Academic community’s use of university digital library and their searching behaviour
Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication
ISSN: 2514-9342
Article publication date: 21 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the evidence-based usage patterns of higher education commission (HEC) subscribed e-journal databases in the university digital library used by the scholarly community and the academics’ online searching behaviour at a higher education institution in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach. Raw transaction log data were collected for quantitative analysis, and the interview technique was used for qualitative data collection and thematic analysis.
Findings
Log analysis revealed that HEC subscribed databases were used significantly, and among those, scholarly databases covering various subjects were more frequently used than subject-specific society-based databases. Furthermore, the users frequently accessed the needed e-journal articles through search engines like Google and Google Scholar, considering them sources of free material instead of the HEC subscribed databases.
Practical implications
It provides practical implications for examining the evidence-based use patterns of e-journal databases. It suggests the need for improving the access management of HEC databases, keeping in view the usage statistics and the demands of the scholars. The study may also help create market venues for the publishers of scholarly databases by offering attractive and economical packages for researchers of various disciplines in developing and underdeveloped countries. The study results also guide the information professionals to arrange orientation and information literacy programs to improve the searching behaviour of their less frequent users and enhance the utilization of these subscribed databases.
Originality/value
The study is part of a PhD project and, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is the first such work in the context of a developing country like Pakistan.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Network Administrators, Muhammad Hamid and Rana Imran Nawaz (PU, Lahore) in providing the log data. The authors would also appreciate the IT expert Fahad Islam (Karachi) and Muhammad Iftikhar (Lahore) for their continuous help in the log analysing process and handling the compatibility and data analysis issues in the process to complete the first phase of this Ph.D. project.
Citation
Rafique, A., Ameen, K. and Arshad, A. (2024), "Academic community’s use of university digital library and their searching behaviour", Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-08-2023-0313
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited