Dominant Traits of the Information Behavior of Vietnamese Immigrants in the Czech Republic: Influences on Building Their Information Landscapes - Preliminary Paper

Abstract

The structure of immigrant communities in the Czech Republic differs extensively from its counterparts in other EU countries such as Sweden, Germany or France. The Vietnamese community is one of the largest in the Czech Republic. It has been in the focus of other research disciplines for a long time. However, the information behavior of Vietnamese newcomers has not attracted systematic attention from the side of information professionals yet. An in-depth understanding of their information landscape may represent a critical facet with strong influence on the potential success of the overall integration process (LLOYD, 2015). In the presentation, the mid-term results of our research are introduced with emphasis on the main characteristics of the community that distinguish its information behavior from other immigrant groups. The following research methods have been applied: semi-structured interviews and analysis of documents and materials. Research questions are related to: a) the scope of the information needs of the target group in its efforts to establish and integrate in the Czech society; and b) the specifics of the process of searching and selecting relevant information sources. The outcomes shall serve not only to a better understanding of the information behavior of the specified target group, but also as the starting point for the improvement of structure, quality and format of information services provided by public libraries and other institutions.