The Information Needs and Sources of Arab Visual Artists

This article presents the results of a quantitative empirical study on the information needs and sources of Arab visual artists as they engage in creative work and associated tasks. The study was conducted using an online survey published in three languages—English, French, and Arabic. The survey was completed by seventy-two artists from several Arab countries. It was designed using the methodology from William Hemmig’s 2009 study, and the convergences and divergences between both studies are presented. The analysis of demographic data allowed the authors to establish that the distribution of sources also varied depending on the population’s age and gender. The results of this study are both theoretical—through the replication and the comparison of two studies—and practical—through the possibility of providing recommendations to Arab art institutions and libraries.