PERI e-resources used in Educational and Research Institutions of Nepal

Abstract

Information is the vital source for learning and teaching. Now a days e-resources are becoming the vital sources for study and research sector. Internet, e- resources are very good example. There are different types of e- resources like e- journal, e-books databases in web. Some e- resources are free and some are not. PERI e-resource is databases where full texts of more than 25,000journals are available. PERI stands for Program for Enhancement of Research Information is an important program of the INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publication). PERI has four important components. It delivers information to enable researcher and scientists to acquire international academic and scholarly information. It strengthen publishing providing opportunity for the enhancement of skills in book and journal publishing in print or electronic and enhancing information. It enhances information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills to the librarians and researchers, University and research institute and it provides access to national and regional research.

Tribhuvan University Central library (TUCL) is established in 1959 AD which has more than 300,000 documents. TUCL is the largest library of Nepal in many aspects. TUCL is the country coordinating agency of PERI program for Nepal. TUCL is the National ISBN (International Standard Book Number) Agency for Nepal to distribute ISBN to Nepalese publications since 2000 AD. TUCL is doing different program for promotion of PERI e-resources in Nepal. Nepali scholars, students, researchers and other users have extensively used PERI e- resources. Altogether more than 1, 20,000 articles from different database are downloaded in the year 2006. More than 200 institutions have registered to have access to PERI e- resources from Nepal. The numbers are increasing. The cost of such e-resources is £47, 171. The Danish Government, DFID- UK and NORAD have provided the financial assistance needed for the purpose.

This includes some activities completed after PERI introduced in Nepal. The thesis cites few bibliographies of PERI published in Nepal.

In our survey about 100% respondents agree that the PERI e-resources is very beneficial for the Nepalese educational sector. Different status group of education, scholars and scientist have agreed that the e-resources are needed for the all round development as well as improvements of all sectors. The respondent (for the years 2003-2007) have expressed their opinion regarding the sustainability are as follows:

Many expressed that institution should pay of the sustainability for the PERI e- resources; some expressed government should pay of the sustainability for the PERI e- resources. Very few are on opinion that the donor agency should help for the sustainability for the PERI e- resources.

The author suggest that there has not significant improvement in Nepalese economy (i.e. Nepalese economy is same as that of 2003 when PERI was introduce). Therefore donor should continuously support until Nepalese economy is improved.