University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Virtual library anxiety among university students: An empirical baseline for integrated academic library service models

Stewart, J. Brenton; Colón-Aguirre, Mónica; Ju, Boryung

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132986

Description

Title
Virtual library anxiety among university students: An empirical baseline for integrated academic library service models
Author(s)
  • Stewart, J. Brenton
  • Colón-Aguirre, Mónica
  • Ju, Boryung
Issue Date
2026-03-12
Keyword(s)
  • Virtual library anxiety
  • College students
  • Academic libraries
  • Information literacy
  • Digital literacy
Abstract
Introduction. While library anxiety—fear, uncertainty, or confusion in library use—has been well studied in physical settings, its virtual counterpart remains under-explored. This study introduces the construct of virtual library anxiety (VLA), defined as anxiety experienced when navigating online library systems, resources, or services. Method. We conducted a national online survey of 473 U.S. undergraduates, employing a revised version of Bostick’s Library Anxiety Scale alongside Van Kampen’s (2004) Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale (MLAS) to measure virtual library anxiety (VLA) across give dimensions: knowledge, staff, affective, resources and technology barriers. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were used to analyse the data. Results. Results show moderate VLA across domains, with a striking Frequency Paradox: greater virtual library use correlates with higher anxiety—challenging exposure-based skill models. Conclusion(s). These findings provide preliminary evidence that VLA is a measurable construct and highlight the need a new service model that centers instruction and embedded virtual support to strengthen digital confidence and information literacy.
Publisher
iSchools
Series/Report Name or Number
iConference 2026 Proceedings
Type of Resource
Other
Genre of Resource
Conference Poster
Language
eng
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132986
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2026 is held by J. Brenton Stewart, Mónica Colón-Aguirre, and Boryung Ju. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

Owning Collections

iConference 2026 Posters PRIMARY
Posters presented at the 2026 iConference https://www.ischools.org/iconference