Use of UGC‐Infonet Digital Library Consortium resources by research scholars and faculty members of the University of Delhi in History and Political Science
Purpose – This paper focuses on the use of UGC‐Infonet Digital Library Consortium Resources by research scholars and faculty members of University of Delhi in History and Political Science. The main aim is to determine the needs of research scholars and faculty members of University of Delhi in the discipline of history and political science and to find out how far their information needs are fulfilled by the information resources available through UGC‐Infonet Digital Library Consortium. The paper attempts to define this consortium, its objectives, scope, e‐resources subscribed and the government initiative to provide current information in various disciplines for research and teaching excellence.Design/methodology/approach – To study the information usage pattern and needs of the respective users a survey was conducted among faculty and research scholars. The population included in the study comprised 105 respondents from both departments and of that, eight are faculty and 97 are research scholars.Findin...
Use and Perceptions of Online Academic Databases among Croatian University Teachers and Researchers
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which Croatian university teachers and researchers use online academic databases in their work. In addition, the research looks into the ways they perceive certain aspects of database usage. The study focused on one university, but it is believed that the results could be replicated state-wide since the Croatian academic community is small and faces similar problems. The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire. A total of 102 questionnaires were fully completed and used in the study. Apart from the descriptive statistics, inferential statistical methods were applied in order to analyze the differences between particular categories of users. The results show that 73.5% of respondents use online academic databases. These resources are more frequently used by university teachers holding a PhD, who are full, associate or assistant professors. It was also established that users assess online databases as an important source of information which reduces the time of research, but they also encounter certain difficulties in exploiting them. These refer primarily to the limited number of available commercial databases and the fact that full texts are often not accessible. The analysis of group differences revealed that with respect to gender, level of education and academic title, users had relatively uniform perceptions regarding online databases. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of online database users’ perceptions and needs. The results may also be useful in planning, designing and implementing training programs.
Online Journals: Utility of ToCs vs. Fulltext
The Caltech Library System (CLS) has maintained an extensive list of online journal websites for several years. The online journal list has grown to over 3000 entries, representing a mixture of free and subscription-based fulltext journals, as well as websites featuring tables of contents and abstracts. During the winter of 1999/2000, the online journals list was converted to an online journals database. Additional user functionality was added, without loss of previous features. 
 
In a previous study, search engines were employed to map the adoption rates of online journals into the web pages of research groups and individuals on the Caltech campus. It was established that the vast majority of online journal use on-campus was through the access avenues presented by the library, the online catalog and the online journals database. 
 
One of the new features introduced in the online journals database was an ability to limit displays to journals containing fulltext. Anecdotal evidence has been less than clear-cut with regard to the utility of non-fulltext resources. This study will allow for a thorough analysis of the question with hard data. It should be feasible to determine if there are discipline-based preferences or if personal preferences are the controlling factor. 
 
Analysis of the web server logs will also allow for a direct comparison of user preferences for searching and browsing. Again, we expect to be able to determine if there is a subject-specific bias or if behaviors are more individually idiosyncratic. 
 
Results of the study will inform the further development of the CLS online journal efforts - database development, online journal promotion, new candidates for licensing. The technologies employed in this project are well documented and may be exploited by other libraries seeking to gather empirical data for collection decisions and web development efforts.