Innovation in the library: Adoption of smartphones in accessing electronic resources in a Ghanaian university

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of innovation on the adoption of smartphones for accessing electronic resources in the library by postgraduate students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. The theoretical model that underpinned this study was the diffusion of innovation theory. Based on a quantitative research approach, a survey research design was used. Questionnaire was employed in the collection of data from 278 postgraduate students. The responses were coded, captured and analysed using IBM’s Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 22. The findings of the study show that postgraduate students’ gender and faculty influenced their adoption of smartphones for accessing e-resources at the University of Cape Coast. However, the age of the students did not have any significant influence on the adoption of smartphones. The findings further show that only two of the perceived characteristics of innovation, complexity and compatibility, had a significant influence on the adoption of smartphones among the postgraduate students.