The main purpose of the study was to investigate the library needs
and library usage of external students in remote areas. The study emphasised
external students' perception of their own library needs. Four distinct areas
of research evolved from the purpose of the study: to identify the library
service needs of external students; to identify library use by external
students; to identify external students' perceptions of library needs; and to
identify student status in relation to library use.
Information was collected by an interview with former external
students, a questionnaire to the libraries involved in the study and by
Nominal Group Technique (NGT) sessions with external students. The
primary instrument was a questionnaire to the external students in the
population under investigation requesting information of their library
usage and needs.
The population under investigation were external students enrolledin the South Australian College of Advanced Education (SACAE) and
resident in Whyalla, South Australia. It was decided to survey the total
population rather than a sample because of the small numbers involved.
Thirty-five responses were received out of a population of 52, representing a
response rate of 69 percent.
The results of the survey were analysed using a Statview SE statistical
package and a spreadsheet and graphics package, Excel. Frequency
distributions were computed to determine the number of respondents who
selected each option.
The study found that the external students who used libraries tended
to use a variety of libraries. Students used not only their own institution's
library, but the a range of libraries accessible to them in Whyalla.
The study concludes by identifying issues, recommending possible
solutions, and identifying areas for further research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218630 |
| Date | January 1993 |
| Creators | Ledo, Wietske, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Library and Information Management |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Wietske Ledo |
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