Role of university libraries in research

Universities play an important role in the present knowledge society where knowledge is both a resource and source of power. Knowledge is critical for development, because everything we do depends on it. In the knowledge society, access to opportunities to acquire needed knowledge, skills, and competencies is essential for social progress and economic growth. Given the important role played by universities in knowledge creation through research, all nations put much emphasis on their universities. The number of universities does not guarantee the quality and speed of university education and research. Among various factors that ensure the value and vigor of university research, the knowledge support deserves much attention. The success of research carried out at universities depends very much on the accessibility to high quality and relevant literature in all formats with the support of a dedicated team of professionals in an environment conducive to learning and absorbing. The role of university libraries and the services they offer are highly important in this perspective. The present study is an attempt to examine the role of university libraries in research in Kerala.