Fellowship Unearthed: The Information-Seeking Needs and Behaviours of the Dungeons & Dragons Community: Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is one of the eminent tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG). Albeit existing as one of the notable TTRPGs, this highly social group of prosumers has been largely understudied. Accordingly, this paper seeks to address the deficiency in the existing scholarship by analyzing the D&D community, its information needs and behaviours, and how information professionals and centres can support this group of hobbyists. To analyze this community, this essay utilizes the Serious Leisure Perspective theoretical framework, alongside the Information Activities model, to holistically understand the needs and behaviours of the D&D community. In addition to traditional in-person communication channels and meet-ups, this passionate community also utilizes various (emerging) technologies, including forums and blogs, wikis and websites, social media sites, streams and podcasts, and digital texts and ebooks, to create, consume, engage, and share information regarding the game as well as wider aspects of D&D. This paper also examines contemporary library’s D&D collections and programme offerings and provides insight into how information professionals and centres can provide and improve services to meet the needs of this diverse community and other TTGs games and communities alike.

Joe Mullins: “I am particpating in SJSU’s MLIS programme from Canada. I have worked various roles within public and academic libraries since I was a teenager, including as a page, assistant, assistant branch supervisor and public service coordinator. Although I have yet to decide if I want to pursue a career in an academic or public setting, I know I want to work in management.”