Information Needs in ICT Environment: A Study among the Students of Assam Down Town University By Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Research Scholar, Gauhati University Cum Librarian, Assam Down Town University 1

INTRODUCTION INFORMATION The 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. 3 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. 4

5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY In 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 STUDY This 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 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%). 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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. 10 Continued… PURPOSE OF INFORMATION NEEDS

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 ing, 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. 11 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. 12 Continued… INFORMATION SOURCES IN ICT ENVIRONMENT 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 % 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. 13 Continued… BARRIERS FOR ACCESSING AND USING THE REQUIRED INFORMATION

To overcome the problem faced by the students for getting required information the highest 83.07% respondent indicates to faster the internet services % 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. 14 Continued… STRATEGIES ADOPTED TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS

RECOMMENDATIONS 1.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. 15

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. 16

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