The adoption and implementation of online public access catalogs in the North Carolina community college system

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) To identify the critical factors in the adoption process of online public access catalogs (OPACs) in selected community college libraries in North Carolina, and (2) To test the initiation and implementation events against Rogers' established model of implementation diffusion. The research operated initially within a diffusion of innovation framework.; The methodology employed a purposeful case study of five college libraries, with on-site and telephone interviews and document analysis.; Research results indicated that in the adoption decision process, organizational factors such as leadership and administrative support were critical. Innovation factors such as relative advantage, cost, and compatibility were also important.; Implementation of the OPACs was a process of phases that overlapped and often repeated themselves. Innovation, personal, organizational, and environmental factors influenced adaptations and modifications in the phases. This study suggests that mutual adaptation as a model of innovation implementation is more suitable than Rogers' stage model.