Information Needs and Seeking Behaviour of Engineers in Ghana: A Case Study of the Volta River Authority

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the basic information needs of engineers of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana, and to determine the various factors that influence their information seeking behaviour, in order to facilitate the provision of timely and adequate information. Copies of the questionnaire designed were distributed to a sample of 86 (74.7 %) engineers out of a population of 115. Of the 86 copies, 55 (63.9 %) were completed and returned to the researchers. The study revealed that the engineers required detailed, brief, as well as, factual information to perform their jobs. Their search for information was influenced by the need to solve a problem, gain knowledge or make a decision. Although the engineers rated the provision of library facilities at their work place as important to their work, they usually consulted their colleagues, their personal library at home, the Internet or relied on their memory, when pressed for information. The library and information centres were consulted only as a last resort. Other sources of information vital to the job success of the engineers were external conferences, external experts, internal conferences, and VRA information resources. It is recommended that information packaging should be vigorously pursued in order to meet the needs of the engineers and also to extend library and information services to all branches of VRA