Patterns of Library ICT Usage and Student Satisfaction: A Comparative Study of Arts and Science College of Madurai

Abstract

This research focuses on the library ICT resources and their implementation among students in arts and science colleges in Madurai. The use of ICT in libraries has affected most of the conventional library services bringing about improvement in delivery of information and learning resources. The study’s objectives in this research include assessing the level of ICT adoption by students and patterns of use, the problems that are encountered, and how the situation could be enhanced in order to offer optimal ICT services in the library setting. Suring the research a random-sampling technique was used alongside Survey data that is quantitative in nature, the study used interview data that is qualitative in nature. The target population was made up of students in selected arts and science colleges in Madurai. Research data indicates that apart from the fact that a large number of students portrayed frequent users of ICT apparatus afforded by libraries, there are disparities, which exist between arts and science students in utilization frequencies of the mentioned ICT tools. The widely adopted ICT tools include digital libraries and database, and library management systems. However, issues like; Infrastructure, Training, Awareness emerged as the main barriers to the optimal use of e-Learning. The findings imply higher investment in the equipment’s, training and sensitization processes in order to exploit the potentials of ICT in library. Some of the studies can offer qualitative data on ICT use in a particular context, although this study aims to complement the existing literature by presenting quantitative findings on the subject in a particular region.