The Relative Roles of Knowledge and Innovativeness in Determining Librarians' Attitudes toward and Use of the Internet: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

A study among 101 librarians is reported that tests individual differences important to enhanced use of the Internet. Analysis of covariance, hierarchical regression, and structural equation modeling using LISREL 8 provide converging evidence that technical and procedural knowledge have a significant direct influence on attitudes toward the Internet, frequency of Internet use, and, in particular, the number of different Internet tools used. Possessing high levels of the personality trait innovativeness (being positively predisposed toward novel stimuli) is positively related to overall attitudes toward the Internet, regardless of knowledge level. Innovativeness moderates the relationship between knowledge and the frequency of Internet use, enhancing use frequency when knowledge levels are high. Innovativeness has no positive incremental influence on the number of Internet tools used over and above the effects of a high level of knowledge. Finally, it was confirmed that a supportive environment (an encouraging supervisor and sufficient opportunity to learn to use the Internet) is also important to enhanced use of the Internet. Implications for future research into the effectiveness of Internet training programs are discussed.