STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON DIGITAL RESOURCES AND SERVICES:

A CASE STUDY OF DRAVIDIAN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, KUPPAM

Y.SANKAR
MLISc Final Year Student
Department of Library & Information Science
Dravidian University, Kuppam
Email:ysankar69@gmail.com

E.RAMANJANEYULU
MLISc Final Year Student
Department of Library & Information Science
Dravidian University, Kuppam
Email: ramanjaneyulue4444@gmail.com

Prof. M. DORASWAMY
Professor & Head
Department of Library & Information Science
Dravidian University, Kuppam
Email: mdoraswamy@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION

Today’s users have their information needs met via a number of options. They
need not come physically to the library to use print formats but can stay at home or
the office and access online library resources and services via networks or
authentication methods at any time. In order to exploit the current information
explosion, familiarity and use of electronic information resources in the libraries for
rapid development is necessary and important. Electronic information resources can
be used for efficient retrieval and meeting information needs. This is very important
for academic libraries since most of them call for more and more research work. In
the digital era the commonly available electronic resources like CD-ROM databases,
online databases, online journals, OPACs and Internet etc., which are replacing the
print media.

ABOUT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY

The Dravidian University Central Library was started in the year 1997 with a
small collection of books. Initially, the library was situated in camp-office at Kuppam.
Later it was shifted to the Periyar Bhavan in the new campus and was housed in
Narayana Guru Bhavan. The present library shifted to its new state- of –the- art
building on 9th August 2018. The present library is built on an area of 5580 sq.ft and it
is furnished with modern furniture. The University Library is centrally situated and
easily accessible to all the departments in the campus. The library serves the
information needs of the students, research scholars, teaching faculty and non-
teaching staff of the University and borrowers numbering around 1900. The library
has a large collection of 93 thousand volumes, in various subjects, are very useful to
all users in general and for the researchers of the Dravidian languages in particular. In
addition to book collection, the library concentrates on subscribing for the journals
and learned periodicals which are very useful for the Dravidian research works. It
aims to achieve this, through acquisition, organization and dissemination of latest
library materials and providing information resources to the users from its rich and
diverse collections and help in the development of highly motivated, knowledgeable,
skilled and talented staff. The Campus-Wide 2 GB Optic Fiber Cable (OFC) network
of Dravidian University connected to central library. The Library has 3 servers, 10
PCs, 30 Laptops, 2 printers and 2 photo copiers. Automation of Library housekeeping
operations carried out by using SOUL. OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue)
facility is available at the library entrance to facilitate online search of books available
in the library with Title, Author, Keyword and Subject search options. Digital Library
services are available to the users with 30 Laptops at free of cost. e- Journals and
databases are subscribed through UGC- e-Shodhsindhu Digital Library Consortium,
DELNET etc. Number of open access journals, databases and other useful resources
are available for the academic community.1200+CDs/DVDs are available which
contains e-books and subject materials.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This study is based on the user capability of the under graduate and postgraduate
students of Dravidian University, Kuppam Andhra Pradesh. The scope of the study is
limited to the usage and expertise of digital resources and its aim is fulfill the
academic needs of the students. It covers the availability of digital resources and
services in Dravidian University library, Kuppam.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the present study are:

 To assess the amount of familiarity and frequency in the use of the different
types of digital resources made by the students;

 To find out the purpose and utilization of the digital resources and services by
the students;

 To know the adequacy of information in digital resources;

 To find out the prevents faced by the students while accessing and using
digital resources and services; and

 To suggest the suitable recommendations to improve the digital resources and

services for the benefit of users.

METHODOLOGY

The study was conducted by using a questionnaire method. At present there

are under-graduate students; post graduate students, research scholars, faculty
members and supporting staff are users of the Dravidian University Library. The
researcher selected both undergraduate and postgraduate students of this university as
sample unit. There are 1332 students’ in the select categories, a sample 200 students
has been drawn from the total population by the simple random method. However,
the investigator received responses from the 150 students only. The questionnaires
were distributed among the different branches of the students. The collected data was
further supplemented by informal discussion with the students. The analysis and
interpretation of the data is presented in the following paragraphs.

DATA ANALYSISs
Occupation

The distribution of students according to their occupation wise issued and

received the questionnaire is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Distribution of students according to their occupation
Category No of Percentage of
No of responses
questionnaire the total
received
issued responded
Under graduate
100 65 43.33
students
Post graduate
100 85 56.67
students
Total 200 160 100.00

It is evident from Table 1 that 43.33 percent of the under graduate students
and 56.67 percent of the post graduate students have responded to the queries.

