An Investigation on the Study Trend and Information Needs of the Members of the Libraries of Tehran Municipality Art and Cultural Organization

Year 2015, Volume: 36 Issue: 3, 3670 - 3684, 13.05.2015

Ashraf-ol-sadat Bozorgı , Parvin Zarezadeh Mehrızı

Abstract

Abstract. The main objective of this study is to recognize and determine the information needs and study interests of the study population in order to compile a proper study trend for it. This research covers the study trend and information needs of the members of the libraries of Tehran municipality art and cultural organization using the survey research method. Out of 19681 active members of the grade 2 libraries of this organization, 378 members were studied using the random sampling method proportional to the size and volume of each region. Data were collected using questionnaires. The information of the obtained data was analyzed using the statistical software programs including Excel & SPSS. Chi-square test, one-sample t-test, independent T-test and Pearson correlation coefficient test were used in order to measure the relationships between variables and test the hypotheses. The statistical population included 378 subjects, most of them (48.9%) were 20-30 years old and 44.7% had Bachelor's degrees. The most important purpose of most individuals who visit the libraries of the organization (56.9%) was to use the study halls, and the internet service was requested as the most significant source for meeting the information needs of the libraries' members. The first five priorities of the information needs of the study population were applied sciences with an average of (23.12), art with an average of (15.70), social sciences with an average of (13.26), literature with an average of (13.03) and English language with an average of (11.25), respectively. In most topics, interests were significantly higher than needs, i.e., there was a significant difference between information needs and study interests of the libraries' members in different regions. Results about the study trend showed that the extent to which people need a source as a study trend is related to their gender, the results also showed that women more needed the study trend than men did, but these needs have no relationship with their age and education. In other words, with increasing the age or education level of the clients, the need for study trend does not increase or decrease. 

Keywords

Study Trend, Information Needs; Libraries' Members; Municipality Art and Cultural Organization Libraries

References

• Omidkhoda, M. (2008) "Information Need Assessment of the Young Members of Public Libraries in Tehran", Semester 2, 2007.MA thesis in Library & Information Sciences, Islamic Azad University - North Tehran Branch.
• Pao, M, L. (2000). “Concepts of Information Retrievals”.(Translated by Azad &Fatahi).Mashahd: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
• Jafari, R. (2013). "An investigation on the information needs of the non-members in the public libraries". MA thesis in Library & Information Sciences, TarbiatMoallem University of Tehran, Faculty of Psychology & Education.
• FaramarziAlghar, M. (2012) “Explanation of the information needs of the public libraries' users in South Khorasan Province”. MA thesis in Library & Information Sciences.University of Birjand, Faculty of Psychology & Education.
• MirzaeiSedehi, A. (2011). “Evaluation of the impact of various factors on the information needs of students community, who are the end users of the public libraries under the coverage of the General Directorate of Public Libraries Foundation in Mashhad”.MA thesis in Library & Information Sciences.University of Isfahan, Faculty of Psychology & Education.
• Olarongbe, S. A., Adepoju, O. S., & Pedro, T. A. (2013). An Assessment of information needs and characteristics of users of oyo state public library, Nigeria. library philosophy and practice (e-journal), 978.
• Saravanan, K., & Jadhav, M. N. (2013). Usage and information needs of the users at connemara public library : an analytical study. e-library science research journal, 2(1), 1-14.