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The attitudes of public library staff to the Internet and evaluations of Internet training

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posted on 2012-08-03, 11:27 authored by Rachel E. Spacey
The aim of this study was to measure the attitudes of public library staff towards the Internet. Opinions of training received by staff for use of the Internet were also recorded and the relationship between attitudes and training was analysed and considered. This was deemed of value at a time when public library staff were about to embark on the largest public library training initiative ever undertaken for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the installation ofPCs with Internet access in every public library as part of the People's Network. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilised including a questionnaire which incorporated an amended version of the Technology Acceptance Model completed by more than 900 public library staff, interviews with managers, focus groups with a cross-section of staff and an online bulletin board. The study found that the attitudes of most public library staffwere positive towards using the Internet at work. Negativity towards the Internet related to discomfort with the cultural changes taking place in public libraries as a result ofiCT. Attitudes were found to have an integral role in relation to public library staff's willingness to use the Internet; in particular, perceptions of usefulness were very influential. Helping the public use the Internet was generally regarded as a positive experience although finding the time to assist library users was difficult. Training, support and assistance for use of the Internet was well rated although a minority of respondents had not received any training. Ratings of the usefulness of Internet training were related to perceptions of the usefulness, ease of use and intention to use the Internet at work. The popularity of self-directed learning denoted the increased potential for online learning in the future. In contrast with findings from the literature review, informal learning methods such as on-the-job and cascade training were well rated by staff for use of the Internet. The findings of this study suggest that seemingly throwaway comments deriding a new innovation or practice in the public library sphere cannot be easily dismissed and may point to deeper concerns about change and lay bare negative attitudes. In addition, staff demonstrating pessimistic and unconstructive remarks appear to be influential. More worryingly, these attitudes may mean that staff will not use a new technology in the way that managers, policy makers and funding bodies envisage.

History

School

  • Science

Department

  • Information Science

Publisher

© Rachel E. Spacey

Publication date

2003

Notes

A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.

EThOS Persistent ID

uk.bl.ethos.409333

Language

  • en

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