Sex
The distribution of students’ according to their sex is given in Table 2.

Table 2: Distribution of students according to their sex

Sex No of responses Percentage
Male 105 70.00
Female 45 30.00
Total 150 100.00

It is evident from Table 2 that out of the total students, 70 percent are males
and the remaining 30 percent are females.

Students’ familiarity with electronic information sources

The distribution of students according to their familiarity to use electronic
resources is shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Students’ familiarity with electronic information resources

Use No of responses Percentage
Familiar 92 61.33
Not familiar 58 38.67
Total 150 100.00

It is evident from Table 3 that 61.33 percent of the students are familiar with
digital resources and services, while 38.67 percent of the students replied in the
negative.

Frequency of using the computers

 The distribution of students according to the frequency of using the computers
is shown in Table 4.
Table4: Distribution of students according to their frequency of using the
computers
Frequency No of responses Percentage

Daily 44 29.33
2 or 3 times a
36 24.00
week
Once a week 26 17.33
Once in a month 31 20.67
Rarely 13 8.67
Total 150 100.00

It is evident from Table 4 that 29.33 percent of the students are using the
computers daily, 24 percent two or three times a week, 20.67 percent once in a month,
17.33 percent once in a week, and the remaining 8.67 percent rarely using the
computers.

Frequency of using the digital resources and services

The distribution of students according to their frequency of using the
electronic resources is shown in Table 5.

Table 5: Frequency of using the electronic information resources in

percentages
Frequency CD- Internet E-mail Online Online Search OPAC University
ROM databases Journals Engines Website
Daily 25.00 33.13 38.13 10.62 12.50 36.87 18.75 21.25
2 or 3 times
18.12 21.87 30.62 13.75 13.75 32.50 15.63 16.87
a week
Once in a
20.62 20.00 13.12 17.50 17.50 19.37 23.12 18.13
week
Once in a
15.63 9.37 7.50 25.00 18.13 5.00 25.00 19.37
month
Rarely 11.88 8.13 5.63 12.50 18.75 3.76 10.00 15.00
Never 8.75 7.50 5.00 20.63 19.37 2.50 7.50 9.38
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

It is evident from Table 5 that 25 percent of the students are using the CD-ROMs
daily, 20.62 percent once in a week, 18.12 percent two or three times a week, 15.63
percent once in a month, 11.88 percent rarely, and 8.75 percent never use the CD-
ROM. Majority of the students (33.13%) using the internet daily, 21.87 percent two
or three times in a week, 20 percent once in a week, 9.37 percent once in a month,
8.13 percent rarely, and 7.5 percent never use. 38.13 percent of the students are using
the email resource daily, 30.62 percent two or three times in a week, 13.12 percent
once in a week, 7.5 percent once in a month, 5.63 percent rarely and 5 percent never
use.

It is also evident from table 5 majority of the students (25%) are using the online
data base once in a month, 20.63 percent never use, 17.5 percent once in a week,
13.75 percent two or three times in a week, 12.5 percent rarely, and 10.62 percent
daily. Majority of the students (19.37%) are never using the online journals, 18.75
percent rarely, 18.13 percent once in a month, 17.5 percent once in a week, 13.75
percent two or three times in a week, and 12. 5 percent daily.

It is also evident from table 5 that 36.87 percent of the students are using the
search engines daily, 32.5 percent two or three times in a week, 19.37 percent once in
a week, 5 percent once in a month, 3. 76 percent rarely and the remaining 2.5 percent
never use. Majority of the students (25%) are using the online public access
catalogue once in a month, 23.12 percent once in a week, 18.75 percent daily, 15.63
percent two or three times in a week, 10 percent rarely, and 7.5 percent never use
catalogue. 21.25 percent of the students are using university website daily, 19.37
percent once in a month, 18.13 percent once in a week, 16.87 percent two or three
time in a week, 15 percent rarely, and 9.38 percent of the students never use.

Relative frequency use of digital resources and services

In order to know the relative frequency in the use of the different electronic
information resources by the students’, weightages of 5,4,3,2,1 and 0 are assigned to
responses of daily, two or three times a week, once in a week, once in a month, rarely
and never used respectively. Total weightage is calculated for each electronic
information resource. Mean Weightage is calculated by dividing the total weightage
by the number of students included in the sample. Based on the Mean weightage the
electronic resources have been ranked.

The distribution of users according to their relative use of different electronic

resources, total weightage, mean weightage and ranks are shown in Table 6.

