Journal of Information and Knowledge (Formerly SRELS Journal of Information Management)

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Use of Electronic Databases in University Libraries of British Columbia:A Study


Affiliations
1 Department of Library and Information Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
2 Fraser Valley Regional Library, British Columbia, Canada
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The present study aims at analyzing the use of electronic databases in three universities of British Columbia. A well structured questionnaire was designed to collect the responses of the teachers and the students. The data was collected through a web based survey. One thousand teachers and students were requested to fill up the survey out of which 515 responses were received. The response rate was 51.5%. The study deals with the various aspects of the use of databases such as familiarity with databases, method of learning database use skills, frequency of database use, purposes for which the databases are used, success rate in finding the information, problems in finding the information, features of a good database and the most preferred databases. The results of the survey provide useful information about the use of databases. Some suggestions are put forth to make the databases more beneficial for studies and research purposes.

Keywords

Electronic Databases, Users’ Study, University Libraries, British Columbia.
User
About The Authors

Amritpal Kaur
Department of Library and Information Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
India

Sarwan Singh Randhawa
Fraser Valley Regional Library, British Columbia
Canada


Notifications

  • Native American Research Tutorial: Searching an electronic database. San Juan College Library. 12 Dec 2001. San Juan College. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://www.sanjuancollege.edu/Lib/ electronic-intro.html.

  • What is a database? University of Queensland. Retrieved May 18, 2009 from http://www. library.uq.edu.au/training/skills/what_dbase.html.

  • Impact: Guidelines for North Carolina media and technology programs. NC WiseOwl. Retrieved May 18, 2009 from http://www.ncwiseowl.org/IMPACT/glossary.htm.

  • Library online tutorials. Monash University Library. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://www. lib.monash.edu.au/vl/glossind.htm.

  • Definitions. CIRUM e-learning virtual campus. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://www.cirem. co.uk/definitions.html.

  • Zhang (W). Web vs. CD-ROM: Providing access to electronic databases in a liberal arts college. 1998. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://white-clouds.com/iclc/cliej/cl5zhang.htm.

  • Weingart (S J); Anderson (J A). When questions are answers: Using a survey to achieve faculty awareness of the library's electronic resources. College and Research Libraries. Vol. 61(2); 2000; p127-134.

  • Shim (W); McClure (C R). Improving database vendors’ usage statistics reporting through collaboration between libraries and vendors. College and Research Libraries. Vol. 63(6); 2002; p99-514.

  • Talja (S); Maula (H). Reasons for the use and non-use of electronic journals and databases: A domain analytic study in four scholarly disciplines. Journal of Documentation. Vol. 59(6); 2003; p673-691. Retrieved Dec. 21, 2009 from http://www.emeraldinsight.com.

  • Bar-Ilan (J) et al. A survey on the use of electronic databases and electronic journals accessed through the web by the academic staff of Israeli universities. Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 9(6); 2003; p346-361. Retrieved Nov. 15, 2009 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/ custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?

  • Al-Jarf (R). Use of electronic databases at Arab universities. 2004. Retrieved Dec. 21, 2009 from http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarf/publications/

  • Schneeweiss (S); Avorn (J). A review of uses of health care utilization databases for epidemiologic research on therapeutics. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. Vol. 58(4); 2005; p323-337. Retrieved Dec. 21, 2009 from http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/

  • Atakan (c); et al. Evaluation of the second survey on electronic databases usage at Ankara University Digital Library. The Electronic Library. Vol.26(2); 2008; p249-259.

  • Khan (A M); et al. Use of on-line databases by faculty members and research scholars of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi (India): A survey. International Information and Library Review. Vol. 41(2); 2009; p71-78.

  • Ozoemelem (O A). Use of Electronic Resources by Postgraduate Students of the Department of Library and Information Science of Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice. Vol. 11(2); 2009; p1-23.

  • Soyizwapi (L); Hoskins (R). Use of Electronic Databases by Postgraduate Students in a University Based Faculty of Science and Agriculture. Innovation. Vol. 38; 2009; p94-117.


Abstract Views: 344

PDF Views: 14




  • Use of Electronic Databases in University Libraries of British Columbia:A Study

Abstract Views: 344  |  PDF Views: 14

Authors

Amritpal Kaur
Department of Library and Information Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
Sarwan Singh Randhawa
Fraser Valley Regional Library, British Columbia, Canada

Abstract


The present study aims at analyzing the use of electronic databases in three universities of British Columbia. A well structured questionnaire was designed to collect the responses of the teachers and the students. The data was collected through a web based survey. One thousand teachers and students were requested to fill up the survey out of which 515 responses were received. The response rate was 51.5%. The study deals with the various aspects of the use of databases such as familiarity with databases, method of learning database use skills, frequency of database use, purposes for which the databases are used, success rate in finding the information, problems in finding the information, features of a good database and the most preferred databases. The results of the survey provide useful information about the use of databases. Some suggestions are put forth to make the databases more beneficial for studies and research purposes.

Keywords


Electronic Databases, Users’ Study, University Libraries, British Columbia.

References