Faculty perspectives on institutional support, library services and factors influencing research productivity at Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur

Introduction

In order to gather, arrange, transmit, and preserve knowledge for current and future users, the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University Library and knowledge Center was founded in 2001 at Nagpur. Six veterinary colleges, two colleges of fishery sciences, two colleges of dairy technology, and one postgraduate institute of veterinary science are served by the university library. KOHA LMS is a cloud-based library management system that offers a variety of services. With 1,118.60 m² on the ground level, 1,071.24 m² on the first floor, and 1,074.67 m² on the second floor, the Library's total built-up area is 3,261.51 m². Each floor has a large amount of space for reading and stacking due to the open access design. Staff and students have separate reading areas, and the student reading hall is open around-the-clock. The Library's Book Bank and Reference Book services support all textbooks. Entered Collection uses a drop box for convenience and RFID for automated issue and return. To view the library collection, use IDEAL, ebooks, e-journals, open access journals, databases, and OPAC. The whole collection of theses has been digitized and uploaded to the ICAR repository "Krishikosh." The university has joined the initiative to make all e-resources accessible to stakeholders via the remote access technology app "MyLOFT" as part of the "PM One Nation One Subscription consortium scheme" for all MAFSU campuses. Thirty e-journals and e-resources from national and international publishers are made available to stakeholders. Veterinary, dairy, and fisheries sciences have their own branch of bioinformatics. Students from Nagpur Veterinary College, College of Fishery Science, and other constituent colleges are served by the Central Library at Nagpur University Headquarters. In order to offer instructors and students educational resources, the eight other member colleges maintain their own libraries. There are 36,205 print books, 1024 e-books, 43 print journals, 106 new books, and 9,132 other publications in the University Library, including bound volumes on animal science, fisheries, and dairy technology as well as postgraduate and doctoral dissertations. The library has BEST, CDROM Database, FSTA, and VET (1969-March 2017 CD). (Source AR of MAFSU 2024-25) Research involves attentive, perceptive, and diligent study or inquiry of phenomena to locate and uncover new knowledge, information, and facts, whereas productivity involves production or output within a given time limit. According to Kpolovie et al. (2019) [1] , research productivity in higher education is best measured by the presentation of research papers in conference proceedings, which are crucial references to and acknowledgments of other scientists' widely accessible papers and books, and the publication of research papers in professional journals as journal articles, book chapters, or books. Sunday et al. (2022) [2] examined how institutional factors affected Nigerian academic staff research production. Nguyen et al. (2022) [3] examined the productivity of 398 VNU-affiliated professors and researchers. Fulari (2021) [4] used surveys, interviews, and observations to assess the faculty research output at SPP University, Pune-affiliated Arts and Commerce College, Taharabad. Pal et al. (2020) [5] used an informational paradigm to review research productivity literature in scientific institutions like departments and universities. The authors concluded that publishing research findings allows researchers to share ideas and obtain accurate critical feedback, which is crucial to science socialization. Sawai et al. (2019) [6] used questionnaires, interviews, observations, and CVs to study LIS professionals' research output from 2004 to 2013. Similarly, Chavhan et al. (2026) [7] also evaluated the research productivity of faculties of MAFSU by collecting data of research production. Nevertheless, there was little information on the limitations faculty members encountered or their perceptions of the value of library resources for productivity. In order to increase research productivity, the current study was carried out to understand faculty perspectives.

Methodology

The data from individual staff was collected through survey questionnaire using Google form. The total population of staff under three faculties of MAFSU Nagpur was 314 as on March 2024 as per annual report 2023-24. The Google form was sent to office of all the colleges for collection of data by the Director of Research MAFSU, Nagpur through their official WhatsApp group. The questionnaire was validated by sending the form to 30 faculty members with request to suggest corrections, if any. Later the questionnaire was finalized considering all points / problems faced during validation process. All surveys were conducted at their leisure with the desired measures of confidentiality at the faculty member's discretion. It was notable that out of 314 staff as on March 2024, few staff members were already superannuated and therefore out of 314 staffs, a total of 264 responses (84.08%) were received which was downloaded in the excel sheet for its analysis using Microsoft excel data analysis tool. The results obtained through survey were not used to report on a particular faculty member. Results of the survey were reported only on a group basis and presented as per cent for each parameters/questions as mentioned in table 1 and 2.

