Utilization of Web-based Information Services among University Students in Malaysian Academic Libraries: A Proposed Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Digital, information, and networked technologies have largely affected the academic libraries and their users in support of 21st education. This development places demands on them to endure seriously the assessment challenges in the aspect of users’ utilization of Web-based Information Services, not merely to rely on the implicit value of usage statistics, but also to look into the explicit difference that the specific usage of web-based information services has on users’ experience in the form of their perceived scholarly outcomes. In establishing this paper, scoping approach was used as the methodology for preliminary assessment in exploring and analyzing the published research articles from local and international sources. Based on the literature review, this paper aims to propose a conceptual research framework for Malaysian academic libraries comprising three independent variables, namely, library technology, academic library roles, and library learning environment. Besides, information literacy skill is introduced to gain understanding, to what extent, it has a moderating relationship between the independent variables and the university students’ utilization of WBIS, the predicted dependent variable that constitutes implicit and explicit values. This framework will be measured by conducting a research involving six public universities in the Klang Valley of Malaysia. In the long run, it is expected to propose a research method and instruments to support the academic libraries in collecting and analyzing data about utilization of web-based information services among university students.