Investigating the relationship between users' information literacy and their satisfaction with library services

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between users' information literacy and their satisfaction with the central Library services of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili.

This is application research and a survey study. The research methodology is a correlation type. The statistical population consists of 11647 students (undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate) and faculty staff at University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. The sampling approach is convenience or accidental sampling and the sample size includes 253 persons. The data-gathering instrument, in this research, includes user satisfaction questionnaires, LibQUAL for local library services, Webqual 4 for web services, and an information literacy questionnaire, based on information literacy competency standards for higher education, developed by ACRL. Data were analyzed by descriptive & inferential statistics (U-Mann Whitney & Kruskal-Wallis test and spearman’s correlation) using SPSS software.

The findings of this study showed that there is a significant positive correlation between the first standard of information literacy and the second dimension of users satisfaction with local library services, namely, (the ability to determine the nature and extent of the information & the effect of services), the second standard of information literacy and the second dimension of users satisfaction with local library services, namely, (the ability to effectively access the information & the effect of service), the fourth standard of information literacy and the first and second dimensions of users satisfaction with local library services, namely (the ability to effectively use information & the information control) and (the ability to effectively use information & effect of service). In the website section, there is a significant positive correlation between the second standard of information literacy and the first and the second dimensions of satisfaction with the website services, namely,(the ability to effectively access information & website usability), (the ability to effectively access the information & the information quality), the third standard of information literacy and the first dimension of satisfaction with the website services (The ability to critically evaluate information and the usability), the fourth standard of information literacy and the first, second and third dimensions of satisfaction with the website services of this library (ability to effectively use information & the usability), (the ability to effectively use information & information quality) and (the ability to effectively use information & service interaction).On the other hand, the finding of this research showed that in general, users' satisfaction with library services (both website and local services) is relatively desirable, but their information literacy is undesirable. In addition, there is a significant difference between the users' satisfaction on the basis of age and gender, and there is a significant difference between users’ information literacy by age, educational level, and position.

The result of this research showed that in general, there was a significant positive correlation between users' information literacy and their satisfaction with library services, and this correlation was more tangible on library web services.