Increasing circulation in elementary school libraries using e-book lending programs: An action research study.

摘要

Reading is integral to the academic success and personal fulfillment of students, and as such, is strongly emphasized in educational institutions worldwide. However, when considering the rate at which students accessed library materials in grades four, five and six at a rural elementary school in Pennsylvania, this research found a sharp decline. With this in mind, the purpose of this action research study was to implement an e-book lending program in this school to increase the rate at which students accessed reading material. The theoretical framework for this study includes elements of Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovations theory to explain the benefits of an initiative such as e-book lending. This dissertation addresses two research questions. First, is there a significant difference between the numbers of times fourth through sixth grade students access library material (e-books, books, or audio-visual materials) after the implementation of an e-reader lending program? Second, what are students' reactions to the e-reader lending program? To consider the first question, my alternative hypothesis states that the e-book lending program has changed the reading behavior of the students involved, while my null hypothesis states that the reading behavior of the students involved is unchanged. The methodology for this research is twofold. In the first part, students were made aware of the e-book lending program and chose whether or not to use e-readers to view e-book material for a period of six weeks, after which a test was performed to determine whether or not reading at the school increased. In the second part, students were interviewed individually to gauge their feelings about the program. The students' comments were then analyzed qualitatively. Considering the results of this research, it is likely that similar initiatives to the e-book lending program would be successful in other educational settings.