Information Seeking Behavior of postgraduate students in the University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Purpose: This study investigated the information-seeking behavior (ISB) of the research students in terms of information needs, sources, resources, barriers to information seeking, significance of the libraries towards the quality of research and factors motivating the use of libraries at the University of Peshawar. Design/Methodology/approach: This study used a quantitative approach, adopting a survey questionnaire method for data collection. The population of this study was composed of the Master, M.Phil. and PhD research students in the faculties of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Management Information Sciences at the University of Peshawar. The sample size was 300 research students selected conveniently. The study response rate was 85% and data were analyzed through SPSS (20 version). Key findings: The findings revealed that research students sought information to satisfy their information needs related to the identification and selection of the research problem, access to the current information, writing of the research proposal, article and theses. To fulfill their information needs, these researches indicated the use of different sources and resources. Regarding the sources, most of the research students preferred the research-related workshops and taking help from other researchers to fulfill their information needs. Furthermore, research students used the internet and online research databases to satisfy information needs. They also utilized research and information services provided by their libraries to retrieve the needed information. While seeking the needed information, research students have reported different barriers designating poor internet connectivity, ICT facilities and unavailability of study rooms in libraries as the major barriers. Reliable information sources and e-databases were the significant motivating factors for using/visiting library. Limitations of the study: This study has two major limitations; 1) as the sample was conveniently recruited, thus there is a possibility of sample bias and; 2) likewise this study was undertaken at the University of Peshawar, thus generalization of findings is limited to the study context. Practical implication(s): the findings might motivate librarians towards the restructuring of information literacy programs to enhance the current ISB of the research students. It may inform the authorities about the barriers faced by the research students in information seeking and thus stimulate them towards the up-gradation of Internet and ICT facilities in the university. Contribution to the knowledge: This study addressed the gap in the literature on ISB in the context University of Peshawar. It revealed factors that impede and/or augment researchers’ use of libraries. The insights may include the formulation of a stable information literacy program at the University of Peshawar to support research-based learning

Usage of E-Databases and E-Journals by Research Community in Pakistani Universities: Issues and Perspectives

Purpose: This research was conducted to achieve three objectives; 1) to investigate the usage and acceptability of e-databases and e-journals among the research scholars in selected universities of Pakistan, 2) to indicate the preferred information resource being used by researchers, and 3) to explore barriers faced by them when consulting these resources for research endeavors. Methodology: A Quantitative research method was adopted. The population of the study was MS/MPhil & PhD researchers enrolled in the public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was distributed randomly by the principal researcher to a sample of 1031 (out of 4282) scholars at these universities. The sample included 397 social science researchers, 246 engineering scientists, 208 applied science researchers and 180 agricultural scientists. The response rate of the respondents was 981 out of 1031 distributed questionnaires with a percentage of 95.2 percent. Findings: The study reveals that most of the respondents accessed e-databases and e-Journals “2-3 times” a week and widely accepted the “importance” of these resources in research activities. In addition, the respondents were usually preferred to use electronic databases, e-books and e-journals (open access) over printed collection. Though, restrictions on e-resources, slow internet connection, students’ awareness and training were the major obstacles in using e-resources effectively. Practical implications: The outcomes of this study could enable competent authorities, university librarians and LIS professionals to further explore the tendency of research scholars towards adopting e-resources for learning and research purposes. Originality: The outcomes of this study are valuable to LIS community as it contributes to the body of existing knowledge on e-resources usage in developing country including Pakistan. Keywords: E-databases usage, e-journals usage, research scholars, accessibility issues, universities, Pakistan

Major theories of Job Satisfaction and their use in the field of Librarianship

This study explored the importance of two major theories of Job satisfaction (content and process theories) and their sub domains and how LIS professionals could use these theories in the field of librarianship. The study was carried out by a review of the literature to identify the significant contribution of these two related theories in human resource management. Due to its multi-disciplinary nature, the literature on these two theories was wide among scholarly sources such as web-based sources, including Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and subject-specific e-databases namely JSTOR, Emerald, Sage Journals, Taylor &Francis, and ERIC. This study explores several aspects of job satisfaction, job happiness, job ethics, and job conduct in detail. The study elaborates that work productivity, employee engagement, absenteeism, safety and security, stress management, unionization, and all other factors have an impact on employees’ job performances. This study also explained several theories of job satisfaction in the context of librarianship, such as Abraham Maslow\u27s hierarchy of needs, Clayton Alderfers\u27 ERG theory, Frederick Herzberg\u27s two-wire theory, Douglas McGregor\u27s theory of X and Y, David\u27s theory of needs McKeland, Porter and Loller’s theory of similarity, and goal setting theories with models. The study also guides how to implement the theoretical ideas of job satisfaction in the field of Librarianship

The Journey of Digital Library Establishment in Pakistan: A Systematic Literature Review

This study examined the published literature on digital library resources and the users’ experiences (i.e. satisfaction level, motivating factors, and major challenges) with these resources in Pakistan. Several e-databases were consulted including Research Gate’, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to retrieve relevant literature. The study adopted a systematic literature review approach followed by PRISMA guidelines. Out of 323 articles, a total of 22 relevant studies were included based on pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings of this study reveal that most of the end-users are satisfied with the digital library resources, and they consulted these resources for academic and research endeavors. The authenticity and accuracy of the DLRs were the main motivating factors in the effective use of DLRs. Furthermore, this study consolidated several factors faced by end-users while using DLRs. The results of this study could help the policymakers, HEC authority, LIS professionals to further improve access to DLRs and resolve the problems facing end-users in the country. Moreover, the findings of this study will help the university administration and library authority to plan the subscription of resources keeping in view the associated barriers

PREVALENCE OF LIBRARY ANXIETY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS

This study aimed to explore the frequency of library anxiety among the medical students (first year to fourth year) of Khyber Medical College (KMC), one of the oldest medical institutes of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Out of 1500 populations of the study, data were collected from 306 students using a convenient sampling technique. The AQAK library anxiety instrument was used to measure the respondents’ library anxiety level and significance differences with respect to respondents’ gender and their level/year of study. The study found that the respondents’ library anxiety level with respect to ‘‘library staff’ were little higher than the ‘user knowledge’. This study also reported that no significance difference was found between the male and female students with respect to library anxiety. However, the library anxiety mean score for the first-year students were little higher than the final year students. This study has not only filled a gap in the literature with respect to examining the library anxiety of medical students in the study context, but would also help the competent authority and medical librarians to formulate effective strategic plan to overcome the library anxiety level among the medical students, improve library services and provide users education

A study of English teachers and students’ perception about the differences between annual and semester system of education at postgraduate level in Mardan

AbstractThis research study tried to seek the perception of English teachers and students’ about the differences between Annual and Semester system in terms of students’ learning strategies at postgraduate level. A public sector university in Mardan (established in February 2009) provided the researchers a population who were new to Semester system and who had been seeking education in Annual system before joining it. In order to achieve the objective of the study, a questionnaire was distributed among a randomly selected 120 students having experience of both the educational systems, and interviews with 10 teachers were conducted to record their perception towards both systems of education.The analysis of the data got from both the tools showed that there was found a significant difference between Annual and Semester system in terms of students learning strategies. In Annual system students used to get ample time to master the target subjects, whereas in Semester system, the students had to synthesize the subjects and were not only made to undergo rigorous evaluation in terms of both intellectual and emotional growth