University of Nebraska - Lincoln

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal) Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Spring 3-31-2022

USE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES BY USERS OF THE GAUTAM

BUDDHA CENTRAL LIBRARY AT THE B.B.A.U., LUCKNOW, UTTAR
PRADESH: A STUDY
suraj kumar dwivedi
[email protected]

Shilpi Verma
[email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac

Part of the Scholarly Communication Commons

dwivedi, suraj kumar and Verma, Shilpi, "USE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES BY USERS OF THE GAUTAM
BUDDHA CENTRAL LIBRARY AT THE B.B.A.U., LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH: A STUDY" (2022). Library
Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 6968.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/6968
 USE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES BY USERS OF THE GAUTAM
BUDDHA CENTRAL LIBRARY AT THE B.B.A.U., LUCKNOW,
UTTAR PRADESH: A STUDY

Suraj Kumar Dwivedi,

Research Scholar,

Department of Library & Information Science,

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow

Email: [email protected]

Shilpi Verma,

Prof. & Head,

Department of Library & Information Science,

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow

Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT:

Electronic resources are becoming increasingly popular as a result of their benefits and
advantages. Libraries are subscribing to electronic resources for their users and spending a lot
of money on it. It is vital to assess user attitudes regarding e-resources. This article investigates
user knowledge and perceptions of e-resources accessible at the Gautam Buddha Central
Library, BBAU, Lucknow. This study is an attempt to investigate user awareness of e-
resources, user frequency of access to e-resources, user perception towards use of e- electronic,
purpose of users to use it, problem encountered by users in accessing e-resources, its
importance in study and research, and so on.

KEY WORDS: electronic resources, user, B.B.A.U, Gautam buddha central library
INTRODUCTION:
The current period is referred to as the "information and knowledge revolution," and libraries
are playing an extremely important role in communicating this revolution. Many various sorts
of electronic materials are available in libraries, which is a large collection. An individual
thinking about the range of images and sensations that flash over his or her mind retains some
piece of knowledge, and that piece of knowledge is the information. Information may be
abstract or concrete depending on how it is presented. In the practice of any topic, information
is a crucial input or fundamental resource that serves as a link between a range of actions, both
intellectual and material. Research that is frequently prompted by new information is sustained
by limiting the flow of information and producing new information when appropriate. A large
number of studies have discovered elements that influence the transmission and use of
information, as well as ways for boosting the flow and usage of information, among other
things. User studies are being given the attention they need in order to address issues such as
inappropriate communication and use of information and information resources. The study of
online information seeking behaviors, which is considered to be one of the most successful
methods of conducting user surveys, has become a popular area of study for many information
professionals.
Users are attracted to electronic resources because of their huge potential and bright future.
Users can access e-resources at any time of day or night. It is the primary goal of electronic
resources to provide updated information to users. While there are many other types and
formats of electronic resources available on the internet, some of the more popular and rapidly
growing ones include electronic journals and standards, full-text articles, and an assortment of
other document sources. Libraries are now giving information through electronic sources,
rather than traditional print ones.

