Awareness and use of electronic journals provided by public libraries among library website users above 54 in the Auckland region

Abstract

Along with hard copy books, periodicals and other materials, electronic journals have become a significant part of most library collections today. However, unlike hard copy materials electronic journals are part of a virtual library and many library users remain unaware of their existence. Most previous studies regarding the use of electronic journals were done in academic environments and the level of use by public library customers was left largely unexplored. This research aimed to understand the level of awareness and use of electronic journals provided by public libraries, among library website users in the Auckland Region. The people in the Auckland Region are served mainly by five public library systems-Auckland, Manukau, North Shore, Rodney and Waitakere. Data was gathered by conducting a web survey, which was linked from all the above library websites. The results imply that there is a general lack of awareness about the availability of electronic journals from the public library websites among library website users above 54 years of age. The public libraries in the Auckland Region are not doing enough to promote their electronic resources to their clients. The older people are an important segment of library clientele and there should be more promotional efforts directed towards improving their awareness and increasing their use of electronic journals.