Songket as a Malay Heritage Craft: Exploring the Weavers’ Information Behaviour

Abstract

Until present, little attention has been given in the study of heritage crafters’ information behavior. In Malaysia, none of the user studies have been conducted in the last decade focusing solely on songket weavers. This paper provides the results of a study involving in-depth interviews with nine weavers. This study is an attempt to explain how the weavers search for information, the access tools they use, and the barriers they face. The findings informed the information seeking, selecting, organizing and maintaining in the process of weaving the songket. The findings of this study can be used to develop a proper songket design data repository systems that will facilitate access for this significant group of crafters or weavers.