Abstract
M.Com. (Business Management)
Globally academic libraries are adopting the use of electronic information resources
(EIRs) to enhance their information collections and improve their information services.
EIRs include e-books, e-journals, e-databases, e-theses and dissertations.
The purpose of the study was to examine the use of library EIRs by University of
Johannesburg undergraduate students in the Department of Information and
Knowledge Management in the Faculty of Management. For this study a positivist
paradigm, deductive, quantitative research approach was adopted, using a survey
research method via a questionnaire as data collection instrument.
The study population consisted of 1097 undergraduate students. A stratified purposive
convenient sampling technique was used and the questionnaires were distributed to
250 third year, 288 second year, and 559 first year students on the Auckland Park
Kingsway Campus (APK) and the Soweto Campus (SWC). The total response rate for
the targeted undergraduates was 66.2% (726 of the 1097).
The study found that the majority of the respondents used library EIRs and that there
were only a few who were not aware of their existence. Respondents who used eresources
used it for a variety of purposes, relating to supporting their research
assignments, to get answers to specific academic questions and support teaching and
learning as well as for non-academic purposes.
The findings also indicate that although the UJ library EIRs are highly used, personal
lack of knowledge and skills to make effective use of the library EIRs, slow Internet
connectivity and time limit to use library computers made it difficult for users to
maximise the full benefits of these EIRs. The study recommended that undergraduate
students need to be trained on how to use the library EIRs; that the Internet bandwidth
available in the libraries be increased; and that staff members be trained on how to
handled library EIRs related queries and customers...