Influence of information literacy skills on information seeking behaviour of rural dwellers in Edu Local Government Area, Kwara State

Abstract

This study examined effects of information literacy skills on the information seeking behaviour of rural dwellers in Edu Local Government Area (LGA), Kwara State. The study aimed at finding the information sources available to the rural dwellers, levels of satisfaction with the information
sources available, level of information literacy skills, and challenges that rural dwellers face in seeking information. The selected rural areas were Lafiagi, Shonga and Tsaragi, which has a total population of 51,330 rural dwellers. Random sampling technique using the Krejcie and Morgan table arrived at a total sample of 374 from the three selected rural areas. Data was collected through structured questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using frequency counts and percentages. Findings of the study revealed that books, periodicals (newspaper, journals, magazine etc.), radio, television, phones, friends, market-square and religious centres are the information sources available to the rural dwellers while majority of the respondents were satisfied with the information sources available to them. Furthermore, the level of information literacy skills of the  respondent was high. The study also found that non-awareness of mass literacy programmes, inaccessibility and unavailability of some information materials, ignorance about the use of library, and cost of information materials are the major challenges that rural dwellers faced while seeking for information. The study concluded that information literacy skills had effect on the information seeking behaviour of rural dwellers and recommended that the State Government, in conjunction with public library, should embark on mass literacy awareness programmes in the rural areas.

Key Words: Information, Literacy, Behaviour, Skills, Seeking, Rural, Dwellers,