Electronic journals: a study of usage and attitudes among academics

Abstract

This study assesses attitudes towards electronic journals and examines the current level of use of these publications by university academics in five faculties. Consideration is given to both users and non-users, examining why they use or do not use this medium. The perceived advantages and disadvantages of electronic publication are also examined. The results suggest that, although the actual number of academics using electronic journals at present may be low, academics are willing to try this new medium. There are more users among academics in the Science and Engineering faculties than in the Arts or Business, while the results from the Law Department, where some staff are involved in an electronic journal project, indicate how influential the atmosphere within a department can be on the level of usage. The principal limiting factor is that of time to find electronic journals: academics initially simply need time to come to terms with the new technology and to locate electronic resources.