Information Needs and Information Seeking Behavior of Foreign Students in University of Delhi: A Survey

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the information needs and information seeking behavior of foreign students. A survey method was used for the undertaken study. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire, self-administered to 120 foreign students (60 males & 60 females) with 88 (47 males & 41 females) returns. The research is limited to post-graduate, M.Phil. and Ph.D. foreign students in University of Delhi. It was found that post-graduate students need information regarding their program of study while research scholars need information for writing research articles and for doing their research work. Most of them seek information through the internet. Research scholars used electronic re-sources such as databases, e-journals and e-theses and dissertations. 88.6% of the respondents also use books for seeking information. Their use of the library is limited with complaints about library staff and too few computer terminals. The present study will be helpful in designing new systems and services for the foreign students so that their information needs can be fulfilled easily. Further, findings of the study indicate that how the library professionals should assist foreign students to accom-plish their information needs. 1. Background The present era is the 'information era'. Information has become a vital component for the growth and development of a society. With the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and its counterparts, information is steaming at a fast rate to its users in various forms. The internet and the web have also changed the notion of information and its importance in our everyday life. Traditionally information access and use was primarily an activity that only a select few in our society participated in-those who were primarily engaged in academic and research activities, or in some specific professions like law or medicine. With the introduction and proliferation of the web, associated technologies such as mobile devices, social networking and so on, information