Studies are reported of user attitudes and behaviour with the Zetoc service before and after the implementation of a 'joined-up' service using OpenURL technology. Positive attitudes translated into active usage in some circumstances but not others. Four strategies are identified by which users identify articles of interest and obtain full text. A model of user behaviour is advanced to explain the factors that mediate attitudes and behaviour. The model depicts usage as dependent on the effectiveness of the 'joined-up' service delivery for each user and on the way in which users add useful facilities to their 'ready to hand' current practices

Apps, Ann

Eason, Ken

MacIntyre, Ross

English

E-Lis: Research in Computing and Library and Information Science

1
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 1
A ‘Joined-Up’ Electronic Journal Service:
User Attitudes and Behaviour
Ken Eason1, Ross MacIntyre2 
and Ann Apps2
1The Bayswater Institute, London
2MIMAS, Manchester Computing, The University of Manchester
Funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee
2
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 2
User Attitudes and User Behaviour
The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
Davis (1993)
Service
Offered
Perceived 
ease of use
(usability)
Perceived
utility or
usefulness
Attitude 
Towards 
Use
Actual
System 
Use
3
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 3
User Attitudes and User Behaviour
The Effect of Usage on Attitude 
Service
Offered
Perceived 
ease of use
(usability)
Perceived
utility or
usefulness
Attitude 
Towards 
Use
Actual
System 
Use
4
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 4
The Zetoc Service
• Zetoc: web based Table of Contents service 
• Database of 25 million records of the British Library
• Search facilities and an email alerting service
• Hosted by MIMAS, Manchester University
• Launched 2000
• Free to UK Universities and Colleges (JISC)
• Non-electronic delivery of full text articles e.g. ILL
Discover         Locate        Request         Deliver
Electronic                            Non-electronic
5
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 5
Usage of Zetoc
Usage Statistics:    May 2002
• 13,000 alert users
• 20,000 journal alerts
• 40,000 searches per month
User Attitudes
• Easy to use way of keeping up-
to-date
• Want electronic ‘join up’- direct 
access to electronic full text
Electronic Questionnaire
655 responses, >100 institutions
Usage Patterns
• Zetoc offered 22 features
• 75% set journal alerts 
(av.13 journals)
• 50% had searched the database
• Very few used delivery services
• 83% used 1 to 5 features (Passive Users)
• 17% used 6 to 18 features (Active 
Integrators)
6
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 6
Zetoc enhancements
Discover      Locate        Request         Deliver
Default Litlink Resolver
Institution Resolver
Institution Meta-searching 
Portals
2002 Zetoc as an OpenURL source
7
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 7
Usage of OpenURLVersion of Zetoc
Discover      Locate        Request         Deliver
Default Litlink Resolver
Institution Resolver
Institution Meta-searching 
Portals
2002- 2005 Usage Statistics
Sept 2002   2,317
Mar 2005  46,229 Nov 2002        152 (4)
Mar 2005   4,625 (42)
Nov 2002    3,328
Mar 2005    8,681
8
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 8
Evaluation of the enhanced service
Questionnaire Survey: 196 respondents
Attitudes
• Keep up-to-date with wide range of journals using Zetoc
• Want electronic full text at the desktop
Evaluation of OpenURL facilities 
• 118 (61%) had used them
