Nigerian Students’ Information Needs and Behaviour when Seeking Information at NIMS University in Jaipur, India

ABSTRACT


INTRODUCTION
Information of today is now a crucial part of a society's growth and development. It is impossible to overstate how important information is to students' academic success, especially in this information-rich age. It is thought that information is the most unique variable, which sets a nation apart and makes it the first, second, third, or fourth world. A steady flow of information supports virtually every aspect of human endeavor. Decisions were made by people based on information.
When the flow of information stops moving, a society stops growing and stops moving. A user perceives a need in the context of their environment, according to Krikelas (1983). Through a variety of information sources, the individual guides the user on a search for information after recognizing an inadequacy in their knowledge that must be fixed to deal with a problem. These could be information systems, human sources, or any other type of information resource. The procedure may be successful or unsuccessful; The procedure can be repeated in the latter case (Hayden, n.d.). Information, in the words of Krikelas (1983), is any stimulus that lessens uncertainty. The recognition of this uncertainty in an individual's personal or professional life constitutes an information need. Information is rapidly reaching users in a variety of formats as a result of the advancement of information and communication technologies (ICT) and their analogues Our understanding of information and its significance in our daily lives has also been altered by the internet and the web. Traditionally, only a small number of people in our society engaged in information access and use-those primarily engaged in academic and research activities in a particular field, in conjunction with the growth of web-related technologies like mobile devices, social media, and so on. Nowadays, almost everyone uses information on a daily basis. Students have shown one type of behavior over time that is related to using a variety of information systems and services to find information, mostly related to their academic activities. These systems and services include communication tools like email and social networking sites like Facebook. Chaudhary, (2011). The library, on the other hand, is one of the most well-organized places where students exhibit their behavior of seeking information. Academic librarians have developed an interest in user information-seeking behavior as a result of this. The library and information centers are expected to meet the information needs of this product's users, which are referred to as information needs, one of life's most important needs is the desire for information. Environmental condition refers to the information that enables an individual to successfully adapt to their external environment. It is believed that information consumption raises awareness of additional requirements and knowledge. Because they are the most important consumers, researchers require information that is effective to date to expand their knowledge. The overall approach to studying students' information needs in the context of research activities not only improves our understanding of how people seek information, but it also helps the country figure out what information its citizens need. In the context of information science, the activities and channels used by a person to identify his or her information needs and then use the information are referred to as information-seeking behavior Wilson, (1999). Research on information-seeking behavior was inspired by concerns about how people use information in work environments. Information seeking, as defined by Wilson, (1999), is https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajiri Am. J. Interdiscip. Res. Innov. 2(3) 8-14, 2023 a response to a perceived need by the information user, who makes demands on formal or informal information sources or services to satisfy that need. In addition, any action taken by an individual to locate a message that will satisfy a perceived need is referred to as information-seeking behavior. The way people seek information has changed as a result of the increased availability of information online. When someone is looking for information, they might interact with manual information systems like books, newspapers, or computerbased systems in a library. Personal reasoning is involved in the behavior of information seeking. Scholars, researchers, and students all engage in information-seeking behavior in a variety of ways, ranging from reading printed materials to conducting research experiments. Amin and Shima (2007) assert that information seeking is a fundamental human activity that is exemplified by specific behaviours. According to Mariam et al., the majority of researchers do not have computers.2004), only a small portion of the mental framework that restricts their fundamental comprehension of the knowledge of the universe is revealed. Students argued that while this approach allows students and researchers to locate more specific sources, it is constrictive in the sense that they may be unaware that other works of interest to their subject appear in the literature of many other fields. Students used a discipline technique that directed them to a specific list of sources on a specific topic. An individual's information-seeking behaviour consists of expressing information needs, locating, evaluating, and selecting information, and using that information to satisfy those needs. Teachers, researchers, and students all use the library's journals, encyclopedias, books, and other resources to find information. Students from Nigeria sometimes used the library's computers with internet access to communicate with friends and family back home

Definitions of Concepts
The term "information needs" is formed by combining the words "information" and "needs. "Robert S. Taylor, (1962) an American information scientist, coined the term "information needs" in his 1962 article "the process of asking questions" in American Documentation A knowledge gap exists due to information needs that, when experienced on a conscious level, leads to the search for an answer. According to Taylor, there are four levels of information requirements: • The investigator's recollected experience lacks the need for information, whether conscious or unconscious. This level of the query range could be referred to as the "ideal question," which is the question that, if the inquirer were able to specify his requirement, would yield precisely what the ideal system required.
• It's the genuine, unspoken need for data; It is the conscious mental description of a hazy decision-making area. To obtain a response at this level, • The inquirer might converse with another individual in the vicinity. A well-thought-out question is asked by a researcher. This statement provides a rational and unambiguous description of the inquirer's doubts.
• The query is presented to the computer system.

