Influence of perceived service quality on loyalty of a public library app in times of COVID-19 : mediating effect of perceived brand image, satisfaction, and e-word of mouth

Abstract

Numerous public libraries nowadays have offered online library services such as mobile apps for users. The demand for using the library app to search for information is estimated to be increasing during the coronavirus prevention period. In view of this, the present paper modified several scales from existing theories and literature in the mobile library and government field to develop a third-order model to evaluate the service quality of a public library app. An instrument with three primary dimensions, eight sub-dimensions, and thirty-seven observed variables was established as a result. Then, the study elucidated the interrelationships among service quality and its possible outcomes (i.e., perceived brand image, user satisfaction, e-word of mouth, and user loyalty) and provided some suggestions for the app to improve. Data collected from 267 local citizens in Hong Kong were subjected to the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for analysis. The findings validated the higher-order model and revealed that the influence of perceived service quality on user loyalty could only be achieved through perceived brand image and user satisfaction. This research showed the importance of considering the attributes of library and government fields when forming a public library service quality scale. By integrating the updated IS success model and the S-O-R model, the study also enabled researchers to understand service quality and its nomological network further in times of COVID-19. It is expected that the suggestions offered will help conceive the development of smart library apps in the future.