Where there is institutional commitment, appropriate funding is more likely to be allocated to support it. This is especially true where the Heads of Information Services and Computing Services have a place on senior management committees within the institution. Access Electronic information sources need to be available for use whenever they are required. Not only do academics need on-line desk top access but they need the appropriate hardware to support the application that they require. However it is also the quality of the hardware and the software available that is one of the crucial factors in deciding the extent to which computers are used by academics for online information retrieval.
Access is also a particular problem for students .
There are still insufficient computers in most institutions for the number of students wanting to use them, especially at peak times. Many information services are extending their opening hours and providing more facilities together with improved networking facilities. Standardisation on hardware and compatible software Hardware and software need to standardised across the institution. It is typical of IT people. If new applications are to be introduced it is beneficial to assess the user need for the applications.