INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (IJCET)

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1 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (IJCET) International Journal of Computer Engineering and Technology (IJCET), ISSN (Print), ISSN ISSN (Print) ISSN (Online) Volume 3, Issue 1, January- June (2012), pp IAEME: Journal Impact Factor (2011): (Calculated by GISI) IJCET I A E M E UTILIZATION OF E-RESOURCES IN PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: A CASE STUDY Dr. Anas. K Asst. Professor Dept. of Library and Information Science Pondicherry University anaskalib@hotmail.com ABSTRACT The study investigates the accessibility and use of e-resources in Pondicherry University. This also seeks to understand how effectively and to what extent users use e- resources for their academic purpose. The study was carried out with 150 students population in the campus. The methodology adopted for the study was survey for which questionnaire was designed and administered to collect the data. It was observed that there was a trend among the students that most of them prefer electronic resources as compared to the conventional resources but at the same time, they strongly believe that the conventional resources should also be maintained side by side. Majority of the respondents indicated that the information literacy and special training programme would improve the e-resource search capability of the users. Key Word: e-resources, e-journals, e-books, e-databases, users study, Anandaranga Pillai Library, Pondicherry University. INTRODUCTION Academic library system has a great role to play in present educational arena and it is an integral component in modern higher education system. Academic library systems in India are facing many obstacles like shrinking budget, exponential escalation in document price, availability of information in various formats, increasing and complex information demand from the stakeholders, etc. The contemporary library environment is undergoing a swift and unprecedented paradigm shift leading to a new generation libraries with the emphasis on e-resources. Academic libraries spend millions of dollars a year on electronic resources, yet many of them are underutilized and unknown to users. It has become a common practice today that good proportion of library s budget is spent on e-resources because the electronic media have brought a tremendous change in the reading styles of the 29

2 stakeholders. Modern libraries are trying to build electronic collections encompassing subject databases, full text e-journals, e-books, e-reference collection, etc. The higher authorities are having the strong conviction that e-resources are becoming more accessible and users would find it more convenient to use at any time from any where. On the other hand, publishing propensity is also drastically switching over to electronic mode 1. Pondicherry University is one of the central universities in India having a fullfledged library system, Knowledge Resource Centre (KRC), established in The library is named after Ananda Rangapillai, the Dubash of Lord Dupleix, the then Governor of Pondicherry, during the British rule. The library is possessing 7455 e-books, 34 e-databases and 23,928 e-journals apart from the other conventional and digital collections 2. The table 1 depicts the details about the availability of various e-resources at university library. Table 1: E-Resources available at Pondicherry University Library SL.. E-Resources Availability 1 E-Journals 2 E-Database 3 E-Books 4 Free Internet Tutorials 5 Videos 6 E-Thesis and Dissertation The library is spending a good share of its budget towards the electronic collection development. The present study is certainly significant because the use and effectiveness of available e-resources has to be established. The study is making an attempt to explore the stakeholders reflections and perceptions on the utilization of e- resources in Ananda Rangapillai Library. LITERATURE REVIEW As per a study commissioned by the British Library, UK, it is estimated that by 2020, 40% of UK monographs will be available in exclusive electronic format while another 50% will be available in both print and digital formats 3. A study entitled Use and user perception of electronic resources in the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) 4 conducted in 2004 revealed that majority of the faculty members valued the importance of e-resources and services in teaching and research with a mean of more than 3.7. Overall respondents were rather satisfied with the e-resources provided by the library (t= 3.65, < 0.05). Singh 5 conducted a survey on the use of electronic information focusing on Internet services by the users of Manipur University library. It also examines the utilization, purpose, difficulties and satisfaction level of users about Internet based e- resource services provided by the library. The study found that low speed Internet access, erratic power supply and lack of required full text journals are problems with regard to the use of Internet based e-resource. Schaffner 6 observed that on several occasions, students have requested assistance in changing the focus of their research to a topic that could be searched using only electronic sources. The trend toward the exclusive use of 30

