A survey of internet searching skills among intermediate school students: How librarians can help

The advent and development of the Internet has changed students’ pattern of information seeking behaviors. That is also the case in Iran. The current research was carried out by interviewing with and observing of 20 intermediate girl students to assess their information seeking behavior on the web environment through a qualitative approach. Findings indicate an acceptable level of access to the Internet and vast use of web search engines by the girl students in Tehran. However, students’ knowledge of the concept and how search engines work and also about the methods and tools of retrieving information from electronic sources other than the search engines is poor. The study also shows that, compared to the Internet, the role of libraries and librarians are gradually diminishing in fulfilling the students’ information needs. Authors recommend that school librarians can provide different instructional and information literacy programs to help students improve their information seeking behavior and their knowledge of the Internet