The document analyzes the impact of internet use on reading habits in the digital age based on a study conducted among users of the Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry library. The key findings are: 1) Most users, especially students, are aware of and prefer accessing e-resources through the internet compared to print resources. 2) Female staff users have a higher rate of internet usage than male staff. 3) Students from the College of Horticulture utilize e-resources the most, followed by the College of Forestry and College of Basic Sciences. 4) The majority of users prefer accessing both print and electronic formats.

1. IMPACT OF INTERNET USE FOR E-RESOURCES ON
READING HABITS IN DIGITAL AGE: A STUDY
Sudhir Gupta
Assistant Librarian , Dr. YS Parmar UHF, Solan, H.P.
Sudesh Kumar Sood
Librarian, Postgraduate Govt. College,Una,H.P
Urgian Chhering
Librarian, Govt. Degree College, Haripur (Manali), H.P.
Ipshita Mukherjee
Librarian, The Espee Global School, Roorkee

2. Abstract
The internet has changed the world in an incalculable
number of ways. It has changed the way that people
communicate, the way that business is done, and the way
that information is shared and received. The internet has
also had a great effect on student’s reading habits, as it
has changed the way that people expect to receive both
information and entertainment.

3. Introduction
• A Library is a collection of information, sources, resources, books, and
services, and the structure in which it is housed.
• collection of media other than books for storing information, maps,
prints, or other documents and various storage media such as
microform (microfilm/microfiche), audio tapes, CDs, cassettes,
videotapes, and DVDs
• It is believed that computers and the Internet are changing the way
people read. The invention of computer has lead to the revolution of
people’s literacy world in the21st century. People nowadays tend to
rely more on computer-based resources (such as writing emails,
sending free e-cards, watching online video, reading online news,
transmitting instant messages and photos by Yahoo or MSN
messengers, exchanging information in online chat room or
discussion area) than paper based resources (such as writing letters,
sending cards and postcards, reading newspapers, magazines, novels,
and sending pictures by snail mails).

4. Reading habits
Reading habits are the intellectual activities for giving
more information, knowledge and learn to various
types of things and their activities
Reading Habits means behavior which express the
lightness of reading of individual, which occur
regularly of leisure reading approach, type of reading
tastes of reading & use of library services
Reading habit is an active skill – based process of
constructing meaning and gaining knowledge from
oral, visual and written text.

5. Factors affecting the Reading
Habits
It is difficult to single out a primary factor leading to
the establishment of one's attitude toward reading,
but environment, particularly the home, probably
provides the greatest influence.
Teachers influence students, they have the potential
for influencing students' attitudes toward reading.
Environment at School/College/Home/Society

6. Impact of the internet On Reading
Habits
Computers and the Internet are changing the way people read
What is the biggest difference between reading something on
the internet, and reading a book ? When you read a book,
you’re more focused, in the flow and probably relaxed; whereas
when you’re reading something on the internet you tend to
skim the text rather than read it, constantly distracted by the
(hyper) links, which take you away from the page you’re
reading, thereby breaking the flow. Also, while reading/surfing
the net, you tend to flit from one link to another, and most
probably never return back to the original article. Most of the
people (if not all), tend to read in this fashion on the net. This is
one of the consequences of the internet. It has redefined our
generations reading habit

7. Methodology
The present study has been carried out with the help of questionnaire
method. A questionnaire has been prepared and distributed among
the users of UHF, Library. All the data pertaining to present study has
been tabulated, analysed, calculated for final interpretation of reading
habits.
The study was limited to find the reading habits of users of UHF,
Library. The data analysis and interpretation is based on the users
from three Colleges i.e. College of Horticulture (COH),College of
Forestry (COF) and College of Basic Science (COBS) A study has been
made with help of data collected from 188 users of Dr Y S Parmar
University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan

8. Academic Faculties Staff Students Total
(%)
College of Horticulture 30 64 94(50)
College of Forestry 16 35 51(27)
College of Basic Science 18 25 43(23)
Total (%) 64(34) 124(66) 188(100)
Table no.1: Number of user’s students /staff
Detail of data collected of the Academic faculties
and Students of UHF
30
64
94
16
35
51
18 25
43
64
124
188
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Staff Students Total
No of
Users College of
Horticulture (COH)
College of Forestry (COF)
College of Basic Science
(COBS)
Total
Data Analysis
Study (Table No.1) Questionnaires were distributed to 250 respondents and out of which 188 (75.2%) respondents
have responses. COH staff 30 and Students 64 total 94 (50%) were responses, COF staff 16 and Students 35 total 51
(27%) were responses, COBS staff 18 and Students 25 total 43 (23%) were responses.

