A user awareness programme for improving the information-seeking behaviour of undergraduate students at Busitema university

Abstract

This project aimed at creating a User Awareness Programme for improving information seeking behavior of undergraduate students at Busitema University. It focused on finding out the information seeking behavior among undergraduate students, established the challenges faced in enhancing the information seeking behavior of the undergraduate students at Busitema University, examined the role of User Awareness Program in improving the information seeking behavior of undergraduate students and designing a User Awareness Programme for improving the information seeking behavior of undergraduate students in Busitema University. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data; that is to say questionnaires, interviews and observation methods. The research collected data from 53 respondents (8 librarians and 45 students). Data was analyzed using the thematic approach and descriptive statistics. Qualitative approach aimed at obtaining data expressed in non-numerical terms. Quantitative data analysis helped to analyze and categorize detailed terms of frequencies and percentages. So the research observed and concluded that undergraduate students make use of information to prepare for examinations, tests and to do their assignments. The information resources used by the respondents are books, journals, internet access, magazines and newspapers. Many of the respondents’ purpose for seeking for information is for general awareness, preparing reading and for carrying out research. It is to be noted that they access information through the assistance of library staff and little do they use the library catalogue. The study recommends the recruitment and training of more staff to manage user awareness program. It was discovered that the number of workers available to effectively manage the program are few hence a shortage in the number of employees needed to effectively manage the user awareness program. It therefore recommends that Busitema University should recruit more staff to manage the program. These staff should however be equipped with more user awareness skills.