International Journal of Library and Information Studies Vol. 1(1), Jan-Mar 2011

Page 25

INFORMATION NEED AND USER EXPECTATION OF

VINAYAKA MISSIONS UNIVERSITY, SALEM

A. Seeran Librarian, Annapoorana Medical College and Hospitals, Salem

Email: seerandurga@gmail.com

Dr. M. Nagarajan Professor, Annamalai University, Chidambaram.

Dr. M. Kanakaraj

Librarian, PSG Institute of Technology, Coimbatore

ABSTRACT

This study deals with information need and user expectation of Vinayaka Missions University; Salem .A structured questionnaire is distributed among the users of the library and the collected data analyzed and result brought out. The study is mainly based on the primary data collected from the teaching community through a well designed questionnaire. The secondary data have been collected from sources like text books, reference books etc. This study attempts to examine the information needs and user expectation of faculty members by making an experiment of Vinayaka Mission’s Institutions, and it traces out the user expectation and information needs of faculties in terms of descriptive approach. The motives and purposes of users give a new insight into information needs and requirements. To satisfy such needs and requirements, users adopt various means for accession to sources of information, and in the act of accession to information, the user relies or calls upon the sources predetermined which lead to satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Keyword: Newspapers, Dissertations, Faculty, Library Resources, Information needs. INTRODUCTION Information is considered as an important resource that contributes towards the development of nation. Therefore, the role of libraries becomes vital in meeting the information needs of individuals in the society. Libraries develop their collections, facilities and services to meet the information needs of their patrons. However, in order to accomplish this task effectively. Libraries must have a thorough understanding of the information needs [1]. Many people speak about the information Age as the advent of the knowledge Age or knowledge society, the information society, the information revolution, and information technologies, and even though informatics, information science and computer science are often in the spotlight, the word “information” is often used without careful consideration of the various meanings it has acquired[2]. In another variation, it is not required that the sender be capable of understanding the message, or even cognizant that there is a message, making information something that can be extracted form an environment, e.g., through reading or measurement[3]. Records are a specialized form of information [4]. In an approach similar to defining information as meaning, information is often understood in terms of knowledge that is transmitted to a sentient being[5]. Some surveys on user needs were undertaken for factual finding and perspective purposes.

International Journal of Library and Information Studies Vol. 1(1), Jan-Mar 2011

Page 26

User’s surveys are extremely useful in assessing the success of existing library services and identifying the need for new ones [6]. Today, information science largely examines technical bases, social consequences, and theoretical understanding of online databases, widespread use of databases in government, industry, and education, and the development of the Internet and World Wide Web [7]. Tom Wilson (1981) is aware of the difficulties in the concept of information need and suggests that it is abandoned and replaced with the term information-seeking behavior [8]. Need is further complicated by the necessity to distinguish among expressed, unexpressed, or unfelt needs[9]. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The following objectives are framed, in according with the scope of this investigation:

1. To analyze the respondents' duration of library visit in search of information in the libraries of selected Institutions.

2. To examine the nature and type of information required by faculty members in Vinayaka Mission’s Institutions

3. To identify the extent of motivation among the faculty members of Vinayaka Missions Institutions in collection of library information for various purposes.

4. To determine the extent of usage of library facility and services made by libraries of Vinayaka Mission’s Institutions.

5. To suggest some rational measures for the effective dissemination of information by the library management according to the information needs of the faculty members.

HYPOTHESIS The following hypothesis is formulated on the basis of content and coverage of framed objectives and employing appropriate statistical tools tests them:

1. There is significant difference among the faculty members of various institutions with respect to nature and type of information sources.

2. There is significance difference in the use of library facility and services among the

faculty of the selected institutions. METHODOLOGY The study is mainly based on the primary data collected from the teaching community through a well designed questionnaire. The secondary data have been collected from sources like text books, reference books etc. This study attempts to examine the information needs and user expectation of faculty members by making an experiment of Vinayaka Mission’s Institutions. The researcher used survey method for collecting primary data with the help of well structured questionnaire. Because of finite population (population size is 860), simple random sampling

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International Journal of Library and Information Studies Vol. 1(1), Jan-Mar 2011

