Caught in the Web: The Impact of Library Instruction on Business Students’ Perceptions and Use of Print and Online Resources

Abstract

Many business students rely heavily on the Web for research, in part because of their unfamiliarity with the breadth of their library’s business resources (online and in print). This study sought to determine whether library instruction could impact undergraduate business students’ attitudes and use of three information formats: print materials, library databases, and Web resources. Over the course of a semester, pre-/postinstruction questionnaires were collected from ninety students enrolled in a business capstone course. Results indicate that after library instruction, students held more favorable attitudes toward print resources and used them in their research more than they had initially expected.