Factors Affecting Graduate Students’ Information-Seeking Behaviour On The Use Of Some Selected Academic Libraries In Ethiopia

Abstract

The subject of this research are some selected Ethiopian higher education post graduate studentes. The study aims to investigate the factors affecting graduate students’ informationseeking behaviour on the use of some selected academic libraries in Ethiopia. The population studied was drawn from post graduate students of two selected Higher Education Institutions or Universities. The research was followed survey research method, using a cross-sectional research method. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires, personal interview and an observation check list. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 was used to analyze the data collected from the questionnaires. As for the interviews, important and relevant comments or suggestions were collated and incorporated in the research. Of the 400(100%) study population, the study had a response rate of 358(89.5%) on the study of factors affecting information-seeking behaviour of postgraduate students (Masters and PhD) in Addis Ababa and Jimma Universities. Postgraduate students in Jimma and Addis Ababa University face nine factors affecting them in the use of the electronic information resources in their academic libraries. These include: irrelevant information, outdated information, time-consuming in using the resources, difficulty in using OPAC, lack of library instruction, lack of library materials and difficulty in finding resources. Other include overwhelming amount of information and difficulty in using electronic resources. The study concludes that postgraduate students are not getting the full benefit of academic libraries resources of information. The major causes or reasons for this problem are the lack of knowledge and the low state of awareness of certain academic library electronic resource of information.