Beyond Adoption: Investigating Long-Term Digital Library Service Usage in Higher Learning Institutions
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Abstract
The growth of wireless technologies and ubiquitous mobile devices has transformed the way library resources and services are delivered to users. Most libraries have adopted mobile library applications (MLA) to improve their service delivery. Despite such widespread adoption, little attention has been paid to the long-term viability of MLAs for service provision. Accordingly, this study investigates mobile library application continuance usage intention among users of Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania. This study integrates the Expectation Confirmation Model, Technology Acceptance Model, and Information System Success Model to explore library users’ continuance intention toward MLAs. Furthermore, the integrated framework is extended by incorporating perceived value and application accessibility, while the moderating role of habit on continuance usage behaviour is also examined. A random sampling method was adopted to collect 361 valid and complete responses from libraries across Tanzanian HLIs for data analysis. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the proposed hypothetical relationships. The results reveal that perceived usefulness, user satisfaction, and habit exert significant positive effects on users’ continuance usage of MLAs in HLIs. Moreover, service quality and system quality significantly affect perceived usefulness, and perceived usefulness in turn significantly influences perceived value. In addition, confirmation is found to positively affect both perceived usefulness and user satisfaction with MLA usage, whereas application accessibility significantly impacts perceived ease of use. This study yields theoretical contributions and practical implications, which facilitate subsequent scholarly research on MLAs, and support policymakers and service providers in formulating sustainable strategies for digital library services within HLIs.
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