Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2024
Exploring the challenges of e-resources acquisition to enhance access and the enabling factors to embrace patron-driven e-resources acquisition in Ethiopian university libraries
University libraries curate their collections striving to align with the academic disciplines of their respective institutions and to fulfill the diverse information needs of their users. The integration of digital technologies into library operations has significantly impacted their services and activities. Despite the numerous challenges, Ethiopian university libraries attempt to provide access to electronic resources. This paper aims to investigate the obstacles surrounding e-resource acquisition to enhance access and to identify the existing facilitating factors to the embrace patron-driven acquisition within Ethiopian university libraries. This study adopted an explanatory research method with a qualitative approach. The research focused on librarians, library directors, and postgraduate school directors from two public universities in Ethiopia: Jimma and Ambo Universities. A total of 22 participants were selected purposefully, and 19 of them responded accordingly. Data was collected using semi-structured Delphi techniques and interviews and analyzed using QDA Miner Lite software. The study uncovered several challenges hindering e-resource acquisition, including limited user involvement in the acquisition, the absence of an online acquisition system, inadequate acquisition budget, scarcity of relevant content, exorbitant journal costs, foreign currency constraints, and protracted licensing procedures. Conversely, the research identified enabling factors to patron-driven e-resource acquisition adoption, including the presence of ICT infrastructure, the proliferation of postgraduate programs, librarians’ strong willingness and professional readiness to integrate e-resources in the library collection, heightened user interest in e-resources, the prevalence of e-learning practices, initiatives to enhance digital services and supportive management. Therefore, addressing the challenges and leveraging enabling factors is imperative to formulate a strategic plan for effective patron-driven e-resource subscription in Ethiopian university libraries.
AbdullahCZHKassimNA (2012) Adopting patron-driven acquisition (PDA) in e-book selection practices at Malaysian academic libraries. In: BEIAC 2012 - 2012 IEEE Business, Engineering and Industrial Applications Colloquium, pp.443–448. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/BEIAC.2012.6226101.
2.
AbdullahNYusufA (2022) Adoption of demand driven acquisition among Malaysian academic libraries: the mediating effect of readiness. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-Journal). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/7026.
3.
AbdullahNYusufAOAbdullahiKA (2018) Information resource development through demand-driven acquisition (DDA). Informatics Studies5(3): 17–26.
4.
AbdulsalamiLTArowoloOB (2019) The method of acquisition of library resources in Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology Library, Zaria. Library Philosophy and Practice. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/2530.
5.
AkanbiMLSamboAS (2022) Inhibiting factors of acquisition of library materials and services provision to users in special libraries. Ghana Library Journal27(1): 116–124.
6.
Ambo University (2024) Ambo University 2nd quarter work performance report of 2016 (2023-2024).
7.
AsefaZ (2019) Ministry of Science and Higher Education-Ethiopia.
8.
AshilunguMOnyanchaO (2024) Faculty–librarian cooperation in collection development at the University of Namibia library, with special reference to electronic resources. Collection and Curation43(1): 8–18.
9.
AssefaZ (2018) Springer nature eBook usage statistics report: only 26 institutions are using the eBooks among 50 public universities.
10.
BeyeneMTekleSMAlemnehDG (2022) Open access initiatives in Ethiopia’s higher learning institutions. In: Handbook of Research on the Global View of Open Access and Scholarly Communications, pp.23–43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-9805-4.ch002.
11.
ChaputulaAHKanyundoAJ (2014) Collection development policy: How its absence has affected the collection university library. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science46(4): 317–325.
12.
CoghillJ (2019) Patron-Driven Acquisition (PDA). Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries16(1): 25–27.
13.
CreswellWJCreswellJD (2018) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches, 5th ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Ltd.
14.
DahiruGOladokunOGrandB, et al. (2020) Exploring the application of information and communication technologies in the acquisition of information resources in three academic libraries in North-West Nigeria: preliminary findings. Collection Management45(3): 252–272.
15.
ElizabethN (2023) Examining the Current Collection Development Practices in the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology. Uganda Christian University.
16.
EnglandMMAndersonR (2019) Demand-driven acquisition of print books: applying 21st-century procurement strategies to a 5th-century format. Collection Management44(2–4): 95–104.
17.
FeredeBElenJVan PetegemW, et al. (2022) Determinants of instructors’ educational ICT use in Ethiopian higher education. Education and Information Technologies27(1): 917–936.
18.
FisherESKurtLGardnerS (2012) Exploring patron-driven access models for e-journals and e-books. The Serials Librarian62(1–4): 164–168.
GessesseK (2000) Collection development and management in the twenty-first century with special reference to academic libraries: an overview. Library Management21(7): 365–372.
22.
GulSBanoS (2019) Smart libraries: an emerging and innovative technological habitat of 21st century. Electronic Library37(5): 764–783.
