Detecting demands of public library users: The growth points and perception stereotypes

Abstract

The authors investigate into inconsistency between the purpose of the library as a social institution and stereotypical perception of libraries by involved and uninvolved audiences. The libraries modernizing and transforming themselves into digital ecosystems along with accomplishing their traditional mission of information archive, are becoming the centers of cultural life, interactive spaces offering users wide variety of information services and resources, and multimedia areas for co-working, communication, and learning. At the same time, the fixed stereotypical perception of the library as a book depository becomes a barrier to the expansion of the user audience. The purpose of the study is to diagnose the demands of actual and potential users of libraries and to assess the change in purpose and role of libraries as a social institution under conditions of expanding access to information services. The methodology of the study was determined by the works documenting the relevance of the search for fundamentally new approaches in the interaction of the libraries with their target audiences in the context of media communications to increase the attractiveness of libraries. Sociological methods were used to identify stereotypical ideas about libraries: the survey of two groups of respondents, i. e. engaged and unengaged users (adults and students). Methods of statistical analysis of empirical information were used for data analysis. The main findings are: the study captures the needs in positioning library services within the wider communicative space. The access is needed to special market segments with building multi-subject user chains and new ways of informing young actual and potential users about the array of services. The relatively inefficient building of awareness of new services may indicate the prevalence of traditional positioning in the nearest target market and, so far, rather low penetration into other segments. The novelty of the study is expanding knowledge of the library potential target audience, which would make the foundation for developing communication tools and attracting primarily the young audience. The flexibility of communication methods, formats, and channels is essential for interaction with the young users.