E-RESOURCES:
Electronic resources are documents that have been converted to electronic format for
distribution. It was not until the late 1980s that the phrase "electronic resources" became
popular, thanks to the publication of the first electronic magazine. The electronic resources do
not exist as a solitary unit of analysis. A variety of resources are included, including e-books,
e-journals, electronic databases, digital/knowledge archives, and the internet. So called e-
resources are those resources that are available in electronic form and may be accessed through
a networked system such as an intranet, the internet, or a standalone computer system. E
resources are resources that are available in an electronic format or on the internet (also known
as electronic resources). Ubell [1997] National Technical Information Service's identified
benefits include cost savings, on-time delivery, a powerful and efficient search engine, rapid
access to particular data, and no manpower for paper upkeep. Without rekeying, electronic
documents may be integrated into solicitations, bids, and contracts. Additionally, this avoids
keying mistakes. The advantages of electronic resources include cost savings on printing and
paper, as well as improved data storage, maintenance, and transfer. [Saxena 2009, Kaushik
et.al. 2011]. Online information resources are a vital source of information for any institution
or organization, and they should not be overlooked. Academic users are in need of the most
up-to-date and precisely focused information.
Most reading materials are now available in electronic form, thanks to the fast growth of
information and communication technology (ICT). E-publishing has turned the traditional
information delivery model on its head, allowing information in formats such as books,
journals, newsletters, magazines, and research papers to be distributed more quickly, more
effectively, and, most importantly, in a more dynamic and extractive manner than ever before.
It is possible to classify e-resources into several categories based on their nature, qualities, and
intended usage. According to their cost, they may be divided into two types: open access e-
resources and paid e-resources. Open access e-resources are free, whereas paid e-resources are
charged. Academic libraries are giving both types of e-resources to its users, according to
several research.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF UNIVERSITY:
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) is a Central University located in the city
of Lucknow, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ambedkar University is named in honor of
Babasaheb Ambedkar, a social reformer and polymath who was also a founding member of the
Indian Constitutional Convention. The university was founded on the 10th of January in 1996.
The University is devoted to growing and developing as a center of excellence in the field of
higher learning. The University's mission is to promote the study of the principles for which
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar worked during his lifetime, namely, national integration, social
justice, and a democratic way of life, as well as inter-disciplinary studies and research, with a
particular emphasis on the promotion of educational and economic interests, as well as the
welfare of low socioeconomic people. Additionally, the university has a satellite campus in
Amethi, which opened its doors to students in 2016.
Gautam Buddha Central Library (GBCL):
In accordance with the vision and objective of BBAU, Lucknow, the Central Library was
created on January 1, 1998, to enhance knowledge and application by effectively distributing
information and knowledge. Gautam Buddha Central Library is the name given to BBAU's
central library in honors of Lord Buddha. The library is administered by the LAC (Library
Advisory Committee).
The library serves as the University's learning resource center, assisting faculty and students
with their educational and information requirements. The library has been instrumental in
generating, preserving, and disseminating knowledge for the university's education and
research. It provides information services and facilities necessary for teaching, training, and
research. The library has a sitting capacity of about 300 patrons at any given moment. Apart of
that the University Library obtains electronic resources from publishers as for the benefit of its
users, the GBCL has deliberately adopted modern technology to offer web-based information
services in that one of them is E-ShodhSindhu (National Consortium for Higher Education
Electronic Resources) of INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network), The Off-Site
Access allows users to access subscription academic electronic resources from locations other
than the University campus. All faculty members, users have been given a username and
password to allow them to access the resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week via identity
providers. The University Library offers a variety of e-resources, including the following:

GBCL OFF/ON CAMPUS ACCESS SERVICE

S.NO Subscribed E-Resources Subscribed E-Books Open Access E-Resources

i. American Chemical John Wiley & Sons, National Programme on

Society Inc. Technology Enhanced
Learning (NPTEL)
ii. Cambridge University New Age. e-PG Pathshala
Press
iii. JOVE Video Journals Pearson. Legal Information Institute
of India
iv. JSTOR Taxmann. HighWire
v.
vi. Nature McGraw-Hill Shodhganga-a reservoir of
Education. Indian theses
 vii. Oxford University Press Elsevier. DOAB
viii. Project Muse Cambridge University National Digital Library of
Press. India (NDL)
ix. Science Direct - Trail Oxford University Open Knowledge
Access Press. Repository -World Bank
x. SCOPUS Orient Blackswan Pvt. Open Access Thesis &
Ltd. Dissertations
xi. Springer Link Taylor & Francis. Southern Connecticut State
University
xii. Taylor and Francis PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. The OAPEN Foundation
xiii. - BSP Books/ Access E-Resources
Pharmamed.
xiv. - CBS Publishers & Directory of Open Access
Distributors. Journals (DOAJ)
xv. - SAGE. PubMed Central (PMC)
xvi. - Springer. Project Gutenberg
xvii. - World Technologies. AGRIS
xvii. - - Vidya-Mitra, INFLIBNET
Table1: Show GBCL Off/ON Campus Access Service

Earlier Studies:

• Zedan [2022] highlighted that the marketing strategy for an academic library which is
a vital aspect of the strategic plan for the library. It also focusses on the vision and aims
of the institution That must also include clear methods for informing the community
about the library's e-resources and services. The article efforts on the next academic
year 2020/2021 of there institution which will continue to be focused on the
implementation of the marketing strategy and e resources.
• Khatri and Gudadhe [2013] It was investigated how users perceived e-resources in
an ayurvedic institution. Central Library did not have an electronic membership, but
they did use e-resources at their place of residence.
• Ansari and Zuberi [2010] The information seeking behaviors of media workers in
Karachi was investigated. They found that among newspaper professionals, television
professionals, and television professionals, the library is the most often utilized channel.
The reference service and the newspaper clipping service are the most popular
information services available in the library, according to customers.
• Parameshwar and Patil [2009] It has been shown that a significant section of the
university's user population is aware of the internet, but they are not familiar with all of
 its methods and applications. A small number of university users are still unfamiliar
with the internet and its associated applications. It is necessary to provide excellent user
education in order to raise awareness and knowledge among users. The librarians at
Gulbarga University need to put in more effort to educate their users on how to utilize
the internet and the tools and apps that are available.
• Saad and Zainab [2009] have discovered a quantitative technique to investigating the
information seeking behavior of computer science and information technology
undergraduates: an examination of information seeking behaviors. According to the
findings of this research, information professionals must identify techniques and
courses of action done by undergraduate students in order to possibly increase
information literacy abilities among users of user education programs.

