Scholars’ perceptions at Egyptian Libraries and Information Science departments towards the usage of Reference Management Software

Abstract

Reference Management Software (RMS) has played an increasingly effective role in enhancing the movement of publishing and scientific research by helping researchers to manage the resources on which they rely. From this context, this research paper is based on reviewingthe awareness and usage of RMS by the faculty members atEgyptian Libraries and Information Science departments, as well as,on evaluating the usability and on trying to recognize their influence on academic researchers. The value and originality of this study lie in the fact that it is one of the first to investigate the issue of RMS faculty preferences at LIS departments in Egyptian universities.To fulfil the objectives, the preferable method is the descriptive survey enhanced by a qualitative approach. The findingsindicatethat the scholars’ attitudestowardsthe ease of use and usefulness of RMSrange from “neutral” to “agree”, and this suggests that participants believe inits ‘usefulness’ as a crucial factor in motivating them to use RMS systems