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ERIC Number: ED329273
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1989-May
Pages: 23
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Survey of Users' Reactions to the Local Area Network in the Library School at the University of North Texas. A Research Study.
Brazile, Orella Ramsey
Research analyzing users' reactions to the implementation of automation and computer technology in the industrial and business fields indicates that users will respond more positively to these new technologies if they are adequately trained beforehand. To measure response in the academic sector, users' reactions to the local area network (LAN) in the library school at the University of North Texas were surveyed. The instrument was distributed to 17 faculty and staff members (with a response rate of 65%) and to 20 students enrolled in a class on automation (6 students returned the survey in time to be counted). The survey instrument sought general information about the survey participants; their involvement in the initial planning of the LAN (a majority of the faculty and staff were initially involved in the project); and frequency of LAN use. It also sought to determine whether there was adequate staffing of LAN, and if the LAN programs were meeting user needs and increasing their productivity, and requested suggestions for future use. It was learned that, while participants initially experienced feelings of apprehension and confusion, their overall responses were positive. A majority of the respondents indicated that they would devote more resources to the LAN; however, the participants expressed desires for more LAN accessibility, an in-house user manual, greater technical staff availability to solve user problems, and less down time. Two graphs demonstrate LAN usage from the time of its initial start-up, and a chart records the names of the LAN's most frequent users and the time they spent on LAN. (9 references) (MAB)
Publication Type: Information Analyses; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A