Assessment of information literacy skills and knowledge-based competencies in using electronic resources among medical students

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the information literacy skills and how the resources are being used by medical students of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (MGMCRI), Pondicherry, India. The main aim is to determine the medical students use, purpose, search strategies and sources through which aware and literacy skills acquired. Further, this paper aims to bring out the problems faced. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was conducted through a structured questionnaire distributed among 120 medical students from first year to fourth year. Stratified random sampling was used for selection of students. Findings Findings of the study revealed that medical students largely used medical databases such as Bentham Sciences, ProQuest, PubMed and MedlinePlus. Further, the paper reveals that majority used health information for updating their knowledge and to acquire general information. The students’ information literacy level found minimal, which may be the reason majority of the students found difficulty in locating the desired materials followed by irrelevant information, inadequate e-resources and lack of awareness reported some extent. Originality/value The recommendations made based on the study are expected to be beneficial to the authorities and library administration of the surveyed institution to take appropriate measures for effective utilization of resources.

How information literacy influences creative skills among medical students? The mediating role of lifelong learning

“…These findings were consistent with that of the previous studies reporting the positive relationship between information literacy and creativity [ 19 , 21–23 ]. Likewise, Chang and Hsu [ 60 ] also reported information literacy as a positive predictor of employees’ creativity. In addition, some other studies from the workplace context also had similar results [ 60–63 ].…”

“…Likewise, Chang and Hsu [ 60 ] also reported information literacy as a positive predictor of employees’ creativity. In addition, some other studies from the workplace context also had similar results [ 60–63 ]. This finding also corroborated the outcomes of a recent and similar study by [ 16 ] who reported that digital literacy predicts positively creative thinking disposition.…”

An assessment of professional competencies and skills required for library professionals of management institutions in Kerala (India)

“…However, the ever-growing electronic resources and databases, and abundant information choices in diverse format drastically changed the functioning of libraries and librarians (Anunobi and Udem, 2015; Feerrar, 2019; Senthur Selvi and Ganesan, 2021) and most of the services have been transformed from physical to online mode (Ayoku and Okafor, 2015). Moreover, it acts as a viable solution for the users to access from remote places (Ganesan and Gunasekaran, 2022). The other developments such as open-access resources, institutional repositories, social networks, digitization, and globalization, have changed the functioning of libraries across the world.…”