Examining business students’ workplace information use during internships and co-ops

Abstract

Abstract Information literacy is essential for business students as they prepare for the workplace they will enter after leaving the university. Prior to graduation, students must also prepare for the information needs they will experience during internships and co-ops. To optimize instruction and teach students the information literacy skills they will need on-the-job, librarians need to understand what information sources employers require students to use during internship/co-op experiences and in what ways. In this study we surveyed business students and alumni at a large Midwestern university who had completed an internship or co-op regarding their information use during these workplace experiences.