METHODOLOGY:
This research examines how users of the Gautam Buddha central library at the B.B.A.U.,
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, make use of electronic resources. Users pursuing undergraduate,
postgraduate, and research degrees were sent 120 surveys created with Google Forms. A total
of 97 questionnaires were returned to the participants.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the goals of this research:
a) Determine whether respondents are aware of e-resources.
b) Determine the frequency and purpose of respondents' use of e-resources.
c) To determine which e-resources respondents prefer.
d) Determine the respondents' preferred file types.
e) To determine how happy consumers are with e-resources.
f) To determine the respondents' difficulties in accessing e-resources.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A total of 97 responses were received from the sample population of 120 undergraduates,
postgraduates, and research researchers who completed the questionnaire. According to Table
2, the overall response represents 80.3 percent of the entire sample population, with the
breakdown of the number of respondents from each group shown in the following table. A
statistical analysis was performed on the data collected from the open-ended questions, and the
findings are reported in the following sections.
NO. OF NO. OF
S.NO TYPES OF USERS QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONDENTS PERENTAGE
 DISTRIBUTED
1 Uder graduate (UG) 50 41 82
2 Post graduate (PG) 40 37 92.5
3 Research scholar 30 19 63.3
(RS)
TOTAL 120 97 80.3
Table 2.: Samples and the Rate of User Who Responded

1) AWARENESS OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

The study looked into how well users knew about the e-resources that were available at the
University Library. The outcome provides intriguing facts about the concept's underlying
assumptions. e-resources are available, according to Table 3 and fig1, just two respondents
were unaware of their availability.
Awareness of e-resources
S.NO TYPES OF USERS YES NO
1 Uder graduate 48 02
2 Post graduate 40 00
3 Research scholar 30 00
TOTAL 118 02
Table3: Awareness of E-resources

Awareness of e-resources
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
UG PG RS
American Chemical Society Cambridge University Press DELNET

2) PREFERRED DATABASE AND E-JOURNALS

Most preferred database and e- journals by UG users is Economic & Political Weekly (31.7%),
Science Direct (24.3), JOVE Video Journals (19.5), springer link database with 17%, JSTOR
and Manu Patra both are preferred equally i.e., 9% least preferred database and e-journals
American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society, DELNET, DELNET - Discovery
Portal with 0%
Most preferred database and e – journal by PG users are JSTOR, Springer Link, Taylor &
Francis respectively 51.3% after that Economic & Political Weekly, JOVE Video Journals and
SCOPUS with 45.9% the least preferred database and e – jo10.5urnal by PG users is DELNET
with 5.4%, American Chemical Society and DELNET - Discovery Portal with 13.5%
Most preferred database and e – journal by Research scholars JSTOR 94.7%, Emerald 89.4%
Taylor & Francis, Springer Link and Economic & Political Weekly with (84.2%)
The least preferred database and e – journal by Research scholars is Oxford University Press
(5.2%), Manupatra (10.5), Institute of Physics and Institute of Physics with (21%)

NO. OF PERENTAGE OF
S.NO DATABASES/E- RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS
JOURNALS UG PG RS UG PG RS
i. American Chemical 00 05 12 0 13.5 63.1
Society
ii. Cambridge University 00 04 09 0 10.8 47.3
Press
iii. DELNET 00 02 04 0 5.4 21.0
iv. DELNET - Discovery 00 05 07 0 13.5 36.8
Portal
v. Economic & Political 13 17 16 31.7 45.9 84.2
Weekly
vi. Emerald 04 09 17 9.7 24.3 89.4
vii. Institute of Physics 01 08 04 2.4 21.6 21.0
viii. I-Scholar – 240 04 11 14 9.7 29.7 73.6
ix. JOVE Video Journals 08 17 07 19.5 45.9 36.8
x. JSTOR 04 19 18 9.7 51.3 94.7
xi. Manupatra 04 04 02 9.7 10.8 10.5
xii. Nature 01 09 04 2.4 24.3 21.0
 xiii. Oxford University Press 05 04 01 12.1 10.8 5.2
xiv. Project Muse 04 14 04 9.7 37.8 21.0
xv. Science Direct 10 14 09 24.3 37.8 47.3
xvi. SCOPUS 03 17 12 7.3 45.9 63.1
xvii. Springer Link 07 19 16 17 51.3 84.2
xviii. Taylor & Francis 05 19 16 12.1 51.3 84.2
xix. Wiley-Blackwell 01 08 04 2.4 21.6 21.0
TABLE4: PREFERRED DATABASE AND E-JOURNALS

