Title: Information Seeking Behaviour of Researchers in Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow
Abstract: Introduction Information seeking behaviour is a complex activity, requiring access to diverse information resources to deal with work-related, personal, and social information problems. Information-seeking behaviour refers to strategies for locating information, and has three elements: people, information, and systems. The study of individual information-seeking behaviour requires understanding of the psychological state of the user that may lead to insight into their expectations make it possible to predict information-seeking activity (Ocholla 1999). Concept of Information Seeking Behaviour With the deluge of available information, each person needs information of increasing variety. The information needs of a particular group of users and for a specific situation or organization are difficult to determine. There is not one simple system to cope up with all information needs (Mahapatra and Panda 2001). According to Krikelas (1983), information-seeking behaviour refers to any activity of an individual that is undertaken to identify a message that satisfies a perceived need. Mick (1980) observed that information- producing and information-seeking behaviour are closely linked and are the reasons why most information systems are not better accepted as they fail to provide linkage between the two activities. Review of Related Literature Steinerova and Susol (2007) conducted a study on user information behaviour from a gender perspective in Slovakia. Differences in orientation to information, collaboration style, and use of information were discovered, with the conclusion that gender as a variable can be productive for understanding information processing. Asemi (2005) surveyed the search habits of Internet users at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (MUI) in Iran, and found that training would help them obtain useful and relevant information. Oduwole (1999) conducted a study to examine the impact of an institution's medical library on the clinical decision-making of medical officers in two Nigerian university teaching hospitals and to examine the medical information sources. The major findings revealed a heavy dependence on the journal literature. Prasad (1998) noted that non-traditional literature such as unpublished conference and symposia papers, research proposals, policy guidelines, and project reports are also popular among scholars. Clougherty, et al., (1998) carried out a user needs assessment at the University of Iowa in order to determine the purpose of undergraduate visits to the library and overall user satisfaction. Results indicated that more than 70 percent of respondents used the library as a place to study, use photocopiers, and borrow material. An equal number turned to library staff for assistance. Adedibu, et al., (1997) investigated the information needs of medical students, collecting data on their library orientation and reasons for coming to the library. Sethi (1990) studied the information-seeking behaviour of social science faculty in Indian universities. Respondents preferred journals, books, government documents and reference sources for meeting their information needs. Pelzer and Leysen (1988) evaluated veterinary medical students' perception of the demands of their curriculum for locating clinical information to determine whether they sought current information and where they obtained it. Indexes and abstracts were used more by students in the clinical curriculum who held or were seeking advanced degrees than by the general body of students, reflecting this group's prior exposure to information sources. Objectives of the Study 1. To discover the awareness of researchers regarding services provided by the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow. 2. To identify the purpose and type of information sought by researchers of CDRI. 3. To determine the extent of IT application in the library and research awareness of these applications. …
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-06-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 3
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