Cambridge University Library is the recipient of a grant from the Arcadia Trust
to investigate issues and challenges in delivering academic library services in the
digital era. One project under this auspice has been IRIS: Induction, Research
and Information Skills, which attempted to map the information skills and needs
of students at Cambridge University. The results of this study will be used to provide
information in planning future services and facilities for students. Students
were invited to complete an online survey asking about which online information
resources they use most frequently, from whom they hear about new resources,
and where they go for help with information-seeking. Librarians across the tripartite
Cambridge system, in 60 college, department, and University libraries,
were also surveyed with regard to what training, induction, and support they
offered and to whom. This article will focus on the responses of 115 medical students
who participated in the survey, accounting for 6.5% of the total survey
responses. While acknowledging that student respondents were self-selecting, the
results raise questions about how well the librarians’ message is getting across
and how librarians can better serve students in the digital age