9. Study of Internet users
Types of
users
No. of Respondents (%) Total
(%)COH COF COBS
Staff 30 16 18 64(34)
Students 64 35 25 124(66)
Total 94(50) 51(27) 43(23) 188(100)
Table no.2: study on internet users
Study on Internet users
0
30
64
94
0
16
35
51
0
18 25
43
64
124
188
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Staff Students Total
No.ofUsers
No. of Respondents
Total
Study (Table no.2) on internet users reveals that 50% of COH users are more habitual of internet access whereas
COF & COBS constitutes 27% & 23% respectively. The study also implies that the staff users of internet access
constitutes 34% & students which is highest i.e. 66%.

10. Table no.3: Gender wise study of users on internet use
Gender wise study of staff users on internet use
Gender wise staff
users
No. of Respondents (%) Total
(%)
COH COF COBS
Male 10 07 08 25(39)
Female 20 09 10 39(61)
Total 30(47) 16(25) 18(28) 64(100)
Gender wise study of staff users on internet use
0
10
20
30
0
7 9
16
0
8 10
18
25
39
64
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Male Female Total
No.ofUsers
No. of Respondents
Total
The gender wise study of staff users on internet use (Table no.3) reveals that the female staff users are more
conversant with the use of internet access i.e. 61% whereas the male staff users constitutes 39% of the total staff
users.

11. Table no.4: Study on user preference for internet requirement for E-resource information access
Study on user preference for internet requirement for e-resource information access
Types of users No. of Respondents (%) Total (%)
COH COF COBS
A NA
Staff 30 16 18 - 64(34)
Students 64 35 20 05 124(66)
Total (%) 94(50) 51(27) 38(20) 05(3) 188(100)
A - Aware NA - Not aware
Study on user preference for internet requirement
for e-resource information access
0
30
64
94
0
16
35
51
0 0
18 20
38
0 0 5 5
64
124
188
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Staff
Students
Total
No.ofUsers
No. of Respondents
Total
The study (Table no. 4) on preference for internet requirement for e-resource information access reveals that most of
the users of COH, COF, and COBS are well aware with the internet based e-resource information access. COH
constitutes 50% & COF and COBS constitutes 27%, 20% respectively however only 3% of COBS students users are
not aware with the internet based e-resource information access.

12. Table no.5: Study on user’s preference for different resources of Reading habit
Study on user’s preference for different resources of Reading habit
Types of users No. of Respondents (%) Total
(%)COH COF COBS
P/E-
Format
E-
Format
(NP)
P/E-
Format
E-
Format
(NP)
P/E-
Format
E-
Format
(NP)
Staff 30 - 16 - 18 - 64(34)
Students 64 - 35 - 20 5 124(66)
Total 94(50) - 51(27) - 38(20) 5(3) 188(100)
P-Print format E-Electronic Format NP-Not Preferred
Study on users preference for different resources
of Reading habit
0
30
64
94
0
16
35
51
0 0
18 20
38
0 0 0 5 5
64
124
188
0
50
100
150
200 Staff
Students
Total
Types of users
No.ofUsers
No. of Respondents
Total
The study (Table no.5) of preferences for different resources reveals that most of the students users (663%) are
habitual of print/e-resource format, however 3% of the students users do not prefer e-resource format. Further the
staff users (34%) are also prefers both types of formats of information access.

13. Conclusion
The study on users preference for internet requirement for e-
resource information access reveals that the student users
(66%) are more habitual of Internet than staff users (34%). The
female staff users (61%) are frequent user of Internet than male
staff users (39%). COH staff and Students (59%) use more e-
resources than COF (27%) and COBS (20%). however 3% of the
students of COBS not awere about e-resource. COH staff and
Students (50%) prefer P/E Format with compare to COF (27%)
& COBS (20%). Whereas 3% students of COBS not prefer e-
format. The study shows that majority of Staff and Students
prefer Print and E-Format both. The effect of the internet on
reading habits cannot be ignored as the internet itself becomes
more accessible to more user each day.