Information Needs in ICT Environment: A Study among the Students of Assam Down

Town University

ByPrafulla Kumar Mahanta,

Research Scholar, Gauhati UniversityCum

Librarian, Assam Down Town University

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INTRODUCTIONINFORMATIONThe word “Information” has derived from Latin word “Informare” means to give shape to something. It can be defined as “some meaningful messages recorded in conventional and non conventional media; stored and processed by messages and dissemination to user.

Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines “Information as a) facts or figures ready for communication or use as distinguished from incorporated in a formally organized branch of knowledge b) the process by which the form of an object of knowledge in impressed upon the apprehending mind so as to bring the state of knowing.”

INFORMATION NEEDS Ching-Chih Chen and Peter Hernom stress that an information need is more than a question asked of an introduction provider. It occurs whenever people find themselves in situations that require some form of knowledge for resolution.

The Librarian’s Thesaurus defines information need as “that need which library services or materials are intended to satisfy.

According to Kuhlthau (1993) information need is often understood in information science as evolving from a vague awareness of something missing and as culminating in locating information that contributes to understanding and meaning. 2

INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR

• Wilson (1999) consider “Information behaviours are those activities a person may

engage in when identifying his or her own needs for information, searching for

such information in any way and using or transferring that information.”

• According to Giraj Kumar (1990) Information seeking behaviour is mainly

concerned with who needs what kinds of information for what reasons, how

information is found, evaluated and used.

ICT AND INFORMATION NEED

• The World has tremendous changes as well as also changes the requirements of

information. Thus changes the purposes of information needs and the way of

seeking and gathering information. The key factor which has influence on

information needs and the process of seeking and gathering information is the

advancement of information and communication technology (ICT). Information

and communication technology (ICT) may be defined as the convergence of

electronic, computing and telecommunications.

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Continued…

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• To identify the frequency and reasons for visiting the library by the students of Assam down town University;

• To determine the purposes of information needs in ICT environment among the Students;

• To know the ICT skills possess to retrieved the required information in ICT environment;

• To identify the types of information sources used by the students in ICT environment;

• To find out the barriers for accessing and using the required information by the students;

• To identify the strategies adopted to overcome the difficulties by the students.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGYIn this research, questionnaire method adopted to collect

data from the students of Assam Down Town University,

Assam. Also for collecting secondary data used the relevant

research work, journals, reference books and internet.

SCOPE OF THE STUDYThis Study covers only the Students of Assam Down Town University,

Panikhaiti, Guwahati-26, Assam. It is a State private University

established in the year 2010 providing courses like Engineering,

Pharmacy, Management, Nursing, Paramedical sciences etc.

RESPONSE OF THE SAMPLE

97.50%

2.50%

Responded

Not responded

The questionnaire was distributed to

two hundred (200) students of

Assam Down Town University. One

hundred and ninety five (195)

students responded and return the

questionnaire. The percentage of

response rate is ninety five (97.5%).

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Analysis and interpretation of Data

The maximum 29.23%

respondents visit library

everyday, 19.49% respondent

visit library three times in a

week, at least once in a week

and once in a month. Only

12.30% respondent visit

library two times in a week.

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Every day

Three times in a week

Two times in a week

At least once in a week

Once in a month

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

29.23%

19.49%

12.30%

19.49% 19.49%

Chart-2: Frequency of visiting Library

FREQUENCY OF VISITING LIBRARY

Continued…

The maximum 29.74%

respondents spend time less

than half an hour, 29.23%

respondent one to two hours,

21.54% respondent half hour to

one hour and only 19.49%

respondent spends two to

three hours.

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DURATION OF TIME SPENDS IN LIBRARY

Less than half hour

Half hour to one hour

One to two hours

Two to three hours

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

29.74%

21.54%

29.23%

19.49%

Chart -3 : Duration of time spends in library

Continued…

REASON FOR VISITING LIBRARY

The highest 87.69% respondents

visit library to consult books,

77.95% visit library for study

purposes, 68.20% visit library to

borrow books, 44.10% visit to search

online database, 38.97% visit to

photocopy relevant documents and

to find information on a specific

topic, 14.87% respondent visit

library to view audio visual

materials, 9.74% visit to make book

reservation and to read news paper.

Only 5.13% respondents visit

library to consult journals.

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0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00% 87.69%

5.13%14.87%

68.20%

38.97%

9.74%

38.97%

9.74%

77.95%

44.10%

Chart-4: Reason for visiting Library

Continued…

The highest 83.07%

respondents needed

information for preparing their

notes, 73.33% respondent needed

information to improve their

knowledge, 44.10% respondent for

keeping up-to-date, 38.97%

respondent for research work,

34.36% respondent for writing

articles. Only 19.49% needed

information to share knowledge

with colleagues.

