This chapter poses and attempts to answer a significant question regarding emotions research within academic librarianship – namely, why isn't this topic being researched more? Given how emotionally-laden the work is and how emotionally-laden information-seeking behavior can be, it seems surprising that there is a dearth of research on emotion-related issues. Other people-oriented professions like healthcare and hospitality seem very focused on understanding the qualitative experiences of their professionals; in comparison, academic librarianship seems reluctant to tackle the topic. The chapter examines what does exist in the academic librarianship literature regarding emotions and branches out into other disciplines to see how they examine the issue of emotion and its impact on professional practice. The chapter also posits answers for why this topic isn't studied more within academic librarianship, focusing on issues of objectivity and data-driven decision making.
Information seeking behavior for decision making in everyday life: a pilot study on adolescents