Utilization of ict in r & d institutions libraries in chennai a pilot study

International Journal of Library and Information Science (IJLIS), ISSN: 2277 – 3533 (Print),
ISSN: 2277 – 3584 (Online), Volume 3, Issue 2, July - December (2014), pp. 01-09 © IAEME
1
UTILIZATION OF ICT IN R & D INSTITUTIONS LIBRARIES IN
CHENNAI: A PILOT STUDY
Janakiraman.A1
, Dr. N.Subramanian2
1
Librarian, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai
2
University Librarian, Periyar University, Salem
ABSTRACT
The primary objective of Research and Development Institutions (R&D) libraries is to
acquire process and retrieve the information and to make available the much needed
information to the research community. This study exposes the implementation and
utilization of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) methods in R&D libraries
in Chennai, and the level of the usage of ICT in these libraries and also suggested the modern
techniques to be implemented. The results shows that ICT could play an important role in the
Library System, to be used widely in the R & D libraries. Government and semi-government
institutions standards can improve drastically through this ICT enabled libraries, so that the
researchers can use this standard information retrieval through ICT Tools. As per the
surveyed librarians, this paper suggests that more modern technology can be used in the R &
D libraries which can provide more effective use to the research community.
Keywords: ICT, Digital Library, E-Resources, R & D Library, Library Networking,
LIS professionals, ICT skills.
1. INTRODUCTION
The success of good research and development in R & D institutions largely depends
upon the information sources available and their usage in Libraries. The important
developments in the area of ICT have created innovative changes in all areas of information.
Libraries being reservoirs of knowledge and no exception to this ICT development. The ICT
tools have nowadays become an important technology in R&D libraries as it plays a very
significant role in meeting information requirements of the research communities and
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIBRARY AND
INFORMATION SCIENCE (IJLIS)
ISSN: 2277 – 3533 (Print)
ISSN: 2277 – 3584 (Online)
Volume 3, Issue 2, July - December (2014), pp. 01-09
© IAEME: www.iaeme.com/IJLIS.asp
Journal Impact Factor (2013): 5.1389 (Calculated by GISI),
www.jifactor.com
IJLIS
© I A E M E

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institution as a whole. This study has identified the ICT structure and implementation in
R&D libraries across Chennai,
1.1 Review of Literature
Similar studies were identified through a survey of literature. 1
Naved and Nishat
(2009) note that researchers use a variety of ICT products and services for their research
work as these products prove very helpful in finding needed information quickly and easily
and also help the researchers to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and communicate
information more easily.
2
Afolabi and Abidoye, (2011) stress the integration of information and
communication technology to library operations for effective library services and the need
for the effective application of ICT as the best tool for libraries to use in assisting educational
researches and students in this age of information explosion.
3
Nwachukwu (2007) identified that ICT application of computers and other
technologies to the acquisition, organization, storage, retrieval and dissemination of
information. This study unveils the challenges and opportunities among the librarians to
apply modern technologies in their libraries and to provide the effective information series to
the research communities.
4
Kattimani and Ramesh (2013) stated that Compared to all library professionals
have more skills on library automation software modules, various operating systems, internet-
related skills and web designs. The majority of the professionals are facing financial
problems, overload of work and negative attitude of the higher authority in
acquiring ICT skills.
5
Kumar (2013) ICT influences the role of LIS professionals and the offer number of
opportunities for professionals and personal development. Professionals with appropriate ICT
skills are crucial for transforming traditional library to the electronic library. The librarians
have significant basic ICT skills to handle the library and there is enough scope to develop
their innovative ICT skills and to implement these skills in the library to provide new ICT-
based library services.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The present study examines the utilization of ICT in the R&D institutions libraries in
Chennai Dist. This District has 41 R&D institutions and 41 questionnaires were distributed to
all these institutions and responses were received from 30 librarians. 11 institutes not
respond due to non availability of the librarians or the library professionals.
3. OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY
• To examine the areas of applications of ICT in R&D libraries.
• To evaluate the views of the librarians about the limitations, challenges in application of
ICT towards adopting these technologies.
• To study the relationship between the satisfaction of the ICT experience in libraries
with gender wise.

