| Abstract: | Abstract The role information plays in socio-economic development can not be over-emphasized. People need different types of information in their day-to-day life and their information seeking behaviour also differs from person to person. In India, 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas. The access the rural population has to information sources is very limited. Libraries, in addition to other sources, form a major source of information. However, the libraries in rural areas, as observed from earlier studies, are traditional in nature and not well equipped to effectively cater to the information needs of the rural people. Non-existence of library legislation in various states of India is one of the factors which adversely affected the development of a library system. This present study examines the status of rural libraries in four states of India, the information needs of the people in the study area, and their information seeking behaviour. The study also examines the role of the latest IT techniques in improving the present status of rural libraries. This study concludes that the libraries existing presently in rural areas are in a poor state of affairs. Lack of adequate resources, financial and human, is identified as the major reason for the present status of rural libraries. As far as information needs, a majority of respondents look for information relating to development schemes, employment opportunities, education, health, etc. Mass media including newspaper, TV, and radio are the major sources of information, followed by relatives/friends, and government officials. This study suggests the transformation of existing libraries or establishing a new set up of dynamic information centres with the help of the latest IT to effectively cater to the information needs of the rural people. |
