INFORMATION NEEDS OF PARAMEDICAL STUDENTS IN THE COLLEGES OF HEALTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE NORTH WESTERN STATES OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The paper investigates the information needs of the paramedical students of the colleges of health science and technology in the northwestern states of Nigeria, using descriptive survey design. A total number of five hundred and eighty eight (588) copies of questionnaires were administered to the respondent, out of which five hundred and seventy three (573) were returned and found usable for analysis. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive analysis. The finding shows that majority of the respondents need and seek information for research and assignment. Textbooks and E- resources were the top information resources used by more than half of the respondents. Lack of skills to browse the information in the libraries, poor internet service and constant power failure are factors or barriers to their information use. The study recommends that, user education programs should be intensified by the management of the colleges’ libraries, and also alternative power sources and reliable internet services should be provided to enable the students satisfy their information need effectively.