1. The document reports on a survey of the use of open access journals among library and information science students, faculty, and researchers at the University of Calicut in Kerala, India. 2. The survey found that while most respondents were aware of open access journals, only a small percentage had published in them. Respondents said they faced occasional technical problems accessing journals. 3. Suggestions to increase open access journal use included providing training, maintaining a list of relevant journals, and encouraging publication in open access formats. The study concluded more efforts are needed to promote open access journal awareness and use, especially for research and teaching.

1. Tinju Tom
Librarian(UGC)
Assumption College (Autonomous),
Changanacherry, Kottayam, Kerala
Email: tinjutom@gamail.com

2. USE OF OPEN ACCESS JOURNALS AMONG THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION
SCIENCE STUDENTS, FACULTIES AND RESEARCH SCHOLARS UNDER
UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT, CALICUT

3. Research Community
University of Calicut – 2 Centers
1. University of Calicut
2. Farook College Calicut

4. Objectives
1. To find out the use of open access journals by the Library
and Information Science students, faculties and research
scholars of University of Calicut;
2. To know the level of satisfaction in using Open access
journals;
3. To learn problems if any faced by the users while using
Open access journals; and
4. To suggest ways and means for the effective use of Open
access journals.

5. Methodology
Survey using Questionnaire
Population of Research and Response Rate
Number of
Questionnaires
Distributed
Number of
Questionnaires
Returned
Response Rate
125 107 85.60%

6. Use and Awareness
Sl.
No.
Use and
Awareness
Number of
responses
Percentage
1 Yes 103 96.26%
2 No 3 2.80%

7. Training
Majority of the respondents (65.42%) noted
that they have not got any training in the use of open
access journals

8. Source of Information About Open Access Journals
Sl. No. Sources
Number of
responses
Percentage
1
Institute’s
website/Announcements/Newsletters 22
21.36%
2
Librarian’s guidance/ Information
literacy
32 31.07%
3 Colleagues’ reference 28 27.18%
4 Fellow/Students 27 26.21%
5 Internet sources 37 35.92%
6 Printed journals/magazines 26 25.24%
7 Workshops/Seminars 22 21.36%

9. Purpose of Using Open Access Journals
Sl.
No.
Purposes
Number of
responses
Percentage
1 Writing papers 47 45.63%
2 Current awareness 41 39.81%
3 Research work 29 28.16%
4 Teaching 6 5.83%
5 Preparing notes 64 62.14%

10. Publications
97.17% of respondents do not have any publications in any
of the open access journals to their credit .

11. Frequently Used OA Journal Platforms
Main OA Journal platforms most frequently
used by the respondents are
• DOAJ (47.57%)
• Open J-Gate (42.72%)
9.71% did not respond to the question

12. Sl.
No.
No. of journals
Number of
responses
Percen
tage
1 Less than 10 65 63.11%
2 10-20 29 28.16%
3 20-40 2 1.94%
4 40 Above 0 0.00
5 Not aware 0 0.00
Known OA Journal in the Subject

13. Satisfaction Level
Sl.
No.
Level of satisfaction
Number of
responses
Percen
tage
1 Fully satisfied 2 1.94%
2 Partly satisfied 39 37.86%
3 Satisfied 43 41.75%
4 Less satisfied 4 3.88%
5 Not satisfied 3 2.91%

14. Problems
Sl. No. Problems Always Sometimes Never
1 Poor internet connectivity
12
11.65%
81
78.64%
4
3.88%
2 Reading from computer screen
23
22.33%
64
62.14%
7
6.80%
3
Incomplete issues/
Absence of back issues
6
5.83%
68
66.02%
25
24.27%
4 Inability to make notes
3
2.91%
63
61.17%
28
27.18%
5
Inconvenience of using different
formats of journals
15
14.56%
59
57.28%
21
20.39%
6 Printing problems
14
13.59 %
63
61.17%
19
18.45%
7 Lack of system speed
17
16.50%
65
63.11%
15
14.56%
8 Difficulty in accessing full text
21
20.39%
65
63.11%
9
8.74%
9 Searching difficulty
8
7.77%
63
61.17%
27
26.21%

15. • Only a less number of respondents opined that these
problems are regularly faced.
• Also only a very less number of respondents had never
felt any problem
• This is to be noted that though not always these
problems do exist
Problems

16. Suggestions
1. Give awareness about Open access journals.
2. Provide seminars or awareness classes about the Open access journals.
3. Provide list of subject wise relevant Open access journals in the library website.
4. Give and promote Open access journals in academic works.
5. Take measures to improve researcher’s online publishing skill.
6. Add variety of journals to the open access collection. Consider increased information needs of users and add
new journals.
7. Teachers should help students to access Open access journals at starting level.
8. A “mobile application” can be start to boost the usage.
9. Make available more full text Open access journals especially in social science.

17. Conclusion
• Considering the suggestions provided by the respondents and
basing on the awareness of them regarding the number of OA
platforms and OA journals on the subject the study strongly
suggest that training has to be given regarding the accessibility
of OA Journals especially in the field of Library and
Information Science.
• It would be of help if the respondents are made aware of the
opportunities and ways of publishing their intellectual output in
OA Journals.
• More efforts are to be taken (especially in the curriculum) that
promote the use of OA Journals among the faculty as well as
the students.

18. • Comparatively only less number of respondents use the OA Journals
for both Research Work and teaching. But these are the two areas
where the use of the same is required most. So both the faculty and
researchers are to be more convinced of the use of OA Journals in their
academic and research work.
• Though majority of the respondents opined that they are aware of and
use the open access journals answers to the further queries revealed
that the use of the same by them is limited.