Measuring Information Security Awareness of Librarians: A Case Study in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
Kate‐Riin Kont · Slavic & East European Information Resources · 2025
The current study reports an investigation on information security awareness of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian librarians. For the majority of the population, the e-environment is already a part of everyday life – they shop there, use internet banks, and communicate with friends on social networks. However, active social networking and internet users without sufficient cyber knowledge are vulnerable. Librarians with a high level of digital literacy have been identified as key players in promoting information security awareness among the population, increasing their digital literacy, and thereby reducing the number of victims of cybercrime and hostile state influences among ordinary citizens. The theoretical section gives an overview of the significant role that libraries in the Baltic states play as vital partners in raising awareness of information security, spreading digital literacy, promoting national security, and preventing cybercrime among the population. To measure information security awareness of librarians in Baltic countries, the HAIS-Q questionnaire method was used to collect data from 1,217 respondents in public libraries, school libraries, research libraries, and special libraries. Kruger and Kearney’s (2006) model was used to present the results of qualitative analysis of the data. This approach has not previously been used in analyzing results collected through the HAIS-Q survey methodology. Most of the respondents (86% in Estonia, 83% in Latvia, and 81% in Lithuania) already possess competent internet security awareness, leaving 14% (Estonia) 17% (Latvia) and 19% (Lithuania) of respondents who lack sufficient awareness of information security. Many of the respondents pointed out that the questionnaire itself can also be a valuable tool for raising awareness and paying more attention to information security. Although librarians in Baltic countries already possess above average digital literacy, their skills need to be updated from time to time and strengthened in some areas, so they can serve as trainers in the basics of information security awareness and leaders in managing crises of information warfare in their region.