Chapter 2: Libraries and the Technology for Information Searching Services
2.2 Basic Concepts and Definitions of Digital Libraries
2.2.1 Digital Libraries in the University Context
Al-Qallaf and Ridha (2018) suggest that libraries in colleges and universities must necessarily utilise converging technologies to make the instructional, learning, and research settings of these academic institutions more robust. Thus, the academic library website becomes the centre for the
“dissemination of digital information; the portal to a multitude of e-resources and e-services; the main gateway for virtual users; and a marketing tool allowing libraries to project their image”
(p.1). Liu (2008, p.14) submits that academic library websites are “libraries’ virtual presentation to the world.” Moreover, academic library websites offer access to “online catalogs, electronic databases, subject resources, library instruction/tutorials, and digital collections” (p.6). Thus, academic library websites have the potential to serve as a centralised ecosystem for information where users’ effort in locating information is minimised and the development and sharing of learning, concepts, and experiences are nurtured. Moreover, they can support the changing requirements of users and give them occasions to communicate, impart, and learn (Liu, 2008).
Academic libraries are challenged by the increased availability, on the internet, of different sources of information. This availability has resulted in users of academic libraries, such as academics and postgraduate students, utilising other information sources together with the library website (Bates, 2007). A 2007 study by the European Library Automation Group (ELAG) (Sadeh, 2007b) submits that libraries are threatened by various challenges. For instance, the direct means offered to users by the internet to access information have made it possible not only for them to find information online, but also to use different internet services to obtain physical items. In other words, the internet has reduced the necessity for users to visit, or even look for information through, the library. Moreover, internet search engines provide a straightforward and more instinctive search process. Consequently, users do not acquire the searching proficiency associated with libraries.
Additionally, the use of online searches has resulted in a novel method of human communication.
For instance, users utilise citation metrics to determine the usefulness of an article, rather than consulting an impartial, well-informed reference librarian (Sadeh, 2007b).
Researchers have also inquired into the reasons why postgraduate students and scholars utilise, or do not utilise, academic library websites. In the case of postgraduate students, many studies have indicated that the students’ preference for internet search engines, such as Google and Google Scholar, limited their usage of the library. Vezzosi (2009), for instance, found that doctoral
32 students limited their usage of the library to a few services, such as delivery of documents and loans between libraries. In other words, they placed considerable reliance on the internet due to the availability of straightforward and simple tools for research. Moreover, they relied on people to suggest relevant documents. Nevertheless, Google seemed to be the point of origin for their search for information regardless of context despite their stated awareness of online journals, catalogues, and databases. Moreover, Google and Google Scholar were valued for their ease of usage and the simplicity of their search interface. Relatedly, Drachen, Larsen, Gullbekk, Westbye,
& Lach (2011) found that Google or Google Scholar were the search engines most frequently utilised by PhD students, their rationale for this usage being the greater user-friendliness of these engines in contrast to the ineffective function of library-provided databases. Another study by Wu and Chen (2014) involving graduate students found that these students drew attention to the usability of Google Scholar. The students believed that Google Scholar was an information source of great significance when they had information requirements related to academic learning and research, and they utilised it chiefly to obtain full-text documents. An interesting aspect of their use of Google Scholar was to confirm the quality and reliability of documents based on the citation information provided by Google Scholar. Nevertheless, these students also indicated that library databases provided documents of higher quality and were again critical tools for locating academic documents. This study also indicated that libraries have tried to make their interfaces more user- friendly by incorporating metasearch tools or next-generation online public access catalogues.
A study by Ganaie and Rather (2014) found that search engines were utilised by postgraduate students to access electronic library resources as they found use of the university library website to be hindered by difficulties such as network issues, restricted access to resources through temporary user credentials, and lack of e-resources due to limited subscriptions. These findings were supported by Uwakwe, Shidi, and Abari (2016) and Khan, Bhatti, Khan, and Ismail (2014).
Their studies, in the respective contexts of the Benue State University Library and the University of Peshawar, found that lack of subscriptions, and inadequate physical facilities such as low bandwidth or poor internet connection, inadequately trained staff, frequent power failure, lack of finance, and insufficient ICT infrastructure were some of the challenges impacting students’ use of virtual libraries.
33 Nevertheless, research has shown that faculty members can enhance library usage due to their critical role in encouraging postgraduate students to utilise the library to complete their assignments, study, and undertake research (Al-Muomen, Morris, & Maynard, 2012). Similarly, a study by Yousef (2010) also found that students were generally directed by several faculty members to visit the library and also the manner in which to utilise its resources.
Haglund and Olsson (2008) reported that Google was utilised by researchers instead of libraries to locate all types of information, as they had limited interaction with the library. As they observed, the majority rarely started their information search from the library web page. Instead, they utilised their own bookmarks/shortcuts, added on earlier visits, to access information sources. Further, the researchers believed in their ability to succeed independently, and placed considerable dependence on immediate access to electronically available information resources. Other studies (e.g., Khan
& Shafique, 2011; Marouf & Anwar, 2010) observed that the library’s use by faculty was very poor, finding instead that they preferred to use the Google search engine. These findings were attributed to poor quality resources, limited collections, restricted access to foreign sources, inadequate library staff, and poorly organised sources.
It would thus appear that there is significant research supporting the argument offered by Anderson (2005) that “Google has succeeded wildly at finding its users the information they want in return for a minimum investment of time and energy” (p.32). That is, it would seem that the usage of library websites continues to be limited due to the preference of students and academics for other tools, such as search engines on the internet.
Conversely, several studies indicate that scholars and postgraduate students continue to use the library frequently to look for information. Student library surveys (e.g., Webster University Library, 2016; Wyndham Robertson Library, 2016) indicated that more than 90% of the students were satisfied with their usage of the library website, library databases, and access to online articles. Another survey at Boston University (Boston University Libraries, 2017) reported that 57% of graduate students used the libraries’ online resources at least once a week. Moreover, they were generally satisfied with the provision made by the libraries for different resources such as library journals and databases. Further, the most significant methods utilised for searching for resources were reported to be library databases, search engines, and BU Libraries Search. In the
34 UK, a survey of the Loughborough University Library (Loughborough University, 2015) indicated that 55% of the postgraduate students (by research) utilised the online resources at least once a week while 29% used the resources every day. In contrast, 44% and 31% of the taught postgraduate students utilised the online resources daily and at least once a week, respectively. These findings would appear to indicate that there is a growing acceptance and inclination to utilise University Digital Libraries (UDL) among postgraduate students in universities across the world. Moreover, these findings may well suggest that libraries have already improved their services to users.