Rural Public Libraries and the Internet: A Study of Library Personnel

and Technological Change

Research Proposal

Al Bakri Mohammad

Statement of the Problem:

Studies of the effects and changes brought by Internet access in public libraries are relatively
recent, since the widespread public use of the Internet itself is a new phenomenon. What research
has been conducted on libraries has taken place primarily in urban rather than rural areas, and
has largely focused on library patrons rather than staff, or on the costs of equipment and
connection. The purpose of this proposed research is to provide a preliminary study and possible
theory as to possible effects of Internet provision in rural public libraries, and the response of
rural library staff to the introduction of Internet technology.

As an instrument of information dissemination, the various components of the Internet have the
potential to allow rapid global communication between individuals and between groups. The
Internet, as a communications medium, allows the transmission of text, images, and sounds from
any compatible computer to another, in almost any language and at almost the speed of light.
This unprecedented method of communication has the potential to allow Internet users around
the world to exchange ideas and to gain access to extensive databases of information on an
almost unlimited number of subjects, without regard to geographic location. This
communication, however, is dependent on access to Internet-compatible computer equipment,
which may be beyond the economic abilities of many individuals. This potential inequity of
access has been the subject of debate both in and outside the United States. Discussion in the
U.S. has included not only what information should be available via the Internet, but also what
social agencies should be assigned to provide access to the public at large. Public schools and
libraries have been identified as logical providers, with legislation currently under consideration
which would subsidize the cost of Internet provision by these institutions (Merrill, 1998). While
this legislation is controversial and unlikely to be enacted without extensive revision (Ferranti,
1998), there is a strong likelihood that federal subsidies will become available for Internet
provision in public libraries in the near future. This will reduce the cost of connection to Internet
service providers, significantly decreasing the expense of providing public Internet access. With
funding of less importance than previously, there should be a corresponding increase in research
centering on use of the technology rather than its cost.

Purpose of the Study:

In 1997 it was estimated that 72.3% of public libraries in the United States had Internet
connectivity at some level (Bertot and McClure, 1998, p 176). Studies focusing on the
implications of this new technology have primarily been directed at metropolitan libraries rather
than small libraries serving rural populations. Of those studies evaluating Internet access in rural
libraries, most have focused on cost and funding rather than assessing the usefulness of the
Internet to library staff, either in their professional lives or in their ability to perform their jobs.
The purpose of this proposed research is to determine what impact, if any, Internet provision has
on the professional lives and activities of the library staff. Specifically, this study hopes to create
a representation of how rural librarians see the new technology, and what changes, if any, it
brings to their professional development and performance of library services.

Questions:

Introducing technological innovation can have a variety of effects on the function of an

organization. The possible impact of Internet provision in public libraries is unpredictable, so for
the purpose of this study, a list of possible questions which address specific library services and
possible professional activities have been identified. While the librarians will be encouraged to
add any observations or insights they feel are relevant, the following questions address some
basic library functions and behavior of the librarians which may be affected by the introduction
of the Internet.

• Does the staff feel that Internet provision by the library has an effect on the efficiency of
library services, such as interlibrary loan or reference?
• Does access to the Internet provide any new opportunities or difficulties for the library
staff themselves? If so, what and how?
• Is the technology felt to be helpful, a hindrance, or largely insignificant? If helpful or a
nuisance, why?
• Has there been any change in the communication and interactivity with local educators
and school programs?
• Does Internet access assist them in performing their jobs? If so, how?

Additionally, in the initial interviews with library staff, the researcher will inquire what
expectations or attitudes they may have towards the Internet itself, and how they predict it may
assist or hinder them in performance of their duties. These questions will be open-ended and the
interviewer will encourage respondents to expand upon their answers as they see fit. Some of
these questions will include:

• What is your general impression of the Internet? What information do you believe it
contains or does not contain?
• Are you aware of any professional services which would be available to you via the
Internet? If so, can you elaborate?
• Do you feel that Internet provision will cause any problems for you, other than those
related to funding?
• Do you expect that access to the Internet will be personally beneficial to you? To the
library as a whole? Why, or why not?
At the conclusion of the study, these initial expectations will be revisited and compared with the
impressions of the staff after several months of actual experience with Internet computers in their
library, in hopes of allowing comparison of these questions to serve as "bookends" for the final
report.

