HEC Digital Library and Higher Education: Trends and Opportunities for Faculty Members at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, South Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract: Digital library resources have radical impact on the changing higher education environment. This study investigated the tendency of using DL including purposes, patterns, use of databases, e-journals and e-books that they use, DL usage places preferences, impact of DL on their teaching and research and the problems faced by faculty members at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, South Punjab, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data from the 120 faculty members from Faculty of Arts, Sciences, Education, and Islamic Learning. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics: frequency counts and percentages The study showed that the majority of faculty members of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur do not make the most productive use of HEC digital library as they ought to be. Of 120 respondents, 20% of faculty members research followed by 19% for doing MPhil and PhD. 13% are shown to consult DL for teaching purpose and 10 % for guiding their research students. The responses regarding the use of DL sources revealed that 24 % use databases, followed by e-journals by 23%. E-Books are preferred to use by 18% followed by abstracting and indexing services by 16% of faculty members. They have not been positively motivated due to some factors i.e. lack of computers, slow speed, overworked and electricity failure etc. It is interesting that DL use among faculty members in the Faculty of Science at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur is much higher than their counterparts in the faculties of Social Sciences, Education and faculty of Islamic Learning. It is broadly used for teaching and research purposes. The other issue was lack any formal training about how to locate these resources by saving time and efforts, English language problem, and lack of access from home are found to be the major problems. The Islamia University of Bahawalpur needs to improve its IT infrastructure, including providing more computers at workplace and the library. It also indicates the needs for organizing formal digital literacy programmes for teaching the users the art of searching pertinent information on the HEC digital Library