The interpretations of library use in the age of digital libraries: Virtualizing the name

Abstract

There have been numerous changes in the way that libraries organize information and how users seek, gain access to, and obtain library materials. These changes have modified many traditional library services, introduced new jargon, and created new library uses. If students are to become self-sustaining and effective users of information sources and services, they need to understand various library uses. This article reports a case study designed to examine the extent to which college students agree in interpreting the term library use. The degree of variation in how these students interpret basic library activities is high. The study's findings suggest that the notion of the library as a space is better agreed upon than the notion of the library as a store or service. Since the library use study is carried out in the context of rapidly changing information technology, this two-prong article will first discuss five different shifts that characterize the transitional nature of today's libraries; then the library use study will be discussed, and possible conclusions will be drawn. The findings have wide implications for designing user-centered information access instructional programs.