Scenarios in Accessing E-Resources in University Libraries

8/4/2019 Scenarios in Accessing E-Resources in University Libraries

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Scenarios in Accessing E-Resources in

University Libraries:

A View of Mmust Library

by

Moses Isutsa ShilecheBsc. Library &Information Science

Msc. Library and Infor. Scie. Student.

Presented at the 1st Regional Conference for

Western & Nyanza KLA Chapters on

14th

-15th

Oct. 2010 at Imperial Hotel


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AbstractE-learning, Open University Education, Vision 2030 and

Mobile phones require a lot of data transfer which hasput information handlers, learners, lecturers andfinanciers in institutions of higher learning in adilemma of sticking with the print media or embracinge- information. Access, management, staff and users

skills, funds, licenses, infrastructure are evidentchallenges. This paper details scenarios as seenelsewhere and compares with the situation at MasindeMuliro University of Science and Technology Library,

using purposive and snowball methods in an explorativedesign by indulging in an in-depth face to face interviewof fifteen respondents selected from PhD, Master andDegree students. Findings are tabulated and evaluatedusing Moon stats and output in a pie chart. Probablerecommendations are given.


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Key words

E-learning,

E- resources,

Access, University Libraries,

Information


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Statement of the problemUniversity libraries are to be at the

forefront in championing access and use ofe-resources, Advances in research and

publication of e-resources in Kenyan

Universities is wanting, leaving lecturers

and students to rely on publications

available from other regions expensively.In this age of open university, which is the

appropriate way forward for handling e-

resources issues in university libraries.


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Hypothesis

There are no challenges faced by clientele in

accessing and using e-resources in MMUST

library


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Research Objective

Understand the SWOT of libraries ine-learning & e-resources

Understand the skills and

competencies e-resources users haveor lack

Explore the readiness of universitylibraries to support Open University

education to achieve vision 2030.


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Introduction

Information handling is changing in the followingmanner

nature of information

information infrastructure

needs

access

collection

storage

communication

use


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Information handling led to

numerous research studies on the use ofelectronic resources by

Students,

Librarians,

Researchers

of institutions of higher learning with aview of unlocking the challenges that

are faced by both the creators,

managers and consumers.


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Findings of numerous researches

the inverse of challenges facing print medium

of information resources management, is the

case with electronic resources where not a

single solution suffices


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Assumptions

There are teething issues,

both the authors, information officers and

clientele must work in tandem

acceptable answers to the challenges

electronic resources pose must be found


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Serious challenge of e- resources

The electronic content tends to be much more

unstable than the static nature of printed

media.


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Other challenges licensing,

digital rights management, plagiarism, medium of storage

access

policies on how resource can and can't be used,

sourcing of funds and support, exponential growth

electronic aggregators,

investment in e-resources is growing,

no standard mechanism to archive the digital content or providepersistent access,

challenge of identifying, evaluating, procuring, implementing,integrating, supporting, utilization tracking, renewing or cancellinge-resources subscription ,

managing an ever increasing budget for e-resources


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Background information

Association of Research Libraries reported

member libraries spent

12.9% - 1999-2000

3.6% in 1991-92

1999-2000 academic year, nine libraries spent

more than 20% of their materials budget on

electronic resources

five spending more than $2 million


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authors who have made observations Majid and Tan (2002); Ibrahim (2004)) attributed to lack of awareness, to electronic

resources such as library OPACs, e-books, subject gateway projects have revealeddifferences in use.

Kennedy (2004) Cohen; Calsada (2003) raised pertinent issues such as themanagement of web sites lists, the provision of a unified search interface to thelibrarys research databases and e-journals and inclusion of URLs web sites in thelibrarys catalog

Kennedy (2004) also proposed the inclusion of web pages to the Library catalogue asa solution to the maintenance of increasing web sites links.

Campbell (2000) discussed the key political and strategic issues needed for the futuredevelopment of Australian subjects gateways

Chisenga(2004) looks the challenge of large number of public libraries lackingcomputer connectivity 30 years after the first commercial computer was madeavailable , unreliable power supply, lack of ICT experts and inadequate supportinginfrastructure.

Sihanya(200?)Looks at the prospects and challenges posed to a storage , retrieval ,and distribution more efficient in view of the fact that the librarians is to enhanceaccess while observing copyright.

Amina(2006) makes her contribution by looking at the greatest challenge ofspreading awareness and encouraging the use of the resources acquired, access tothe internet and subscription required for resources are historical barriers toprogress which bring about a digital divide between developed countries and

developing ones.


