Factors affecting the implementation of Web 2.0 applications in Omani academic libraries
| Pages | 332-351 |
| Published date | 04 April 2016 |
| Date | 04 April 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-06-2014-0101 |
| Author | Rahma Al-Kharousi,Naeema H Jabur,Abdelmajed Bouazza,Nabhan Al-Harrasi |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Factors affecting the
implementation of Web 2.0
applications in Omani
academic libraries
Rahma Al-Kharousi, Naeema H. Jabur, Abdelmajed Bouazza and
Nabhan Al-Harrasi
Department of Information Studies, Sultan Qaboos University,
Muscat, Oman
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the different factors that affect using Web 2.0
applications in Omani academic libraries (OALs).
Design/methodology/approach – In all, 29 interviews with directors and library staff of ve OALs
were conducted for the purpose of collecting data for the current research.
Findings – The results indicated that there are nine internal factors and four external factors that
affect using Web 2.0 applications in OALs. Internal factors include the low motivation of directors and
library staff regarding using of Web 2.0 applications, lack of training and constant changes in the
management structure. Meanwhile, the external factors are related to lack of policy and regulations and
weakness and low speed of the internet.
Practical implications – Most academic libraries in Oman have not yet adopted Web 2.0
applications to enhance their services. Therefore, this study intends to open insight into the state of Web
2.0 adoption in academic libraries and will help library managers to understand factors facing the use
of Web 2.0 applications in their libraries, and this could signal a basis for policy shift in the internet
infrastructure especially in the institutions of the higher education.
Originality/value – This research is the rst study in the eld of Web 2.0 applications in OALs that
investigates the factors affecting the use of Web 2.0 applications in academic libraries in general and in
OALs specically.
Keywords Academic libraries, Oman, Web 2.0 applications
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Web 2.0 applications is a technology shifting the Web into a participatory platform,
wherein people not only use content but also interact with and produce information.
Web 2.0 includes new technologies, such as tagging, blogs, wikis and mashups, which
serve to break down the barriers between users and data providers by creating new and
useful links (Darwish and Lakhtaria, 2011). Web 2.0 applications play a signicant role
in the education, business, healthcare and library sectors. As the emergence of these
The authors are grateful to Sultan Qaboos University, Middle East College Library, Nizwa
University Library, Ibri and Sohar Applied Science College libraries and Muscat Higher Technical
College Library for participating in this study.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
EL
34,2
332
Received 26 June 2014
Revised 10 March 2015
Accepted 6 May 2015
TheElectronic Library
Vol.34 No. 2, 2016
pp.332-351
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/EL-06-2014-0101
applications, they have been widely used for the purposes of communication, sharing
information and ideas and promoting services (Cova and White, 2010;Juzwish, 2009;
Redecker, 2009;Wirtz et al., 2010).
By utilizing Web 2.0 applications, students in the education sector have the
opportunity to communicate and share information through the web (Uzunboylu et al.,
2011). It is widely recognized that Web 2.0 applications have considerable impact on
student performance, reducing feelings of isolation, increasing abilities for self-learning,
obtaining and giving feedback and organizing social activities (Gayle, 2008;Redecker,
2009;Shihab, 2009;Watson, 2011).
Academic libraries, as part of the higher education system, utilize Web 2.0 applications to
support the provision of quality educational services. Web 2.0 applications in academic
libraries contribute to improving the level of learning and research, establishing a new study
environment, increasing the level of motivation among the students and presenting new
windows for self-study (Chua and Goh, 2010;Darwish and Lakhtaria, 2011).
In addition, Mahmood and Richardson (2011) found that really simple syndication
(RSS) was the most popular Web 2.0 tool in academic libraries for publishing news,
sharing items published on library blogs, providing information literacy instruction and
announcing information on new acquisitions, podcasts, vodcasts, databases and
e-journals. Furthermore, in the opinion of Harinarayana and Raju (2010, p. 76), “blogs are
the best informal communication channel to extract latent feedback information from
users to enhance the quality of library services”.
Accordingly, using Web 2.0 applications in academic libraries led to the appearance of a
new concept known as Library 2.0 (Kim and Abbas, 2010). According to Mahmood and
Richardson (2011), Michael Casey introduced the term Library 2.0 as being an application of
the Web 2.0 concept in libraries and developing a new philosophy of library services.
Similarly, Partridge et al. (2010, p. 315) dened Library 2.0 as “a change in the interaction
between users and libraries in a new culture of participation catalysed by social web
technologies”.
Consequently, investigating factors that affect using Web 2.0 applications in
academic libraries will assist in understanding any problems that may arise, as well as
concrete and abstract issues behind using Web 2.0 applications. This study attempts to
contribute to the area of study of Web 2.0 applications in academic libraries by
providing evidence related to the internal and external factors that affect the adoption of
Web 2.0 applications in ve case libraries in Oman: Nizwa University Library (NUL),
Middle East College Library (MECL), Ibri Applied Science College (IASC), Sohar
Applied Science College (SASC) and Muscat Higher Technical College Library
(MHTCL). Although for reasons of differences in organizational culture, the results of
this study cannot be generalized; the outcomes of the study could be applied in other
academic libraries, as they may be shaped by similar constraints.
Research objectives and questions
This research aims to investigate external and internal factors affecting the adoption of
Web 2.0 applications by librarians in Omani academic libraries (OALs). This research
attempts to answer the following questions:
Q1. What are the external factors that affect the use of Web 2.0 applications in OALs?
Q2. What are the internal factors that affect the use of Web 2.0 applications in OALs?
333
Implementation
of Web 2.0
applications
To continue reading
Request your trial