Definitions:

For the purpose of this study, librarians and library staff may be used interchangeably, although
the head librarian is degreed and her volunteer support staff is not. Internet will refer to specified
electronic services; namely, Web pages and Websites, the World Wide Web, search engines,
Electronic mail (e-mail), electronic discussion groups (listservs), and USENET. As defined by
Microsoft Press� Computer Dictionary (1997), these are:

• Webpage simply refers to "a document on the World Wide Web" (Computer Dictionary,
506). Several related Webpages create a Website.
• A Website is "a group of related...documents and associated files, scripts and databases"
(Ibid, 506). These are generally on related subject matter, but may cover any variety of
topics. Most sites are navigated from a starting, or "home" page, which is linked to other
pages within the Website. Other links may lead to related Websites on the World Wide
Web. Websites may include text, images, sounds, or other applications, and may cover
any variety of subjects.
• As its name implies, the World Wide Web refers to the collection of Websites which
originate from individual computers around the world. Components of the World Wide
Web include all applications associated with individual Websites, such as images, sounds
and text. Topics are virtually unlimited, although the ease and speed of creating new
Websites ensures that the content of the World Wide Web changes on a daily basis.
• A search engine is a type of Internet application, accessed from a Website, which allows
computer users to search for information on specific subjects by searching "for key words
in documents or in a database" (Ibid, 424). Search engines are used to research specific
topics by matching words or phrases to titles or content within Websites, USENET or
listservs.
• Electronic mail (e-mail) is "the exchange of text messages and computer files over a
communications network" (Ibid, 173). These exchanges are direct communication
between computer users, generally from one individual to another, but may also be
messages directed from one user to a group or from a group to a single user, as in the case
of listservs.
• A listserv or electronic mailing list refers to an e-mail discussion group, wherein a group
of subscribers may communicate via e-mail on a specific topic. This is accomplished by
specific software, which allows a user to send a message "to the machine where the
mailing list resides, and that machine automatically sends the message to all the addresses
on the list" (Ibid, 296). Listservs are generally smaller and more focused than USENET
newsgroups, and can facilitate prompt communication between members. Listserv topics
are widely varied, with a large number available in areas specific to library work such as
interlibrary loan or reference.
• USENET is "a worldwide network...composed of thousands of newsgroups, each devoted
to a particular topic. Users can post messages and read messages from others in these
 newsgroups..." (Ibid, 488). There are over 50,000 newsgroups currently available,
dedicated to a wide range of topics. Some are professionally oriented, others academic,
scientific, or devoted to entertainment.

Limitations of the Study:

Since this proposed study will focus on one geographically isolated public library in a relatively
unpopulated area, the ability to apply its findings across a broad spectrum of rural libraries across
the United States will be limited. Rural libraries in the United States possess many common
characteristics, but differences in ethnic composition, climate or proximity to large cities and
educational centers make each area unique. The study will also not be completely applicable to
rural libraries in countries outside the United States, where differing political regimes or legal
information policies will affect the provision of information by public agencies.

Significance of the Study:

Rural public libraries possess unique problems regarding Internet access. Geographic isolation
has historically presented difficulties in rural telecommunications; distance creates greater
expense in construction of basic telecommunications infrastructure than in more densely
populated areas. Installing telephone lines proved cost-prohibitive earlier in this century and
required government subsidy to allow basic telephony in rural areas. These costs remain a factor
in providing Internet access to rural areas, especially when addressing the installation of
fiberoptic cables rather than telephone wires. Rural areas also face the problem of turning to
Internet service providers outside of their community, since most small towns do not have the
number of providers available in larger areas. When this is the situation, connection to the
Internet may involve long-distance telephone charges; a condition which is generally not a
problem in urban areas.