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Some websites

http://www.liv.ac.uk/library/createchange/live

rpool/context.html

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/chicago

/075125.html

http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub99/secti

on2.html
http://www.liv.ac.uk/library/createchange/liverpool/context.htmlhttp://www.liv.ac.uk/library/createchange/liverpool/context.htmlhttp://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/chicago/075125.htmlhttp://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/chicago/075125.htmlhttp://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub99/section2.htmlhttp://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub99/section2.htmlhttp://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub99/section2.htmlhttp://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub99/section2.htmlhttp://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/chicago/075125.htmlhttp://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/chicago/075125.htmlhttp://www.liv.ac.uk/library/createchange/liverpool/context.htmlhttp://www.liv.ac.uk/library/createchange/liverpool/context.html


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The Digital Millennium copyright act of 1998

December 1998 looks at the challenge of fair use as

shown in the section 1201(d) of the act

contradicted by nature of computers and internet

which make other illegal soft copies inadvertentlyduring the process of transmission not permitted by

the act.


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Research Methodology

Type of non-probability unstructured (in-

depth ) interview used purposive and

snowball. : The reason for choosing purposive

for this research was that, the University has astudent spectrum composed of Doctorate

(PhD) , Masters, Degree, Diploma and

Certificate levels of whom there are nodiscrimination or advantage on who should or

should not use electronic resources.


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Research Findings

The data collected shows the five most important

key words (themes) as given by the respondents

Computer

Google

Information

Internet

Virtual Library

bl h f i f fi i


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Table 1 The frequencies of five most important

terms as mentioned by the interviewees filed.INTERVIEWEE COMPUTER GOOGLE INFORMATION INTERNET V.LIBRARY

Interviewee 01-100 71 15 31 35 21interviewee 101-200

32 14 42 34 22

interviewee201-300 63 13 33 13 13

Interviewee301- 400 14 12 64 42 14

interviewee 401-500 45 11 15 11 15

interviewee 501-600 76 40 56 30 16Interviewee601- 700 87 29 57 59 07

interviewee 701-800 28 28 38 58 18

interviewee 801-900 79 27 39 67 19

interviewee 901-1000 50 16 30 96 00

interviewee 1001-1100 61 15 31 85 01interviewee 1101-1200 42 14 52 54 52

interviewee 1201-1300 23 03 13 03 23

interviewee 1301-1400 54 12 24 12 44

interviewee 1401-1500 35 11 85 51 15

TOTALS 760 260 610 650 280


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Chart Showing gross percentages per

term as mentioned by all respondents

COMPUTER

30%

GOOGLE

10%

INFORMATION

24%

INTERNET

25%

V.LIBRARY

11%

COMPUTER

GOOGLE

INFORMATION

INTERNET

V.LIBRARY


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At Masinde Muliro University of Science and

Technology (MMUST)Virtual Library

effort has been made to meet the informationneeds of the users through an open approach in

terms of sharing knowledge, provision of free

internet access facilities, user studies

programmes, staff support and infrastructure

creation coupled with an ICT master plan running

from the 2003-2013.

Provision of standalone catalogues in the library

Wireless internet connectivity (wi-fi)5 km radius

Provision of seamless access via IP registration

MMUST V Lib i


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MMUST V. Lib conti provision of links to e-resources from the university

wide website

Provision of a newsletter that highlights new issues

relating to among others e-resources

Staff training both in house, workshops,

conferences and formally in colleges.

Organising book and e- resources selection days on

campus

User profiling to identifying and meet personal and

special needs

Reference work (Ask A Librarian)


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Conclusionchallenges include

access and delivery of electronic information resources

wide variety of electronic resources , citations , databases, full text articles,

e-books, online databases, electronic resources , rights management , complexity in finding and support ,

exponential growth ,

cost of resources,

number of licensing models,

no standard mechanism / policies in dealing with electronic aggregators archiving content , identifying , evaluating , procuring , implementing ,

integrating, supporting , utilization, tracking, renewing , or cancelling as well as

managing increasing e-resources budget.

That students are less aware of e-resources

Their skills and competencies are low for them to deal with issues that surround

e- resources, a great challenge to realization of an open university in Kenya. Its highly recommended that libraries to receive more funding probably 30% of

gross revenues received by universities

Put in place infrastructure, a course for existing librarians, employee morelibrarians, expand libraries and internet bandwidth to libraries to be able tosupport an efficient venture of open universities adequately.


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Responses

Documents

Scenarios in Accessing E-Resources in University Libraries