Familiarity and utilization of open access resources

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of the study is to assess the familiarity and utilization of open access resources among library users of Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), Kochi, and Pondicherry University (PU), Puducherry. Design/methodology/approach Data for the study were collected via a well-structured questionnaire. For this study, 250 questionnaires were administered among library users of each CUSAT and PU through incidental sampling. From CUSAT and PU, 180 and 160 questionnaires, respectively, were considered for data analysis. Findings The study reveals that majority of the respondents, i.e. 77.78 and 80 per cent of CUSAT and PU, respectively, believe that they are familiar with the concept of open access (OA). 70.56 per cent respondents from CUSAT and 71.88 per cent users from PU are aware that their library has an OA repository. However, majority of the respondents, i.e. 65 and 70.63 per cent users from CUSAT and PU, respectively, use OA resources. Among OA resources, electronic theses and dissertations are the most preferred ones consulted by 56.67 and 62.50 per cent respondents, respectively, from CUSAT and PU. 60.56 per cent respondents from CUSAT followed by PU (52.50 per cent) cited “screen reading” as a main barrier in accessing OA resources. Originality/value Both the universities under study have created and maintained the OA institutional repository for disseminating their institutional intellectual output. This study explores awareness and use of OA resources among library users of CUSAT and PU. The study concludes with some suggestions for utmost utilization of OA resources among library users.

Researchers' perception and response to the open access resources (OAR) in higher learning institutions of Tamil Nadu, India

“…The results are similar to the number of previously conducted studies (Bala et al. , 2018; Iqbal and Naushad Ali, 2017; Yang and Li, 2015). The majority of research scholars revealed that they were aware of OA resources through library staff (62.50%) and less number of scholars have reported that they learnt through friends, which is deviating from the study results of Gurikar and Hadagali (2019) that revealed that most of the respondents were aware of OA resources through browsing the Internet and friends and they were not satisfied with the library staff.…”

“…Awareness and access to OA by teacher educators and students was conducted by Shahzadi and Hussain (2019) and they revealed that female teacher educators were more aware of OA resources and further revealed that male teacher educators and students accessed more OA resources than female teacher educators and students. Iqbal and Naushad Ali (2017) revealed that the majority of respondents from the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and the Pondicherry University were LM 44,1/2 familiar with the OA concept and aware of their library's institutional repository. It was also found that the majority of respondents were using OA resources in which ETD were the major resources used by them.…”

“…Iqbal and Naushad Ali (2017) revealed that the majority of respondents from the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and the Pondicherry University were familiar with the OA concept and aware of their library's institutional repository. It was also found that the majority of respondents were using OA resources in which ETD were the major resources used by them.…”

University Lecturers’ Feelings, Awareness and Attitudes Towards Open Education Resources: Experience from Two Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

“…Some studies have shown relative awareness of lectures in higher learning institutions of OERs. In the study by Iqbal and PM (2017) on "familiarity and consumption of OER," in India it was learned that the majority of respondents were informed about the concept of OER and were aware that their library had an OER. Furthermore, in a study conducted by Utulu and Bolarinwa (2009) on OA initiatives adoption by Nigerian academics, it was discovered that the majority of the study participants were aware of the OER.…”