A study of Internet and library use in an academic setting.

摘要

The development of the World Wide Web interface for the Internet has produced additional avenues for seeking class-related information for students. At the same time it has created challenges for both students and libraries to learn how to best use this resource. The literature reviewed indicated that adult students have long used a variety of means to acquire the information they need to meet their course work. Students also have often shown a limited understanding of how to construct searches for scholarly information. The information seeking process, whether in a library or online, has proven frustrating for many of them.; This study was designed to look at student Internet and academic library use. The investigation consisted of three phases: a survey of students enrolled through the College of Extended Education; interviews with students; and a final survey of a general university student population. The study found that the majority of these students are using the Internet on a regular basis and that, for most of them, Internet use has replaced some portion of their academic library use. The results indicated a common desire of most students to be able to access library resources remotely through the Internet. The majority of surveyed students also indicated that additional training in searching both the Internet and academic libraries would be useful for them, consistent with frequent statements of search frustration by students interviewed.; The data indicated a strong correlation between the choice of the Internet as primary information resource and reduced library use. Correlations also suggested that younger and lower division students were more likely to use the Internet instead of academic libraries.