IT in public libraries: seeking out the user's perspective.

Authors

  • Colette Coles

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/lirg361

Keywords:

users' attitudes, IT literacy, impact, work, quality of life, non-users, reluctant, anxious, casual, occaisional, high flyers, technophiles, electronic resources

Abstract

Explores the results of interviews with 301 public library users regarding users' attitudes to IT and levels of IT literacy. Attitudes averaged 47% positive, 30% negative and 23% neutral. Other views concerned the impact of technology on work, children and quality of life. Library users displayed varying levels of IT literacy. Six types of users were identified: non-users (technophobes); reluctant/anxious; work-related; casual/occasional ; experience/regular and high flyers (technophiles). lt is essential to understand how public library users perceive lT if electronic sources are to be successfully implemented in public libraries.

Author Biography

Colette Coles

Colette Coles is currently a research student at City Universityt Department of lnformation Science. She has also been a Visiting Lecturer at the University of North London since 1994. She has worked for a variety of library and information services, ranging from Amnesty lnternational to the Poetry Library.

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Issue

Vol. 22 No. 70 (1998)

Section

Reports

License

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