Library And Information Use Patterns By Engineering Faculty And Students

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a survey conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The students and faculty of the schools of civil and mechanical engineering were asked about how they use the library. They were also asked questions concerning their information seeking habits. The responses from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty are compared, revealing expected and unexpected patterns.

The library has traditionally been seen as the heart of a university with information flowing outward, sustaining the life of research and learning. In recent years libraries and the universities they serve have changed. Technology plays an ever increasing role in education. The Internet provides access to vast amounts of information both commercial and free. How have recent changes affected the “heart” of campus? Is the library building still important to the learning process? Or has its role become more virtual in the eyes of the campus community with the increasing flow of digital information?

Over the past several years, the Georgia Institute of Technology Library has stressed the library as a place. The Library has transformed from a place for books to an academic resources center by opening up two Information Commons with a computer productivity lab, multi-media lab, presentation studio, group study areas, class rooms, and a performance space. Students come to the library for activities related to their learning and research, and library gate counts have increased significantly. The transition to a learning commons environment has provided an invigorating atmosphere in which to study. Yet there is a sense that faculty usage of the facility is somewhat low.

The library has focused on providing digital access to as many resources as possible. The proliferation of electronic resources has enabled faculty and students to do quality research without setting foot in the library building. More electronic journals, e-books, and online databases have been added to the collections. Overall, electronic resources usage has increased sharply.

Given this situation, the authors asked several questions. How do the faculty and students from engineering schools use the library space? How do they approach information resources when conducting their research? How well do they acknowledge the major resources and services available to them? What effect has Google and Google Scholar had on their search for information? What are their preferences in using library resources? What are the barriers in using certain resources and services?