Muhammad Safdar, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Ammara Yousaf, Murtaza Ashiq
{"title":"A systematic literature review on the use of mobile phones to access library services and resources: challenges and benefits","authors":"Muhammad Safdar, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Ammara Yousaf, Murtaza Ashiq","doi":"10.1108/gkmc-04-2023-0122","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This paper is a systematic review that aims to collect and review studies on library users’ smartphone use to access library services and resources. Another objective of the systematic review is to identify the challenges and benefits (reported in the reviewed literature) regarding using smartphones to access library resources and services. Design/methodology/approach The researchers searched the relevant literature from four databases: Scopus, Library and Information Science Technology Abstracts, Web of Science and Google Scholar. A total of 20 studies were selected, out of the 2,416 retrieved titles, for review in light of the PRISMA guidelines. This systematic review also used the quality assessment guidelines of Boynton and Greenhalgh (2004), to analyze the quality of the publications reviewed in the study. Findings The results highlighted that library users used smartphones to access a wide range of library services, including directions help, fresh arrivals, library news notifications, room and course reservations, library account management, circulation and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). The libraries offered their users multiple mobile-supported services related to searching for resources and account management. The challenges, as well as the benefits associated with the use of smartphones for accessing and using library services, have also been reported. Most reviewed studies scored high (9–13 out of 13) in the quality assessment. Research limitations/implications This research has some limitations. First, only the English-language research studies were included in the review. Therefore, it is possible that a significant study conducted in a language other than English was missed. Second, researchers performed a comprehensive search to collect the maximum number of relevant studies; there is a chance that an important study was missed during the search and retrieval process. Practical implications This research fills the research gap by advancing the literature on mobile device use for accessing library services and resources. The findings might help library professionals understand the current trends in accessing library services through smartphones. This also helps them plan the latest mobile-supported library services to meet the ever-changing demands of library users. Policymakers could also benefit from this research, as it could help them understand current trends in library services and facilitate them in making appropriate policies, funding allocations and implementing mobile services in libraries. Social implications The researchers found that the use of mobile phones to access library services and resources impacts society in a discernible way. It provides a rich environment as users access a wide range of library services, including directions help, fresh arrivals, library news notifications, room and course reservations, library account management, circulation and the OPAC without any hindrances or hurdles. Originality/value This is the first review, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, that has systematically collected and reviewed the literature on the topic under study. This study also shares the theoretical and practical implications of the research and future research directions for researchers.","PeriodicalId":43718,"journal":{"name":"Global Knowledge Memory and Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2023-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Global Knowledge Memory and Communication","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/gkmc-04-2023-0122","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose This paper is a systematic review that aims to collect and review studies on library users’ smartphone use to access library services and resources. Another objective of the systematic review is to identify the challenges and benefits (reported in the reviewed literature) regarding using smartphones to access library resources and services. Design/methodology/approach The researchers searched the relevant literature from four databases: Scopus, Library and Information Science Technology Abstracts, Web of Science and Google Scholar. A total of 20 studies were selected, out of the 2,416 retrieved titles, for review in light of the PRISMA guidelines. This systematic review also used the quality assessment guidelines of Boynton and Greenhalgh (2004), to analyze the quality of the publications reviewed in the study. Findings The results highlighted that library users used smartphones to access a wide range of library services, including directions help, fresh arrivals, library news notifications, room and course reservations, library account management, circulation and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). The libraries offered their users multiple mobile-supported services related to searching for resources and account management. The challenges, as well as the benefits associated with the use of smartphones for accessing and using library services, have also been reported. Most reviewed studies scored high (9–13 out of 13) in the quality assessment. Research limitations/implications This research has some limitations. First, only the English-language research studies were included in the review. Therefore, it is possible that a significant study conducted in a language other than English was missed. Second, researchers performed a comprehensive search to collect the maximum number of relevant studies; there is a chance that an important study was missed during the search and retrieval process. Practical implications This research fills the research gap by advancing the literature on mobile device use for accessing library services and resources. The findings might help library professionals understand the current trends in accessing library services through smartphones. This also helps them plan the latest mobile-supported library services to meet the ever-changing demands of library users. Policymakers could also benefit from this research, as it could help them understand current trends in library services and facilitate them in making appropriate policies, funding allocations and implementing mobile services in libraries. Social implications The researchers found that the use of mobile phones to access library services and resources impacts society in a discernible way. It provides a rich environment as users access a wide range of library services, including directions help, fresh arrivals, library news notifications, room and course reservations, library account management, circulation and the OPAC without any hindrances or hurdles. Originality/value This is the first review, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, that has systematically collected and reviewed the literature on the topic under study. This study also shares the theoretical and practical implications of the research and future research directions for researchers.
本文是一篇系统综述,旨在收集和回顾图书馆用户使用智能手机获取图书馆服务和资源的研究。系统评价的另一个目标是确定使用智能手机访问图书馆资源和服务的挑战和好处(在评论文献中报道)。研究人员从四个数据库中检索了相关文献:Scopus、Library and Information Science Technology Abstracts、Web of Science和Google Scholar。从检索到的2416篇论文中,总共选择了20篇研究,根据PRISMA指南进行审查。本系统综述还使用了Boynton和Greenhalgh(2004)的质量评估指南来分析本研究中综述的出版物的质量。调查结果强调,图书馆用户使用智能手机访问广泛的图书馆服务,包括指路帮助、新来者、图书馆新闻通知、房间和课程预订、图书馆帐户管理、流通和在线公共访问目录(OPAC)。图书馆为用户提供了多种与资源搜索和帐户管理相关的移动支持服务。此外,还报告了使用智能手机获取和使用图书馆服务所带来的挑战和好处。大多数回顾的研究在质量评估中得分很高(9-13分)。这项研究有一些局限性。首先,只有英语研究被纳入综述。因此,有可能错过了用英语以外的语言进行的重要研究。其次,研究人员进行了全面的搜索,以收集最大数量的相关研究;在搜索和检索过程中有可能错过重要的研究。本研究通过推进移动设备用于获取图书馆服务和资源的文献,填补了研究空白。这些发现可能有助于图书馆专业人员了解通过智能手机访问图书馆服务的当前趋势。这也有助于他们规划最新的移动支持图书馆服务,以满足图书馆用户不断变化的需求。政策制定者也可以从这项研究中受益,因为它可以帮助他们了解图书馆服务的当前趋势,并促进他们制定适当的政策、资金分配和在图书馆实施移动服务。研究人员发现,使用手机访问图书馆服务和资源对社会的影响是显而易见的。它提供了一个丰富的环境,让用户可以无障碍地访问广泛的图书馆服务,包括指路帮助、新访客、图书馆新闻通知、房间和课程预订、图书馆帐户管理、流通和OPAC。据作者所知,这是第一次系统地收集和审查有关研究主题的文献。本研究还分享了研究的理论和实践意义以及未来的研究方向。