Exploring information seeking behavior of students with the advancement of Information Technology: with special reference to the library of Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Information is something that should be obtained through studying, investigating and taking instructions and guidance. When information is sought, the methods used may vary from person to person. This study aimed to explore the changes of information seeking behavior of students with the advent of Information Technology. The qualitative research method was followed in this study. The sample population comprised the students who follow certificate courses, diplomas and postgraduate programs at the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL). The purposive sampling method was employed in this study. 10% of students from the total student population at the IBSL were selected as the sample. A Google Form for a survey was shared via email. Observations and interviews held in the focus group were used as primary data. E-journal articles, books, e-research articles were used as secondary data. The survey method was employed as the research design of this study and data were analyzed using the computer software MS Excel. The results indicated that electronic resources were the most popular source of information. The research results revealed that the preference of using printed books has been declining with the advent of information technology. The most preferred methods of accessing information were found to be Google and other e-resources while a significant percentage of students preferred lecture notes. Concurrently the results showed that there was a growing trend to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The study revealed that the most popular AI tools among students were ChatGPT, Google Assistant, Gemini Chatbot and Perplexity AI in the reducing order. Furthermore, Students' reliance on AI tools was found to be influenced by several reasons. mainly the speed and efficiency, continuous availability and ease to access to diverse sources of information. Accordingly, it was recommended that the library at the IBSL should be modernized through the integration of e-resources and also by increasing the physical space to create an inviting environment for students to seek information.