Colleen Cool, Associate Professor

Rosenthal 246
Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
Queens College, City University of New York
Phone: (718) 997-3788
Fax: (718) 997-3797
E-mail: ccool@qc.cuny.edu

Education

Ph.D. (1997) Rutgers University, SCILS – New Brunswick, N.J. Communication, Information & Library Studies

M.L.S. (1991) Rutgers University, SCILS – New Brunswick, N.J. Library Science

M.A. (1979) University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School for Communication – Philadelphia, PA, Communication

B.A. (1976) Rutgers University – New Brunswick, N.J. Psychology and Sociology

Work Experience

Professional:

Research Consultant (1996-1998) Rutgers University Tipster Phase III Projects, funded by U.S. Defense Department Advanced Research Program Association

Research Associate (1992-1996) Bell Communications Research, Department of Interpersonal Communication Research and Multimedia Systems

Research Assistant (1993-1997) Rutgers University, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies

Director of Research and Information Services (1982-1990) Greater Media, Inc., East Brunswick, N.J.

Teaching & Administration:

Associate Professor (2002 - Present) Queens College GSLIS

Assistant Professor (1997-2002) Queens College GSLIS

Adjunct Lecturer (1996-1997) Queens College GSLIS

Teaching Assistant and Part Time Lecturer (1991-1995) Rutgers University, SCILS

Part Time Lecturer (1984) Rutgers University – Department of Sociology, New Brunswick, N.J.

Adjunct Instructor (1982-1983) New York University – Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Courses Taught in the Past Two Years:

GSLIS 700: The Technology of Information
GSLIS 701: Foundations Of Library & Information Science
GSLIS 702: Information Sources & Services: General
GSLIS 709: Research & Bibliographic Methods
GSLIS 740: The Information Environment in Contemporary Society
GSLIS 753: Digital Libraries
GSLIS 790: Human-Computer Interaction

Research & Professional Interests

My primary research and professional interests center on the investigation of people in their interactions with computers and information retrieval systems. My point of view directs me to look closely at the use, usability and evaluation of information systems by people who use them, in order to better understand the multidimensional nature of information seeking as a process; the nature of human-computer interactions in these new communication environments; and ways in which system design can conceptualize computers as social actors in the process of information exchange. One of the goals of this research agenda is to specify better design principles for information retrieval systems. However, before we can design better information systems, we need to understand how they can be designed to empower users by affording them with options and opportunities for control over the information seeking process in relation to specific tasks and goals.

Selected Publications

Chelton, M.K. and Cool, C. (2004). Youth Information Seeking Behaviors: Theories, Models and Issues. Langham, MD: Scarecrow Press (In Production)

Cool, C. and Belkin, N.J. (2002) “A classification of interactions with information.” In H Bruce, R. Fidel, P. Ingwersen & P. Vakkari (eds.) Emerging frameworks and methods. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS4). (pp. 1-15). Greenwood Village, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Cool, C. and Spink, A., eds. (2002). Issues of context in information retrieval: Special issue of Information Processing and Management, vol 38 (2).

Cool, C. (2001). "The concept of situation in information science." In Williams, Martha E., Annual Review of Information Science and Technology. (ARIST) vol 35. (pp 5-42). Medford, N.J.: Information Today.

Xie, H. and Cool, C. (2002). “Ease of use versus user control: an evaluation of Web and non-Web interfaces of online databases.” Online Information Review, vol. 24 (2). (pp.102-115).