The Electronic Academic Library: Undergraduate Research Behavior in a Library Without Books

Abstract

This study examines undergraduate students' research habits in a strictly electronic library environment at a large public university. Unlike most information commons, the campus' electronic library is not housed within a traditional library space and provides access to electronic research materials exclusively. This study finds that undergraduate students in this electronic library rely primarily on Internet sites and online instruction modules (for example Blackboard or WebCT) for their research needs rather than university-funded research sources. Additionally, academic class status has no significant impact on whether students use either the library's OPAC or the university-funded electronic databases for their research needs. The authors discuss possible reasons for these findings, new pedagogical practices as indicated by the results, and define areas for further research.

Information-Seeking Behaviors of First-Semester Veterinary Students: A Preliminary Report

“…22,30,31 However, usage of Wikipedia for course projects in this study was considerably less than in a recent multi-institution study of undergraduate students. In that study, 52% of respondents used Wikipedia always or frequently during the course-related research process.…”

Croatian university students' use and perception of electronic resources

“…Several studies indicate that university websites, including websites of university libraries, are among the most widely used sources of information, and materials contained on these websites are important support for students in their learning (Biddix et al, 2011;Holman, 2011;Jones, Johnson-Yale, Millermaier, & Pérez, 2008;Kim, 2011;Malliari, Korobili, & Zapounidou, 2011;Simões & Soares, 2010;Van Scoyoc & Cason, 2006). According to Wu and Chen (2012), graduate students of one Taiwanese university preferred to use the university library website as their primary search source rather than the Internet.…”

Internet connectivity in university libraries in Nigeria: the present state

“…Research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project reported that ''nearly threequarters (73 percent) of college students reported using the Internet for research more than the campus library'' (Jones, 2002). Other findings suggest a vast majority of students turning to the internet first for academic research (Griffiths and Brophy, 2005;Van Scoyoc, 2006). Nwagwu et al (2009) asserted that the infusion of the internet into higher education has intensified access to archived information sources from various parts of the world, thus forming the first point of call for students and others when they seek information.…”