Reader consultation of digital periodicals in university libraries: an overview

This article presents the initial findings of a research project studying the evaluation of digital periodicals in the French university network in terms of use. The results show early trends in patterns of use by researchers in university libraries. They indicate a significant, albeit contrasting, progression of e-resource use by sector. The key factor is the availability of e-resources, favouring libraries with the most complete sets of resources, particularly in science, technical subjects, and medicine. At the same time, cost analysis demonstrates that use remains insufficient in terms of the investments involved.
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