Usage of academic libraries: the role of service quality, resources, and user characteristics

Abstract

Competitive pressures from different information providers; widely available information resources; rising costs of books, serials, and electronic resources; and emerging new technologies and services providing information to potential library users raise questions about the role of academic libraries in present times. There has been some deliberation about the necessity to better understand and define the needs and expectations of library users to provide the appropriate kind and levels of service to provide satisfaction and service quality. But whether satisfaction with services is likely to explain the use of actual facilities is a moot question- i.e., the link between user satisfaction and usage of the brick and mortar facilities may be tenuous. This study proposes and tests a model to explain the use of academic libraries. The explanatory factors include service quality factors, resources, and user characteristics. Students in three academic libraries were surveyed in Erie, Pennsylvania, over a period of three semesters. Of the 210 questionnaires that were distributed, 188 were returned. The model was significant and explained some of the variation in library usage.