Information needs and information seeking behavior of international students in Malaysia

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the information needs and information seeking behavior of international students in Malaysia. The study, using questionnaire-based survey method, was conducted on a sample of 204 randomly selected international students from three major public universities in Malaysia, namely University of Malaya, University Putra Malaysia and National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia). Based on the analysis of the respondents who came from 32 different countries, more than 70% perceived themselves as being computer and Internet literate and having a good level of English language proficiency. Their main information needs were related to their programs of study, their courses, research, university and/or faculty, and finding a job after graduation. The Internet and library were the main channels for obtaining the information; however, the usage of library was infrequent. Among various information sources available to the students, they relied heavily on Internet resources (50%) and books (26.5%), but the usage of electronic resources such as e-journals and databases was very low. A majority (71.6%) of the students faced barriers when attempting to meet their information needs. The main barriers were language related (English and Malay language), reluctance to approach reference stations and professional librarians, and unfamiliarity with the organization and mission of academic library. The length of time spent in Malaysia, proficiency in computer and Internet skills did not relate to students facing barriers in meeting their information needs. Despite the obstacles, more than half (52.1%) of respondents had not received any formal instruction from the library. Generally, 65.7% of students had positive perceptions towards librarians' performance and 57.7% were satisfied with the library. The outcomes of this study will be beneficial to Malaysian academic institutions in serving this group of students to meet their information needs.