Information Seeking Behaviour of Post Graduate Students and Research Scholars in the Faculty of Theology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Abstract
The present research endeavor has been undertaken to discover the information-seeking behavior among research scholars and postgraduate students of the Faculty of Theology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. The present study discusses library use, satisfaction related to services and resources, dependence on digital and traditional tools used for the study and research. It also seeks to disclose their motives for visiting to the library, information sources of their choice, resources discovery, perception of electronic resources, and the influence of social media in their behavior of seeking information. A structured questionnaire was distributed to postgraduate students and research scholars of the faculty to find the frequency of library visit; methods of retrieving information; satisfaction level concerning the collections and services; social media usage; challenges while looking for information. Quantitative data analysis was used to make interpretations on these items. The study found that a large number of respondents said that they use text books generally followed by reference books and journals and come to the library every day for research. They mostly prefer traditional means of searching and with direct involvement of the library assistants over digital means. With regards to the library collections, it was rated “fair”; nevertheless, most of them reported satisfaction with the services provided by the library. Social media plays an important role in academic networks; among them, a majority of respondents preferred to use LinkedIn. It was also found that the unavailability of materials and scattered information hinders effective information searching and discovery of the nascent information for study and research.
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