Results and discussion

View of faculty members on certain factors in order to boost research productivity

Some types of support are particularly important for faculty to be productive in research. The faculty members may face certain problems or situations and they may need to motivate for the research. Therefore, certain factors need to be considered to boost research productivity in any institutions. The opinion of faculty members on certain factors like Working atmosphere prevailing in the institution, Teaching and non-academic work load, departmental support, availability of resources, Funds/ fellowships/ rewards for the research, Personal motivation and teaching experience are important so that the institute can make strategies to improve the research productivity. The results indicated that the faculty members of MAFSU gave positive replies to productivity-affecting factors (Table 1). 23.11% strongly agreed that their institution's working environment influences publication production, whereas 62.50% agreed. They think their workplace culture affects their productivity. 8.33% of respondents were neutral, 4.17% disagreed, and 1.89% strongly disagreed with the statement. For the subject of whether teaching and non-academic work load negatively affects publication rate, 70.45% strongly agreed and 22.73% agreed. This showed that 93.18% of respondents thought teaching and non-academic activities hurt publication rates. When asked if departmental support increases publishing productivity, 28.79% strongly agreed and 66.67% agreed. They (95.45%) think departmental support boosts research productivity. Only 0.76% of respondents disagreed with the statement, while 3.41% were neutral. 34.47 percent strongly agreed that publishing numbers rely on resource availability, whereas 59.47% agreed. This means 93.94 percent of MAFSU staff agree that resource availability is crucial to research output. Although 4.17% were neutral, 01.14% disagreed with the message. If asked if funds, fellowships, or awards promote publication activity, 37.38 percent strongly agreed and 57.20% agreed. This indicates 95.08% of MAFSU staff believe that funds, fellowships, and prizes that increase publication activity are crucial to their research output. Although 3.41% of respondents were neutral, 0.76% disagreed with the statement. Pavinee (2014) [8] concluded that the teaching, administrative, approval, and a lack of financing at Assumption University distracted faculty from research. Personal motivation positively affects publishing numbers, according to 159 respondents (60.23%) who strongly agreed and 100 respondents (37.88%) who agreed. This means 98.11% of MAFSU staff believe personal motivation increases publication numbers, which boosts research output. Only 5 (1.89%) reported neutrality. When asked if teaching experience increases productivity, 157 (59.47%) and 90 (34.09%) strongly agreed and agreed, respectively, indicating that 247 (93.56%) of 264 respondents say academic staff experience is crucial to productivity. While 11 respondents (4.17%) were impartial, 1.52% and 0.76% disagreed and strongly disagreed with the message.

Views of faculty members on quality of library services experienced by them

The library at any institute plays a vital role in providing required resources to decide the topic of research as well to execute the research problems. Regarding the MYLOFT (My Library on Finger Tip) library resource's quality of service, 89 faculty members out of 264 (33.71%) gave it an outstanding rating (Table 2). 156 (59.09%) of the 264 faculties had given MYLOFT a "Good" service rating. Just 6% of employees thought that the library's MYLOFT services were adequate. Regarding CERA's services, 31.06% of employees assessed them as excellent and 61.36% as good. In a same vein, MAFSU faculty members have rated Krishikosh's services as good and excellent. The availability of bioinformatics facilities, however, received a mixed evaluation. Just 20.83% of MAFSU employees thought this service was good, while 17.80% thought it was exceptional. It's interesting to note that 28.03% of employees thought the service was adequate, while 29.16% thought it was terrible. This showed that, with the exception of bioinformatics facilities, all other services offered by the library were of the highest caliber, and the staff was satisfied.

Conclusion

Academic staffs of MAFSU consider institutional support, library services and specialized resources as important for their research output. The research productivity of MAFSU staff is driven by institutional support, financing, and library services and the main constraints are heavy teaching and administrative workloads due to shortage of staff. The bioinformatics facility needs significant enhancement to meet the research aims of academics.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors express gratitude to the officials of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute (MAHAJYOTI), Government of Maharashtra, for offering financial support to the primary author under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research Fellowship (MJPRF-JRF). The authors express their gratitude to the officials of Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University Nagpur for granting permission and supplying essential information for the research.

References

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