Electronic resource management (ERM) in libraries of management institutes in India
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-01-2016-0020 |
| Pages | 1013-1034 |
| Published date | 02 October 2017 |
| Date | 02 October 2017 |
| Author | Nihar Kanta Patra |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Electronic resource management
(ERM) in libraries of management
institutes in India
Nihar Kanta Patra
Nalanda University, Rajgir, India
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to examine and analyse the status and differences in different components of
e-resources management of business/management school libraries in India. It also examines the factors
responsible for criteria/methods used in the life cycle of e-resources and e-resource management (ERM)
system.
Design/methodology/approach –This study uses convenient sampling method as the management
institutes inIndia are many and scattered around India. A suitablydesigned questionnaire has been prepared
and sent to the libraries. Data collectedfrom the librarians/library in-charge on managing e-resourcesin their
libraries selected understudy were entered into SPSS software for analysis. Further,coding and decoding of
data are being done for analysis. Simple cross tabulation, simple statistical tools like mean and standard
deviations and advanced statistical tools like ANOVA, chi-squaretest and multiple regression analysis, etc.
have been appliedfor analysis.
Findings –E-resources managementis one of the most important concepts in any academic library. After
automation and digitization of libraryresources, there is a challenge for library professional to manage this
tremendousincrease in e-resources. In this study, it is observedthat all libraries are not following all the steps
of different components of ERM such as selection, evaluation, acquisition, license agreement and renewal/
cancelation of e-resource which are essential for the better management of e-resources. The voluminous
e-resource can easily be managed through the ERM system. However, this study found that better
management of e-resourcesdirectly effected by the facilities of IT infrastructures available in the library and
proportionof non-professional staff to total staff.
Research limitations/implications –This study is confined to 38 libraries of ranked management
institutes/business schools in India based on the report published in Business India,Business World and
Business Today. This study is confinedto issues relating to e-resources collection development, the statusof
IT infrastructure, life-cycle process of e-resources and tools and technology implemented to manage
e-resources.
Originality/value –This paper provides how electronic resources are being managed by business/
management school libraries in India. What are the methods/criteria they are being used in different
components of the life cycle of e-resources management? In this paper, the hypothesis has been tested by
using simple and advancestatistical tools.
Keywords India, Academic libraries, Business schools, Electronic resources,
Electronic resources management, Electronic resource management systems, Management schools
Paper type Case study
Introduction
In recent years, libraries have acquired more and more electronic resources (e-resources)
because of perceived benefits, such as easy access to information and
comprehensiveness. Owing to an influx of e-resources in libraries, the collection,
acquisition and maintenance of these resources have become complicated issues. This
forces libraries to devise strategies to manage and deliver e-resources conveniently.
Electronic
resource
management
1013
Received25 January 2016
Revised30 January 2017
Accepted6 February 2017
TheElectronic Library
Vol.35 No. 5, 2017
pp. 1013-1034
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/EL-01-2016-0020
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
Therefore, management of e-resources or electronic resource management (ERM) has
become a challenge among library professionals needing to be addressed through
research and practice. To meet these challenges, library professionals and content
providers decided to develop electronic resource management systems (ERMSs) for the
management of e-resources in a more systematic way. Breeding (2004) defined two
aspects of managing electronic resources: the front-end details of delivering the content
to library users and managing the business details of back-end staff functions related to
acquisition, payment and licensing.
To transition from the old method to a new method, libraries are in need of
rationalisation of differentaspects of ERM. To bring clarity and acceptability, research and
innovation are needed on different aspects of ERM. The adoption of ERM should lead to
systematic management and, thereby, optimal access to library resources. With this
background, it is assumed that there shouldnot be any differences in adoption and practice
of ERM across libraries of management and business schools or institutes in India. This
homogeneity is assumed for two reasons: competitiveness and capacity of adoptability to
new ideas.
This paper examines and analyses the status and differencesin different components of
ERM and e-collection development across different groups of ranked libraries of
management institutes and business schools in India. In addition, it also examines the
criteria and methods used in the lifecycleof e-resources.
Literature review
For a better understanding of the concepts in this paper, it is essential to review published
works relating to the topic. The literature review is arranged thematically and then
organized chronologically under the various subthemes. The literature review is divided
into three major components: management, access and ERM systems. The management
aspect of e-resources coversthe following five areas:
(1) collection development policies;
(2) workflows and life cycles;
(3) license agreements;
(4) usage statistics; and
(5) the e-resources librarian.
In the context of the management of policies, Corrall (2012),Johnson et al. (2012),Kempf
(2013) and Mangrum and Pozzebon (2012) opined that the library collection includes
licensed and open access information resources. The authors suggested maintaining
strong library policies to ensure consistent decision making, as well as more efficient
and thorough collection development of e-resources. They also call for the formulation
of an e-resources collection development policy that would ensure consistency in
approach, appropriateness of e-resources requirements and assessing economic
feasibilities.
The entire process of management of e-resources is known as life cycle/workflow/
discovery. Along these lines, Breeding (2008),Joshipura (2008),Poe et al. (2008) and Weir
(2012) discussed that the concept of the life cycle of ERM begins from selection to trial,
evaluation, license agreement, acquisition and access systems all the way to
troubleshooting.They addressed the major steps, processes, procedures andissues involved
in the life cycles of e-resources, and these can serveas good teaching tools for librarians. One
of the important components of the life cycle of an e-resource is reviewing the license
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