What are current student perceptions on emerging technologies and what innovative services do they expect from your library? Why do some of the Web 2.0 services succeed while others do not work so well for your patrons? Here is one institution’s experience that may help many academic libraries to better understand their customers’ needs.

Published by the Association of College & Research Libraries, “Informing Innovation: Tracking Student Interest in Emerging Library Technologies at Ohio University” (PDF, 3.76MB)  is based on data from the 2008 Ohio University Libraries Student Technology Survey. The research report provides insight into how academic libraries should plan and implement technologies based on actual user needs, instead of following trends and assumptions without any investigation and research.

The report is presented in two parts: Part I includes a literature review of generational aspects of technology and student perspectives on libraries, and how Ohio University designed, implemented and analyzed its user assessment research project. Part II provides findings of the project, including participant demographics, students’ technology cultures and library use, and trends in technology receptivity.

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