Utilization of Android Smartphones by Students in Information

Searching at the University Library of North Sumatra

Eva Rabita

, Zaslina

and Dirmansyah

Lecturer of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara

Keywods: smartphone, information searching, student

Abstract : This qualitative research methods, collected data through observation and interviews conducted on students

of various faculties of Universitas Sumatera Utara, who regularly use smartphone for information searching

especially at the libraries area. The data collection techniques used in this study are as follows. (1).

Observation, (2). Interviews, and (3). Library study. This research take as the informants were the year of

2016 and 2017 active-students of the faculties of CulturalSience at Universitas Sumatera Utara. Seen in the

results of the study that the authors found that smartphones are said to be one type of new media because

they can access information quickly through their internet facilities. In addition, humans can communicate

remotely by using smartphones that have diverse facilities not only limited to telephones, SMS, but

developing smartphones currently offer video call features that provide a transformation in communication

activities

1 INTRODUCTION

The civilization of human life in the modern era as it

is today is in the 2000s era where we as an

information society that has known a technology that

is a means or media tool that facilitates access to

information such as through online networks.

Information can be accessed by anyone without

limitation of space and time, because the right to

obtain information is human rights, while public

information disclosure is one of the important

characteristics of a democratic country that upholds

the sovereignty of the people to realize a good state

administration.For freedom of communication with

the media regulated in the 1945 Constitution

precisely in Article 28, which reads: "Everyone has

the right to communicate and obtain information to

develop their personal and social environment, and

the right to seek, obtain, possess, store, process and

convey information by using all types of available

channels ". If you see internet users in Indonesia,

then the number is quite large. More than 50% of

Indonesia's population has devices (gadgets) in their

daily lives. Whereas from the results of a survey

conducted by the Indonesian Internet Service

Providers Association (APJII) and the 2016

Indonesian Poll, it was noted that 132.7 million

people or more than half of Indonesia's population

(51.5%) of the total Indonesian population amounted

to 256.2 million had used Internet.

One of the form cellular phone technology

development is now manifested by the proliferation

of smartphones which are mobile phones that have a

high level of ability, sometimes with functions that

resemble computers. There is no factory standard

that determines the meaning of smart phones. For

some people, a smart phone is a telephone that

works using all operating system devices that

provide standard and fundamental relationships for

application developers. For others, smart phones are

just a telephone that provides advanced features such

as e-mail, internet and the ability to read electronic

books (e-books) or there are keyboards (both as

finished and outgoing) and VGA connectors. In

other words, a smart phone is a small computer that

has the ability of a telephone. Operational systems

that can be found in smartphones such as Symbian

OS, Apple OS, Blackberry OS, Windows Mobile,

Android, Linux. Here the interaction is formed and

then "accelerated" the process through sound and

text or writing (Brotosiswoyo, 2002).

Rabita, E., Zaslina, . and Dirmansyah, .

Utilization of Android Smartphones by Students in Information Searching at the University Library of North Sumatra.

DOI: 10.5220/0010095616931697

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1693-1697

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

1693

With the development of technology where

everything becomes digital, it will provide instant

services that benefit the needs of the community.

The use of technology in the present is very diverse

with the existence of new innovations from the

technology itself, including the increasing use of

smartphones or gadgets. Where we don't realize that

smartphone has become a necessity of modern

society. This is evidenced by the existence

smartphone users in Indonesia according to

Emarketer estimate in 2018 the number of active

smartphone users in Indonesia is more than 100

million people. With that amount, Indonesia will

become the fourth largest smartphone active country

in the world after China, India and America.

According to APJII 2016 survey, the mobile phone

was indeed chosen by the majority of internet users.

According to Kaplan &Haenlein, formulating

social media is an internet-based application that

allows the creation and exchange of content created

by its users. The use of smartphones which is

increasingly increasing by users is very possible to

chat and various activities on various social

networks in cyberspace. The problem is how is the

behavior of the librarian itself in addressing changes

in technology-based media services. In line with

these personalities Dickson and Holley stated that

university librarians must be proactive in social

networks and actively participate in the process.

Social networks that are part of social media to

socialize and interact in the form of the use of social

media to build various networks, be it friendships,

business, demonstrations, and others that require

librarians to have digital media literacy related to

new media.