3 electronic resources should be cause for concern about the direction of scholarship since a wealth of research material is not now and may never be available in electronic formats. Vashishth 7 discussed the impact of e-resources on learning among graduate students. He pointed out the new role of Library and Information Resource Centers (LIRCs) in new technology environment. Apart from the benefits the electronic resources bring out the bad effects of reading computer screens for long and the problems of safe disposal of e- infrastructure and peripherals. Sujatha and Mahesh 8 examined the use of Electronic Information Resources (EIR) by teachers, research scholars and post-graduate students in the college of fisheries, Manglore. The survey was administered among the academic community along with observations and informal interviews. The study demonstrates and elaborates various aspects of EIR use such as frequency and purpose of use, methods of learning to use EIR, benefits of using EIR, constraints faced in the use of EIR and the satisfaction level and perceptions of users in the use of electronic resources. The author has given some suggestions to strengthen the existing electronic resources and services in the library to maximize the use of EIR among academic community of the fisheries institution. Baljinder and Verma 9 analyzed the use of electronic resources and services provided at the central library of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi. This study focused on to know how these electronic information services were utilized by the users, how often they use the services and the place where the information is accessed. Also made attempts to get their viewpoints about the e-format and the traditional print format accordingly the users were asked to give their preferences between an electronic and print journal format. It was found that usage of e-journals is increasing due to awareness among the users about the library e-resources and services. Appleton 10 studied the design, implementation and findings of a research study investigating the perceptions of electronic resources in library with the further education sector. While such resources were widely available to the sector, very little qualitative investigation has been done as to its impact upon teaching and learning and how it is viewed by those who have access to it. The findings reveal personal experiences and perception of using electronic resources in library and also the influence and impact they had on teaching and learning activity. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The study was undertaken to examine the use and users acuity of e-resources in Ananda Rangapillai Library, Pondicherry University. The investigators kept in mind the following objectives while embarking on the problem. 1. To assess the frequency and purpose of utilization of e-resources by Pondicherry University students for their academic purpose. 2. To ascertain the users ability to search e-resources to locate information for their academic purpose. 3. To find out what type of resources are preferred by the users for their academic purpose. 4. To examine the problems faced by the users while accessing e-resources. 31

4 5. To find out how important the information literacy and special training programme to improve the search capability of e-resource RESEARCH DESIGN The study was designed, developed and carried out to determine and analyze the multitude of dimensions in the availability and utilization of e-resources in Pondicherry University library. It emphasized the effectiveness of the available e-resources, how effectively they are able to search e-resources, what are the hindrances faced by clientele while accessing the resources, etc. The students and research scholars of various departments in Pondicherry University constitute the target population of the study. The questionnaire method was employed to collect the data for the study. The questionnaire was constructed based on the following parameters like utilization of e-resources, users search capability, problem faced, usage preferences, etc. The study drew a sample of 150 post graduate students and research scholars who access Ananda Rangapillai Library at Pondicherry University on the basis of random sampling with proportionate stratum from the universe of study. All the users returned their responses. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Frequency of library visit The respondents were asked to inform about their frequency of visit to the library and the results are reported in Table 1 indicates that 66 respondents (44%) were visiting the library daily. It is quite high as compared to the other frequencies such as twice a week (24%), weekly (21.3%), fortnightly (2.7%), monthly (3.3%) and occasionally (4.7%). Therefore, it is clear from the result that majority of the users were visiting the library regularly to access e-resources for their academic exercises. Table 2: Frequency of library visit Valid Opinion Daily Twice a week Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Occasionally Subject-wise frequency of library visit Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent Table 2 depicts the frequency of visit of both the science as well as the arts students. It is clear from the table that 26.7% of the arts students were visiting the library daily and on the other hand only 17.3% of their science counterparts were visiting the library regularly. A good number of the science students were visiting the library twice a week or weekly. 32

5 Table 3: Frequency of library visit (Course wise) Opinion Daily Twice a week Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Occasionally COURSE Arts Science Frequency of using e-resources The table 3 portrays the course wise utilization of e-resources by the users of arts and science subjects. It shows that 18 (12%) of the science students were using e- resources regularly whereas 17 (11.3%) of the arts students were using e-resources regularly. There was no much difference as compared subject wise but there is a slight difference in that. At the same time, the frequency of library visits of science students was higher as compared to the arts counterpart. Table 4: Frequency of using of e-resources Opinion Daily Twice a week Weekly Fortnightly Monthly As and when needed COURSE Arts Science Utilization of the available e-resources Respondents were asked to indicate their experience about the utilization of available e-resources in the library. It is obvious from the table 4 that the majority of the students were utilizing the e-resources for their academic purposes. As it is shown in the table 4, 109 (72.7%) respondents utilized the e-resources whereas 41 (27.3%) of them marked that they were not using the e-resources available in the library. Therefore, it is proved from the findings that the available e-resources in the library were utilized by the good number of students for their academic activities. 33

6 Table 5: Utilization of e-resources in the library Valid Frequency Percent Purpose of using e-resources It was assumed that majority of the users would have accessed to electronic resources for their academic practice and it is almost true. The purpose for using e- resources is given in Table 5. The table brings out a fact that 43 (28.7%) female students were using the e-resource for their academic purpose while 32 (21.3%) male respondents indicated that they were using e-resources for academic purpose. 26 (17.3%) male and 21 (14%) female pointed out that they were using e-resources for research purpose. Interestingly, there were respondents used e-resources for general reading the figure comes to 21 (14%) male and 16 (10.7%) females. It is clear from the table that majority of the respondents were using e-resources to meet their academic requirements. Table 6: Purpose of using e-resources Opinion Academic Research General reading GENDER Male Female Ability to search e-resources effectively One of the main objectives of the study was to establish whether the users were able to search and locate the accurate information from the e-resources for their purpose. Table 6 describes the fact that 66 percent (male 36.7% and female 29.3%) of the respondents mentioned that they were able to search and locate information from e- resources effectively whereas 34 percent (male 16% and female 18%) of them are not able to search it properly. It is clear from the table that male (36.7%) respondents were more capable in searching and locating the required information as compared to their female (29.3%) counterpart. Table 7: Ability to search e-resources effectively GENDER Male Female