Of the percentage of unconnected libraries in the United States, the majority are small and rural
(Schneider, 1998, p 96). These libraries face problems of obtaining funding for computers and
connectivity, when budgets are often already strained. When attempting to justify the expenditure
for computers and Internet provision, library personnel may be faced with questions of why
Internet access is important to library function. Previous studies have primarily concentrated on
equipment and connection costs, filtering and other policy issues, and patterns of patron usage.
This study hopes to investigate what changes, if any, in traditional library services and
professional development of the staff result from the implementation of public Internet access
and how rural librarians view these changes.

Literature Review:

While Internet access through public libraries has become an increasing topic of study
worldwide, relatively little research has centered exclusively on rural librarians. There have,
however, been several research projects that included an evaluation of Internet access in rural
settings.
In 1995 New York State provided funds to facilitate Internet access to three rural libraries
(Garofalo, 1995). This project concentrated on long-distance costs, and presented a "Users
Group" method of improving search strategies to minimize time spent online. The report
concluded that library users were generally pleased with access, but the report did not
specifically address the concerns of the librarians themselves. A similar project in Oregon also
focused on cost and equipment issues, but did include the library staff in its assessment
(Middleton and Cross, 1998). Among their findings was the statement that "Library staff who
were once isolated by geographical distances are now just nanoseconds away from each other via
the Internet" (Middleton and Cross, 1998, p 61). The ability to communicate quickly across long
distance is a significant issue for rural librarians, since their physical isolation is often a limiting
factor in most traditional forms of communications. As with other studies, however, this point
was less emphasized than were telecommunications and equipment costs. A similar study of
Internet connectivity in Kalona, Iowa also emphasized costs and potential funding sources, with
little attention given to the role of electronic information to library services. (Nelson, 1998).
While this research is vitally important in assessing the potential costs of providing Internet
connectivity to geographically isolated libraries, cost is only one aspect of Internet access. In late
1998, with computer equipment prices dropping and proposed legislation to subsidize long
distance costs for public schools and libraries, concerns about cost may be of less importance
than when these studies were conducted.

A comprehensive study of the Pennsylvania Public Library System in 1996-97 included a large
number of rural libraries, as well as those in the larger cities. Acknowledging that rural libraries
enjoyed a significantly lower percentage of connectivity nationwide, the OnLine at PA Libraries
project sought to connect a majority of Pennsylvania libraries to the Internet, and to evaluate the
effects of public access (Bertot and McClure, 1997). This project emphasized usage by library
patrons more than staff, but included some analysis of staff reaction to the technology. This
project, as well as those cited elsewhere, indicates a relatively high rate of patron satisfaction
with information gained through Internet activity, but does not give specific information on how
the librarians utilized the technology.

A study of Internet provision conducted in Scotland in the Fall of 1996 included a number of
rural libraries. While this study, again, focused primarily on library patrons rather than staff, the
librarians were surveyed as to what aspects of Internet access were of greatest use to them. Most
reported reference as their most common application (Newton, MacLennan and Clark, 1998), but
the responses of rural and urban librarians were not distinguished from one another. Instead, this
was a broad study of how the Internet is used in public libraries across Scotland, with emphasis
on patrons rather than staff.

The 1994 Project GAIN (Global Access Information Network) is among the most ambitious
studies of rural Internet access. Funds were obtained to purchase computer equipment and to
provide connectivity for five rural libraries and one Reservation school library in New York State
for a limited period of time. GAIN researchers gathered information on library patrons, cost
effectiveness, benefits to the business community and to educational facilities. Among the
project�s goals were to ascertain the value of networked information to rural libraries, and to
identify factors necessary to maintaining a library network. Professional development of the
participating librarians was addressed, and findings indicated that the librarians improved their
success rate in answering reference questions, and decreased the number of referrals to larger
libraries (McClure, Babcock, Nelson, Polly and Kankus, 1994). This information is significant
inasmuch as most rural libraries lack the resources of their urban counterparts; a basic
assumption in advocating Internet connections for rural branches is that it will facilitate access to
a wider information base.

