Retrieving information resources

 2.2 Electronic Information Resources 

PEOPLE RETRIEVING INFORMATION

economies of Africa; to meet these expectations African  libraries must 

networks, among others. 

provide a link between local researchers, scholars and their counter parts in other 

achieving this objective. According

g to Tsakonas et al. (2006) electronic 

parts of the world. Utilization of online information resources is the way of 

information resources are information resources provided in electronic form, and 

libraries is attributed to poor levels of developing electronic information 

USING E.BOOKS

The death of current and up-to-date information for research in University 

have access to global information resources, particularly the Internet for their 

tremendously transformed information handling and management in academic 

resources, (Afolabi, 2007; Faborode, 2007; Bozimo, 2007). Libraries need to be

USING A LAPTOP

online database, CD-ROM databases and other computer –based electronic

According to Shuling (2007), electronic information has gradually become a 

scholarly intercourse. 

information resources, simply referred to as electronic resources, has 

environments and in University libraries in particular. Ellis and Oldman (2005) 

2.4.1 The Internet 

note that through the use of electronic resources, researchers and students; now 

vanguards for technology transfer from the developed world to the developing 

According to Jensen’s Report (2007), 54 countries in Africa had Internet 

major resource in every university library. The emergence of electronic 

these include resources available on the Internet such as ebooks ejournals, 

connectivity. By the year 2009 however, Internet penetration as a percentage of 

the total population of Africa was still 1.4% compared to the world average 

Missen etal. (2005), the Internet poses African Universities to gain equal footing 

include NARI, http://www.healthinnternetwork.org/scipub.php

to libraries in developing countries by their publishers or vendors. Some of these 

a study on Internet usage by students and staff at Mbarara university of Science 

disciplines, (Afolabi, 2007). Some of these databases are provided free of charge 

2.2.2 Electronic Journals

online databases, ejournals eprints and other sources of digital information, 

become a medium which is cheaper than the traditional printed journals (Ellis and 

subscribing to the electronic information resources is to facilitate access to 

with their sister institutions in the more developed countries. It is imperative that 

means of electronic document delivery (Al Fadhli and Johnson, 2006). 

and electronic journals which do not necessarily need a publisher, and which can 

2.2.3 Online databases

property rights from the author to the publisher, it is also a means of improving 

published. This study was intended to establish whether MUST library is taking 

Oldman, 2005). According to Rowley (2006) electronic journals take two 

different forms: journals that are published in print form, available in digital form 

these resources are not effectively utilized due to varying factors. According to 

be managed by an editor and the scholarly community. Both types may have a 

Internet has provided a wider access to global information resources such as 

capabilities of the information and communication technologies as efficient 

by students. 

information sources (e-journals/e-books) by publishers from various fields and 

created and disseminated. The major objective of Mbarara University library for 

the slow turn-over of traditional publishing (Correia and Neto, 2006). 

means to share results and to get around barriers by full transfer of intellectual 

Electronic journals relatively provide efficient access to information and, thus 

stringent environment of higher education system, electronic journals have 

University libraries is through subscription to online databases which can be 

penetration of 12.7% (Internet Worldstats.com2009). Gakibayo (2001) carried out

they are easy to distribute to library patrons than traditional print; in the financial 

advantage of these technologies with regard to effective utilization of e-resources 

modern academic world. The Internet is very useful as a communications tool in 

international information resources on the World Wide Web as soon as it is 

significant impact on scholarly communication and in the way knowledge is 

the Universities among librarians and library clientele. It is the most efficient 

With the advent of the Internet, researchers and academics have recognized the 

and Technology and the results of the study indicated low usage. Though the 

African Universities be connected if they are not to be rendered irrelevant in the 

The most effective way to provide access to electronic books/journals in 

accessed through the internet. Online databases are a collection of electronic 

AGORA:http://www.aginnternetwork.org/en/. Others require subscription fee 

such as emerald database, http:/www.emeraldinsight.com and Blackwel-