PREFERRED DATABASE AND E-JOURNALS

UG PG RS

16
18 16 16
7 9 12
17 17 14 4
17 14 19 19
12 4 19 4 14 17 4
9 7 13 9 11 2 1
4
4 8 8 4 9 10 7 8
5
0 4
0 2
0 5
0 4 1 4 4 4 1 5 4 3 5 1

3. USAGE FREQUENCY OF E-RESOURCES

The table 5 exposes frequency of usage of e-resources are analyzed the results show that,
maximum respondents i.e., UG 24.39%, PG 54.5%, use the e-resources daily, followed by
31.57% daily use by research scholar.
NO. OF PERCENTAGE OF
S.NO FREQUENCY OF RESPONDED RESPOND
USAGE UG PG RS UG PG RS
i. Daily 10 20 05 24.39 54.05 26.3
ii. Twice in week 09 07 04 21.95 18.91 21.05
iii. Weekly 07 04 06 17.07 10.80 31.57
iv. Fortnight 06 02 04 14.61 5.40 21.05
v. Monthly 03 01 00 7.31 2.70 0
vi. Occasionally 03 01 00 7.31 2.70 0
 vii. Never 03 02 00 7.31 5.40 0
TOTAL 41 37 19 100 100 100
TABLE5: USAGE FREQUENCY OF E-RESOURCES

USAGE FREQUENCY OF E-RESOURCES

20

15

10

0
Daily Twice in Weekly Fortnight Monthly Occasionally Never
week

UG PG RS

4. PURPOSE FOR THE USE OF E-RESOURCES

The respondents were asked to information the purpose of use of e-resources. They were
provided with the five choices of their answers. The category of respondents of UG and PG
use e-resources maximum for their study/personal assignment i.e., (51.21%), (45.9%)

NO. OF PERCENTAGE OF
S.NO FREQUENCY OF RESPONDED RESPOND
USAGE UG PG RS UG PG RS
i. Research work 03 05 14 7.31 13.5 73.6
ii. Dissertation/ Project work 21 17 01 51.21 45.9 5.26
iii. Study/Personal Assignment 10 09 00 24.39 24.3 0
iv. Writing Articles 05 05 04 12.19 13.5 21.0
v. Other Purpose 02 01 00 4.87 2.70 0
TOTAL 41 37 19 100 100 100
TABLE6: PURPOSE FOR THE USE OF E-RESOURCES

5. PREFERRED FILE FORMAT

 The table 7 shows that majority of the respondent PDF as a preferred file format i.e., UG
85.36%, PG 86.48% and 68.42% Research scholar. least preferred file format HTML
followed by XML.
NO. OF PERCENTAGE OF
S.NO Type of Resources RESPONDED RESPOND
UG PG RS UG PG RS
i. PDF 35 32 13 85.36 86.48 68.42
ii. DOC. 05 04 04 12.19 10.81 21.05
iii. HTML 01 01 02 2.43 2.70 10.52
iv. XML 00 00 00 0 0 0
v. ANY OTHERS 00 00 00 0 0 0
TOTAL 41 37 19 100 100 100
TABLE7: PREFERRED FILE FORMAT

6. SATISFACTION WITH INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN E- RESOURCES

The table8 indicates 78.04% of UG, 81.08% of PG and 84.21% of research scholar of
respondents are fully satisfied with the information available in E- resources.

