Testing the impact of an information literacy course: Undergraduates' perceptions and use of the university libraries' web portal

Abstract

Numerous sources have observed that undergraduates tend to use Internet search engines, predominantly Google, instead of library electronic resources for their course work. Thus, academic librarians have expressed concern about the under-utilization of resources provided through library Web portals. Studies of technology acceptance and success indicate that user training can positively influence individuals' use of information systems. Even so, there has been no investigation of the longterm effects of user education on the use of library Web portals. This longitudinal study fills this gap in the literature by determining whether a semester-long, credit-bearing, general education course integrated with an information literacy component positively alters undergraduate students' perceptions and increases their use of the university libraries' web portal at a mid-size research institution. A mixed methods approach was employed, collecting data through three rounds of survey (pre-course, post-course, and follow-up) as well as one-on-one interviews. Results from the quantitative analysis indicated variance in participants' perceptions and use of the libraries' portal from the short-term to a longer term. The positive influence of the course was validated through a manipulation check. The outcome of interviews also confirmed the findings derived from the quantitative data.