A study on the relationship between library service and digital competence

Abstract

This study measures the digital competence required by the fourth industrial revolution era and intends to disclose the correlation of such competence and the use of library programs and services. For this, a survey targeting the citizens was conducted. As a result, library service had critical influence on hardware ability and knowledge, software ability and knowledge, network ability and knowledge, and Internet ability and knowledge. The service provided at the library also had influence on computer and economic life, social development and issue, attitude toward computer, as well as ethical aspect. The implication found from such study results is that the citizens’ digital competence could grow with heightened quality and quantity of library services. As mentioned above, various cultural and educational programs including mutual loan service and e-book service contribute to the improvement of the citizens’ computer application, formation of positive attitude to society, and ethical awareness, as to which the nation and library should make careful development of service and program, notwithstanding investment budget in consideration of such correlation. Likewise, higher library visit rate represented high participation rate in various offline services offered by the library just as well as other online services, which can be used at the comfort of one’s home. The respective study results indicate that it is an utmost importance to seek plans to attract users to come to the library. It is critical to expand the role of library by continuously identifying people’s needs and desire for the library’s role and function, and to provide appropriate space and instrument for them to have various community activities at the library.