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4. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
• Significant relationship exists between the levels of satisfaction among the librarians
with usage of ICT tools with the age factors.
• Significant relationship exists between the level of satisfaction among the librarians
with usage of ICT tools and gender wise.
• Significant relationship exists between the level of satisfaction among the librarians and
the experience in ICT resources.
• Significant relationship exists between the level of satisfaction among the librarians and
the various applications of ICT in the libraries.
5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Out of the 30 respondents, the majority of the respondents are 22 (71 %) male
librarians and 8 (29%) female librarians. Subject-wise, majority of the respondents are from
Engineering Research Institutions which is 30%, followed by Agriculture and Social
Sciences 23.3% each then science has 20 % and medicine gets 3.4 %.
Table 1: Status of the Responses
Sl.No Discipline of R&D Institutes No of Respondents Percentage %
1 Science 6 20.0
2 Engineering 9 30.0
3 Medicine 1 3.4
4 Agriculture 7 23.3
5 Others (Social Sc /Humanities.Etc) 7 23.3
Total 30 100
Note- the figure in the parenthesis indicates number of respondents
5.1 Gender and years of ICT experiences
The majority of surveyed male librarians (40 percent) have more than 9 years of ICT
experience in the libraries, but none of the surveyed female librarians have more than 9 years
experience. About 23.2 percent of female librarians have up to 6 years experience, which
indicates that in recent years females are engaging in the library profession by competing
with the male.
Table 2: Gender and years of ICT experiences
Sex Below 1 year
No (%)
1-3 years
No (%)
4-6 years
No (%)
7-9 years
No (%)
More than 9
years
No (%)
Male - 1 (3.3%) 6 (20 %) 3 (10 %) 12 (40%)
Female 2 (6.6%) 10 (3) 3 (10 %) 1 (3.3%) -
Both Sex 2 (6.6%) 4 (13.3%) 8 (26.6%) 4 (13.3%) 12 (40%)

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The majority of the female librarians (16.6 %t) have experiences within the 1 to 3
years category, but the younger female librarians are mostly adopting the ICT products and
usage compared to above the 4 years experience category. Only 3.3 % of female
professionals have ICT experience of 7- 9 years. Similarly, females having 4-6 years
experience and 7-9 years experiences comprise 3.3 % and 6.6 % of the respondents
respectively. According to the survey, female librarians have keen interest to learn ICT in the
form of a structured way and wish for a systematic implementation in the libraries.
5.2 ICT adoption of respondents by age wise
At the same time for age factor, 36.7 % of the respondents within 35 to 40 years old
have good experience with ICT applications and 40 % of the respondents in the age fold of
41 to 50 are also have some experience with ICT. Unfortunately, librarians above 46 years
have poor experience with ICT applications.
Table 3: Age of Respondents with ICT Experiences in the libraries
Age
( years)
Below 1 year
No (%)
1-3 years
No (%)
4-6 years
No (%)
7-9 years
No (%)
More than 9
years. No (%)
35-40 1 (3.4%) 3 (10%) 4 (13.3 %) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%)
41-45 - 2 (6.6%) 3 (10%) 4 (13.3 %) 3 (10%)
46-50 - - - 3 (10%) 2 (6.6%)
50-55 - - 1 (3.4%) 1 (3.4%) -
All age groups 1 (3.4%) 5 (16.6%) 8 (26.7 %) 10 (33.4%) 6 (20%)
It’s evident from Table 3 that 53.3 % Librarians have more than 7 years of good ICT
experience. Only 20 % of the librarians have below 3 years of experience. It may be seen
from Table 3 that the librarians are giving priority to implementation of ICT applications in
their libraries.
5.3 Types of Institutions Vs Age of Respondents
It is evident from Table 4 that the majority of the govt. research institutions librarians
are having more than 9 years experiences of ICT implementation in their libraries and they
represent 33.4 percent of the respondents. The Private and Govt librarians are also having
vast experience on ICT at 37.6 percent. But the semi-govt libraries have very poor usage of
ICT Products in their respective libraries.
Table 4: Institutions Vs Age of Respondents
Institutions
Run By
Below 1
Year
No (%)
1-3 years
No (%)
4-6 years
No (%)
7-9
years
No (%)
More than 9
years
No (%)
Govt 1 (3.4%) 1 (3.4%) 4(13.3%) 2 (6.6%) 10 (33.4%)
Semi-Govt - - - - 1 (3.4%)
Private 1 (3.4%) 3 (10 %) 13.3 (4) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%)
All
Institutions 2 (6.6%) 4(13.3%) 8 (26.6%) 4(13.3%) 12 (40%)