Page 28

Table: 2. Showing distribution of respondents’ type of Information Sources

Information sources No

dependence

Rarely

dependence

Occasional

dependence

Frequent

dependence

High

dependence Total

Books 28(3.89) 35(4.86) 83(11.53) 218(30.28) 356(49.44) 720

Journals 30(4.17) 43(5.97) 94(13.05) 209(29.03) 344(47.78) 720

Newspapers 56(7.78) 49(6.80) 110(15.28) 210(29.17) 295(40.97) 720

Govt.Documents 33(4.58) 51(7.08) 98(13.61) 225(38.25) 313(43.47) 720

Dissertation 45(6.25) 64(8.89) 108(15.00) 220(30.55) 283(39.91) 720

indexing,abstracting 55(7.64) 71(9.86) 106(14.72) 212(29.45) 276(38.33) 720

Audio / visual 68(9.44) 83(11.53) 115(15.97) 189(26.25) 265(36.81) 720

Internet 15(2.08) 28(3.89) 124(17.22) 202(28.05) 351(48.75) 720

Data presented in table 2, indicate the distribution of respondents according to their library information sources. It could be noted that, out of 720 respondent’s about Books which is most important of them all other type of information ,3.89% of them are no dependence, 4.86% of them are rarely dependence,11.53% of them are occasionally dependence, 30.28% of them are frequent dependence, 49.44% of them are High dependence. It could be seen clearly from the above discussion that, the majority of respondents are in high dependence of information sources, at Vinayaka Mission University. Table:3. Showing distribution of respondents’ depend on Information and Interpersonal Sources Compared to Formal and Informal Sources

Responsibility Formal sources

only

In formal sources

only

Formal and informal sources

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sources

More on informal

sources then formal sources

Grand Total

Professor

33 21 30 18 13 15

Reader

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Asst. Prof

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Lecturer

102 42 53 24 15 236

Total

Percentage

263(36.53) 124(17.22) 182(25.28) 91(12.64) 60(8.33) 720(100.00)

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International Journal of Library and Information Studies Vol. 1(1), Jan-Mar 2011

Page 30

Data presented in table – 4, indicate the distribution of respondents according to their utilization of library service. It could be noted that, Out of 720 respondents about Circulation services 29.17% of them are marginally 58.89% of them are substantially, 11.94% of them are completely, depending on them. It could be seen clearly from the bove discussion that, the majority of respondents are substantially dependence on library services. FINDINGS

1. The Findings of respondent’s information sources reveals the following facts. The majority of the respondents are in high dependence on Books, Journals, News paper, Govt documents, indexing and abstracts, Audio-visual aids, Internet, and library Information sources.

2. The Findings of respondent’s in extent depend on formal and informal source of information sources reveals that the majority of the respondents depend on formal sources only.

3. The Findings of respondent’s utilization of library services reveals that the majority of

respondents are substantially dependence on library services.

CONCLUSION

The users of libraries of this university and its constituent colleges seek a need based approach to library information services. They prefer to access the latest books, Magazines, Journals, Periodicals and other online resources to keep abreast of developments in their respective fields, and information thus obtained is shared with their superiors, peers and colleagues. The data collected through this course of study will serve as a benchmark for various projects of a similar nature. In future it will provide a complete analysis of user pattern of faculty members in Vinayaka Missions University, Salem.

REFERENCES

1. Shaheen Majid, Gava Mugeraa Kassim “Malaysian Journal of library and information science” 5 (2), (2000): 1-17 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/information

2. Beynon – Davies P. Information systems: an introduction to informatics in organizations.

Palgrave, Basing stoke, UK. (2002)

3. Alan Liu. The Laws of cool: Knowledge work and the culture of Information, university of Chicago (2004)

4. Robert M. Losee “A Discipline Independent definition of Information: Journal of the American society for Information science. 48 (3), (1998): 254 – 269

International Journal of Library and Information Studies Vol. 1(1), Jan-Mar 2011

Page 31

5. Ford, G. “ User studies, An introductory and bibliography, she filed : Research on user

studies” (1977) http://en. Wikipedia. Org /wiki/file: Joseph. Marie Jacquard.

6. Wilson, T.D “On user studies and information needs” Journal of documentation. 37 (1), (1981): 3 – 15

7. Rohde, (N.F) Information needs, In Simonton, Wesley (ED) advances in librarianship, Oriando: 14, (1986):52