A study of Web 2.0 applications in library websites

Web 2.0 represents an emerging suite of applications that hold immense potential in enriching communication, enabling collaboration and fostering innovation. However, little work has been done hitherto to research Web 2.0 applications in library websites. This paper addresses the following three research questions: (a) To what extent are Web 2.0 applications prevalent in libraries?; (b) In what ways have Web 2.0 applications been used in libraries?; and (c) Does the presence of Web 2.0 applications enhance the quality of library websites? Divided equally between public and academic, 120 libraries' websites from North America, Europe and Asia were sampled and analyzed using a three-step content analysis method. The findings suggest that the order of popularity of Web 2.0 applications implemented in libraries is: blogs, RSS, instant messaging, social networking services, wikis, and social tagging applications. Also, libraries have recognized how different Web 2.0 applications can be used complementarily to increase the level of user engagement. Finally, the presence of Web 2.0 applications was found to be associated with the overall quality, and in particular, service quality of library websites. This paper concludes by highlighting implications for both librarians and scholars interested to delve deeper into the implementation of Web 2.0 applications.

[1]  Efraim Turban,et al.  Groups Formation and Operations in the Web 2.0 Environment and Social Networks , 2008 .

[2]  Aaron Shrimplin,et al.  LibQUAL+™ at Miami University: a look from outside ARL , 2002 .

[3]  Susan Gibbons.  The academic library and the net gen student : making the connections , 2007 .

[4]  Klaus Krippendorff,et al.  Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology , 1980 .

[5]  Dennis L. Hoffman,et al.  Marketing in Hypermedia Computer-Mediated Environments : Conceptual Foundations 1 ) , 1998 .

[6]  Alton Yeow-Kuan Chua,et al.  The Prevalence and Use of Web 2.0 in Libraries , 2008, ICADL.

[7]  Lark Birdsong.  Sports wikis : Who's on first? Commentary , 2007 .

[8]  Brian A. Quinn,et al.  Adapting Service Quality Concepts to Academic Libraries , 1997 .

[9]  Tyng-Ruey Chuang,et al.  Culture Atlas Infrastructure: A Participatory and Collaborative Perspective* , 2006 .

[10]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  Service quality delivery through web sites: A critical review of extant knowledge , 2002, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.

[11]  Diane M. Strong,et al.  Information quality benchmarks: product and service performance , 2002, CACM.

[12]  Alton Yeow-Kuan Chua,et al.  A predictive framework for retrieving the best answer , 2008, SAC '08.

[13]  Alton Yeow-Kuan Chua,et al.  Knowledge access, creation and transfer in e-government portals , 2008, Online Inf. Rev..

[14]  Alton Yeow-Kuan Chua,et al.  Evaluation of Hospital Portals Using Knowledge Management Mechanisms , 2007, ICADL.

[15]  D. de Kool,et al.  Web 2.0: A New Basis for E-Government? , 2008 .

[16]  Roger Clarke,et al.  Web 2.0 as Syndication , 2008, J. Theor. Appl. Electron. Commer. Res..

[17]  Jack M. Maness.  Library 2.0: The next generation of Web-based library services , 2006 .

[18]  Tim O'Reilly,et al.  What is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software , 2007 .

[19]  Gregoris Mentzas,et al.  Classification and synthesis of quality approaches in e-government services , 2007, Internet Res..

[20]  Diane M. Strong,et al.  Data quality in context , 1997, CACM.

[21]  Batya Friedman,et al.  Trust online , 2000, CACM.

[22]  D. Nitecki,et al.  Measuring service quality at yale university’s libraries , 2000 .

[23]  Martin G. Helander,et al.  Theories and Models of Electronic Commerce , 2000 .

[24]  Louis B. Rosenfeld,et al.  Information architecture for the world wide web - designing large-scale web sites , 1998 .

[25]  David C. Yen,et al.  Improving the quality of online presence through interactivity , 2004, Inf. Manag..

[26]  Richard T. Vidgen,et al.  An Integrative Approach to the Assessment of E-Commerce Quality , 2002, J. Electron. Commer. Res..

[27]  Tom Goodfellow,et al.  The blog as a high-impact institutional communication tool , 2007, Electron. Libr..

[28]  Irene E. Mcdermott,et al.  All A-twitter about web 2.0 : What does it offer libraries? , 2007 .

[29]  George Macgregor,et al.  Collaborative tagging as a knowledge organisation and resource discovery tool , 2006 .

[30]  Helge Clausen.  User‐oriented evaluation of library and information centre Web sites , 1999 .

[31]  George Buchanan,et al.  Digital Libraries: Universal and Ubiquitous Access to Information, 11th International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries, ICADL 2008, Bali, Indonesia, December 2-5, 2008. Proceedings , 2008, ICADL.

[32]  Mei Cao,et al.  B2C e-commerce web site quality: an empirical examination , 2005, Ind. Manag. Data Syst..

[33]  Mario Piattini,et al.  Comparing different quality models for portals , 2006, Online Inf. Rev..

[34]  Paul Miller.  Web 2.0: Building the New Library , 2005 .

[35]  David Bawden,et al.  After the Amazoogle: Web 2.0 and information research , 2007, J. Documentation.

[36]  Ephraim R. McLean,et al.  The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success: A Ten-Year Update , 2003, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[37]  Jakob Nielsen,et al.  Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity , 1999 .

[38]  Harold W. Webb,et al.  SiteQual: an integrated measure of Web site quality , 2004, J. Enterp. Inf. Manag..

[39]  Shu Liu,et al.  Engaging Users: The Future of Academic Library Web Sites , 2008 .

[40]  Rudy Bretz,et al.  Media for Interactive Communication , 1983 .

[41]  Hock-Hai Teo,et al.  An empirical study of the effects of interactivity on web user attitude , 2003 .

[42]  Alton Yeow-Kuan Chua,et al.  Resource discovery through social tagging: a classification and content analytic approach , 2009, Online Inf. Rev..