• 79 (67%) ‘better’; 34 (29%) ‘same’; 5 (4%) ‘worse’
• 93% of users at ‘resolver’ universities said ‘better’
• 81% of users at older, established universities said ‘better’
• 53% of users at new universities without ‘resolvers’ said ‘same’ or 
‘worse’
9
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 9
User Strategies from Discovery to Delivery:
An Interview Study
The Story Behind the Statistics: 
Unstructured Interviews with 26 Zetoc Users
University
With Resolver
Without Resolver
Total
No. No. of
Users
Average
Zetoc score
3
3
6
16
10
26
7.6
5.9
6.9
10
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 10
User Strategies from Discovery to Delivery:
Non-Electronic Delivery
Strategy 1 : Passive, Ad Hoc
Strategy 2 : Passive, Traditional
Description: Set Alerts: ‘haunted by them’:
hope to follow-up sometime by any means
that is known. Have not used Zetoc Open
URLs
Users and Context:
Mostly faculty: all kinds of institutions
Description: Organised current practice; set
alerts and planned follow-up to locate 
printed versions. Known practice okay. 
Have not used Zetoc OpenURLs
Users and Context
Faculty and researchers mostly in
institutions with limited electronic journals 
University Users zetoc score
With resolver
Without resolver
Total
2
3
5 1.7
University Users zetoc score
With resolver
Without resolver
Total
1
3
4 6.5
1.8
1.7
7.0
6.1
11
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 11
User Strategies from Discovery to Delivery:
Electronic Delivery
Strategy 3: Active,Fragmented
Strategy 4: Active, Integrated
Description:
Using electronic delivery from other 
websites as well. Some unhappy 
experiences when Using ZetocOpenURLs
Users and Contexts:
Research students and researchers in a range 
of institutions
Description:
Zetoc OpenURLs as first choice strategy to
get electronic full text
Users:
Research students and librarians in 
electronic journal rich institutions with 
resolvers
University Users Zetoc score
With resolver
Without resolver
Total
7
4
11
With resolver
Without resolver
Total
6
0
6
University Users Zetoc score
10.0
6.5
7.5
5.5
10.0
0
12
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 12
‘A joined-up service’
Utility and Barriers
Utility
• Users wanted ‘seamless join-up’; full text ‘in a few clicks’
• OpenURL technology provides a means to achieve it
• Some users are achieving an excellent service
Barrier One: The Dominance of Current Practice
• The majority continue with current practice
• Needs ‘breakdowns’ and individual ‘high benefit/low effort (cost)’ratio 
to change/ develop current practice 
Barrier Two: Institutional readiness and join-up
• Successful service requires good electronic journal ‘stocks’ and join-up
13
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 13
Towards a dynamic model of user 
attitudes and behaviour
Perceived
Utility
Perceived
Barriers
Attitude
to use
‘Ready-to-Hand’
Service Features
Task:
as usual
Task:
search
and try
New Services Attitude
Use
Event
Current User
Practice
‘Ready-to-Hand’
Service Features
plus
incremental 
feature
2
breakdown
Unsuccessful
Successful
3
search
1
routine
4
try++ - -
14
September 05 Eason et al LWW6 14
Conclusions
• Methodology: to understand the user, start with the user
and their context 
• Attitudes and behaviour: positive attitudes help and
• Some users study new services systematically but…
• Current practice dominates: most users learn 
through ‘breakdowns’ and  incremental evaluation
• ‘Joined-up’ services need all the integrated services to be
effective for the user
• Attitudes become specific with usage and 
success/lack of success modifies attitudes and usage 
patterns in current practice