This review is not a comprehensive account of all the studies which have been conducted on the
subject of Internet service in public libraries. It is, however, an indication of how little research
has focused exclusively on rural libraries serving small populations, and how few studies have
been centered on patterns of Internet use by the library staff themselves.

Procedures for the Study:

This study will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods. The primary technique will
be Case Study, with an emphasis on the personal observations of the head librarian and her staff,
and will include some measurement and statistical analysis of reference and interlibrary loan
services. The focus will be on interviews with and reports by the library staff several months
before and several months after Internet-ready computers are installed in the library, and their
impressions of their usefulness to the library staff.

Case Study: (Hypothetical)

A small library in West Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border, was chosen as the subject for this
study. It is not yet connected to the Internet, but has received a grant from the
Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIF), a Texas state agency which, among its
other goals, is dedicated to facilitating Internet access in rural schools and libraries. This grant
will allow the purchase of computer equipment and telephone connectivity for the library
beginning next year.

The library serves a community of approximately 5,000, most of whom live outside the
township. The area is geographically relatively isolated, with the next town almost 40 miles
away, and is approximately 180 miles from El Paso, the largest city in proximity. The primary
economic activity is cattle ranching, and the area has a relatively low percentage of private
Internet access. The library itself is administered by one full-time MLS librarian with a support
staff of four part-time volunteers. This site has been selected since it serves as the primary
information resource for its community, and is the most likely source of public Internet access.

The study will ideally begin several months before the library acquires Internet-ready computers
and connectivity. A contract will be negotiated with all members of the staff, which will
expressly stipulate that the final written report of the study must be approved by all involved
parties prior to publication of this research. This contract will ensure that the report will not
reflect unfavorably on the library or its community, and aims to facilitate an atmosphere of trust
and cooperation between the researcher and library staff from the outset of the study.

The library staff will be asked to provide initial observations on their own familiarity with the
Internet and its components, and any training that is provided to them. Reports will be requested
concerning what programs, if any, are implemented to increase community awareness of the
library�s Internet access. If any formal training sessions are scheduled to assist patrons in
gaining familiarity with the equipment and its use, outlines of the curriculum and frequency of
such sessions will be requested.

In addition to gathering information about the library staff and their familiarity with the Internet,
the researcher will also gather information about the town and its surrounding area. This will
include demographic information about the citizens, the history of the area, and any other data
which will assist in constructing a holistic "portrait" of the library and the community it serves.
This information may be gained from print sources, interviews with local citizens and
educational personnel, local archives, or other sources which may prove useful.

In the four to six months following the library�s connection to the Internet, the study will focus
on its usefulness to library staff. The librarians will be asked to report on their involvement with
Internet applications. Most questions will be open-ended, and are designed to allow narrative,
naturalistic responses rather than yes or no answers. Specific questions addressing use by the
library staff will include:

• Does the staff subscribe to or make use of any library-oriented listservs or USENET
newsgroups such as those specifically relating to reference or interlibrary loan? If so,
does the staff feel that these groups are generally useful? In what way?
• Is communication to other libraries and services, such as booksellers, via e-mail felt to be
more or less efficient than via telephone or mail? Why?
• Does the staff feel that Internet connection allows them greater participation in
workshops, discussions, or other aspects of the Library Science field which might
otherwise be limited by geographic isolation or budget limitations?
• Is any form of information sharing, such as access to online databases at the University of
Texas, available to the library via the Internet? If so, does the staff find this useful?
• What, if any, plans do the librarians have to create a Website for their library or their
community? If a Website is planned or under construction, how do the librarians envision
it? Will it focus primarily on the library itself, or include information about the
community as well?
• If "acceptable use" policies or filtering used by the library, does enforcement present any
significant problem to the staff?
• Does the staff notice any pattern of Internet use by specific patron groups, such as young
adults?
• What is the staff�s overall impression of community attitude toward the library�s
provision of Internet access?

These questions do not comprehensively address all aspects of library function; they are intended
to touch on various services and possible professional uses for Internet access by the librarians.
The library staff will be encouraged to add to this list, and contribute any observations they feel
are important, and elaborate on any specific questions or points they may feel are important.