The library is a gate of knowledge, while

librarians act as guardians of the flow of

information. It is realized or not that the impact of

the digital era on libraries and users has presented

what is called social networking. For librarians who

have entrepreneurial spirit, social media is very

much needed in addition to the interests associated

with the library. This is because it can be used to

build networks related to business needs and

broaden horizons. Besides that, the use of

smartphones for information retrieval greatly helps

the learning process for students. If you look at the

level of internet usage in USU's library, it increases

when compared to the use of other facilities.

As with research on smartphones, Masyitoh

(2010) has discussed the effects of blackberry as a

means of accessing information among students at

Airlangga University. This study uses quantitative

methods. However, the research is still discussing

the usefulness of smartphones as a means of

accessing information. .In fact, it can be argued that

the use of smartphones at this time is not only

limited to access to information. In line with

Needham (2008) 's opinion in Mills (2009) which

describes M-Libraries as a way by libraries to

provide library services to be affordable by users of'

mobile phones' or 'smartphones' whenever and

wherever they are. Needham (2008) illustrates that

the concept of M-Libraries can only be a simple

message through simple text delivery (via SMS or e-

mail) related to book ordering, late borrowing,

change to a very complex one where users can

access complete e-books or e-database subscribed by

the library through their mobile devices. Based on

the above, the researcher wishes to know about

Smartphone Usage Analysis for students in

information

2 METHODS

This research method uses a qualitative descriptive

approach. According to Arikunto (2009, 234),

descriptive research is research that is not intended

to test a particular hypothesis, but only to describe

what it is about a phenomenon or condition. The

researcher describes or constructs in-depthinterviews

with the research subject. Here the researcher acts as

a facilitator and reality is constructed by the research

subject. Furthermore, the researcher acts as an

activist who gives critical meaning to reality

constructed by the research subject.This research is

located at the University Library of North Sumatra /

USU. The library is chosen as the object of research

because the library is a learning facility for students

in addition to the campus. The subjects of this study

were students in the library environment, using

smartphone communication technology in

conducting information searches. Collection method

that will be used. In this case the researcher sets the

sample with the accidental sampling method which

is where the intended elements in the sample are

taken deliberately because they are found using a

smartphone. The number of samples taken is as

many as 25 respondents who use a smartphone in

areal libraries

Data analysis that will be used in this study is a

form of qualitative descriptive analysis. This

analysis will describe the results of the study based

on the findings in the field of how much the

smartphone is used for students in conducting

information tracking in the library and then given

interpretation and conclusions. This qualitative data

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is described by using sentences logically then linked

to relevant theories.

Data sources or informants are key in this

study. Informants according to Moleong (2006) are

people who are used to provide information about

the situation and background conditions of the study.

So, he must have a lot of experience about the

research setting. To conduct this study, the authors

used purposive sampling. Sugiyono (2011: 84)

explains that purposive sampling is a sample

determination technique with certain

considerations.Data collection techniques used in

this study are: 1.Observation, namely data collection

techniques through the process of observing the

object of research in the field. 2 Interviews are data

collected by giving questions to informants related

to the problems studied, with direct question or face

to face with informants using interview guidelines.

And in this study the author uses structured

interviews.3. Documentation, is a complementary

source of research methods used in social sciences

research as a complementary source by collecting

data in multiplying the data needed for researchers

with the intention that the data collected is more

accurate.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Smartphones are one of the most new types of media

we encounter everywhere and at any time so that this

new media is no stranger to our society and this type

of new media is used by all people, especially

among students of Faculty of Cultural Sciences in

the library University of Sumatera Utara. Seen in the

results of the study that the authors found that

smartphones are said to be one type of new media

because they can access information quickly through

their internet facilities. In addition, humans can

communicate remotely by using smartphones that

have diverse facilities not only limited to telephones,

SMS, but developing smartphones currently offer

video call features that provide a transformation in

communication activities.Students of Faculty of

CultureSciences is used to using smartphone media

as a communication tool and supporting the lecture

process in information retrieval. Old media is said to

emphasize information dissemination which reduces

the chance of interaction. Instead, new media is

more interactive and creates a new understanding of

personal communication. All respondents are

students who frequently visit the library and use

smartphones as information seeking tools both in

doing lecture assignments and in searching books in

the library. For those who want the convenience and

full access to information seeking, they are also fully

connected to a wider network in terms of using

mobile phones that can provide new ways for them

to support their various activities especially in their

lecture activities such as when they will search for

assignments via the internet.

