IMPACT OF INTERNET USE FOR E-RESOURCES ON READING HABITS IN DIGITAL AGE: A STUDY

Sudhir GuptaAssistant Librarian , Dr. YS Parmar UHF, Solan,

H.P. Sudesh Kumar SoodLibrarian, Postgraduate Govt. College,Una,H.PUrgian ChheringLibrarian, Govt. Degree College, Haripur (Manali),

H.P.Ipshita MukherjeeLibrarian, The Espee Global School, Roorkee

AbstractThe internet has changed the world in an incalculable number of ways. It has changed the way that people communicate, the way that business is done, and the way that information is shared and received. The internet has also had a great effect on student’s reading habits, as it has changed the way that people expect to receive both information and entertainment.

Introduction• A Library is a collection of information, sources, resources,

books, and services, and the structure in which it is housed.• collection of media other than books for storing information,

maps, prints, or other documents and various storage media such as microform (microfilm/microfiche), audio tapes, CDs, cassettes, videotapes, and DVDs

• It is believed that computers and the Internet are changing the way people read. The invention of computer has lead to the revolution of people’s literacy world in the21st century. People nowadays tend to rely more on computer-based resources (such as writing emails, sending free e-cards, watching online video, reading online news, transmitting instant messages and photos by Yahoo or MSN messengers, exchanging information in online chat room or discussion area) than paper based resources (such as writing letters, sending cards and postcards, reading newspapers, magazines, novels, and sending pictures by snail mails).

Reading habits

Reading habits are the intellectual activities for giving more information, knowledge and learn to various types of things and their activities

Reading Habits means behavior which express the lightness of reading of individual, which occur regularly of leisure reading approach, type of reading tastes of reading & use of library services

Reading habit is an active skill – based process of constructing meaning and gaining knowledge from oral, visual and written text.

Factors affecting the Reading HabitsIt is difficult to single out a primary factor

leading to the establishment of one's attitude toward reading, but environment, particularly the home, probably provides the greatest influence.

Teachers influence students, they have the potential for influencing students' attitudes toward reading.

Environment at School/College/Home/Society

Impact of the internet On Reading HabitsComputers and the Internet are changing the way people

readWhat is the biggest difference between reading something

on the internet, and reading a book ? When you read a book, you’re more focused, in the flow and probably relaxed; whereas when you’re reading something on the internet you tend to skim the text rather than read it, constantly distracted by the (hyper) links, which take you away from the page you’re reading, thereby breaking the flow. Also, while reading/surfing the net, you tend to flit from one link to another, and most probably never return back to the original article. Most of the people (if not all), tend to read in this fashion on the net. This is one of the consequences of the internet. It has redefined our generations reading habit

MethodologyThe present study has been carried out with the help of

questionnaire method. A questionnaire has been prepared and distributed among the users of UHF, Library. All the data pertaining to present study has been tabulated, analysed, calculated for final interpretation of reading habits.

The study was limited to find the reading habits of users of UHF, Library. The data analysis and interpretation is based on the users from three Colleges i.e. College of Horticulture (COH),College of Forestry (COF) and College of Basic Science (COBS) A study has been made with help of data collected from 188 users of Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan

Academic Faculties Staff Students Total

(%)

College of Horticulture 30 64 94(50)

College of Forestry 16 35 51(27)College of Basic Science 18 25 43(23)

Total (%) 64(34) 124(66) 188(100)

Table no.1: Number of user’s students /staff

Detail of data collected of the Academic faculties and Students of UHF

30

64

94

1635

51

18 2543

64

124

188

020406080

100120140160180200

Staff Students Total

No of Users College of

Horticulture (COH)

College of Forestry (COF)

College of Basic Science (COBS)

Total

Data Analysis

Study (Table No.1) Questionnaires were distributed to 250 respondents and out of which 188 (75.2%) respondents have responses. COH staff 30 and Students 64 total 94 (50%) were responses, COF staff 16 and Students 35 total 51

(27%) were responses, COBS staff 18 and Students 25 total 43 (23%) were responses.

