Measuring user success in the digital library environment

The digital library is one of the most significant areas of study to emerge in information science in the past several years. The digital library is, in broad terms, a computerized system that allows a community of users to obtain a coherent means of access to an organized, electronically stored repository of information and knowledge. The information resources and technologies embodied by the World Wide Web are now accepted as the primary example of the digital library. The need exists for a means to measure user success in the digital library environment. Because a digital library environment involves two broad functions-(1) information search and retrieval and (2) interactivity with and through the medium-this research posits that measures of both of these functions will show positive correlation with user success. A review of the literature for measures of success in terms of these two functions revealed two key models: (1) The End User Computing Satisfaction Model (EUCS), which consists of five dimensions for measuring user success in an end-user computing environment (thus relating to the search and retrieval function of the digital library). (2) The Flow model, a four-dimension instrument used to study human-computer interaction. "Flow" has already been recommended as an appropriate measure of success in hypermedia, computer-mediated communication environments, such as the World Wide Web. The core of this research has involved the development and testing of a Comprehensive Model for Digital Library User Success, based on a combination of the EUCS and Flow models. Three basic research questions are explored: (1) Is interaction-oriented experiential satisfaction measured by the Flow construct significantly related to overall user success in the digital library? (2) What is the correlation between Flow and EUCS? (3) Does some combination of Flow and EUCS dimensions better predict overall success with the digital library experience than either dimension separately? The current research utilized as its target population undergraduate and graduate students who are current users of a digital library in medium to large-sized universities in Korea. The research validated the EUCS (five dimensions) and Flow (three dimensions) by studying the two constructs within the context of the digital library user population. Correlation was found between EUCS and Flow, with four dimensions retained as components of a Comprehensive Model. It was determined that these four dimensions-Content, Intrinsic Interest, Control, and Timeliness-are significant predictors of user success. The Comprehensive Model was validated, and it is therefore suggested as a basis for further study of user success indicators in the digital library environment.