23.
HaleemAJavaidMQadriMA, et al. (2022) Understanding the role of digital technologies in education: a review. Sustainable Operations and Computers3: 275–285.
JabailyMJGlazierR (2019) Experts or dummies? Quality of E-book pool and user selections in a consortial demand driven acquisition Program. Library Resources & Technical Services63(4): 220–232.
26.
Jimma University (2024) Jimma University 2nd quarter work performance report of 2016 (2023-2024).
27.
JohnsonSEvensenGGelfandJ, et al. (2012) Key issues for E-resource collection development: a guide for libraries. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/acquisition-collection-development/publications/Electronic-resource-guide.pdf.
28.
KatoAKisangiriMShubiK (2021) A review development of digital library resources at the university level. Education Research International2021: 1–13.
29.
KattimaniV (2019) Managing electronic resources in the modern libraries: an overview. Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal09(01): 342–349.
KinyuaMWNjorogeRW (2022) Acquisition models in use for development of a user-centered collection by selected academic libraries in Kenya. World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development8(08): 32–37.
32.
KitawDSeyoumASolomonA, et al. (2020) Report of the Addis Ababa University Revitalization Study Committee (Issue July).
33.
KwokCSYChanDLHCheungASM, et al. (2014) Demand-driven acquisition at HKUST library: the new normal. Interlending & Document Supply42(4): 153–158.
MammoYNgulubeP (2018) Insights into E-information resources (E-journals) access models in higher learning institutions in Ethiopia. International Information & Library Review51(0): 19–27.
NatarajanM (2017) Use and impact of electronic resources by information science students at Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia. Collection Building36(4): 163–171.
38.
OconnorWWoldehannaT (2022) IEEE General content terms and conditions.
39.
OgbeifunEAgwa-EjonJMbohwaC, et al. (2016) The Delphi technique: a credible research methodology. In: Proceedings of the 2016 international conference on industrial engineering and operations management.
40.
OkogwuF (2021) Understanding electronic resources collection development practices through selected theories. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-Journal): 5704. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/5704.
41.
OkogwuFIAchebeN (2018) Selection and acquisition of electronic resources in university libraries in Southeast Nigeria: challenges. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-Journal). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1833.
42.
OkogwuFIOziokoRE (2018) Challenges of collection development of electronic resources in university libraries in South East Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-Journal). http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1880.
43.
OparanozieT (2017) Tracking e-journal perpetual rights: a library case study. The Serials Librarian73(3–4): 226–239.
44.
OtikeFW (2022) Digital transformation of academic libraries in developing countries in Africa. Library and Information Science (January): 419–433. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21862/vkkv2022.419.
PowellA (1999) Serials pricing-agent’s view: trends and characteristics of higher education funding and STM journal pricing. The Serials Librarian36(1–2): 253–262.
47.
RobbelothHRagucciMDeShazoK (2017) Evidence-based acquisition: a real life account of managing the program within the orbis cascade alliance. The Serials Librarian73(3/4): 240–247.
48.
SaddlerA (2021) Collaborative relationships in E-resource acquisition and delivery: an examination of select academic libraries in Jamaica. Technical Services Quarterly38(2): 123–149.
49.
SileshiK (2020) Digital information resources access and utilization in Ethiopian civil service university library. Journal of African Development Studies7(1): 31–47.
50.
SondeRMNikoseSM (2018) Acquisition of E-resources in libraries. Knowledge Librarian05(2394): 229–234.
51.
SprattSJWiersmaGGlazierR, et al. (2017) Exploring the evidence in evidence-based acquisition. The Serials Librarian72(1–4): 183–189.
TsegayeAUssiG (2015) Memorandum of Agreement between Addis Ababa University and Elsevier: Addis Ababa.
54.
VeederHB (2021) Demand-driven acquisition for an academic architecture library collection. Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America40(2): 316–323.
55.
WaltersWH (2012) Patron-driven acquisition and the educational mission of the academic library. Library Resources & Technical Services56(3): 199–213.
56.
WardSMRichardsonRA (2016) Use and cost analysis of E-books: patron-driven acquisitions plan vs. librarian-selected titles. In: Academic E-Books Book. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1wf4ds0.12.
57.
YakubuB (2023) Collection development policy: a panacea for collection development challenges in university libraries in Africa. Ghana Library Journal28(1): 15–25.
58.
YalçınY (2019) New approaches in selection and evaluation of electronic resources. Journal of Balkan Libraries Union6: 12–19.
59.
YusufAOAbdullahN (2020) Assessing Patron Driven Acquisition (PDA) adoption among Malaysian academic libraries. Pakistan Journal of Information Management and Libraries22: 1–15.
60.
ZainabCAbdullahHKassimNA (2013) Patron-driven acquisition: current practice of e-book selection in Malaysian academic libraries. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries (QQML)1: 37–46.
