Information Needs of Rural Malaysians: An Exploratory Study of a Cluster of Three Villages with No Library Service

Abstract Although literature on rural libraries is abundant, there is a severe shortage of literature on the information needs of rural populations. This article presents an analysis of 33 studies on rural information needs identified from LISA–PLUS and the findings of a study of the information needs of the population of a cluster of three Malaysian villages with no library service. A total of 108 individuals from approximately 300 households were interviewed during February 1996. All the respondents are literate and show a strong interest in reading. Their top five information needs relate to: (1) Religious information; (2) Family bonding; (3) Current affairs; (4) Health information; and (5) Education. The top five purposes for seeking information were: (1) Fulfilment of the need to know; (2) Solving problems; (3) Self-development; (4) Establishing a better family; and (5) Work purposes. The top five sources of information were: (1) TV/Radio; (2) Friends/neighbours; (3) Printed materials; (4) Relatives from the city; and (5) the School (library). Should a library service be made available, 93.054% would be interested in using it. The results emphasize that the needs of the rural population must be carefully investigated when planning rural library services.