How do Japanese adults search for books?: Focusing on the contrast between readers and non-readers about information referencing and book-search orientation

Abstract

  The purpose of this study is to clarify how Japanese adults search for books. In a preliminary survey, university students (n=209) were asked to answer the open-ended questions about how they choose books, and 24 information and items measuring book-search orientation were identified. In Study 1, a survey of university students and adults (n=346) was conducted to develop a book-search orientation scale consisting of two factors: “review-reference orientation” which value external measure such as rankings in book searching, and “serendipity orientation” which value one 's intuition and fortuitousness. In Study 2, 750 adults were recruited with the aim of clarifying (1) the information referencing in book searching and (2) the tendency of book-search orientation by contrasting readers and non-readers. The analysis revealed that the information about the contents of books and a chance encounter were both important in choosing books. It was also shown that serendipity orientation, which value a fortuitousness in book search, may increase the probability of reading. These results suggest that working on its serendipity in book search may be important in promoting reading in adults.