Understanding Mobile Library Apps Continuance Usage in China: A Theoretical Framework and Empirical Study

With the pervasiveness of mobile applications (apps), many Chinese libraries have begun to use apps to provide mobile services to users. Although many mobile library (m-library) apps have a high-downloaded rate in the App store, the rate of users continuing to use them remains extremely low, and the acceptance-discontinuance anomaly phenomenon (i.e., users discontinue using a m-library app after initially accepting it) is a common occurrence in China. This study develops an integrated model designed to explain and predict users' continued usage of m-library apps based on the expectation confirmation model of information system continuance (ECM-ISC) and the theory of information system success, It incorporates habit, as a moderating variable of continuance intention and behaviour, into the model. Empirical data was collected from 396 users who had prior experience with m-library apps and was tested against the proposed research model using structural equation modelling. The results demonstrated that user perceived usefulness, expectation confirmation and satisfaction are important parts of the formation of m-library apps continuance usage. Furthermore, the three components of the information system success model, system quality, information quality and service quality, also have significant impacts on user confirmation and ultimately affect continuance usage. And the negative influence of habit on continuance intention and behaviour has been supported. The study will be useful for Chinese libraries to better understand users' continuance usage behaviour and service demands, and in turn to optimize the function of apps and improve the quality of mobile services.PR China National Funds of Social Science [12CTQ005, 14BTQ044]; Wuhan UniversitySSCIARTICLEyangzhao_0813@hotmail.com; victorydc@sina.com; zhourx@pku.edu.cn3161-1736