Usage and acceptability of e-resources in National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), India

Purpose - This paper seeks to emphasise the use of e-resources by teachers and research scholars in the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR). The paper aims at particularly identifying the needs of the users as well as the problems faced by them while using e-resources and also their level of satisfaction in getting the essential information on electronic means. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was conducted through a questionnaire circulated among 140 teachers and research scholars of NDRI and NBAGR. The response rate was an encouraging 90.71 per cent. Findings - The majority of the respondents are well aware of the various e-resources in their respective field and confidently use them regularly. E-Journals are the most preferred e-resource among the respondents. They seek the help of e-resources to perform their routine exercises, i.e. teaching, research, entertainment and communication. Some major problems faced by the respondents are slow speed of internet, difficulty in retrieving contents and poorly designed web sites. Research limitations/implications - The study is restricted to the teachers and research scholars of NDRI and NBAGR and elaborates on the fact that those e-resources are being used up to the optimum limit. The study will assist the existing organizations in the field to understand the requirement of electronic resources and stimulate the path to revision of the same. Originality/value - This is the first study on this topic in India, which has been carried out to discover the importance of e-resources in the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR). It will support the approach and importance of such e-resources and their usage for intellectual investigation in the agriculture community.