Current practices of management of online databases at university libraries in Maharashtra state of India
| Published date | 12 November 2018 |
| Pages | 569-582 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-08-2017-0073 |
| Date | 12 November 2018 |
| Author | Priyanka Pradeep Wadekar,Shubhada Prashant Nagarkar |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Current practices of management
of online databases at
university libraries in
Maharashtra state of India
Priyanka Pradeep Wadekar and Shubhada Prashant Nagarkar
Department of Library and Information Science,
Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to know-how the university libraries are managing online databases,
especially from the Maharashtra state of India. The focus is to study the difficulties and challenges faced by
the university librarians.
Design/methodology/approach –In this descriptive research, survey of 15 university libraries was
conducted. Seven universities are subscribing online databases apart from databases accessible under
national consortia. A comprehensive questionnaire comprised of 16 sections and total 47 questions was
designed for data collection. Personal contacts helped to a great extent to get back the questionnaire.
Findings –The study revealed that the university librarians are trying to cope up with the management of
electronic resources. Major challenges are unawareness about the life cycle of electronic resources, lack of
standard procedures, collection development and preservation policies, failed to conduct user information
need surveys, negotiation skills, competencies of staff and so on.
Research limitations/implications –The scope of the present research was to study the current practices
of management of online databases subscribed by the university libraries in Maharashtra. Other types of
electronic resources were not considered in the present study. It was found that out of 15 universities only
seven universities subscribe the online databases apart from the databases provided by UGC-INFONET.
Therefore, the data from these seven libraries were considered for analysis.
Practical implications –This study will provide the guidelines for managing online databases in
academic libraries.
Originality/value –Very few studies are conducted to study the management of online databases by
university librariesin India.
Keywords University libraries, Online databases, Electronic resource management, Electronic databases,
Electronic resource management software, Life cycle of electronic resources
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Since last twodecades information and communication technologies (ICT) have tremendously
changed the trends in publishing which resulted in availability of enormous electronic
resources in multimedia form. Therefore, the availability and accessibility of electronic
resources pose several challenges to librarians. The first challenge is to find the relevant
electronic resource from the available numerous ones and then to make it accessible to the
users. Paid online databases (bibliographic and full text e-journals databases) pose more
critical challenges. Apart from the allocation of the funds, librarians face severalchallenges in
management of online databases such as selection, acquisition, distribution, usage and
renewal. These databases have a particular life cycle having different steps to be followed
carefully(Hosburgh, 2014; Okoye andUgwuanyi, 2012; Chandel andSaikia, 2012). Techniques
for electronic resource management (TERMS)is a project initiated by Jill Emery and Graham
Stone which providesa detailed guide consisting of six stages for successful management of
electronic resources (Emery and Stone, 2013).
The present study was conducted to know the challenges faced in Electronic Resource
Management (ERM) by university librarians in one of the states of India, i.e. Maharashtra.
Library Management
Vol. 39 No. 8/9, 2018
pp. 569-582
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-08-2017-0073
Received 5 August 2017
Revised 20 December 2017
Accepted 18 January 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
569
Management
of online
databases
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