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

COMPETITIVE PRESSURES FROM DIFFERENT INFORMATION providers; widely availabl e information resources; rising costs of books, serials, and electronic res ources; and emerging new technologies and services providing information to potential library users raise questions about the role of academic librari es in present times. There has been some deliberation about the necessity t o better understand and define the needs and expectations of library users to provide the appropriate kind and levels of service to provide satisfacti on 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 bet ween 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 academ ic libraries. The explanatory factors include service quality factors, reso urces, and user characteristics. Students in three academic libraries were surveyed in Erie, Pennsylvania, over a period of three semesters. Of the 21 0 questionnaires that were distributed, 188 were returned. The model was si gnificant and explained some of the variation in library usage.