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In the Private Institutions libraries, librarians with more than 9 years of experience are
improved in their ICT applications of their Libraries constitute 3.4 % of the total surveyed.
It’s also interestingly to note here that the 7 to 9 years and more than 9 years category show a
decreasing trend because of the non employment and also not filling the vacancy for some
period of time. So this gap has a significant role to reduce the percentage. This found that the
young professionals acquiring more ICT skills on applying in their respective areas.
5.4 Experiences with ICT Resources
Table 5: Experiences with ICT resources
Major Research
area of the
Institution
Experience with the ICT resources
Period
Below 1
year
No (%)
1-3 Y
No (%)
4-6 Y
No (%)
7-9 Y
No (%)
More
Than 9 Y
No (%)
Science - 1 (3.4%) 2 (6.6%) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%)
Engineering - 1 (3.4%) 2 (6.6%) - 6 (20%)
Medicine - - - - 1 (3.4%)
Agriculture - 2 (6.6%) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%) 2 (6.6%)
Others (Social
Science /
Humanities etc) 2 (6.6%) - 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%) 2 (6.6%)
All Discipline 2 (6.6%) 4(13.3%) 26.7 (8) 4(13.3%) 12 (40%)
It is evident from table 5 that majority (29.9 %) of engineering research institutions
librarians have experience of ICT resources implementation, followed by agriculture at 23.2
% and social science librarians has 23.2 % and Science Librarians has 19.9 % of relevant
experience respectively in the ICT resources. Medicine based Librarians have only 3.4 %
experience with ICT. From the above table it is clear that the most of the respondents in
Engineering based Institutions has hundred percent ICT implementations in their Libraries,
(all the surveyed 9 Engineering based institutions Libraries have good ICT infrastructure) and
the response from table 5 shows that an equal proportion of agriculture and social science
Librarians are using ICT resources in their Libraries.
6. ICT PREFERENCES IN LIBRARIES
The Preferences of the ICT Resources in libraries are different. ICT Applications like
E-resources, Online Databases, E-articles, E-newspapers and DVD /CDs are available with
libraries. The table below shows the survey response of male and female librarians indicating
their preference for different types of ICT resources and this is done by ranking their
preferences from 1 to 5.

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Table 6: ICT Resources Preferences by Librarians
ICT resources Grade out of 5
e-resource 2.07
Online Databases 2.31
e-articles 3.10
e-news papers 3.61
CDs/DVDs 4.07
Most of the Responses from the different research area has identified that the CD/
DVD mode of information is the most preferred ICT resource by the users community, the
reason given being it has good storage capacity and maximum information can be stored in
this mode and the information can be easily received by the users through this platform.
Table 6 represents the rating of these ICT resources. CD/DVDs get Maximum of 4.07 out of
5, followed by e-news paper, e-articles, and online databases.
6.1 ICT Applications Exposure
Table 7 shows how ICT applications are useful to manage the library in a effective
way and the level of ICT utilization among the surveyed librarians.
Table 7: Librarians level of exposure in ICT
Most of the librarians’ experience in open access journals is vastly increased and there
is no gender difference for the librarians regarding setting up the open access archives. Most
of the surveyed librarians say they are familiar in OAJ (83.3%) followed by library
automation (83.3 %t), library consortium (76.7 %). All ICT applications have to be vastly
explored by the librarians. The data in table 7 reveals that there are 3.4 % librarians who
don’t know about the library consortium, library hardware resource facility, library software,
and interestingly 3.4 % librarians don’t know about the internet. This shows that some of the
libraries still follow the conventional method of using library resources.
ICT Applications Well known
No (%)
Known
No (%)
Somewhat
Known
No (%)
No idea
No (%)
Don’t
Know
No (%)
Digital Library
initiatives
22 (73.3%) 4(13.3%) 3 (10 %) 1 (3.4%) -
Open access
journals
25 (83.3%) 2 (6.6%) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%) -
Library consortium 23 (76.7%) 4(13.3%) 2 (6.6%) - 1 (3.4%)
Library Hardware
Resource Facility
16 (53.3%) 9 (30%) 10.0 (3) 1 (3.4%) 1 (3.4%)
Library Soft wares 17 (56.7 %) 36.7 (11) 1 (3.4%) - 1 (3.4%)
Library Networking 19 (63.3%) 26.7 (8) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%) -
Internet 22 (73.3%) 6 (20%) 1 (3.4%) - 1 (3.4%)
Databases 19 (63.3%) 8 (26.7%) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%) -
Library Automation 25 (83.3%) 5 (16.7%) - - -

