Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the information needs and study behaviour of non-traditional university students, university libraries’ role in information provision, how it impacts on the academic development of the students, challenges they face and make recommendations on how the university libraries can improve the situation. The non-traditional students face many challenges that include lack of adequate time to study, communication breakdowns, inadequate information resources, lack of support from their employers or sponsors, family commitments and shortage of trained library personnel. Meeting the needs of non-traditional students by the university libraries is essential to the social role of the library. These can only be achieved if university libraries adequately revamp and organize library and information services in recognition of their growing user needs, which include access of information in the comfort of their locations; whenever and wherever they are. Data was collected from the existing sources which included both print and electronic media as well as utilizing the author’s professional experience. The study recommended that proper planning for non-traditional students need to be done with the urgency it deserves in line with their growing demand for library and information services across universities. The planning should be done in a way that the traditional students should not have undue advantage over the non-traditional ones.

Key words: Information needs, behaviour, non-traditional students, university libraries.