The Behavior of Information Seeking
Information seeking begins when a person believes that their current level of knowledge is inadequate to address a problem or issue, as stated by Kriklelas J. (1983). Further, Krikelas divides information seeking into two categories: short-term, immediate needs and long-term, deferred needs. The effort made to satisfy a perceived need results in the development of information-seeking behavior. furthermore, Krikelas stated that, unconscious needs do not always lead to actual action.

Statement of the Problem
Several academic authors have written about and conducted studies on the information needs and behavior of various user groups, particularly in academic settings, over the years. Since ancient times, foreign students have come from all over the world to study in India. Rajasthan, one of India's historical, cultural, and educational states, has long drawn foreign visitors, particularly Nigerians, for its tourism and educational opportunities. In terms of accepting Nigerian students, NIMS University ranks first across all of India. NIMS University always treats foreign students with respect and strives to preserve their cultural diversity. Students from other countries build cultural bridges across global distances. Every year, NIMS University accepted a large number of Nigerian students to study for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in every field provided by the university.
Libraries are the most important information provision systems, so it's important to look into how librarians and libraries help students meet their needs. When interacting with an information retrieval system, cultural and language factors play a significant role Mehra and Bilal, (2008). Nigerian students face a variety of issues, including; different cultural upbringing, language and communication barriers, and learning styles. All of these factors call for research into the information resources and services that can effectively and efficiently meet their information needs. In addition to the library, there is a foreign cell where all foreign student records are kept. The foreign cell is a resource for foreign students looking for information about things like how to register with the FRO, get a visa, change their home, get legitimate certificates, and other things when they need it, Nigerian students always go to the foreign cell directorate for information. Despite everything that has been said, there has never been a study done to find out what Nigerian students in Indian universities need and how they seek information. the information requirements and information-seeking behaviours of various user groups in recent years, with an emphasis on the significance and meaning of information.

LITERATURE REVIEW
In contrast, research into information-seeking behaviour dates back to the late 1940s.In addition, very few studies have attempted to investigate the information needs and information-seeking behaviours of Nigerian students. behaviours in India. Previous research has been reviewed to ensure a thorough understanding of the subject. According to K. P. Singh et al., (2015) in his article described that, one of the factors that prevent foreign students from finding the information they need is language and communication barriers between them and librarians. Information needs and information seeking behaviour of foreign students at the University of Delhi," which was published in 2015.Additionally, he stated that one of the most common information sources utilized by international students is the internet. According to his findings, Battle (2004) looked into the "effect of information literacy instruction on library anxiety among international students. "These overseas students took advantage of community college resources. A survey of information needs and information seeking patterns among foreign students at the University of Mysore was carried out by Arokyamary and Ramesh (2009) According to their findings, foreign students primarily use the library and internet resources to prepare for academic assignments and seminars. The goal of any library or information system, according to Briger, (2007), is to meet some users' or potential users' needs for documents and information, such as those related to personal, professional, recreational, educational, and research development. Adekunle E. Oyadeyi (2014) In his study, "Information Needs and Information Seeking Behaviour Among the Students of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology," he discovered that students have information needs related to their academic pursuits.,". The course includes assignments, exam and test preparation, general reading, seminars, tutorial presentations, and group discussions. However, his findings were comparable to those of comparable studies carried out by Fatima and Ahmad, Baro, et al. (2010), and others. According to Aina (2004), every person, Whether they are literate or not, everyone needs information for survival. Nevertheless, Baro et al.In their investigation of undergraduate students' informationseeking in the humanities, (2010) discovered that undergraduate students' information needs are academic. The results of a survey that Fatima and Ahmad (2008) carried out under the heading "survey the information seeking behaviour of an Indian college" student," 30 (or 50%) of the 60 respondents seek information to advance their careers. Following this, students are those who seek information to solve problems, stay current, and write research articles.

Objectives of the Study
This study aims to ascertain Nigerian students at NIMS University in Jaipur's information-seeking habits and requirements. Additionally, the study has the following goals: --• To Understand the issue Nigerian students encountered while looking for information.
• To Identify the types of information sources Nigerian students currently use.
• To Identify the information needs of Nigerian students.
• To Identify the information-seeking behaviour of Nigerian students.
• To Make suggestions for ways to make it easier to use information sources.

