Information Seeking Activities of Undergraduates in Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies: a Study based on University of Kelaniya

Abstract

In 21st century, information has become a living thing and essential factor for the growth and development of a society. In any sector, people are searching information for achieve various purposes. Information-seeking behavior contains with the searching, locating, retrieving, and using of information. This study examines the information needs and information seeking behavior of faculty of commerce and management studies undergraduates in University of Kelaniya. The purposes of the study are, identifying the information seeking patterns of undergraduate students of faculty of commerce and management studies, explore the problems that undergraduate facing when accessing to the required information and identify practicable techniques for effective information seeking behavior. The study adapted a survey method and 2016/2017 academic year undergraduate students of faculty of commerce and management studies in University of Kelaniya were used as the sample. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to collect data. Selected simple random sampling method was used as the data collecting technique and SPSS software was used for the data analysis. According to the study most of undergraduates used the library for assignment purpose, research work and note making. Majority of the users are preferred to use resources available on both of electronic and printed materials. The findings revealed that lack of knowledge regarding e-resources in the library, insufficient of user awareness regarding available management resources in the library and need of advance training for undergraduates for using OPAC. The study suggests, all of library services and strategic should be re-designed and aim for improving toward information needs and information seeking behavior, for racing student’s awareness and usage. As well as library should give best practice and knowledge about searching strategy by organizing workshops, printing leaflets etc