7 Ability to Search e-resources effectively (by subject) It is apparent from Table 7 that the ability of respondents to search and locate the accurate information in electronic resources. Investigator made an attempt to depict it course wise i.e. how effectively the arts and science students were able to perform the searching e-resources. The Table reveals the fact that 25.3 percent of the arts students responded that they could search e-resources quite effectively whereas 40.7 percent of the science students mentioned that they could search it more effectively. It is clear from the analysis that science students were outstanding in terms of searching e-resources as compared to arts students. Table 8: Searching of e-resources effectively (by subject) Arts SUBJECT Science Table 8 draws the attention to the matter that the major hindrances faced by the users while searching or accessing e-resources. 29 respondents (19.33%) clearly indicated that they were facing intricacy in finding accurate and relevant information to meet their needs. 56 respondents (37.33%) confirmed that they faced the problem related to the speed of the system. Another important problem specified by 53 students (35.33%) was the problem with network. Table 9: Major problems faced by the users Hindrances Difficulty in finding relevent information Speed Electricity failure Network problem Data authenticity GENDER Male Female The study made an attempt to get users perception on the usefulness of the available e-resources as compared to traditional information sources. It is clear as reported in Table 9 that 112 respondents (74.66%) reacted that the electronic resources were more useful as compared to the traditional information sources. Still 38 students (25.33%) who strongly believed that the usefulness of electronic resources were not high as compared to the traditional information resources. 35

8 Table 10: Usefulness of e-resources versus traditional sources GENDER Male Female It is very important to establish whether the traditional information resources would be replaced with electronic resources. There is a general apprehension among the working information professionals that the digital information would replace the conventional information. There were 33 respondents (22%) with the feelings that the modern e-resources would replace the traditional one. On the other hand, about 117 students (78%) responded that e-resources would not replace the traditional information resources. Table 11: Replacement of traditional resources by e-resources Gender Male Female The investigators made another attempt to get users opinion on a statement that Computer and Internet literacy is important to use electronic resources more effectively. The table 11 shows that 65 respondents (43.3%) agreed that computer and Internet literacy is important to use e-resources more effectively. On the other hand 14 (9.3%) respondents disagreed with this statement. There were respondents who strongly agreed (36%) and neutral (10.7%) on this statement. Table 12: Importance of computer literacy to access e-resources Valid Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Frequency Percent Table 12 explains that the necessity of providing initial training programme to the stakeholders to make them aware of how to use the e-resources properly. 77 respondents 36

9 (51.3%) felt that the need of any training programme was not essential while 73 users (48.7%) reacted that they need initial training or orientation programme to enhance their capability to access e-resources properly. Table 13: Necessity of training to improve the search capability Valid Frequency Percent CONCLUSION The study has proved that e-resources perform an increasingly important role for both the categories of the users i.e. science and arts students. This study explains that students are frequently visiting the library and it is getting better every day. The researchers observed that there was an information access trend among the users that majority of them prefer electronic resources as compared to the conventional one but at the same time they strongly believed that the conventional resources should be maintained side by side. It was found while interacting informally with the respondents that they were expecting not only required current e-resources, but also need back issues. Majority of the respondents were using e-resources for academic purposes. The satisfaction level of respondents was up to the mark. The study concludes that almost all respondents were well aware of the available e-resources, such as e-books, e-journals, e-theses, and e-databases and these are being utilized for academic purposes. It is interesting to note that the study found that majority of the students were strongly opposing the replacement of traditional resources by e-resources. It has also been examined that the respondents were looking forward for more assisting hand from the library professionals. They need thorough and hands on training or orientation to make use of these resources effectively. REFERENCES 1. Williams, L. (2006). Making E visible, Library journal, Vol. 131(11), pp (Accessed on ). 3. Bhat, M.I. (2009). Increasing the discovery and use of e-resources in university libraries, 7 th International CALIBER-2009, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, February 25-27, Ibrahim, A.E. (2004). Use and user perception of electronic resources in the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Libri, Vol. 54, pp Singh, R.K.J. et. al. (2009). Use of Internet based e-resources at Manipur University: a survey, Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 56, pp Schaffner, B. L. (2001). Electronic resources: A wolf in sheep's clothing, College & Research Libraries, Vol. 62(3), pp Vashishth, C.P (2009). Use of Electronic Resources in Learning: Some Constraints, Library Herald, Vol. 42(2). 8. Sujatha, H. R and Mahesh,V.M. (2008). Use of electronic information sources at the college of Fisheries, Mangalore, India, Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 55, pp Baljinder and Verma, R. (2009). Use and impact of electronic journals in the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India, The Electronic Library, Vol. 27(4), pp Appleton, L. (2006). Perception of electronic Library resources in further education, The Electronic Library, Vol. 24(5), pp