Diagnosing the needs of public library patrons: The concept, methods and first conclusions

Abstract

This article presents the assumptions of a currently being developed method of diagnosing the needs of public library patrons. The theoretical part presents recent research in this field conducted in Poland. English-language literature on this subject as well as relevant norms are also referred to. Then, the concept of the developed method is outlined. It consists of three complementary elements: an analysis of statistical data, an online survey conducted among the readers of a given institution, and observations and in-person interviews of users. All of these stages are discussed one by one. This type of combination of quantitative and qualitative research enables a reliable diagnosis of the needs of readers in a selected institution. This has been confirmed by a pilot study carried out in a public library of a town with less than 100,000 inhabitants. Its results and conclusions are presented in the last part of this article