What is User Competence

The study gives an empirical view about the advent of electronic information resources (EIRs) with respect to their impact on the overall academic and research development. The chapter is the outcome of a survey conducted across seven agricultural universities of North India while using a questionnaire as a data collection tool. It is understood that the e-resources have really proved to be a boon for academic fraternities comprising of the students, teachers, and the researchers. The majority of them are now feeling much more comfortable and competent to search the information of their own. The electronic availability of the information has enabled them to generate new and diversified research ideas and as such the research output has improved both in quantity and quality. So, it is understood that at an average, the advent of e-resources has laid a positive impact on the core academic affairs (i.e., the study, teaching, and research).