Det attraktiva folkbiblioteket? En undersökning av användarna på fyra bibliotek i Malmö
BiblioteksanvändningFolkbibliotekBibliotekDocumentationInformationLibrary scienceArchivisticsArkiv- och bibliotekskunskapDokumentationSocial Sciences
In the last few years there has been an ongoing debate concerning the methods of assessing the quality of public libraries and their services. This study investigates the opinions and needs of the users at four different public libraries in Malm : the local libraries in Bellevueg rden, Limhamn, and Kirseberg, and the main library in central Malm . The purpose was to find out whether different user groups display different patterns in their library use and, in addition, to identify what library services they prefer. The data were collected through interviews with users and librarians, and by means of a user survey ccarried out at the four libraries. The results indicate that certain differences in the usage patterns do exist between the main library and the local libraries. At the main library the most important reason for users to visit the library is the media collection. At the local libraries the staff and the services provided, along with the fact the library is located in the vicinity of the usersÕ homes, are the most important reasons for visiting the library. Among the local library users women are in the majority, whereas the men outnumber the women among the main library users. All users wanted more of the recently published books, fact books as well as fiction, and they also wanted more study desks. The study also identified other factors influencing the usersÕ choice of library. For some users, especially the elderly, a bank, a post office and a bus stop in the immediate vicinity of the library are more important factors than a short travelling distance.