MSULReport
Study of Information Acquisition and Usage Behaviors of Montana State
University Library’s Constituents
Primary Research Conducted by:
Marketing Club at Montana State University
Presented to:
Tamara Miller, Dean of Montana State University Libraries
October 10, 2007
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
3
Introduction
4
Background and problem definition
4
Research objectives
4
Research Design and methodology
5
Results
Focus groups
Student survey
Faculty survey
7
9
14
Limitations
17
Recommendations
18
Conclusion
20
Appendix
21
2
2
Executive Summary
Montana State University Libraries (MSUL) commissioned the Marketing
Club at Montana State University (MSU) to conduct primary research that would assist MSUL in making future resource allocation decisions. The primary objectives of the research were to determine the information acquisition and usage behaviors of MSUL constituents.
To achieve the objectives, marketing club researchers conducted three focus groups. One focus group involved Bozeman High School students, whereas the other two were comprised of MSU students. In addition,
MSU’s faculty and students’ information acquisition and usage patterns were recorded with the help of two separate surveys specifically designed to target each group.
Key findings are as follows:
1. When searching for information, MSU students prefer the Internet over conventional resources such as textbooks. In contrast, MSU faculty seeks information primarily through library resources followed by the internet.
2. Although MSU students’ use of library databases is at par with MSU faculty, the students’ reliance on help from librarians is substantially lesser than faculty’s use of librarian help.
3. Students are embracing mobile technologies for personal use, but students’ pace of adoption of new technologies such as RSS and blogs that are potentially useful in education is slow.
4.
University Library’s Constituents
Primary Research Conducted by:
Marketing Club at Montana State University
Presented to:
Tamara Miller, Dean of Montana State University Libraries
October 10, 2007
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
3
Introduction
4
Background and problem definition
4
Research objectives
4
Research Design and methodology
5
Results
Focus groups
Student survey
Faculty survey
7
9
14
Limitations
17
Recommendations
18
Conclusion
20
Appendix
21
2
2
Executive Summary
Montana State University Libraries (MSUL) commissioned the Marketing
Club at Montana State University (MSU) to conduct primary research that would assist MSUL in making future resource allocation decisions. The primary objectives of the research were to determine the information acquisition and usage behaviors of MSUL constituents.
To achieve the objectives, marketing club researchers conducted three focus groups. One focus group involved Bozeman High School students, whereas the other two were comprised of MSU students. In addition,
MSU’s faculty and students’ information acquisition and usage patterns were recorded with the help of two separate surveys specifically designed to target each group.
Key findings are as follows:
1. When searching for information, MSU students prefer the Internet over conventional resources such as textbooks. In contrast, MSU faculty seeks information primarily through library resources followed by the internet.
2. Although MSU students’ use of library databases is at par with MSU faculty, the students’ reliance on help from librarians is substantially lesser than faculty’s use of librarian help.
3. Students are embracing mobile technologies for personal use, but students’ pace of adoption of new technologies such as RSS and blogs that are potentially useful in education is slow.
4.