A Critical Assessment of Digital Library Websites and Their Web Reliability in Maharashtra Universities

Abstract

In this study, digital library websites and web reliability infrastructure of seventeen major universities of Maharashtra state, India has been evaluated in terms of accessibility, functionality, user experience and institutional commitment in providing quality digital service. The study is based on heuristic evaluation techniques and comparative analysis frameworks to reveal the critical gaps between the digital infrastructure aspiration and current implementation in public and private institutions. Results show that 64% of the surveyed university digital libraries are not mobile friendly, 78% have less than desirable search interface design and 82% are not well standardized on metadata. The important predictors for web reliability are found at the institutional level: Library budget allocation, technical staffing and IT Governance. The study reports several systemic issues such as downtime frequency, loading times, outdated SSL protocols, and accessibility compliance issues against WCAG 2.1. Findings suggest that a weak link exists between digital maturity and institutional position, whereas a strong link exists between digital maturity and dedicated digital transformation investment. The paper suggests developing digital library standards at Maharashtra level, conducting periodic audit of usefulness of digital libraries, enforcing standards for digital library accessibility and implementing an infrastructure sharing agreement among universities through digital library consortia. The interventions may have significant impact on the user experience and institutional capacity towards sustainable digital library management in the state level.