Study of Internet users

Types of

users

No. of Respondents (%) Total

(%)COH COF COBS

Staff 30 16 18 64(34)

Students 64 35 25 124(66)

Total 94(50) 51(27) 43(23) 188(100)

Table no.2: study on internet users

Study on Internet users

0

30

64

94

016

3551

018 25

4364

124

188

020406080

100120140160180200

Staff Students Total

No. o

f Use

rs No. of Respondents

Total

Study (Table no.2) on internet users reveals that 50% of COH users are more habitual of internet access whereas COF & COBS constitutes 27% & 23% respectively. The study also implies that the staff users of internet access

constitutes 34% & students which is highest i.e. 66%.

Table no.3: Gender wise study of users on internet use

Gender wise study of staff users on internet use

Gender wise staff users

No. of Respondents (%) Total(%)

COH COF COBS

Male 10 07 08 25(39)

Female 20 09 10 39(61)

Total 30(47) 16(25) 18(28) 64(100)Gender wise study of staff users on internet use

0

10

20

30

07 9

16

0

8 10

1825

39

64

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Male Female Total

No. o

f Use

rs No. of Respondents

Total

The gender wise study of staff users on internet use (Table no.3) reveals that the female staff users are more conversant with the use of internet access i.e. 61% whereas the male staff users constitutes 39% of the total staff

users.

Table no.4: Study on user preference for internet requirement for E-resource information access

Study on user preference for internet requirement for e-resource information access

Types of users No. of Respondents (%) Total (%)

COH COF COBS

A NA

Staff 30 16 18 - 64(34)

Students 64 35 20 05 124(66)

Total (%) 94(50) 51(27) 38(20) 05(3) 188(100)A - Aware NA - Not aware

Study on user preference for internet requirement for e-resource information access

030

6494

016

3551

0 018 20

38

0 0 5 5

64

124

188

020406080

100120140160180200

No. o

f Use

rs

No. of Respondents

Total

The study (Table no. 4) on preference for internet requirement for e-resource information access reveals that most of the users of COH, COF, and COBS are well aware with the internet based e-resource information access. COH

constitutes 50% & COF and COBS constitutes 27%, 20% respectively however only 3% of COBS students users are not aware with the internet based e-resource information access.

Table no.5: Study on user’s preference for different resources of Reading habit

Study on user’s preference for different resources of Reading habit

Types of users No. of Respondents (%) Total(%)COH COF COBS

P/E- Format

E-Format(NP)

P/E- Format

E-Format(NP)

P/E- Format

E-Format(NP)

Staff 30 - 16 - 18 - 64(34)

Students 64 - 35 - 20 5 124(66)

Total 94(50) - 51(27) - 38(20) 5(3) 188(100)

P-Print format E-Electronic Format NP-Not Preferred

Study on users preference for different resources of Reading habit

030

6494

016

35 51

0 018 20

380 0 0 5 5

64

124

188

0

50

100

150

200

Types of users

No. o

f Use

rs

No. of Respondents

Total

The study (Table no.5) of preferences for different resources reveals that most of the students users (663%) are habitual of print/e-resource format, however 3% of the students users do not prefer e-resource format. Further the

staff users (34%) are also prefers both types of formats of information access.

ConclusionThe study on users preference for internet requirement for

e-resource information access reveals that the student users (66%) are more habitual of Internet than staff users (34%). The female staff users (61%) are frequent user of Internet than male staff users (39%). COH staff and Students (59%) use more e-resources than COF (27%) and COBS (20%). however 3% of the students of COBS not awere about e-resource. COH staff and Students (50%) prefer P/E Format with compare to COF (27%) & COBS (20%). Whereas 3% students of COBS not prefer e-format. The study shows that majority of Staff and Students prefer Print and E-Format both. The effect of the internet on reading habits cannot be ignored as the internet itself becomes more accessible to more user each day.