Table 6: Relative frequency of electronic resources

Electronic Resources Total weightages Mean Rank
weightages
CD-ROM 484 3.02 4
Internet resources 544 3.40 3
E-mail 597 3.73 2
Online databases 337 2.11 8
Online journals 341 2.13 7
Search engines 618 3.86 1
OPAC 457 2.86 6
University website 451 2.82 5

It is evident from table 6 that the students are mainly using search engines
compared to other electronic information resources and it has got first rank. It is
followed by e-mail, internet, CD-ROM, university website, online public access
catalogue, online journals, and online databases, which have got the second, third,
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth ranks respectively for their use.

Purpose of using electronic resources

The distribution of students according to purpose of using electronic resources

is shown in Table 7.
 Table 7: Purpose of using the electronic resources
Purpose No of responses Percentage
For communication 121 75.62
For entertainment 72 45.00
To collect subject
104 65.00
information
Upgrade general knowledge 78 48.75
For career development 65 40.62

It is evident from Table 7 that 75.62 percent of the students indicate that the
electronic resources are used for communication purpose, 65 percent to collect subject
information, 48.75 percent upgrade general knowledge, 45 percent research purpose,
and 40.62 percent of the students are using electronic resources for their career
development.

Learned to use electronic resources

The distribution of students learned to use digital resources and services is
shown in Table 8.
Table 8: Learning methods for using the digital resources
Learning methods No of responses Percentage
Self study (reading books/journals,
68 42.50
tutorials)
Family, friend or Colleague 53 33.12
Guidance from the library staff 61 38.12
Guidance from the departmental staff of
49 30.62
computer Science
Formal courses 31 19.37

It is evident from Table 8 that 42.50 percent of the students are learning the
necessary skills to use resources and services through self study (reading
books/journals, tutorials etc), 38.12 percent learned through the guidance from library
staff, 33.12 percent through family, friend or colleague, 30.62 percent guidance from
the departmental staff of computer science, and 19.37 percent of the students are
learning to use electronic resources through formal courses.

Adequacy of information in digital resources

The distribution of students according to the adequacy of information in
digital resources and services is shown in Table 9.

Table 9: Adequacy of information in electronic resources

Opinion No of responses Percentage
Adequate 88 58.67
Inadequate 62 41.33
Total 150 100.00

It is evident from Table 9 that 58.67 percent of the students indicate the
information available in the digital resources and services are adequate, and 41.33
percent of them replied inadequate.
Prevents in accessing the electronic resources
The distribution of students according to prevents in accessing the edigital
resources is shown in Table 10.

Table 10: Prevents in accessing the digital resources and services

Prevents No of responses Percentage
Lack of training 74 46.25
Lack of time 61 38.12
Too much information
59 36.87
retrieved
Lack of IT knowledge 31 19.37
Limited accesses to computers 56 35.00

It is evident from Table 10 shows the opinion of the students regarding

prevents in accessing the electronic information resources. Majority (46.25%) of the
students stated that ‘lack of training’ is the main prevent to use electronic resources,
38.12 percent ‘lack of time’, 36.87 percent ‘too much information retrieved’, 35
percent ‘limited to accesses to computers’, and 19.37 percent ‘lack of IT knowledge’
is the main prevent to use electronic information resources.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

 Most of the students (61.33%) are familiar to use with digital resources and
services.
 About 27.50 percent of the students are using the computer daily, and 5.63
percent are never used.
 Most of the students 25%, 33.13%, 38.13%, 36.87%, and 21.25% are using
CD-ROM, Internet, E-mail, Search engines, and VRSEC website ‘daily’
respectively. However, 25 percent of the students are using online databases,
VRSECE catalogue ‘once in a month’, 18.75 percent of the students are using
online journals ‘rarely’.
 Most of the students are mainly using search engines compared to other
electronic information resources. Online journals and online databases are less
using compared to other resources.
 Majority of the students (75.62%) are using the digital resources and services
for communication purpose.
 Majority of the students (42.50%) are learning the necessary skills to use digital
resources and services through ‘self-study’ method (reading books/journals,
tutorials etc).
 Majority of the students (58.67%) indicate that the information available in the
digital resources and services is always ‘adequate’.
 Majority (46.25%) and (38.12%) of the students have expressed ‘lack of
training’ and ‘lack of time’ is the main problem while using electronic
information resources.
 With increasing influx of electronic information to libraries the user orientation
programmes must be implemented specifically to electronic information
resources.
 Awareness should be created to use online journals to obtain current
information.
  More computer terminals should be installed in the library to the maximum
benefit of the students.
 Authorities should provide more funds to acquire the electronic information
resources to the benefit of the users.
 The library should conduct regular evaluations and assessments to determine
the effectiveness of the electronic resources in meeting information needs of
the users.

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