NO. OF PERCENTAGE OF
S.NO SATISFACTION LEVEL RESPONDED RESPOND
UG PG RS UG PG RS
i. Fully satisfied 32 30 16 78.04 81.08 84.21
ii. Partially satisfied 09 07 03 21.95 18.91 15.78
TOTAL 41 37 19 100 100 100
TABLE8: SATISFACTION WITH INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN E-
RESOURCES

7. PROBLEMS FACED BY THE USERS

NO. OF PERCENTAGE OF
S.NO PROBLEM FACED BY RESPONDED RESPOND
USER UG PG RS UG PG RS
i. Lack of subject knowledge 21 09 03 51.21 24.32 15.78
 ii. Lack of time 05 05 04 12.19 13.51 21.05
iii. Slow downloading 10 11 04 24.39 29.72 21.05
iv. Time consuming 03 05 03 7.317 13.51 15.78
v. Too much information is 01 04 05 2.43 10.81 26.31
retrieved
vi. OTHER 01 02 00 2.43 5.40 0
TOTAL 41 37 19 100 100 100
TABLE9: PROBLEMS FACED BY THE USERS

PROBLEM FACED BY USER

UG PG RS

25

20

15

10

0
Lack of subject Lack of time Slow downloading Time consuming Too much OTHER
knowledge information is
retrieved

The aforesaid table 9 depicts that among UG, the highest percentage of the respondents i.e.,
21 (51.21%) are of Lack of Subject knowledge to access the information through e-resources,
followed by PG user i.e., 11 (29.72%) slow downloading and 26.31% research scholar
respondent are facing a problem of Too much information is retrieved.

MAJOR FINDINGS
The major findings of the study are:
1. The majority of respondents had a strong awareness and familiarity with electronic
resources, which is a good omen for discovering information using them. According
to the findings, the majority of UG and PG students utilize e-resources for
dissertation/project work (51.21 percent and 45.9%, respectively), while 73.6 percent
of research scholars use it primarily for their research work.
2. The study shows that Full Text e- Databases are becoming a more popular type of e-
resources and e-journals among UG users, with Economic & Political Weekly (31.7
percent), Science Direct (24.3), JOVE Video Journals (19.5), Springer Link Database
 (17%), JSTOR and Manupatra both being equally preferred, and JSTOR and Manupatra
both being equally preferred by Research Scholars. Taylor & Francis, Springer Link,
and Economic & Political Weekly have all collaborated on this project (84.2 percent).
3. The study explores that majority of respondents i.e., 51.21% of UG users faced
problem of lack of Lack of subject knowledge, and 26.31% of research scholars faced
a problem i.e., Too much information is retrieved.

CONCLUSION
Based on the data, UG, PG and researchers seek information and use e-resources in different
ways, which librarians should be aware of Libraries are developing and will continue to create
technologies that will enable them to provide satisfactory services to their users. The study
used a sample of academics and research researchers from diverse departments to gain an
overview of their online information seeking behavior on e-resources. As a suggestion, in order
to keep up with changing user demands for e-resources, the central library of BBAU, Lucknow
should subscribe to the largest number of electronic resources possible through the UGC
InfoTech consortium and other consortiums, and attempt to provide access to these resources
to UG, PG, and researchers.

REFERENCES

1. Khatri, A.B., & Gudadhe, V.P. (2013) Use and User Perception of E- resources in SRC
Ayurvedic Mahavidyala, chikli, A study. International Journal of Digital Library
Services,3(4),47-58

2. Mathew, Srini & Sornam, S.A., (2007). Use of E- resources among P.G. students of Kerala
Agriculture University, Kelpro Bulletin, 1 (2), 13-24.

3. Ansari, Mnira Nasreen and Zuberi, Nishar Ahmed 2010. Online Information Seeking
Behaviour of media professionals in Karachi. Malaysian Journal of Library & Information
Science, Vol. 15, no. 2, August 2010: 71-84.

4. Asemi, A. 2005. Information searching habits of Internet users: A case study on the Medical
Sciences University of Isfahan, Iran. Webology, 2(1), Article 10, Available at:
http://www.webology.ir/2005/v2n1/a10.html

5. Boyd, A. 2004. Multi-channel information seeking: a fuzzy conceptual model. Aslib

Proceedings, 52 (2), 81-88.
6. Brown, C.M. 1999. Online Information Seeking Behavior of scientists in the electronic
information age: Astronomers, chemists, mathematicians, and physicists. Journal of the
American Society for Information Science, 50(10), 929-943.

7. Budd, J.M. & Williams, K.A. 1993. CD-ROMs in academic libraries: A survey. College &
Research Librarians, 54(6), 529-535.

8. Parameshwar & Patil, D.B., (2009), Use of the Internet By faculty and research scholars at
Gulbarga University Library, Library Philosophy and Practice

9. Raza, M.M., & Upadhyay., A.K., (2006). Usage of E- Journal by Researcher in Aligarh
Muslim University study. The International information & Literature Review,38(3), 170-179.