Information Literacy Skills and Competencies of Faculty Members of Engineering Colleges in Bengaluru City: A Study

Abstract

The present study assessed the information literacy skills and competencies of faculty members of engineering colleges in Bengaluru City through a descriptive survey covering five engineering disciplines across VTU-affiliated colleges. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings revealed that a substantial majority of faculty members (91.15%) reported possessing the required skills and competencies to identify information sources. Among printed information sources, books were the most widely used (92.19%), while e-journals were the most widely used electronic resource (90.05%). Advanced Search was the most preferred Web-OPAC search option (64.51%), while the OR Boolean operator was the most frequently used (46.00%). Awareness of the Copyright Act was high among the respondents (95.61%). The findings highlight the need for targeted and periodic information literacy initiatives to strengthen advanced information-search, retrieval and evaluation skills among engineering faculty.