Dr. Prakash B. Bilawar

Assistant University Librarian

B. B. K. Library,

Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra

M-09423290302

E-mail: pbb_lib@unishivaji.ac.in

Today getting information (e-information) is easy butgetting authentic and accurate e-information is difficult

Information literacy and e-information literacy: Skills, itsmethods and techniques

The present paper deals with the pivotal role of library inimproving the information literacy level of universityteachers with regard to arrangement of differentorientation programs, frequency, kind of orientationprograms required by university teachers and areas fordevelopment of tutorials on use of e-resources by thelibrary.

The study showcases that e-information literacy programsof the university libraries enable university teachers tobecome e-information literate to make effective andefficient use of e-resources. 16/02/2017 2

University library being heart of universities play animportant role in providing access to information resourcesstored in their cupboards or available online.

With the dawn of newer technology libraries are changingtheir traditional roles and working as knowledge/learningresource center with all the activities, services and facilitiesin dynamic online electronic mode.

At the same time orienting the user in use and accessingmethod is obligatory that can only be achieved byarranging user orientation/training/awareness programwhich is quite important and hence believed as one of themajor and long term function of the library.

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University libraries have been offered rich collection of:Print, Non-print e-resources: Subscribed/throughINFLIBNET e-consortium/N-LIST program etc are theboon for teaching fraternity and students.

University teachers being the core stakeholder of theuniversity.

As the central repository of recorded and networkedknowledge, library should be necessarily not onlysupports scholarly bustle in perusing academic andresearch tasks of their teachers but also in their extensionactivities too.

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In today’s digital environment, e-information literacyhas assumed significant importance to make libraryclientele effectively deal with e-information.

Natural extension of IL

“the ability to locate, evaluate and effectively useneeded information with a set of skills and attitudes forlifelong learning is a product of information society”

….Nayak & others (2006)

Hence, in order to know the role of university library inimproving e-information literacy of the universityteachers, the present survey was made.

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Descriptive method Questionnaire as a tool of data collection.

Scope:

Ten state universities of Maharashtra excludingagricultural, technological, health sciences; openand deemed universities (Table-1)

University teachers : 360;Response Rate : 347 (96.38%)

Three faculties: Sciences, Social Sciences andHumanities (Languages).

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Sr. No.

Name of the University No. of Teachers

Percentage (%)

1. University of Mumbai, Mumbai 35 10.092. SNDT (Smt. Nathibai Damodar Thackersey)

Women's University, Mumbai36 10.37

3. University of Pune, Pune(Savitribai Phule Pune University)

33 9.51

4. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar MarathwadaUniversity, Aurangabad

35 10.09

5. Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur

35 10.09

6. Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati 36 10.37

7. Solapur University, Solapur 33 9.518. Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada

University, Nanded33 9.51

9. North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon 35 10.0910. Shivaji University, Kolhapur 36 10.37

Total 347 100.00

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Sr. No

Information provided by library about the latest e-resources

No. of Teachers

Percentage

(%) Rank

1. Through Circular 221 63.68 12. E-mail Alert Service 130 37.46 2

3. News Alert on Library Website

82 23.63 3

4. Other (Through Library Portal and Through Letter from HOD etc.)

10 2.88 4

5.1 Information provided by library about latest e-resources:

Table-2: Information provided by library about latest e-resources

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5.2 Arrangement of Orientation Programmes by the Library:

Table-3: List of Orientation Programmes arranged by the LibrarySr. No

List of Orientation Programmesarranged by the Library

No. of Teachers

Percentage (%)

Skewness Rank

1. Arrangement of Virtual Library Tour 51 14.70 1.99 7

2. Awareness programme on Citations, Impact Factor etc

107 30.84 0.83 2

3. Awareness programme on evaluation and use of information/Plagiarism

82 23.63 1.24 4

4. Awareness programme regarding E-Resources

178 51.30 -0.05 15. Demonstration of use of

databases/software (Open Source, Licensed)

