Information Management Practices in Chinese Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Study of Digital Transformation and User Engagement

Abstract

Digital library services gained immense significance during the pandemic as learning activities shifted to online platforms. However, the influence of these libraries persisted even after the pandemic ended. Very few studies have investigated the information management (IM) system of these libraries and their initiatives to boost user engagement. This study focuses on identifying the strategies used by digital libraries to engage with users and enhance their satisfaction. Adopting a qualitative research design, the data was collected through ten semi-structured interviews with IT staff members and system librarians from three digital academic libraries in China. The sample was identified with purposive sampling technique. The collected data was thematically analyzed to retrieve the underpinning themes. These themes explained the situation of contemporary digital libraries in China. The findings indicate that managing a large digital database can be challenging due to several security breach concerns. However, the IT staff of these libraries ensure regular system upgrades. Libraries also invite user feedback to strengthen their services. This study also presents some suggestions to provide better services to users. These suggestions include using a user-centric interface, providing personalized recommendations, partnering with academic institutes, and expanding the database.