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.

AEW, Osijek, 22-23 May 2015 2

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


Areas of research

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


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)• ...


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



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


• Sample– survey

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

• student• retired person• employed• unemployed


Structure of the survey sample


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


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


Obtaining the information somewhere else if the library closed next year


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


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


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!


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


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



Thank you for your attention!

Presentations & Public Speaking

Petr begovic aew2015