“Looking for Pictures of Clouds”: Defining the Unique Research Needs of Creative Communities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to define the unique research needs of creative communities as seen by the academic librarians supporting those communities. After surveying academic librarians, visual practice, information relating to the practice of a creative discipline, and inspiration were identified as unique research needs of these populations. Survey respondents also identified challenges to serving creative communities, including perceptions of library relevance, buy-in, and scheduling. While past literature has engaged with supporting specific creative disciplines, this study focuses on the collective research needs of creative communities.