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This study seeks to examine the progression of research productivity and patterns among Indian researchers in library and information science (LIS). This study seeks to better understand the transition from intrinsic to extrinsic research motivation, focussing on the influential consequences of governmental interventions. Additionally, the study aims to assess the effects of government regulations, such as University Grant Commission (UGC) guidelines and initiatives like National Institutional Ranking Framework, IQAC (An Internal Quality Assurance Cell) and UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics), on academic autonomy and the cultivation of a “publish or perish. The goal is to determine the effectiveness of these policies in driving research output within the LIS domain in India by analysing the relationship between publishing policies and research output.

The data were collected using the Scopus bibliographical database between 1976 and 2023 and yielded 2,853 records from 222 journals. To understand Indian researchers’ contributions to LIS, the dataset is categorized into three groups: Category A (all publications), Category B (excluding Indian journals) and Category C (excluding Indian journals and discontinued journals) to analyse trends over time. Statistical analysis was utilized using descriptive methods, t-tests, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation and Microsoft Excel 2019 and Biblioshiny were used for visualization.

The study found a significant increase in top-tier journal publications, collaborative research and citations post-2010, corresponding with the adoption of UGC rules stressing publishing criteria for academic promotions. Library Philosophy and Practice emerged as the most chosen publishing source, while Delhi University and the University of Kashmir demonstrated outstanding research output. The study also emphasizes geographical discrepancies, the rise of newly established departments and a significant increase of authors publishing in different publications. Correlation analysis found strong connections between publication year, journal quartile, citations and author count.

The study acknowledges limitations, including potential biases in the Scopus database and search strategy adopted. The constraints might affect the applicability of the results. However, the insights acquired contribute to comprehending the dynamic research landscape in Indian LIS, guiding future research paths and academic policy decisions.

This study offers novel insights into the evolving dynamics of research productivity among Indian LIS researchers, elucidating the impact of government initiatives and academic policies. Examining patterns in publishing, preferences among academic journals and the behaviour of authors yields useful insights for policymakers, academic institutions and researchers seeking to improve research output and excellence in the field.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between electronic journal downloads and citations and whether online electronic resource usage can be adopted as an alternative to citation for evaluation of scholarly discourse.

A consolidated 16 publishers’ COUNTER usage data of UGC-Infonet members was collected from INFLIBNET Centre. The usage was meticulously filtered from UGC-subscribed journals and institutional subscriptions. The quantitative data were analysed to establish the relationship between download, impact factor (IF) and price. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the influence of price and IF on usage and to predict the usage when they are known and the threshold for significance was set at p < 0.05.

There exists a relationship between IF and downloads of journals in UGC-Infonet. Journal IF and price significantly influence usage, where journal IF plays an important role in the intensity of the use. Also, the top 25 hottest downloaded papers were journals with IF; hence, no journal without IF featured in the top 25 most downloaded journals in the consortia. The relationship between the top 25 IF journals in the consortia and download is strong (r = 0.368537).

The only account that reports on the relationship between journal IFs and downloads for UGC-Infonet consortia. Also, the influence of usage behaviour with respect to citation and price of a journal.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the citation behavior of Pondicherry University faculty with a focus on their recent publication experience, indexed in Scopus. The paper endeavors to gain an insight into their pattern of citation of scientific papers and attempts to understand the underlying motive in doing so especially in an era where information resources have transitioned from print to digital.

The study adopted a judgmental sample consisting of 100 selected faculty members whose recent papers were indexed by Scopus database. A pre-defined questionnaire consisting of demographic profile and 23 items on citation trust and authority statements of citing sources was self-administered to them.

The findings of the study indicate that the citation behavior of faculty in Pondicherry University is complex and multi-faceted. Although majority of the faculty depicted an inclination toward normative citation behavior (concerned with the intellectual content of the work), there are others who displayed social constructivist (concerned with the social aspects of the work) citation behavior as well. However, in spite of the differences observed in the citation behavior of the faculty, it was observed that they remained traditional while making trust decisions even in the digital era. Finally, findings suggest no statistical significant difference when it comes to variables, such as gender and discipline in the citation behavior of the faculty.

Given the ever-increasing importance of citation in judging the quality of research journals, in ranking institutions and in determining the efficacy of faculty in India, author-based approach of understanding citer motivation definitely carry research value.