Use of Electronic Information Resources by medical students at the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Due to rapid stride in the field of information and communication technology, libraries are getting completely modernize in to information access centers in electronic forms. This paper explores the role in medical student’s knowledgeof searching information and the use of electronic resources at the faculty. Objectives of the research are to identify the awareness of e-resources available at the university, to study usage of electronic resources available at the university and which areas of training needed on e-resources usage at the faculty of medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.The survey method was used for data collection. The structured questionnaires were used to collect data among the medical undergraduates at the faculty from 1st to 30th September 2015 covering question on computer literacy, Internet access and location, Knowledge and use of electronic resources and training needs. Using simple random sampling methods, seventy questionnaires were distributed. Responded rate was 71%, whom 20% student’s access internet daily. And 34% access internet weekly.50% of internet access student’s access e-books and others access to social media. 50% of the library visited undergraduate did not aware about e-resources available at the library and the university. As medical undergraduatesmany respondents felt that e-resources were important and required awareness to access e-resources.And revealed that undergraduates who express an interest in learning about the library’s electronic resources. Based on these findings, it was recommended to conduct a user awareness programs for the medical undergraduates with hand on session use e-resources available at the library and consortia. And future suggested that library service can be extended and modified to do training for undergraduate to access and use e-resources.