Information Needs and Information-seeking Behavior of Laboratory Technologists in a Health-based University in South-East, Nigeria

Laboratory-based research plays a vital role in achieving ground-breaking discoveries and scientific development. This type of research method is aided by Laboratory Technologists who provide professional support across a wide range of laboratory tasks. Consequently, this study examined the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Laboratory Technologists to give an understanding of how they seek work-related information. The study is anchored on Wilson’s (1996) Model of information behaviour, which guided the generation of four research objectives for the study. It adopted a descriptive survey research design for a population of 45 Laboratory technologists in David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS). The questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. Out of the 45 copies distributed, 35 were returned, 34 were found usable, and were subjected to descriptive analysis. The study found that Laboratory Technologists primarily need information to promote innovations and new methodologies in scientific research, as well as to assist academics in obtaining and executing grants. They had a high utilization of information resources, particularly impersonal sources. This is followed by electronic resources and then print. The determinants of their information-seeking behaviour were source characteristics, role-related variables, demographic and psychological variables. The Laboratory Technologists were able to process and use the retrieved information. The study concluded by asserting that Laboratory technologists are a vital cog in the wheel of every research-based institution and that the information they retrieve benefits the entire research team.