Identifying the Factors Affecting and Presenting a Proposed Pattern for Users' Unplanned Behavior in the Use of Academic Library Resources and Services: A Mixed Study

 One of the important issues in the scope of user behavior in libraries is users' unplanned behavior, which can play a decisive role in developing the use of resources and services or in increasing the culture of using libraries within communities. Therefore, the present study aimed at identifying the factors affecting the unplanned behavior of library users in using the resources and services of academic libraries and presenting a proposed pattern.

 The present research was applied in terms of purpose that was conducted based on a quantitative-qualitative approach using the grounded theory at the qualitative part and survey-analytical method at the quantitative part. The data collection tool for the qualitative part was a deep and semi-structured interview and for the quantitative part, it was a researcher-made questionnaire. The research population at the qualitative part included the faculty members and experts in three fields of knowledge and information science, management, and psychology. 12 subjects were selected as the sample by combined purposeful sampling (first purposeful and then snowball). The research population at the quantitative part included the student members of the central libraries of the universities Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Shahid Chamran of Ahvaz, Tehran, Tabriz and Shiraz. The sample size was 600 people. Analyzing and coding interview data were performed with using MAXQDA 10 qualitative analysis software. At the quantitative part, the structural equation method and LISREL software were used to analyze the data.

 Based on the findings of the qualitative part, the factors related to technology, environment, information resources, information services, human resources, individual characteristics, time position, cultural factors and social factors were identified as the factors affecting the unplanned behavior of users in using the resources and services of academic libraries. Accordingly, the operational model of this type of behavior was designed. Based on the operational model, the results of the quantitative part showed that environmental and technological factors affect the unplanned behavior of users in using the resources and services of academic libraries through the time position factor, while cultural and social factors affect this through the individual characteristics of users. Information resources, information services and human resources had no significant effect on the incidence of unplanned behaviors in the use of library resources and services. Finally, the proposed pattern of factors affecting the unplanned behavior of users in using the resources and services of academic libraries was designed based on the results of quantitative and qualitative research part.

 According to the findings of the research, it seems that in order to optimize the use of resources and services, attract audiences and increase the level of awareness and information of users, academic libraries should pay special attention to the effective factors in the unplanned behavior of users in using libraries resources and services.