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Continued…

PURPOSE OF INFORMATION NEEDS

83.07%

34.36%

38.97%

44.1%

73.33%

19.49%

Chart-5:Purpose of Information Needs

Preparing notes

Writing articles

Research work

Keeping up-to-date

Improving Knowledge

Sharing knowledge with colleagues

ICT SKILLS POSSESS TO RETRIEVE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION

Maximum 77.95% respondents

have skill to handling computer to

retrieved required information.

Again 70.77% respondent have skill to

browse internet, 58.46% respondent on

online search and e-mailing, 48.72%

respondent familiar with software and

downloading of web resources, 38.97%

respondent have skill to access to

websites, 24.62% respondent have

skill to use digital resources and keep

touching bulletin board. Only small

amount 19.49% respondent have

skill on audio/video conferencing.

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Handling o

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oft

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Inte

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Acc

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Keepin

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Audio

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ng

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%77.95%

48.72%

70.77%

58.46%

38.97%

58.46%

24.62%

48.72%

24.62%19.49%

Chart - 6 : ICT Skills possess to retrieve the required Information

Continued…

The highest 87.69% respondent

considered textbook and monograph as

the mostly used information sources.

Again 77.95% respondent used reference

book, 68.20% used journals and magazines,

48.72% respondent used thesis and

dissertation and 44.10% respondent used e-

book, 24.62% respondent used newsletter

and bulletins; e-journals and online

database. Very least amount of the

students 9.74% used proceeding of

conference, workshop and seminar;

back volumes of Journals; E-thesis and

CD-ROM/DVD databases.

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Continued…

INFORMATION SOURCES IN ICT ENVIRONMENT USED BY THE STUDENTS

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 140%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

87.69%

77.95%

68.20%

24.62%24.62%

48.72%

9.74%

9.74%

44.10%

24.62%

9.74%

24.62%

Chart-7: Information sources used by the Students

The highest 68.20% respondents mentioned that they faced problem to accessing and using required information due to low internet speed and the required materials is not available. 48.72% respondent faced problem due to information scattered in too many sources, 44.10% respondent feels lack of time for online searching, 34.36% respondent due to out-dated information materials, 19.49% respondent due to information is too vast and lack of training in electronic resources, 14.87% respondent for incomplete information materials and lack of technical support. Very less amount 9.74% of respondent due to power supply and backup and 5.12% respondent due to lack of computer hardware and software.

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Continued…

BARRIERS FOR ACCESSING AND USING THE REQUIRED INFORMATION

Information is too vast

Information scattered in too many sources

Out dated information materials

Incomplete information materials

Lack of computer hardware and software

Lack of Technical support

Lack of time for online searching

Lack of training in electronics resources

Low internet speed

Power supply and backup

0.00% 50.00% 100.00%

68.20%

19.49%

48.72%

34.36%

14.87%

5.12%

14.87%

44.10%

19.49%

68.20%

9.74%

To overcome the problem faced by the

students for getting required information the

highest 83.07% respondent indicates to

faster the internet services. 77.95%

respondent indicates to develop library

collection as per the users or course need,

38.97% respondent state to conducive the

library environment, 34.35% respondent

mention to adopt sufficient ICT infrastructure

facility, 29.23% respondent indicate to

conduct workshop and training and 24.61%

respondent mention to conduct

adequate user education program and

provide resource sharing facility.

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Continued…

38.97%

24.61%

34.36%

29.23%

24.61%

83.07%

77.95%

Chart-9: Strategies adopted to overcome the problems

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STRATEGIES ADOPTED TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS

RECOMMENDATIONS1. Sufficient library staff should be employed in the library for betterment of library services.

2. Sufficient ICT infrastructure facility should be provided in the library.

3. The library should provide more computer terminals with internet facility.

4. The library should setup digital library and enrich the collections with different form of

digital materials.

5. Effort should be made to increase the speed of internet access so that the students can

make accessible to web-based resources.

6. Resources sharing facility should be introduced.

7. The library should increase the space of library and hence provide group discussion

facility separately inside the library.

8. The library should subscribe the enough print journals as well as e-journal for all the

departments.

9. Required to fully automated the library and provide OPAC facility so that users can access

the every document in the library.

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CONCLUSION

The study investigates the information needs

among the students of Assam Down Town

University. The findings showed that the main

reason for less consulting journals by the

students is the unavailable of latest and updated

print journals in the library. The Library should

increase internet speed and provide sufficient ICT

infrastructure with sufficient digital materials.

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Thank You17