If an academic library reports a significant increase in the use of digital resources but a decline in the borrowing of print materials, what can be inferred?

A. The library users prefer digital formats for convenience.

B. The library's physical collection is outdated.

C. There is a lack of awareness about print resources among users.

D. The library has not focused on promoting its physical collection.

E. Digital resources are more accessible and easier to use compared to print materials.

Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

The Correct answer is A, C and E only.

Key Points

• The library users prefer digital formats for convenience:
  • The increase in the use of digital resources suggests that library users find digital formats more convenient to access and use compared to print materials.
• There is a lack of awareness about print resources among users:
  • The decline in borrowing print materials could indicate that users may not be aware of the available print resources, contributing to their reduced use.
• Digital resources are more accessible and easier to use compared to print materials:
  • Digital resources tend to be more accessible (can be accessed remotely) and easier to use (searchable, can be accessed instantly) compared to physical print materials, which could be a driving factor behind the shift in usage.
• The library's physical collection is outdated:
  • ​This cannot be directly inferred from the information provided.
  • There may be other reasons for the decline in the borrowing of print materials, such as the convenience of digital resources, not necessarily an outdated physical collection.
• The library has not focused on promoting its physical collection:
  • ​While this could be a possibility, the shift to digital resources doesn't necessarily imply a lack of promotion of physical materials.
  • It could simply reflect user preferences for digital formats.