| The researcher identified 37 independent variables to study their effect on the two dependent variables, the acquisition of videodiscs and the functions for which videodisc programs were acquired. The literature of the applications of videodisc technology in libraries, museums, education and industry, as well as related issues concerning interactive video, were presented in Chapter 2. Using the diffusion of innovation theory of Everett Rogers as a guide, the researcher constructed a questionnaire. Valid responses total led 462 from management of all types of academic libraries and from special libraries other than non-academic law, military, veterans' hospital, and church libraries.;The researcher used Pearson correlations, nonparametric, and chi-square tests to analyze the data.;The following conclusions were made from the results: there were significant correlations between having videodiscs and perceptions of greater benefits than costs, appropriateness of videodisc programs for libraries' objectives or curricula, seeing videodiscs as an enhancement of an existing library technology, collection of videocassettes, and ability to raise funds from slack resources. The size of the libraries' materials and equipment budgets had some significance, but it was not consistently significant, as it was for the above-mentioned factors, at the p ;Of the 462 respondents, 86 libraries had collected videodiscs. Fifty percent of libraries collecting videodiscs started from 1989-1991, indicating growth of use of videodiscs in academic and special libraries may continue. There is interest among respondents in digital multimedia, since approximately 53 percent said they would purchase a digital multimedia computer system for the library over the next two years. |