Scope of the Study
This article is focused on Nigerian students enrolling in the School of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Commerce at NIMS University at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

METHODOLOGY
The study was survey research and NIMS University Jaipur served as the location for the study. The study was conducted using a simple random sampling technique of Nigerian students. For a better understanding and interpretation of the findings, the collected data were analyzed using tables, frequencies, and percentages. According to Check and Schutt (2012), "the collecting of data from a sample of people through their responses to questions" is the definition of survey research. This type of research allows for participant recruitment, data collection, and instrumentation. Open-ended questions and questionnaires with numerical ratings are examples of quantitative research tactics that can be used in survey research. Qualitative research methods can also be used (such as mixed methods). Simple random sampling, according to Julia Simkus (2022), is a method of sampling in which an objective selection process is used to select each person in a population with equal probability. After assigning numbers to each sample participant, a random selection method is used to select the sample. The paper is also divided into sections based on the goals and inquiries of the study. A questionnaire was employed in the study as a data collection tool, and as a follow-up, personal observation was used to verify the information in the questionnaire. On the other hand, the survey was manually handed out to the responders. In the reading rooms of the library and the foreign cell directorate students' reception areas, detailed observations of the Nigerian students' information-seeking behaviour were made. To gather sufficient data, the questionnaire was made available to Nigerian students' departmental libraries and foreign cells. According to the foreign cell students' registry, there were 480 Nigerian students enrolled in NIMS University's graduate and undergraduate programs. The NIMS School of Humanities, Social Science, and Commerce has undergraduate and graduate programs for 170 Nigerian https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajiri Am. J. Interdiscip. Res. Innov. 2(3) 8-14, 2023 students. In total, 100 questionnaires were given out in total, and 91 of them were duly filled out and returned. The attention and collaboration displayed by the Nigerian students at NIMS University may be related to the high return percentage. The statistical strategy for assessing the gathered data was applied in the concluding stage with the help of percentage counts and table frequencies.

Sample of Population
The sample of population and distribution for the study is given below  According to the analysis of Fig. 2, the distribution of respondents by type of course is as follows: B.Sc. has the highest number with 80 students, which represents (92.5%), M.Sc. has 14 students, which represents (85.7%), Ph.D. has 5 students, which represents (80%), and other has just one student.  The majority of respondents (50.1%) indicated that talking to librarians and library staff was their preferred method for finding information, followed by reading books and articles (45%), talking to colleagues (42.8%), and consulting a supervisor (38.4%). The other sources received lower percentages of responses. Figure 6 reveals that, after internet books, electronic resources (databases), journals, dissertations, and theses, the internet is the most often used source by Nigerian students to satisfy their information demands at all educational levels.

Figure 7:
Shows the use of the library for fulfilling the information needs Figure 7 shows that the respondents utilised the library to meet their informational needs. 51.6% of all respondents say that the library is their primary source for getting the knowledge they need, while the remaining 23 people said no.

Figure 8: Encountering barriers while meeting information needs
It is clear from the above table that 50.5% of the total respondents encountered language/communication difficulties whenever they attempted to fulfil their informational needs in the library since, on occasion, they found it very difficult to communicate, particularly with the reference librarians. Students from outside or from Nigeria need instruction on how to use the library.

Summary of Findings
• The distribution of respondents based on the nature of the courses is depicted in Table 2 of the analysis. B.Sc. has the most students (80), or 92.5 percent, followed by the M.Sc. with 14 students representing (85.7%), five Ph.D. students representing (80%), and one student representing the other.
• The table shows that 100% of respondents need information about immigration, followed by 53.8% who need information about job opportunities with 51.6%, information about continuing education now ranks third, followed by information about the program of study with 49.4%.42.8% of information requests concern assignment-related information with 30.7%, the information requirements for writing research articles and other information requirements are tied for sixth place.
• Thestudent foreign cell has the highest rate of information with 89%, followed by the internet with 85.7%. The library (66.7%), as well as the other information sources shown in the table above, are other places where Nigerian students look for information (74.4%, respectively).

RECOMMENDATIONS
The following suggestions and recommendations were made based on the findings discussed in each table: • New skills and techniques should be taught to library staff.
• Regular information literacy programmes, especially for international students, should be organised to make them aware of the library's resources, particularly electronic resources and databases.
• To address the communication/language barrier, the more English-speaking staff should be hired for the library, especially in the reference section, where they interact with students. on a regular basis.
• The library should conduct user surveys more frequently, especially for international students, to better understand their needs.
• The library should subscribe to and make available current journals and databases to postgraduate students.

CONCLUSION
The study discusses the factors that can be used to tackle various issues with Nigerian students' information demands and information-seeking behaviour at NIMS University. The study's conclusions will aid the university as a whole, not just the library, by improving the learning environment for all international students. Additionally, the study would help improve the information and library services offered to Nigerian and international students. Furthermore, because no study has ever been done to determine the Nigerian students at NIMS University's information needs and information-seeking habits, the library as well as the authorities will benefit from this research. Additionally, the research greatly contributes. Furthermore, the study significantly contributes to the literature on the topic, and the findings can be generalised by librarians from Nigerian and Indian universities.