On-Premises Library versus Google-like Information Gateway Usage Patterns: A LibQUAL+® Study

Using LibQUAL+® data provided by 295,355 of the participants who completed the LibQUAL+® survey in 2003, 2004, and 2005, the present study was conducted to address three research questions. First, what differences, if any, have occurred across time in the use by (a) undergraduates, (b) graduate students/postgraduates, and (c) faculty of on-premises library information resources versus non-library information gateways such as Google? Second, what differences, if any, have occurred across international regions in the use by (a) undergraduates, (b) graduate students/postgraduates, and (c) faculty of on-premises library information resources versus non-library information gateways such as Google? Third, what differences, if any, are there in perceptions of library service quality across four user types ("Nonusers," "Traditionalists," "Web Techies," and "Voracious Users") reflecting different on-premises and Internet gateway usage frequencies? The results shed light on information use trends and patterns around the world.