Information Seeking Patterns and Telecentre Operations: A Case of Selected Rural Communities in Tanzania

Information needs assessment is critical in developing running relevant information services. This explores the information needs and information- patterns of the people living in communities telecentres. The research was in four rural districts in Tanzania which have . These were Sengerema, Magu, Karagwe Ngara districts. The research was done utilising Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to determine people or communities seek information concerning -solving, decision-making or question- situations. CIT was also used to determine extent to which ICTs were used in information. It was found that business and related information were the main information of the people in the communities in this study, however this information was provided by the telecentres. The study further out that face-to-face communication and the were the major sources of information that the used. This study recommends that management the telecentres should regularly assess information needs in order for telecentres to an impact on rural communities.