Law and Library Information Science Undergraduates’ Information Seeking Behaviour and Electronic Resources Use: Evidence from Federal University Lokoja

Abstract

This study examined the information seeking behaviour and use of electronic resources in Federal University Lokoja. A survey research design of correlational type was adopted, and a sample of 337 students was selected from a population of 1,350 using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, and reliability coefficients ranged from 0.64 to 0.82, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Descriptive statistics revealed that students demonstrated high information needs for academic purposes, particularly for tests and examinations (mean = 3.54), assignments (mean = 3.51), and knowledge updating (mean = 3.49). The findings further showed that students actively engaged in information seeking behaviours such as visiting the library when faced with academic challenges (mean = 3.88) and using search engines frequently (mean = 3.67). The study also revealed that reference sources (mean = 3.70), electronic databases (mean = 3.55), textbooks (mean = 3.49), and journals (mean = 3.42) were the most utilised information resources, while the library remained the primary access point (mean = 3.65). Challenges such as too many information sources (mean = 3.73) and low internet bandwidth (mean = 3.58) were also prominent. Inferential analysis using Pearson correlation indicated a significant relationship between information seeking behaviour and use of electronic resources (r = 0.62, p < 0.05), suggesting that improved seeking behaviour enhances effective resource utilisation. These findings provide empirical insight into how law undergraduates interact with information systems within a digital academic environment.