Evaluation Of Information Needs And Information Seeking Behavior Of First Year Students Of College Of Management Science In Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture, Umudike:- Dick, Ijeoma D

ABSTRACT Tze purpose of this study was to examine the information needs and information seeking \ehavior offirst year students of College of Management Sciences (COLMAS) in Michael \)kpara University ofAgriculture, Umudike (MOUAU). The descriptive research design and the ■omplete census sampling technique were adopted. Data were collected using the closed-ended ruestionnaire designed with the four-point rating scale model. Out of the 105 copies of questionnaire distributed to the respondents, 100 copies representing 95.3% were returned and isedfor the analyses. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compute he mean scores, standard deviations andfrequency tables. Meanwhile, the study revealed that hatfirstyear students need information to do assignments and term paper, preparefor tests and examinations, enhances their knowledge oflatest happenings, understands nationalpolitics, and icalth-related issues, enhances academic performances, enjoys theirfree/leisure time, as well as earn about new technologies. The study has revealed the information seeking behavior offirst >ear students involves: using the library to get information, asking library stafffor information, mrfing the internet for information, using their mobile phones to get information, and using textbooks to seek information. The study alsofound that information resourcesfirst yearstudents prefer most are: textbooks, journals, internet searches, serials/periodicals, thesis, standards, reference materials, etc. Moreover, based on the study, the problems that first year students 'encounters while needing and seeking information include: low information literacy skills, inadequate knowledge of the use of available information retrieval tools, poor infrastructural facilities like electricity, poor environment like using the library without light and ventilation, information/literature explosion, poor attitude oflibrarians, inadequate awareness of available information resources, crimes like theft of library books, hiding of books and mutilation, inadequate copies ofhighly demanded information resources, strict circulation/lending policies, unreliable reprographic services like photocopying, etc. However, in the light of the identified and analyzedproblems, the study recommended thefollowing solutions/measuresfor enhancing the information need and information seeking behaviour of the first year students: raising awareness through library orientation, effective users ’ education programmes, provision of \ adequate relevant information resources by the library, provision and making ICTfacilities functional in the library, adequatefunding ofthe library, provision ofmotivation to library staff, including training ofstaff, reducing the cost of information seeking in the library by saving users time, provision ofinformation literacy skills to users by the library, provision ofinternet connectivity in the library, exhibiting user-friendly disposition and attitude towards users, provision of enabling study and working environment via functional air conditioning and lighting systems, training for enhanced ICT skills to aid retrieval of online resources by the library, provision of instruction on the use of the catalogue as a very important search and retrieval tool by the library, moderation of circulation/lending policies to aid the use of information resources, strict discipline against users caught in the mutilation, hiding and theft of library resources, and installation offunctional effective crime detective devices by the library