Spectators, not players: information managers' use of Web 2.0 in New Zealand

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out which Web 2.0 applications and new communications technologies were being adopted by members of the New Zealand library and information management professions, and what factors influenced this adoption, such as age, educational level, and employment status.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey asking about respondents' use of a range of Web 2.0 technologies plus basic demographic information was available between 23 February and 8 March 2007. Invitations to complete the survey were sent to three e‐mail discussion lists: nz‐libs, nzrecords, and lim‐students, which resulted in 224 responses.

Findings

Librarians and information managers of all ages are experimenting with these technologies to some extent, particularly reading blogs and using RSS feeds. Active content creation is less common. Personal, technical, and organisational barriers prevent some people from being able to access Web 2.0 applications.

Research limitations/implications

The voluntary nature of participation in the survey means that the results are likely to be biased towards people with an interest in Web 2.0 developments. The data were gathered in early 2007, and represent a snapshot of how the technologies were being used at that time. Invitations were sent only to New Zealand e‐mail discussion lists, and some of the findings might not apply in other countries or regions.

Originality/value

This is the first survey to investigate how members of the library and information management professions in New Zealand are using Web 2.0 technologies. The results reveal patterns of use and significant issues associated with using these technologies within organizations.

Citation

Chawner, B. (2008), "Spectators, not players: information managers' use of Web 2.0 in New Zealand", The Electronic Library, Vol. 26 No. 5, pp. 630-649. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470810910666