Study of Users’ Differences of Needs for University Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Services: From a Perspective of Research Lifecycle

Abstract: [Objective] This study focuses on the differences of needs of users with different research roles and from a variety of disciplines for digital scholarship services (DSS).
[Methods] This study built a university library DSS framework covering all stages of research lifecycle based on the literature analysis. By using the framework, this study designed a questionnaire and applied KANO method to compare the differences of needs for DSS of users with different research roles and discipline backgrounds.
[Results] Users of different research roles and discipline backgrounds have significant different needs for DSS in different stages of research lifecycle. The attractive and one-dimensional needs gather in research process and publication stages. Most of the services for research ideas stage belong to must-be needs. No reverse needs exist in DSS.
[Limitations] This study has limitations in the number of research samples. It also focuses only on the research roles and discipline backgrounds of users, but did not consider other demographic characteristics.
[Conclusions] In future, university libraries can focus more on users' attractive and one-dimensional needs,providing personalized DSS and cover more stages of research lifecycle.