Today’s Status of Digital Resources in Medical College Libraries

Year : 2026 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 01 | Page : 85 94
    By

    Jigar M. Makwana,

  • Atul M. Vyas,

  1. Assistant Librarian, Noble University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India
  2. Research Guide, Noble University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India

Abstract

Digital resources have become integral to the advancement of medical education and research, enabling access to current scientific evidence, clinical guidelines, e-books, e-journals, and multimedia learning tools. Medical college libraries worldwide are transitioning from traditional print repositories to hybrid digital knowledge hubs. This transformation is driven by the evolution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), rising expectations of learners and educators, institutional mandates for evidence-based practice, and the diffusion of national and global digital initiatives such as PubMed Central, National Digital Library of India (NDLI), and e-ShodhSindhu. Today’s digital resources in medical colleges encompass electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science), subscription-based platforms (Ovid, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect), open access portals, institutional repositories, and mobile access tools. Despite the widespread adoption of digital resources, medical college libraries face challenges related to infrastructure, licensing costs, digital literacy among users, and equitable access. Recent studies in India and abroad report increasing integration of digital libraries into curricula, but also highlight gaps in usage, awareness, and training. This article reviews the current landscape of digital resources in medical college libraries, discusses infrastructure and service models, examines user behavior and barriers, and proposes strategic recommendations for enhancing digital accessibility and effective utilization. The findings underscore the importance of collaborative licensing, user training programs, improved network infrastructure, and performance evaluation metrics to ensure these digital resources meaningfully support scholarly medical education and research.

Keywords: Digital literacy, digital resources, e-resources, electronic databases, healthcare education, ICT infrastructure, medical college libraries, open access

[This article belongs to Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences ]

How to cite this article:
Jigar M. Makwana, Atul M. Vyas. Today’s Status of Digital Resources in Medical College Libraries. Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences. 2026; 13(01):85-94.
How to cite this URL:
Jigar M. Makwana, Atul M. Vyas. Today’s Status of Digital Resources in Medical College Libraries. Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences. 2026; 13(01):85-94. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/joals/article=2026/view=242241


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Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 13
Issue 01
Received 31/01/2026
Accepted 07/02/2026
Published 30/04/2026
Publication Time 89 Days
5

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