At the conclusion of the study, the researcher will conduct final interviews with each staff
member. The librarians will be asked to assess their overall impressions of how Internet
provision has been integrated with the functions of the library, and whether they feel that the
technology has been of use to them. As the data is analyzed and distilled into the final stages of
this research, the library staff will be given access to all reports. Publication will not take place
without the written approval of all study participants, per the contract negotiated at the outset of
the research.

Quantitative methods:

In the three or four months prior to the installation of Internet equipment, the library staff will be
asked to keep records of specific library services. These will include: the number of reference
questions answered weekly and the nature of these questions, the number and type of interlibrary
loan materials (e.g. books, journals), and circulation of reference materials. Additional
information concerning the length of time to send or receive loan materials and to research
reference questions will also be requested. Since most of this information is already being
gathered for use by the Texas State Library, it is hoped that no additional burden will be imposed
on the library staff.

The staff will be asked to continue maintaining these records following the installation of
Internet-ready computers and software. In addition, they will be asked to provide information
specific to the Internet. Questions will include:

• What number of reference questions were answered by the staff using the World Wide
Web, USENET, listservs or e-mail as primary research sources?
• Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of research questions asked of the
staff?
• Has there been a change in the number of research questions which are referred to other
agencies for answer, or which may be answered by the staff?
• Has there been any change in the speed of interlibrary loans?
• Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of items requested through
interlibrary loan?
• Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of items provided to other libraries
via loan?
• Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of items in the general collection
being circulated which may not be attributable to seasonal influences such as school
assignments?
• Approximately how much time per week (hours) is spent in assisting or instructing
patrons with use of Internet equipment?
• How often, if at all, is maintenance or repair required for the physical equipment? Is
equipment unavailable for periods of time exceeding 24 hours? What is the approximate
length of time from reporting an equipment problem to time of repair?

It is hoped that data concerning reference and interlibrary loan will be available from the
previous year, to allow comparison not only before and after installation of Internet-ready
computers, but to also allow for other factors affecting library services. These include time of
year, proximity to state or national elections, and whether area schools are in session or
approaching final examinations.
Role of Researcher:

The role of the researcher in this study is to collect and evaluate data provided by the library
staff. The purpose of the study is to determine what effects, positive or negative, Internet
provision has on the efficiency of the library�s services. The researcher will analyze and
prepare statistical data on services such as numbers of research questions answered via electronic
means. The primary focus of the report, however, will be on allowing the reports of the library
staff to describe the effects of Internet access. Analysis of their observations will form the
majority of the final report. The researcher will maintain contact with participants throughout the
study, but will not be physically present for most of the duration of the study.

Data Collection and Analysis:

This study is constructed to offer a minimal burden to the participants. Most information will be
collected in the form of personal interviews with library staff. These will be conducted at regular
intervals over six to eight months, before and after Internet access is established. Additionally,
brief reports from the library staff will be kept in journal form, and forwarded to the researcher at
approximately one-month intervals. These journal entries will not be confined to any particular
subject; rather, they are intended to allow the study participants to note any impressions,
problems, unexpected situations or other observations regarding their experiences with the
Internet. If possible, interviews with area teachers will also be conducted to gain their
observations on whether Internet provision in the library has been beneficial to the schools.
Where applicable, statistical analysis of changes in services such as reference and interlibrary
loans will be conducted with appropriate software, and integrated into the final report.

In a study of this type, analysis of the collected data is necessarily subjective. The aim of the
research is to allow the reports of the study participants to construct the final report, subject to
interpretation by the researcher. Analysis of interviews and journal entries will therefore focus on
searching for weighted words which imply judgment on the part of the participants. These may
include terms such as "helpful," "problem," "useful" or "not useful," "discover," or similar
phrases which might indicate feelings or emotions connected with Internet use. In addition, the
interview transcripts and journals will be searched for specific instances where the librarians may
have found Internet applications of personal use. These might include participation in listservs or
USENET discussion groups, communications with colleagues via e-mail, or access to
professional conferences via Internet-based programs. Since these situations are unique to
Internet use they would be of particular interest, as this research includes the professional
development of library staff.

