Library consortia and digital services

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the new digital services to improve information access and, in particular, on the findings of a user satisfaction survey, at the University of Calabria, with the digital collection service (Emeroteca Virtuale) provided by CIBER[1], a national consortium of university libraries.Design/methodology/approachAfter a literature review, a questionnaire was carefully prepared and submitted to a sample of 1,350 patrons, 20 of whom were also interviewed. Quotes from users are reported, showing feelings and observations. Additionally, a usability test was performed in order to assess the usability and usefulness of Emeroteca Virtuale. Frequency of use, as well as reasons for use and non‐use of the service were investigated and results are reported in this paper, using graphs and citing quotes from interviewed users, adding a qualitative perspective to the research.FindingsFindings have enabled the defining of the level of users' satisfaction and also evaluating the impact on users of this digital service.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this research are discussed and some recommendations about new activities to plan for service improvement are also defined.Originality/valueAs there was no previous study of this kind at the University of Calabria, this work can be considered useful in order to fill the gap and is a good starting point for further improvements.