ASSESSING THE SUITABILITY OF E-BOOK COLLECTIONS FOR LIBRARY USERS AT THE IPDN SOUTH SULAWESI CAMPUS

Abstract

This study analyzes the alignment of e-book collections with users’ academic needs at the Library of the Institute of Public Administration (IPDN), South Sulawesi Campus. The study focuses on the relevance of the collection to reference needs, the quality and currency of its content, the benefits of e-books in supporting academic activities, and users’ experiences in accessing and utilizing them. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and documentation. The research informants consisted of five cadets from the Public Policy Study Program and the Economic Development and Community Empowerment Study Program. Data analysis involved data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. Data credibility was ensured through source, technique, and time triangulation. The findings indicate that the e-book collection is perceived as a relevant supplementary reference because it supports course-related needs, assignments, theoretical searches, and academic writing. E-books also provide ease of access and greater time efficiency. Collection suitability is influenced by topic relevance, the credibility of authors and publishers, metadata completeness, and content currency. However, the alignment remains suboptimal due to the limited availability of specific titles, uneven collection currency, network constraints, reading discomfort on certain devices, and insufficient promotion and guidance for digital services. Based on the Person–Environment Fit framework, these findings emphasize that e-book collection development should align users’ academic needs with the availability, quality, and accessibility of digital resources. The contribution of this study lies in proposing a framework for digital library collection development based on curricular needs and user experience, rather than merely increasing the number of available titles. Accordingly, this study recommends developing digital collections that are more responsive to curricular requirements and users’ actual experiences