UC Berkeley

Computer-related stress, sometimes called “technostress,” affects staff and users as libraries offer more and more information through web sites and other remotely accessible electronic systems. This paper looks at technostress in the context of general stress theory, the Zeigarnik Effect, and the concept of "sensemaking." It suggests ways in which library web developers, system designers and managers can reduce stress-related problems.

2008 updates: In the ten years since it was published, this paper has held up fairly well overall. I've added some notes in the text to acknowledge conditions that have changed. I am grateful to the late Dr. Ilene Rockman, Manager of the California State University Libraries' Information Competence Initiative and editor of Reference Services Review, for reviewing an earlier version of these updates.