Bridging the Information Gap: A Pre-and Post-Survey Study of Information Literacy among Medical Students

Abstract

Information literacy (IL) skills are essential in equipping students with the ability to access, analyze, and apply vast amounts of knowledge, particularly in the medical field. This study explores the impact and effectiveness of an Information Literacy Program (ILP) at BLDE (Deemed University) Medical College and Research Centre, Vijayapura, with a focus on postgraduate medical students. The objective was to assess students’ awareness of library facilities, their ability to use electronic resources (e-resources), and their familiarity with various library services, particularly after undergoing the ILP. A survey method was employed, involving 98 students, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to evaluate changes in students’ information literacy skills. Results showed a marked improvement in students’ familiarity with the library OPAC, e-resources, and library services after completing the program. For example, the number of students who were “very familiar” with the library OPAC increased from 1.02% (pre-test) to 50% (post-test), and e-resource usage improved from 2.04% to 64.28%. Furthermore, 61.2% of participants rated the ILP training as “very good” after the session. The findings indicate that ILPs significantly enhance medical students’ ability to access and utilize medical information resources for research and practice. The study underscores the importance of continuous engagement with emerging technological tools and applications in medical libraries. Based on the findings, it is recommended that ILP initiatives be further expanded and tailored to meet the specific needs of medical students to foster greater use of library resources. Additionally, future efforts should include more personalized instruction and guided sessions to improve the understanding and application of

library systems.