Assessment of Information Retrieval Skills and the Satisfaction on the Library Collections and Services: The Mediating Role of Information Literacy Program

The COVID-19 pandemic lead to widespread adoption of digital education ecosystem and speeded the shift toward virtual learning environments. The role of academic libraries expands in facilitating the academic needs of students, user’s access to information resources, and in developing effective research skills. This study examined the relationship between information retrieval skills, satisfaction on the library collections and services, and the mediating role of the Information Literacy Program (ILP) using a quantitative correlational research design. This study involved 330 students from selected campuses of the University of Mindanao. Moreover, Data were gathered through adopted survey questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation and Mediation Analysis were utilized to analyze the results. Findings revealed that respondents exhibited a high levels of information retrieval skills and very high levels of satisfaction in the library collections and services. Additionally, the Information Literacy Program was assessed and result presented that it is greatly influenced and effective in enhancing the students’ searching skills, use of digital resources, and independent access to information. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship among information retrieval skills, the Information Literacy Program, and User’s Satisfaction. Furthermore, mediation analysis indicated that the Information Literacy Program partially mediates the relationship between information retrieval skills and satisfaction. Results suggesting that structured literacy instruction strengthens users’ research competencies and enhances their overall experience with library resources and services.