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6.2 Attitude towards Librarians’ use of ICT
Table 8: Attitude towards Librarians’ use of ICT
Attitude Strongly
agree
No (%)
Agree
No (%)
Uncertain
No (%)
Disagree
No (%)
Library should automate all its
library housekeeping functions
26 (86.7%) 3 (10 %) 1 (3.4%) -
Provide online OPAC access to
library users
23 (76.7%) 3 (10 %) 4 (13.3%) -
Provide Access to learned journals
in digital form
21 (70%) 6 (20%) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%)
Provide Document Delivery
services
18 (60 %) 30.0 (9) 3 (10 %) -
Provide electronic bulletin board
service
17 (56.7%) 30.0 (9) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%)
In a changing role, Library staff
should help users to identify,
locate, acquire or access, and learn
how to use online database
themselves
17 (56.7%) 7 (23.3%) 4(13.3%) 1 (3.4%)
Required to purchase more and
more resources in electronic format
as well as provide access to
information stored remotely
20 (66.7%) 6 (20%) 4(13.3%) -
Campus networking required for
connecting all the department to
library
20 (66.7%) 7 (23.3%) 2 (6.6%) 1 (3.4%)
Scan journal articles and provide
article indexing
20 (66.7%) 5 (16.7%) 4(13.3%) 1 (3.4%)
Library should have high speed
data network connectivity
19 (63.3%) 8 (26.7%) 3 (10 %) -
Enhance the staff skills in using the
ICT
23 (76.7%) 4(13.3%) 3 (10 %) -
Training end users in the use of
ICT tools
22 (73.3%) 5 (16.7%) 3 (10 %) -
To provide the library service promptly and effectively, the usage of ICT in a research
and development libraries is must, for that the attitude of librarians towards use of ICT is
surveyed. Librarians of both the genders strongly agree about the utilization of ICT resources
in a systematic way to proceed to better service. The table presents all the above attitudes
strongly agreed by the professionals. These respondents are encountering the problem of
inability to use the computer, while 3.4 % encountering the problem of connecting data
networking. Most of these librarians surveyed are encountering the problem of non-
connectivity of internet for the reason of the above disagree status.

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7. SUGGESTIONS
The Implied Suggestions are below:
The majority of the respondents prefer Internet as their first source to look for the
needed information sources. So the Authority of the research and development libraries
should make all the efforts upgrade the ICT infrastructure from time to time.
It is the point of view that the authority of the Libraries should create an Information
literacy programme for the users to educate them in accessing the electronic ICT resources.
And also suggest that the librarians / In charge of the libraries should increase the
number of online resources such as e-journals and online databases in their respective
libraries. Significant development in information and communication infrastructure is
facilitating the creation and distribution of knowledge. Most of the surveyed librarians felt
that the fund and non-cooperation of the colleagues may be major difficulties for the
development of the ICT based libraries.
Some of the Respondents say that all the government libraries should be make
provision for digital libraries and the ministry should give the nod for mandatory rule for
their libraries.
8. CONCLUSION
The rise of ICT has repositioned the frontiers of Library resources, process, and
services as well as expectations of the users. And most of the Libraries have still not
implemented the Open access repository of their own i.e. the trend is quickly approaching the
developing countries. Application of ICT in libraries ensures library services round the clock,
remote access to high –demand or restricted materials for multiple concurrent users. More
efforts by the librarians are needed to educate users to effectively use the e-Resources to their
institutions. And as per the research hypothesis its prove that the R & D librarians have
excellent experience in using ICT tools and skills to apply in their libraries to provide more
and new ICT based services.
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Utilization of ict in r & d institutions libraries in chennai a pilot study

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