Evaluating the Usage of Reference Resources in the Library in Pune - The Challenges

Abstract

Evaluating the usage of Reference Resources and the use of E-resources are essential and challenging tasks in any library. We are very accustomed to evaluating the usage of the text book. Generally, usability or re-useability of Reference Resources is sometimes not considered for collection development in most the libraries. Usage of E-resources is also very crucial because institutions or universities are expending a lot for subscription or licensing of databases. It is due to the high cost of Reference Resources and not being used by the users in most of the institutes. Evaluation of the usage of Reference Resources and E-resources should be taken into account for the possible variety of requirements in the collection development in any library. This study evaluated the use of Reference Resources in the Institutional Library in Pune. Research Design or Methodology or Approach: Literature on the topic was analysed for finding the gap in research. The visibility of evaluating the usage of Reference Resources was found to be less. Findings: This research found some essential and important means of evaluating the usage of Reference Resources. It found that most of the libraries are not very careful of this kind of evaluation. Some LISPs are found to be very well-prepared and giving much value to such activities. LISPs are also facing some challenges for implementing the evaluation system. However, they are giving their best effort to overcome such challenges. Research Limitation: ? Area of Study: Pune and nearby ? Choice of Library: Popular Institutions or Universities with good library environments. ? The population of study: Selected LISPs in academic and corporate libraries. Originality or Value or Ethics: This study is fully research based. This research is to find out some suggestions which would give value to the need for collecting and evaluating Reference Resources in the library. From the ethical point of view the name of institutions or organisations of respondents are promised to be unrevealed.

Keywords: Library and Information Science Professionals (LISPs), Reference Resources

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