A 'Joined-Up' electronic journal service : User attitudes and behaviour

E-LIS

1September 05 Eason et al LWW6 1A ‘Joined-Up’ Electronic Journal Service:User Attitudes and BehaviourKen Eason1, Ross MacIntyre2 and Ann Apps21The Bayswater Institute, London2MIMAS, Manchester Computing, The University of ManchesterFunded by the Joint Information Systems Committee2September 05 Eason et al LWW6 2User Attitudes and User BehaviourThe Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)Davis (1993)ServiceOfferedPerceived ease of use(usability)Perceivedutility orusefulnessAttitude Towards UseActualSystem Use3September 05 Eason et al LWW6 3User Attitudes and User BehaviourThe Effect of Usage on Attitude ServiceOfferedPerceived ease of use(usability)Perceivedutility orusefulnessAttitude Towards UseActualSystem Use4September 05 Eason et al LWW6 4The Zetoc Service• Zetoc: web based Table of Contents service • Database of 25 million records of the British Library• Search facilities and an email alerting service• Hosted by MIMAS, Manchester University• Launched 2000• Free to UK Universities and Colleges (JISC)• Non-electronic delivery of full text articles e.g. ILLDiscover         Locate        Request         DeliverElectronic                            Non-electronic5September 05 Eason et al LWW6 5Usage of ZetocUsage Statistics:    May 2002• 13,000 alert users• 20,000 journal alerts• 40,000 searches per monthUser Attitudes• Easy to use way of keeping up-to-date• Want electronic ‘join up’- direct access to electronic full textElectronic Questionnaire655 responses, >100 institutionsUsage Patterns• Zetoc offered 22 features• 75% set journal alerts (av.13 journals)• 50% had searched the database• Very few used delivery services• 83% used 1 to 5 features (Passive Users)• 17% used 6 to 18 features (Active Integrators)6September 05 Eason et al LWW6 6Zetoc enhancementsDiscover      Locate        Request         DeliverDefault Litlink ResolverInstitution ResolverInstitution Meta-searching Portals2002 Zetoc as an OpenURL source7September 05 Eason et al LWW6 7Usage of OpenURLVersion of ZetocDiscover      Locate        Request         DeliverDefault Litlink ResolverInstitution ResolverInstitution Meta-searching Portals2002- 2005 Usage StatisticsSept 2002   2,317Mar 2005  46,229 Nov 2002        152 (4)Mar 2005   4,625 (42)Nov 2002    3,328Mar 2005    8,6818September 05 Eason et al LWW6 8Evaluation of the enhanced serviceQuestionnaire Survey: 196 respondentsAttitudes• Keep up-to-date with wide range of journals using Zetoc• Want electronic full text at the desktopEvaluation of OpenURL facilities • 118 (61%) had used them• 79 (67%) ‘better’; 34 (29%) ‘same’; 5 (4%) ‘worse’• 93% of users at ‘resolver’ universities said ‘better’• 81% of users at older, established universities said ‘better’• 53% of users at new universities without ‘resolvers’ said ‘same’ or ‘worse’9September 05 Eason et al LWW6 9User Strategies from Discovery to Delivery:An Interview StudyThe Story Behind the Statistics: Unstructured Interviews with 26 Zetoc UsersUniversityWith ResolverWithout ResolverTotalNo. No. ofUsersAverageZetoc score3361610267.65.96.910September 05 Eason et al LWW6 10User Strategies from Discovery to Delivery:Non-Electronic DeliveryStrategy 1 : Passive, Ad HocStrategy 2 : Passive, TraditionalDescription: Set Alerts: ‘haunted by them’:hope to follow-up sometime by any meansthat is known. Have not used Zetoc OpenURLsUsers and Context:Mostly faculty: all kinds of institutionsDescription: Organised current practice; setalerts and planned follow-up to locate printed versions. Known practice okay. Have not used Zetoc OpenURLsUsers and ContextFaculty and researchers mostly ininstitutions with limited electronic journals University Users zetoc scoreWith resolverWithout resolverTotal235 1.7University Users zetoc scoreWith resolverWithout resolverTotal134 6.51.81.77.06.111September 05 Eason et al LWW6 11User Strategies from Discovery to Delivery:Electronic DeliveryStrategy 3: Active,FragmentedStrategy 4: Active, IntegratedDescription:Using electronic delivery from other websites as well. Some unhappy experiences when Using ZetocOpenURLsUsers and Contexts:Research students and researchers in a range of institutionsDescription:Zetoc OpenURLs as first choice strategy toget electronic full textUsers:Research students and librarians in electronic journal rich institutions with resolversUniversity Users Zetoc scoreWith resolverWithout resolverTotal7411With resolverWithout resolverTotal606University Users Zetoc score10.06.57.55.510.0012September 05 Eason et al LWW6 12‘A joined-up service’Utility and BarriersUtility• Users wanted ‘seamless join-up’; full text ‘in a few clicks’• OpenURL technology provides a means to achieve it• Some users are achieving an excellent serviceBarrier One: The Dominance of Current Practice• The majority continue with current practice• Needs ‘breakdowns’ and individual ‘high benefit/low effort (cost)’ratio to change/ develop current practice Barrier Two: Institutional readiness and join-up• Successful service requires good electronic journal ‘stocks’ and join-up13September 05 Eason et al LWW6 13Towards a dynamic model of user attitudes and behaviourPerceivedUtilityPerceivedBarriersAttitudeto use‘Ready-to-Hand’Service FeaturesTask:as usualTask:searchand tryNew Services AttitudeUseEventCurrent UserPractice‘Ready-to-Hand’Service Featuresplusincremental feature2breakdownUnsuccessfulSuccessful3search1routine4try++ - -14September 05 Eason et al LWW6 14Conclusions• Methodology: to understand the user, start with the userand their context • Attitudes and behaviour: positive attitudes help and• Some users study new services systematically but…• Current practice dominates: most users learn through ‘breakdowns’ and  incremental evaluation• ‘Joined-up’ services need all the integrated services to beeffective for the user• Attitudes become specific with usage and success/lack of success modifies attitudes and usage patterns in current practice

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A 'Joined-Up' electronic journal service : User attitudes and behaviour

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