Use of information by Brazilian mechanical engineers working in academic institutions in the southern and central regions of Brazil

This study was designed to examine various aspects of information use a selected sample of Brazilian mechanical engineers (BMEs) working in academic institutions in Brazil and to relate these findings to the influence of their personal, work and environmental factors. A survey questionnaire was administered to groups of mechanical engineers working in four academic institutions (Federal and State) located in the central-south regions of Brazil. Data were gathered on the following aspects of information use: frequency of use of information sources and channels; number of hours spent reading and communicating; categories of locations consulted; categories of people consulted; problems encountered in information use; attitudes taken by engineers when information is needed but is not available; types of information used and the engineers perception of the availability and pertinence of various information services offered by the engineer's information system. Hypotheses on the interplay between information use and educational level, productivity, reading language ability, seniority, interinstitutional involvement, project type, accessibility of the source; problems on information use and institutional restrictions on the use of information were tested. [Continues.]