Library consortia and digital services Users' perceptions at the University of Calabria

摘要

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to focus on the new digital services to improve informationrnaccess and, in particular, on the findings of a user satisfaction survey, at the University of Calabria,rnwith the digital collection service (Emeroteca Virtuale) provided by CIBER, a national consortium ofrnuniversity libraries.rnDesign/methodology/approach - After a literature review, a questionnaire was carefully preparedrnand submitted to a sample of 1,350 patrons, 20 of whom were also interviewed. Quotes from users arernreported, showing feelings and observations. Additionally, a usability test was performed in order tornassess the usability and usefulness of Emeroteca Virtuale. Frequency of use, as well as reasons for usernand non-use of the service were investigated and results are reported in this paper, using graphs andrnciting quotes from interviewed users, adding a qualitative perspective to the research.rnFindings - Findings have enabled the defining of the level of users' satisfaction and also evaluatingrnthe impact on users of this digital service.rnResearch limitations/implications - The limitations of this research are discussed and somernrecommendations about new activities to plan for service improvement are also defined.rnOriginality/value - As there was no previous study of this kind at the University of Calabria, thisrnwork can be considered useful in order to fill the gap and is a good starting point for furtherrnimprovements.