• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2008

The Purpose of this study was to discover the factors which motivate academic library users to use chat reference service and which demotivate academic library users to use chat reference service. To achieve the study purposes, this study conducted interview with the selected participants (Information Studies graduate students at Florida State University(FSU)) through email in April and May 2007. This study found that 1) convenience, 2) anonymity, and 3) inexpensiveness of the service served as incentives(motivators) for chat reference service consumers to use the service. On the other hand, chat reference service consumers mentioned the following factors as obstacles (demotivators) for using the service: 1) waiting time, 2) accessibility, 3) interface design, and 4) difficulties with expressing themselves in a virtual space.