Information Seeking Approaches by Scientists of Defence Research and Development Establishment, (DRDO), Gwalior, India

Abstract

This paper analyzes the information needs and information seeking behavior of Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) working under the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence situated at Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire distributed among 134 DRDE Scientists. In the present study 130 responded to the questionnaire and collected data were analyzed using the latest version of ∑- PLOT for appropriate statistical methods (frequencies, per cent, means, and standard deviations). It was observed that various strategies and procedures have been used by the DRDE Scientists in meeting their information needs. The obtained data were also analyzed for the user information needs and their information seeking strategies. Investigations to study the types of information sources used by the DRDE Scientists in order to examine their information behavior and factors that affect these behaviors. The outcomes of the present study are in frame with the previous published articles and included the preferred information formats, importance of using certain information sources and the use of various formal, informal sources. Our results revealed that DRDE Scientists have great dependence in meeting their information requirement on their respective institutional library/information centre. Our results also indicate that seventy eight per cent of the population uses library information centers as their most preferred source suggesting the implications of library services for accessing information by DRDE scientists and the need to further strengthen these centers for effectively complementing the users.