The social construction of Web appropriation and use in American libraries: An interpretive and longitudinal approach

The goal of the dissertation was to gain an understanding of the process of Web appropriation and use in American libraries through relevant social groups, and their perceptions of Web technologies. Studies have shown that the adaptation process of a technology in a social setting is interactive, and its use is context dependent. The knowledge, perceptions, and expectations people have about a technology may influence the ways they understand and use it. Given the variety of people involved in the appropriation and use of the Web in libraries, the Social Construction of Technology model was used to examine different perspectives of people involved, and meanings attributed to the technology by these people during the process.; A content analysis of representative library communication forums between 1994-2003 was conducted. Four hundred and eighty-one randomly sampled journal articles from four professional journals and 1073 randomly selected listserv postings from two library-oriented listservs were analyzed.; The study found an increase in the number of Web-related journal articles and postings over time. The study also found that the Web has interpretive flexibility. It has been perceived as an enormous information source and a communication tool. When the Web first appeared, it was perceived to be a dashing new technology with many advantages. Later, it became a popular and important tool used in various aspects of people's lives and library practices. Some negative side aspects of Web use were also noted: the technology was referred to as being chaotic, undependable and having little quality control. Librarians can play an important role in providing value-added service for Web use in society.; Two relevant social groups with opposing reactions were identified during the early Web implementation stage. They are the Advocate Group and the Reluctant Group, both exerting influences on the implementation process of the Web in libraries. When the Web became widely used, librarians were treated as one social group. The discussions centered more on particular issues of Web use in libraries. Relevant social groups may be identified by examining the discourse on each particular issue, and the multiple views involved in resolving the conflicts.