I förändringens spår En undersökning av referensbibliotekariers accepterande av tillgängliggörandet och användandet av databaser på och via folkbibliotek
In Sweden most public libraries give users access to databases. These databases are sometimes possible to reach outside the library by internet at any time and this provides a change for the library and the society. Librarians function as change agents when they give access to databases and when databases are introduced to users. However, reports show that the use of databases, especially those in English, is not high in reference work. This study aims at analysing attitudes of librarians to access and use of databases on and by public libraries. Are there role conflicts or other barriers that may block the use and availability of databases? To study and discuss reference librarians and their role as change agents the theory of attitudes in diffusion of innovations by Everett Rogers is used. The interviews with seven librarians in this study show that they are positive to the use of databases both in their reference work and for the users themselves, though some barriers and role conflicts can be identified. For example librarians can have insufficient knowledge of how to use databases or how to make them useful in their reference work. Factors that might increase their willingness to totally adopt databases could be a greater amount of relative advantage, compatibility, observability and trialability but less of complexity, as these concepts are described in Everett Rogers theory about attitudes in diffusion of innovations.