1 Use of electronic information resources among the Croatian scientists in the field of social sciences in a pre-digital library environment: obstacles and opportunities Radovan Vrana, PhD Department for information sciences Faculty of philosophy, University of Zagreb Libraries in the digital age 2004

2 Introduction

3 Digital material scientists use in various forms...represents knowledge which production is heavily dependent on the use of information and communication technologies in the process of research...is dependent on sources of data and information that are accessed through the use of this information and communication technology

4 Introduction Necessity of building digital library effectively on understanding of how users seek and employ digital materials (insight into user behavior, capabilities and preferences) (Marcum 2003)

5 Introduction Focus: Croatian scientists in the field of social sciences and their interaction with printed and electronic information resources for research and teaching Special focus: Use of information resources in electronic environment by scientists in the field of social sciences in Croatia in a pre- digital library environment Insufficient data about scientists' behavior, needs and preferences towards the use printed and/or electronic resources in general

6 Research

7 Areas lacking research Areas of scholarly communication lacking research (Zhang 2001): Research using the citation analysis approach to examine the impact of Internet-based electronic resources, Research to explore details of scholars' use of Internet-related resources and factors affecting their use, Citation behavior regarding e-sources, Scholars' evaluation of e-sources, Scholars' perspectives on using e-sources

8 Research Social sciences often neglected Collecting data about scientists’ use of IT, Internet use of the existing printed and electronic resources for research and teaching publishing scientists' attitudes and expectations about the future of their work and use of electronic information resources in general (and (future) digital libraries – implicitly)

9 Research General goal: Research on prerequisites for development of digital libraries by exploring user needs, capabilities and preferences as well as obstacles they encounter while using existing electronic information resources in a pre-digital environment

10 Research 5 Croatian universities (Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Zadar, Osijek) 16 faculties in the field of social sciences in Croatia Research and teaching staff (all academic positions) Geographically scattered sample different availability of resources different use of IT different information needs...

11 Research Survey 35 questions Divided in three parts: Scientific communication and new technologies Information resources for research and teaching Publishing

12 Results

13 Reading electronic journals

14 Selection criteria

15 Preferred type of journals (reading)

16 Preferred types of journals: reasons Printed: reading habit, reading on any location, reliability (unchangeable), ability to underline, cheaper, appropriate for citing, computer unrelated Electronic: practical use, larger quantity of quality journals, ability to search, availability, cheaper than printed journals, easy storage (in computer), less storage space

17 Access to full-text databases

18 No access Don’t access: In don’t like the Internet as an information source, too much information and too little of them are valuable My institution doesn’t have access to electronic databases My faculty doesn’t have access to very expensive legal databases, so i do the searching only of the free part I don’t need them

19 Time saving

20 Searching FTDs: failure

21 Failure

22 Publishing on Web

23 Publishing in electronic journals

24 Publishing in electronic journals

25 Conclusion Frequent and direct communication between scientists – exchange of ideas, research data, opinions, draft papers... Differences between universities Motives for use of electronic resources? Immediate evaluation of electronic resources (question of quality of available information)

26 Conclusion IT – cause and means for change Large capacity of the Croatian academic computer network still unused Need for more published papers in electronic publications – a critical mass for true paradigm shift + criteria for evaluation of electronic resources Hesitation towards publishing in electronic form

27 Conclusion Now: Pre-conditions for larger dissemination of information in electronic form Understanding user needs and preferences necessary for development of future digital libraries in Croatia More research needed – good basis for new projects