Digital Infrastructure and Institutional Capacity in Government Medical College Libraries of Madhya Pradesh
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Digital medical libraries require coordinated investment in connectivity, automation, electronic collections, professional support and user education. Institutional provision may remain uneven despite widespread installation of basic technology. Objective: To describe digital infrastructure, selected services, staffing and training provision across thirteen surveyed government medical college libraries in Madhya Pradesh, and to identify gaps requiring institutional verification. Methods: A descriptive secondary analysis was conducted using college-level tables from a 2026 doctoral thesis. The institution was the unit of analysis (N = 13). Counts and percentages were recalculated from named college rows. Conflicting indicators were retained as separate measures; no composite readiness score, inferential test or causal analysis was undertaken. Results: Campus local area networking was reported by all thirteen libraries. Nine (69.2%) reported an e-library, comprising 370 listed terminals, while eight (61.5%) were described as computerized and six (46.2%) as having a digital library. Five (38.5%) reported automation. E-Granthalaya was named by ten (76.9%), although a separate generic software item was positive for only four (30.8%). Seven (53.8%) reported e-journal subscriptions in the college-level subscription schedule. Orientation was reported by eight (61.5%), and six (46.2%) listed a cataloguer. No institution reported an established institutional repository. Conflicts in software, automation, database and e-journal indicators restricted interpretation of operational access. Conclusion: The surveyed libraries had a common networking foundation but uneven digital services and professional capacity. Priorities include verification of operational access, supported automation, targeted training and a shared repository framework. These findings describe reported provision in the surveyed institutions rather than verified statewide performance.
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225160656