The paper discusses information needs and behaviour of geoinformation users. Information behaviour
is defined as an action of a user of geoinformation in a given communication situation, whose goal
is to satisfy his communication or information need by participation in communication. Analysis of hitherto state of research is carried out concerning the extent of information needs and behaviour of geoinformation users, pursuant to realized and elaborated surveys. As resulted from initial research, the aim of hitherto studies was rather an attempt to assess quality of geoinformation centre,s action or presentation of users, requirements as regards geoportals, but not their actual needs. The essence of the paper is the specificity of information behaviour of users and analysis of their needs based on results of a survey. The survey was realized from January till May 2009. The printed and electronics version of the questionaire was addressed to centres of geodesy and cartography documentation in Poland and other centres which are dealing with geoinormation (and conducted among workers and users of these centres) as well as students of selected universities educating in to the area of geoinformation). The questions concerned among other: sources of needs in the area of geoinformation; frequency and the scope of geoinformation used; schooling offers; access to the geoinformation journals; forms, kinds and aims for using geoinformation sources; extent of satisfaction with the
geoinformation obtained; difficulties in seeking and barriers in access to the geoinformation. Two hundred and ninety respondents answered the survey (144 students and 146 workers of administration, national forests and research institutes). For instance, 86% of respondents prefer Internet sources than traditional (printed). Although 71% respondents were satisfied with accessible geoinformation sources, they pointed out to many difficulties in seeking and barriers in access to geoinformation. The main source of needs in the area of geoinformation is educational need, then individual needs (e.g. tourists) and professional needs. There are no essential divergences in valuation of geoinformation importance between students and workers
