Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
6-22-2022
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This paper is based on a study that examined information users’ preferences on the use of print and electronic resources at the University of Education, Winneba. A survey method was used as the research design to facilitate the collection of data from users of the library. A purposive sampling technique was used to select respondents, comprising undergraduate and post-graduate students as well as academic and research staff. Empirical data for the study was collected using a questionnaire survey and interview guide. Out of the 120 questionnaires distributed, 105 were completed and used in the study, resulting in an 88 percent return rate. The study found out that print resources are more preferred than electronic ones. These findings are not in congruency with the popular assumption that the ready availability of online resources has supplanted print resources. However, one significant finding in this study is that e-resources' popularity has started to gain ground in the university. The respondents suggested fostering the use of both print and electronic resources in the university for wider access of knowledge, particularly in the resource-limited contexts prevailing in the university. Based on the findings, the study concluded that a hybrid collection is the panacea to optimizing resources as it provides users with more access choices between the two formats.