The informant stated that the reason they used a

smartphone was for association and lifestyle. Having

a smartphone means you can follow whatever

happens in cyberspace with access to information

and faster communication. Regarding the new media

theory which states that indeed new media - in this

case smartphone - contain power and limitations in

its use it also has losses and benefits and even

doubts as experienced by some informants in

accessing information in order to find tasks or other

material feel that not all the information accessed is

true or accurate because some articles that are

loaded do not have clear references. In addition,

smartphones can be used for multimedia purposes,

including photos, videos, audio, text, and more.

Informants from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences

convey their goals of accessing information through

Android smartphones for learning needs and medical

practicum tutorials. Follow the development of the

field of medical knowledge by downloading and

using electronic articles and books. Smartphones are

also used to broaden the world and friendship both

domestically and abroad. The camera that is owned

by a smartphone is very useful for documenting the

practicum that is being done. On the other hand,

finger print that is owned by a smartphone has a

great function for the security and confidentiality of

the lab data and other data.

The complete features of the respondents are

social media, namely Facebook, Instagram,

WhatsApp. In addition, features are used to help

lectures such as pdf, wps office and google chrome

openers. Applications in accessing information

search often use youtube for tutorials related to

medical practice. Access health information and

journals using the Google Chrome browser.

Informants often use this type of educational

information in terms of accessing online journals in

the fields of medicine, text books and lecture files in

the form of pdfs. Smartphones make it easy to read

e-books because the reader application is available

in the play store. Books for lecture needs are found

and can be downloaded in various online providers

such as academia education. Academic portal is used

to meet the needs of lectures such as filling out the

Study Plan Card and viewing the Study Results

Card. Scientific literature and scholarship

Utilization of Android Smartphones by Students in Information Searching at the University Library of North Sumatra

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information are types of information that are often

accessed, can be stored and reused.One reason also

strengthens students of Faculty of Cultural Sciences

uses smartphone in supporting its lecture activities,

namely the time in its unlimited use, where all the

things they have accessed can be stored on a

smartphone so that they can access it later;

repeatedly. The form of a smartphone that is

lightweight and easy to enter and its use only by

touching the screen all the information we need is

available. The development of the times requires us

to know information quickly such as reading the

latest and viral news. Using a smartphone to find

lecture materials assigned by lecturers is also easy.

The feature that many smartphones have makes their

use more complex and fast in finding the need to

become a smartphone advantage. A lot of

applications can help us live our lives. This

convenience is also supported by a smartphone that

is easy to carry and hold.

Not much different from the informants from the

Faculty of Cultural Sciences, often using browsers to

find information such as scholarships and the needs

of college or organizational assignments.

Application features that are often used are

browsers, social media such as Instagram, Line,

WhatsApp, Facebook and others. The smartphone

has provided a chrome application to access

information search and its use is easy and smooth

when the connection is stable. The type of

educational information accessed is online media

such as compass, republika, viva and others. General

knowledge and lecture material material either

access Wikipedia or other websites and journals

such as usu repository or other campus repositories.

Smartphones make it easy to read e-books, but

informants prefer to read printed books because

smartphone lighting does not last long. Unlike the

case with printed books, they are lighter and more

flexible and not afraid if they are damaged.

The use of smartphones by informants from the

Faculty of Culture states that it is never for them not

to access smartphones during lectures so that

sometimes they are no longer focused on listening to

the material given by lecturers but they are busy

fiddling with the smartphone sometimes even not

looking for tasks but doing things outside the

context lectures such as accessing social media or

playing games and this can have an adverse effect on

lectures, even they can spend most of the day to

access their smartphones and this can be a problem

in their real social life. However, in reality students

are more likely to use smartphones to support their

lecture activities seen from the various use processes

they have done in the results of the study.

The use and search of e-books through

smartphones is very helpful for them in doing the

tasks given by the lecturer. Making a smartphone in

completing recovery tasks, only with a smartphone

in hand can directly send tasks via email. The

camera that is used is used to photograph

explanatory material on the board, because

sometimes it cannot be recorded as a whole quickly.

