Determinants of User Acceptance of Digital Libraries: An Empirical Examination of Individual Differences and System Characteristics

Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 97–124, 2001

28 Pages Posted: 26 Dec 2011 Last revised: 20 Aug 2014

See all articles by Weiyin Hong

Weiyin Hong

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

James Y.L. Thong

HKUST Business School

Wai-Man Wong

Open University of Hong Kong

Kar Yan Tam

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Date Written: December 26, 2011

Abstract

The explosion in Internet usage and huge government funding initiatives in digital libraries have drawn attention to research on digital libraries. Whereas the traditional focus of digital library research has been on the technological development, there is now a call for user-focused research. Although millions of dollars have been spent on building 'usable' systems, research on digital libraries has shown that potential users may not use the systems in spite of their availability. There is a need for research to identify the factors that determine users’ adoption of digital libraries. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a theoretical framework, this study investigates the effect of a set of individual differences (computer self-efficacy and knowledge of search domain) and system characteristics (relevance, terminology, and screen design) on intention to use digital libraries. Based on a sample of 585 users of a university’s award-winning digital library, the results strongly support the utilization of TAM in predicting users’ intention to adopt digital libraries, and demonstrate the effects of critical external variables on behavior intention through perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. All of the individual differences and system characteristics have significant effects on perceived ease of use of digital libraries. In addition, relevance has the strongest effect on perceived usefulness of digital libraries.

Keywords: human-computer interaction, computer self-efficacy, digital libraries, individual differences, information technology acceptance, technology acceptance model

Suggested Citation

Hong, Weiyin and Thong, James Y.L. and Wong, Wai-Man and Tam, Kar Yan, Determinants of User Acceptance of Digital Libraries: An Empirical Examination of Individual Differences and System Characteristics (December 26, 2011). Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 97–124, 2001, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1976964

Weiyin Hong

University of Nevada, Las Vegas ( email )

4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154
United States

James Y.L. Thong (Contact Author)

HKUST Business School ( email )

Clear Water Bay
Kowloon
Hong Kong

HOME PAGE: http://jthong.people.ust.hk/

Wai-Man Wong

Open University of Hong Kong ( email )

Kowloon
Hong Kong

Kar Yan Tam

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ( email )

Clear Water Bay, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
194
Abstract Views
1,945
Rank
282,310
PlumX Metrics