PurposeResearch at the Open University Library Services in the United Kingdom has been investigating the relationship between access to online library resources and student success to help to understand whether there is a similar relationship at a distance-learning university to that found in other institutions. Design/methodologyThe study analysed online library resource data from access logs from the EZproxy and OpenAthens systems. A data set of 1.7 million online resource accesses was combined with student success data for around 90,000 undergraduate students and a series of analyses undertaken. FindingsThe study found a pattern where students who are more successful are accessing more library resources. A Chi-square test indicated a statistically significant association between library resource accesses and module result, while an Anova test suggests a medium sized effect. The study also found that 152 (76%) of 199 modules had a small, medium or large positive correlation between student success, measured by the overall assessment score, and online library resource accesses. Originality/valueThis study builds on evidence that there is a relationship between library use and student success by showing that this relationship extends to the setting of a non-traditional, innovative library service supporting part-time distance learners.

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