THE TRANSFORMATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES IN PRESERVING THE CULTURE OF READING PHYSICAL BOOKS THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF NEW MEDIA

Abstract

Digital transformation has changed students’ behavior in seeking information, resulting in a decline in the frequency of reading printed books at school. This situation has prompted libraries to innovate their services by integrating new media without eliminating the role of printed books as a means of in-depth learning and literacy. This study aims to develop a substantive theory regarding the transformation of school library services in preserving the culture of reading printed books through the integration of new media. This study employs a qualitative approach using a Grounded Theory design. Informants were selected through purposive sampling, which later evolved into theoretical sampling, and included school principals, librarians, teachers, literacy coordinators, students, and parents. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using the stages of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The results yielded six main categories: changes in information behavior, transformation of library services, strategies for preserving the culture of reading physical books, user satisfaction, supporting and inhibiting factors, and substantive theory. The findings indicate that new media expand access to information and enhance services, while physical books continue to play a key role in developing deep reading skills. The success of libraries is determined by the adaptive, innovative, and user-centered integration of new media.