Information Literacy Among the Rural Community in an Economically Backward Region of Karnataka State, India

Abstract

In India, more than 70% of the population lives in villages and agriculture is the main source of income. A study of the rural community in the Bellary District was undertaken to understand their socioeconomic status; the types, channels and sources of information used; and difficulties faced in utilization of the information. Findings show that the majority of the respondents are youth and have completed at least primary education. Only 10% can read and write English; they are unable to utilize information in languages other than Kannada, their mother tongue. Friends, neighbors, and elders serve as the major source of information; television, mobile phone, and radio are the preferred channels for agricultural information. Rural educated youth should be trained in the latest information technologies and encouraged to collect and disseminate need-based information; rural libraries, equipped with television and Internet connectivity, must impart information literacy skills. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.