‘Will there be parmesan?’ – Understanding migrants’ information needs and sources for transition to new country
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31iConf64162Keywords:
Migrants, Information seeking, Information behavior, Digital journeyAbstract
Introduction. Migration is an information-intensive process—migrants require information throughout the process of their move. Extant literature identifies what information migrants need, how they seek it, and the barriers encountered in new information environments. However, not much work has examined what enables migrants to access information in new environments.
Method. To address this gap, a qualitative approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cohort of 23 migrants in Victoria, Australia. All participants had moved more than once in their life.
Analysis. Following data collection, a thematic analysis approach was adopted. We examined the data for emergent themes. Data was coded by the first author and refined through an iterative process with four co-authors.
Results. Data analysis revealed 4 themes and 16 sub-themes. We identified enablers for navigating new information environments: navigating the physical landscape of new country, drawing on local contacts in new country, leveraging online recommender systems in new digital environments, drawing on previous experiences of navigating information environments.
Conclusion. Given the findings, we suggest serendipitous information system design can have a supportive effect for migrants navigating new digital information environments. We also indicate the role libraries can play in helping migrants make the digital journey.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rashika Bahl, Shanton Chang, Dana McKay, George Buchanan, Marc Cheong
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