prose, poetry, drama, graphic novels/comics, and illustrated books), in order to inform the development of a database, search interface functionalities, and an LGBTQI thesaurus for fiction.Design/methodology/approachA web questionnaire was distributed in autumn 2021 to potential end-users. The questions covered people's reasons for reading LGBTQI fiction, ways of finding LGBTQI fiction, experience of searching for LGBTQI fiction, usual search elements applied, latest search for LGBTQI fiction, desired subjects to search for, and ideal search functionalities.FindingsThe 101 completed questionnaires showed that most respondents found relevant literature through social media or friends and that most obtained copies of literature from a library. Regarding desirable search functionalities, most respondents would like to see suggestions for related terms to support broader search results (i.e. higher recall). Many also wanted search support that would enable retrieving more specific results based on narrower terms when too many results are retrieved (i.e. higher precision). Over half would also appreciate the option to browse by hierarchically arranged subjects.Originality/valueThis study is the first to show how readers of LGBTQI fiction in Sweden search for and obtain relevant literature. The authors have identified end-user needs that can inform the development of a new database and a thesaurus dedicated to LGBTQI fiction.