Author(s): O.I OLADELE
This paper examined the information sources use patterns among agricultural researchers in south western Nigeria. This is based on the fact that the way scientists seek information to support teaching, and research is changing as new technologies and information system delivery emerges. A systematic sampling, using a sampling interval of 2 was used to select 88 researchers from seven agricultural research institutes. Data were collected through the use of a structured questionnaire that had earlier been subjected to face validity and reliability using the split-half technique with a coefficient of 0.85, on four major categories of information sources identified as library, electronic tools, agricultural databases and FAO in-house databases. The data were subjected to frequency counts and percentages and One way analysis of variance. The results show that from library sources the prominent sources are Dissertation and thesis (86.36 percent), Journals (86.36 percent), Catalogues (85.22 percent) and Abstracts (82.95 percent). Internet (71.59 percent) and World Wide Webs (71.59 percent) are the most commonly used electronic tools as sources of information among researchers. Popular agricultural databases that are used as sources of information by agricultural researchers are AGROSTAT (75 percent), CARIS (73.86 percent), Life Science Collections (72.72 percent) and AGRICOLA (72.72 percent). In terms of the use of FAO in-house databases, FAO Trade year book (82.95 percent), FAO Fertilizer year book (82.95 percent) and FAO Forest product and trade (81.81 percent) are commonly used as information sources. A significant difference exits in the use of information sources among researchers (F = 25.50 p < 0.05) with library sources and FAO in-house databases having the highest means of 69.25 and 68.92 respectively. It is there fore important that constraints to the use of these information sources be overcame so that the information seeking behavior of agricultural researchers will improve.
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