Exploring digital library usage for getting information from the ELM perspective. The moderating effect of information need
| Published date | 16 May 2016 |
| Pages | 286-305 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-12-2015-0200 |
| Date | 16 May 2016 |
| Author | Xianjin Zha,Li Li,Yalan Yan,Qian Wang,Gang Wang |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval |
Exploring digital library usage
for getting information from
the ELM perspective
The moderating effect of information need
Xianjin Zha and Li Li
School of Information Management, Wuhan University,
Wuhan, China
Yalan Yan
School of Management, Wuhan University of Science and Technology,
Wuhan, China
Qian Wang
School of Information Engineering, Hubei University of Economics,
Wuhan, China, and
Gang Wang
School of Information Management, Wuhan University,
Wuhan, China
Abstract
Purpose –The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) provides a general framework for understanding
the basic processes underlying the effectiveness of persuasion. The purpose of this paper is to utilize
the ELM to understand the basic processes underlying the effectiveness of persuasion to use digital
libraries for getting information.
Design/methodology/approach –The survey data collection was conducted in one comprehensive
university. The partial least squares structured equation modelling was employed to verify the
research model.
Findings –Source credibility and reputation have positive effects on information usefulness which
further significantly impacts digital library usage for getting information. The effect of information
quality on information usefulness is overpowered by reputation. Information need positively
moderates the effect of information quality on information usefulness and negatively moderates the
effect of reputation on information usefulness.
Practical implications –Digital libraries enormously influence the way how individuals gather
information over the world. However, the important status of digital libraries as conventional
information sources in practice invites appreciation by more and more people. The authors believe the
findings of this study provide useful insights for facilitating digital libraries to be fully accessed
and utilized.
Originality/value –This study explores the effects of the central route (information quality) and the
peripheral route (source credibility and reputation) on digital library usage for getting information by
extending the ELM with information need as a motivation variable, presenting a new lens for digital
library research and practice alike.
Keywords China, Digital libraries, Reputation, Information quality, Information need,
Elaboration likelihood model
Paper type Research paper
Aslib Journal of Information
Management
Vol. 68 No. 3, 2016
pp. 286-305
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2050-3806
DOI 10.1108/AJIM-12-2015-0200
Received 13 December 2015
Revised 8 March 2016
Accepted 8 March 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2050-3806.htm
This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos
71373193; 71573195).
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AJIM
68,3
1. Introduction
As the extension of traditional physical libraries, digital libraries can deliver
information collection and associated services to individuals by utilizing various
information and communication technologies, with the final aim of facilitating human
knowledge to be fully accessed and utilized by people based on their own need
anytime anywhere (Cheng, 2014; Heradio et al., 2012; Zha et al., 2015c). Digital
libraries have gone “from a curiosity to mainstream”over the last three decades
(Arms, 2012, p. 579), having become important information sources in support of
research, teaching and learning (Xie et al., 2014). In China, digital libraries in
universities have developed substantially since the China Academic Library and
Information System (CALIS) was initiated by the Ministry of Education in 1998. One
achievement of CALIS lies in having introduced and created many Chinese and
English academic databases which cover diversified disciplines and subjects (Zha
et al., 2015c).
Many prior studies have examined digital libraries, taking as their focus users’
perception of digital libraries from the cognitive style perspective (Frias-Martinez
et al., 2008), the effect of limited access to digital libraries on female students’
performance in research work (Arif and Kanwal, 2009), acceptance of a digital library
system in developing countries from the technology acceptance model (TAM)
perspective (Park et al., 2009), multilingual need and expectation for digital libraries
(Wu et al., 2012), intention to continue using digital libraries from the perspectives of
expectation-confirmation model, TAM and updated information system success
model (Cheng, 2014), information need of large-scale digital library users (Zavalina
and Vassilieva, 2014), the effect of psychological factors and mobile context factors
on digital library adoption (Zha et al., 2015a), and the effects of usefulness and ease-of-
use, resource quality, and individual differences on undergraduates’selection of
online library resources in academic tasks ( Joo and Choi, 2015).
The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) which was proposed by Petty and
Cacioppo (1986) provides a general framework for understanding the basic processes
underlying the effectiveness of persuasion. Elaboration refers to the extent to which
individuals think about the information provided. When various factors foster
individuals to have motivation and ability to process information carefully, the
elaboration likelihood is at a high level (Cacioppo and Petty, 1984). Information need
describes the amount of information individuals perceive they further need so as to
handle a given task (Lu and Yuan, 2011). It is reasonable to suggest that information
need is an important motivation variable given information need increases
elaboration likelihood.
Information need is much related to information literacy which was defined as a set
of abilities requiring individuals to “be able to recognize when information is needed
and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information”
(American Library Association, 1989, p. 1). Lacking information literacy makes most
students who are aware of the existence of digital resources in libraries do not know
how to search, compare and use them (Ukachi, 2015). Getting information which
concerns searching, comparing and evaluating information needed (Pavlou and
Fygenson, 2006; Yan et al., 2015), reflects the core components of information behaviour
which was described by Wilson (2000) as “the totality of human behavior in relation to
sources and channels of information”(p. 49). The current study employs the ELM as
theoretical support to explore the effects of the central route (information quality) an d
the peripheral route (source credibility and reputation) on digital library usage for
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Exploring
digital library
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