Relationship between access to ICT and the use of electronic library resources by scholars and postgraduate students in a rural-based South African university

Abstract

This study examined access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and use of electronic library resources (ELRs) in a rural-based university, against the backdrop of ongoing changes in the way people access information. It aimed to investigate access to ICTs and use of ELRs at the University of Venda in South Africa (SA). A quantitative research approach with an embedded survey research design was adapted to collect data from the respondents.  Stratified sampling techniques were employed to select the sample size consisting of 45 scholars and 150 postgraduate students. This study used structured questionnaires as data collection instruments. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the collected data. The findings revealed that UNIVEN scholars and postgraduate students have access to the prerequisite infrastructure and technology for accessing ELRs.  Likewise, this study shows that scholars  and postgraduate students at UNIVEN have regular access to the internet.  However, there is no significant difference in the preferences of electronic databases (e-databases) accessed and used by scholars and postgraduate students. The study recommends that UNIVEN library should provide research commons for scholars and postgraduate students within the library building.