As an informant from the Faculty of Cultural

Sciences uses online game features, social media as

well as the Google Chrome browser. In addition

there is a WPS office as an opening file with

documents and pdf forms commonly used in

lectures. Look for the information they need using

the Google Chrome and Opera Mini applications.

Regulations, course modules (e-learning) and

educational information wikipedia accessed. And

searching and opening downloaded e-book files,

smartphones are very helpful and easy. In terms of

supporting lecture activities, students of the Faculty.

Cultural Sciences builds a communication between

their classmates through group messages made

through social media to share information about

lecture activities and even the materials and tasks

they have to do

According to the informant, smartphones provide

convenience in communicating with friends and

family. Smartphones are also very useful for

shopping online, without going to the store we can

buy items of necessity. Buying food and looking for

transportation is very easy by using an online

transportation application. Tasks given by lecturers

can be done from smartphones and the latest

information is often searched via smartphones. The

latest information can be viewed directly through

online news portals or access youtube. The camera is

good for capturing important moments, and can

share directly with the closest person. The use of

smartphones is even easier with the usual connection

to the smartwatch, picking up the phone and entering

messages can be seen with a watch. Informant

Faculty of. Culture often uses social media features

to share with friends close to whatsapp and line and

share their activities on Instagram. The browser used

to search for information is chrome and safari.

Youtube is also used by both to see the latest news

and other knowledge such as tutorials. They also

sometimes play online games as everyday

entertainment.

Look for additional work during the lecture

process and download the ability test application to

prepare for training, through smartphone learning

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actively on the Teacher Room site anywhere and

anytime accessible. Search and complete college

assignments by accessing usu repositories and other

journal providers. Smartphones make it very easy

for informants to get e-books because they are

cheaper and sometimes free. So the students of

Faculty of Law Culture chooses to use a smartphone

not only because of the advantages and advantages

of the smartphone itself, but because this media is

growing rapidly in the midst of the rise of other

technologies and become one of the 'icons' for young

people today. In reality, students actively choose

smartphones and use them to support their lecture

activities because they believe in the superiority of

the services provided by the smartphone itself so

that their lecture activities are supported efficiently

and effectively.

4 CONCLUSION

From the results of the research and discussion it can

be concluded that;

1. Utilization of Android smartphones for USU

students in the search for educational

information is quite effective because in

general students have made use of android

smartphones for information retrieval such as;

for lectures is quite satisfying because it has a

lot to support their activities / activities such as:

Academic Portal, Wikipedia, Online & Offline

Dictionary, Ebook, e-journal and news sites.

Reasons for Use of Smartphones for USU

Faculty of Cultural Informants in searching /

accessing information have gone well because

seeing the smartphone utilization process

students are more likely to facilitate

information retrieval, especially helping to

complete tasks given by lecturers to access

educational information.The use of

smartphones in searching / accessing education

information can make it easier for students to

search for lecture materials, such as practicum

tutorials, accessing electronic journals both in /

abroad, documenting practicum results and

learning through existing features on

smartphones such as: social media, Facebook,

Instragam, Whassap. Document PDF, WPS,

Office, Google Chrome, Safari and Youtube,

which can increase knowledge in their

respective fields

2. The use of smartphones for students because

they want to follow the trend and

lifestyle.includes to communicate, socialize,

share information, find information, seek

entertainment, media friendship, to do

assignments, study, to share or gain knowledge

and to always be connected to the community.

3. The use of smartphones is felt by USU students

to fulfill other needs in addition to lectures

such as filling in Study Plan Cards / KRS and

Study Results Cards / KHS for each semester

learning

4. The USU Library has launched an online

circulation book by application system, through

a smartphone network but this system cannot

be implemented at this time.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The athor would like to say thank to the Chansellor

of University of Sumatera Utara and the Chairman

of University of Sumatera Utara Research Institute

and Directorate of Research, and CummunityService

of the Directorate General of Research and

Development Strengthening the Ministry of

Research, Technology, and Higher Education who

have provide financial assistance so that the DRPM

Research for 2018 fiscal year can be completed

contract : 222/UN5.2.3.1/PPM/KP-TALENTA

USU/2018

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