After analyzing the reports and identifying "loaded" words, a simple matrix will be constructed
for each of the study participants. Words and phrases will be classified as "positive," "negative,"
or "indifferent" and entered accordingly. These matrices will be included in preliminary reports
for each staff member, and will be correlated with transcripts of noteworthy experiences,
problems or accounts. While a report of this kind will not be limited to classifying staff
experience with the Internet as exclusively "good" or "bad," the coding will assist in creating an
overall impression of how Internet provision has affected the staff. Additionally, statistical
analyses of measured changes in some library services such as reference or interlibrary loan will
be incorporated into the report and matched with staff reports concerning these services. These
analyses will be compared with staff impressions, to examine whether there is any significant
difference between them.

At the conclusion of the report, the first and last staff interviews will be compared, contrasting
their initial expectations of the Internet with their actual experiences and feelings after several
months of connectivity. This section will, as with the majority of the report, be primarily
narrative in form and include transcripts of actual quotes by staff members. Comparisons will be
made of their initial expectations, actual experiences, and concluding remarks as to the
usefulness of the service to fulfillment of library duties, occurrence of problems, and applications
to personal and professional development. Combined with analyses of the staff�s ongoing
impressions of the Internet and its applications and the statistical data concerning specific
services, it is hoped that this report will create a potential theory of what effects, if any, the
introduction of Internet provision may have on libraries of this type.

As agreed in the initial contract between the researcher and the library, the final report will be
forwarded to the staff for their approval prior to publication, both to fulfill the terms of the
contract and to minimize the possibility of bias in analysis and reporting by the researcher.

Contribution to the Field:

The Internet is a potentially valuable, if currently chaotic, tool for organizing and providing
information to a global audience. Its inclusion in library services is increasing, especially in
previously unconnected rural areas. To date, studies in both the United States and Europe which
attempt to evaluate the impact of Internet provision in the public library setting have not
addressed issues exclusive to rural or geographically isolated libraries, or the concerns of the
staff of these libraries. The emphasis of most research has also largely centered on evaluation of
patrons� use and satisfaction, with less attention given to the effects of Internet provision on
librarians and library staff. This study aims to provide a preliminary understanding of how
connection to an International medium may affect the ability of small community libraries to
provide improved service to their patrons, and to aid in the professional development of the
library staff themselves.

Works Cited

Bertot, John Carlo and McClure, Charles R. (1997, December). Impacts of public access to the
Internet through Pennsylvania Public Libraries. Information Technology & Libraries, 16(4), 151-
164.

Bertot, John Carlo and McClure, Charles R. (1998, May/June). Measuring electronic services in
public libraries: Issues and recommendations. Public Libraries, 37(3), 176-80.
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initiative. Infoworld, 20(25), 50.

Garofalo, Denise A. (1995, March). Rural public libraries� use of the Internet: assistance or
aggravation? Computers in Libraries, 15(3), 61-4.

McClure, Charles R., Babcock, Waldo C., Nelson, Karen A., Polly, Jean Armour, and Kankus,
Stephen R. (1994). The Project GAIN Report: Connecting rural libraries to the Internet. [On-
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Libraries

Computer Dictionary (Third Edition). (1997). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press.

Merrill, Kevin. (1998, May 18). Computer Reseller News, 789, 113-4.

Middleton, Cheryl, and Cross, Judy. Connecting rural Oregon libraries to the Internet; or, "Will it
fit in my car?" (1998, January/February). Public Libraries, 37(1), 58-61.

Nelson, Kristina L. A challenge: technology and the Kalona Public Library. (1998). Rural
Libraries, 18(1), 7-22.

Newton, Robert, MacLennan, Alan and Clark, J.D. Public libraries on the Internet. (1998,
January/February). Public Library Journal, 13(1), 2-7.

Schneider, Karen G. (1998, May). Internet Librarian: Notes from a Forty-Percenter, American
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Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board [On-line].

Available: http://www.tifb.state.tx.us/masterplan/masterpln-table.htm