Petr begovic aew2015

AEW, Osijek, 22-23 May 20151

Public library social impact assessment: library value from customers' point of view

Mia BegovićKornelija Petr BalogFaculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Osijek

Library impact/outcomes

• ways in which library users are changed as a result of their contact with library’s resources and programs (ACRL, 1998)

• ‘eventual results of using library services’ (Revill, 1990)• Three types:

– Short-term • Changes in skills, attitudes and knowledge

Mary, 5th-grader, can identify 5 birds by name on a field trip.– Medium-term

• Changes in behavior and decision-makingMary’s family chooses bird-watching activity for family vacation.

– Long-term• Changes in status or life conditions

Mary chooses biology as her major in college.

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Problem areas

• Difficult to measure• Prevalent ‘anectodal evidence’ – difficult to obtain statistically

valid results• Methodology

– Usually a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods

• Other problem areas: – Benefits vary as to certain user groups, – Data not comparable yet (differing ways of data collection), – Users usually cannot define their intention when using the library; the

result obtained may be accidental

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Areas of research

• Academic/professional success• Information literacy/information retrieval• Social impact• Economic value• Cultural• Educational• ...

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Social impact

• promote connectedness between people and groups; stimulate participation and inclusion, build social capital and social cohesion;

• promote sense of belonging to, and ownership of society (common identity);

• stimulate/promote community engagement/improvement activity

• involvement in democratic process• exposure to ‘otherness’ (other people, ideas)• ...

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Research• City Library and Reading Room Vinkovci

– Founded in 1875– Bookmobile– Branch ‘Nuštar’– Services for clients of the Home for the Elderly and the Rehabilitation Centre ‘Mala Terezija’

• Collection: – over 100.000 book and non-book materials

• 4000 customers in 2015 (population in 2011 - 41.105)– App. 10%

• Heavily destroyed during 1991-1995 War

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Methodology, instrument & sample

• Goal– to measure the value of the Vinkovci public library and its services for

its customers

• Hypothesis– customers recognize the value and worth of the library and its services

on the quality of their lives

• Methodology– survey (based on Chiessi, 2011) and interviews with customers

• Time– April-July 2014

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• Sample– survey

• n=165 (86 online; 79 paper)– six interviews

• student• retired person• employed• unemployed

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Structure of the survey sample

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employed unemployed univ. students retired pupils0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%46%

24%

19%

7%4%

Employment status

Employment status

Membership status

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several years one year several months month or less0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

79%

13%

6%2%

Membership

Membership

Value and significance of Library

All benefits1. leasure/free time 2. useful information for education

(school, university)3. save money 4. being in touch and/or develop

new skills 5. encourages children

development 6. pleasant/quiet place

Three main benefits1. useful information for education

(school, university)2. save money3. leasure/free time4. being in touch and/or develop

new skills5. encourages children

development6. community information

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Obtaining the information somewhere else if the library closed next year

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Yes, without any problems Yes, but with significant problems

No Don't know0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

14%

45%

26%

15%

Other place(s) of information provision

Other place(s) of information provision

Information provision – other sources

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Internet other library purchase media faculty and/or friends

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

62%

35%

22%

18%

12%

Other inf. sources

Other inf. sources

Increase of a membership fee

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Could not pay more (80.00 kn)

10% (88.00 kn) 20% (96.00 kn) 30% (104.00 kn)

50% (120.00 kn)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%27% 27%

24%

9%

13%

Increase

Increase

27%

73%

IncreaseCould not pay more Would pay more

Experience, stories, examples

• 49 comments (30%)– 98% positive– 2% negative

At the age of 15 I was just a clumsy teenager who came into the library looking for something that will spark my interest. A librarian suggested Nietzsche’s ‘Also sprach Zarathustra’, and now I am a proud student of philosophy!

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Interviews

• all interviewees library members for a number of years (school-age)

• positive impact of library services and programmes: – improvement of one’s vocabulary and rhetoric

skills– acquiring the fast-reading skill

• all recommend library to their friends and colleagues

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Conclusions

• Vinkovci public library recognized as valuable asset for its customers– 79% members for a number of years (loyalty indicator)– 45% would be able to obtain information somewhere else,

but with significant difficulties, 26% would not be able to obtain it at all

– 73% would agree to some percent of the fee increase if that were important for the existance of the library

– numerous positive stories and examples

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Thank you for your attention!