Implementation and Acceptance of a Discovery Tool

Discovery tools have the potential to disrupt the workflows and established practices of libraries, which can lead to resistance in their use. In 2009, the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) consortium acquired WorldCat Local (WCL). Survey and interview instruments were developed to examine staff's reasons for resisting and motivations for accepting discovery tools. All librarians and staff at USMAI libraries were invited to participate in a Web survey and interviews were arranged with key individuals who were involved with the implementation of WCL at their respective institutions. Results indicate that technical issues are the most common reason for resistance, but other factors have an impact as well. The state of "perpetual bet"in which most discovery tool applications are developed requires continued attention and dedicated staffing and resources to ensure acceptance.