100 28.82 0.94 3

6. Demonstration of Web tools ( Zotero, Mendeley etc)

39 11.24 2.45 9

7. Interactive online tutorials/courses 42 12.10 2.32 88. Orientation on Online search and

retrieval of information using Search Engines

80 23.05 1.28 5

9. Orientation on Search and retrieval of information from CD/Online databases

58 16.71 1.78 6

10. Others (Personal/Individual Guidance for access etc.)

3 0.86 10.61 10

Coefficient of

Skewness is positive for most of the types

of Orientation Programmes, which express positive

relevance

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5.3 Frequency of Orientation Programmes conducted by the library:

Table-4: Frequency of Orientation Programmes conducted by the library

Sr. No

Frequency of Orientation Programmesconducted by the library

No. of Teachers

Percentage (%)

Skewness Rank

1. Once in a month 17 4.90 4.18 42. Once in 3 months 27 7.78 3.15 33. More than Once in 3

months06 1.73

7.41 64. Once in 6 months 29 8.36 3.01 25. More than once in 6 months 13 3.75 4.87 56. Once in a year 89 25.65 1.12 17. More than once in a year 27 7.78 3.15 3

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It is interesting to find from theanalysis that, 69.74% universityteachers surveyed indicated for thedevelopment of tutorials on the useof library resources and hosting onlibrary website.

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5.4 Expectation from the library users to develop tutorials and hosting on library website:

Table-5: Areas for development of tutorials on use of e-resources

Sr. No

Development of tutorials on e-resources by the library on following areas

Respondents Percentage (%)

Skewness Rank

1. Abstracting and Indexing Databases (Bibliographic)

126 36.31 0.57 5

2. Citations Databases 141 40.63 0.38 3

3. Full text Databases 154 44.38 0.23 2

4. Search Engines 128 36.88 0.54 4

5. Statistical Databases 86 24.78 1.17 6

6. UGC/INFONET, E-Journals/Databases

193 55.62 -0.23 1

7. Other (CD-ROM Databases etc.)

7 2.01 6.83 7

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Kind of orientation programmes expected from the library byuniversity teachers? [Open ended question] 8 university teachers suggesting arrangement of department wise training

programmes for teaching and non-teaching staff regarding use ofe-resources in their subjects by the university library.

Six university teachers suggested arrangement of awareness program onresearch methodology and research tools by the university library.

Three university teachers suggested for arrangement of workshops onspecific subject area (field) by the university library.

Two university teachers each suggested for arrangement of program onavailable library resources and facilities, program on use of e-informationand program on IPR.

The programs such as arrangement of interdisciplinary programmes,programmes on e-information skill development, demonstration ongovernment data, program on open access resources, program on e-referencing, program on –how to search on Internet? and program ondigitization-of books, reference material etc. were suggested by oneuniversity teacher each.

Providing access to information resources is one side ofthe story, creating awareness and use of theseresources through orientation or training programmes isthe tough task. However, looking at the awareness andusage, it has been found that libraries are playing acrucial role in making their clientele knowledgeableabout different e-resources by conducting orientationprogrammes on regular basis. If the teachers aresatisfied with the services and facilities offered bylibrary then only we can say that library is the heart ofthe university in other words in the present eraelectronic heart of the academicians.

Implementation of E-IL program is the furtherchallenge. 16/02/2017 14

1. Bailey, Charles W. (1989). Integrated Public-Access Computer Systems: TheHeart of the Electronic University. Advances in Library Automation andNetworking, 3.

2. Moin, A., & Panda, K. C. (2013, January). Awareness and Use of ElectronicInformation Resources by the Faculty Members of Indian Institutes in DubaiInternational Academic City (DIAC): A Survey. International ResearchJournal of Computer Science and Information Systems, 2, 1, 8-17.

3. Nayak, V.D. & others (2006, 2-4 February). E-information literacy: anoverview, 4th International Convention CALIBER-2006, Gulbarga: INFLIBNETCentre, Ahmedabad.

4. Secker, J., & others (2007). The Information Literacy Cookbook:Ingredients, recipes and tips for success, Great Britain: Chandos Publishing(Oxford) Limited.

5. Sharma, S. (2008, June). Information literacy and library education:Exploring dimensions in Librarian’s role. SRELS Journal of InformationManagement, 45, 2.

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