Original Article Library Progress (International). Vol.38 No.2, Jul-Dec 2018: P.219-228 Print version ISSN 0970 1052 Online version ISSN 2320 317X DOI: 10.5958/2320-317X.2018.00023.5 Influence of E-Resources on the Reading Ability of School Children: A Case Study Jiaur Rahaman1, Dr. M. Sadik Batcha2 Author’s Affiliation: 1Research Scholar, Ph.D, Department of Library and Information Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu 608002, India. E-mail: [email protected] 2Research Supervisor and Mentor, Associate Professor, Library and Information Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu 608002, India. E-mail: [email protected] Corresponding Author: Jiaur Rahaman, Research Scholar, Ph.D, Department of Library and Information Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu 608002, India. E-mail: [email protected] Received on 11.07.2018, Accepted on 24.09.2018 Abstract The purpose of the study is to examine the influence of reading ability of school children of higher schools in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. Survey method has been adopted in this study. The population of this study consists of school children of higher secondary Schools in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. As the population is large, in terms of cost, money and effort involved, the investigator at the first stage selected 7 schools by simple random method. There are 580 students studying XI class in these schools. Again the investigator selected 182 students out of 580 by simple random method. The data has been gathered from 182 students using questionnaire method. The data has been analysed keeping in view the objectives using descriptive statistical techniques. Most of the students (86.81%) replied that they read books every day. A majority of the students (58.79%) replied that they read newspapers every day A majority of the students (68.68%) did not do online chatting with friends. A majority of them (65.93%) replied that television, internet facilities, cell phone, and other electronic media in their school and home did not interfere with their reading hours. An average each student is spending 2 hours 12minutes and 11 seconds on reading textbooks every day. Hence the students should be encouraged by the parents, teachers and librarians to spend more time on study related activities. The government should establish functional libraries which are adequately created for and well furnished with current biographic or story book materials which will in turn stimulate to increase the reading ability of the students. Keywords: Reading Habit; E-Resources; Reading Ability; Electronic Media Jiaur Rahaman & Dr. M. Sadik Batcha / Influence of E-Resources on the Reading Ability of School Children: A Case Study 1. Introduction There have been several contributions in the attempt to define reading. Many people have often, taken too simple the term ‘reading’. For some, reading means not more than running one‘s eyes across a printed or written page recognizing and possibly comprehending the work. For others, reading is concerned with the recognition of the printed symbols that represent speech and to respond emotionally or otherwise to their sounds and meaning. Hence, reading involves much more than near recognition words. Like other habits, the habits of reading in an individual develop during the course of time. Psychologically, habit is a product of learning; however reading is an art of interpreting the printed tools and written words. Reading habit means the behaviour which expresses the likeness of reading of individual, which occurs regularly of leisure reading approach, type of reading, use of library service, viewing on what they have read, fixing on objectives of reading and so on According to the Report of the Commission on Reading, reading is considered as a cornerstone for success, not just in schools, but also throughout the adult life of an individual. Reading is regarded as a process, a mode of thinking, a kind of real experience and involves many complex skills: the ability to perceive printed words, to skim for information and then perhaps read intensively. It is a basic tool of education and one of the most important skills in everyday life. Education loses its purpose and value if reading is not one of the daily routines of an individual. 1.1. Profile of Murshidabad District The district of Murshidabad is a well-known historical place in West Bengal. The district is named after the historical town of Murshidabad, which was named after Murshid Quli Khan. It’s covering an area near about of 5,341 km². The town was divided into two equal portions by the Bhagirathi and the ancient channel of Ganges. There are many historical things that attract to the visitors, such as - The Hazarduari Palace or the palace of thousand doors, Nizamat Imambara. Hazarduari palace was built in the nineteenth century by architect Duncan Macleod, under the reign of Nawab Nazim HumayunJah of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa (1824-1838). Nizamat Imambara was built in 1847 AD by Nawab Nazim Mansoor Ali Khan FeradunJah, who succeeded his father Nawab Nazim HumayunJah in Murshidabad, India. The Katra Masjid (also known as Katra Mosque) is a mosque and the tomb of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan built between 1723 and 1724. Motijhil Lake is located at Lalbagh in Murshidabad district. Murshidabad is also famous for making Murshidabad Silk sarees. According to 2011 census, Murshidabad district has a population of 71,02,430 and has a sex ratio of 957 female for 1000 every males. The literacy rate of this district is 67.53%. There are 145 higher secondary schools in Murshidabad district. 1.2. Statement of Problem The factors affecting the reading habits are: nature of readers, needs of reader, nature of information required, educational qualifications of a reader, cost of reading material, availability of reading material and way of interaction of users and information. Observation has its limitations. So, in order to cope with the new knowledge in the changing world of technological age, reading is important for everybody. The influence of multimedia technologies on the general reading habit has become a global scenario today. As many studies undertaken in different parts of the world show the traditional reading habit, regular visit to library systems, even dependence on documentary terms of resources, etc. are found to be near missing. Such studies to assess the situation in Murshidabad, India, has, however, hardly been carried out. The winds of multimedia technologies have already arrived and effected in many spheres of individuals in different contexts in Murshidabad. Keeping this in view, the present study has been undertaken to assess how far the general reading habit has been influenced by the new technologies. Hence, the present research problem entitled ‘Influence of E-resources on the reading ability of school children: A case study has been undertaken. [220] Library Progress (International) / Vol.38 No.2 / July-December 2018 1.3. Objectives of the Study The following are the objectives of the study. 1) To know the reading interest of the children; 2) To examine the level of priority in using the prescribed textbooks of various subjects; 3) To know the activities in which the students engage in at home; 4) To examine the time spent on reading and other various activities; and 5) To assess the influence of electronic media on reading. 2. Literature Review Archana, (2011)1 conducted a study on study habits of secondary school students in relation to their Scholastic Achievement. This study intended to explore the study habit of secondary school students in relation to their scholastic achievement in the Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana. The results of the study revealed that there is a significant positive correlation between study habit and scholastic achievement of secondary school students. Further, there is a significant difference between high and low scholastic achievement students on study habits in general. Asika, (2012)2 examined the reading habits of undergraduates and their academic performance. A total number of 200 undergraduate students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Anambra State University were randomly selected. Responses from the interview and simple observations were the primary source of data collection. The findings revealed that negative attitude and poor reading habits hinder comprehension and results in abysmal performance of the respondents which could have improved with better attitude and good reading habits. Shabana Tabusum SZ and Saleem (2014)3 reveal that The Impact of electronic environment influenced all sectors of social and economic life; it required imparting training to the user community of academics to retrieve right information at right time. Baskaran and Sadik Batcha (2012)4 did the scientometric study in the field of cardiology literature for the period 1991-2010. The study revealed that the reading habit increased by those publications in which the collaborative ideas are instilled as content. Bas, (2012)5 conducted a study to determine the reading attitudes of high school ninth and twelfth grade students using survey method. According to findings of the study, it was seen that high school students had moderate level of reading attitudes. It was also understood in the study that high school students’ reading attitudes differed significantly according to gender, grade level, school type, father’s and mother’s educational level and the financial income of the family variables. Tabusum S (2013)6 analyzed the issues of Library Automation which have directly impacted on the increasing use of library resources to the maximum extent and the break the barriers of print resource issues. Hafiz Ishtiaq Ahmad,Kamran Malik and M. Azeem(2014)7 conducted a study on A Study of Reading Habits and Computer Technology Effect on Students in Pakistan. The result of this study shows that the college and university students’ paper based reading habit changes to Internet reading habit.