Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Role of Greek Public Libraries: A Quantitative Study of Users’ Perception


Affiliations
1 Project Manager, National Library of Greece, Athens, Greece
2 Department of Archival, Library and Information Studies, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


This study aimed to explore users’ perceptions of librarians working in public libraries in Greece. Specifically, it aimed to investigate how much users value librarian’s different roles; how often they seek assistance for performing specific tasks and how do they rate the assistance provided. The method of questionnaire was employed to meet the needs of this study. The relevant literature was used to inform the design of a questionnaire with overall fourteen questions. The questionnaire was handed out to users in seven public libraries located in different municipalities in the area of Attica and in total, 174 public library users participated. It was found that users perceived as more important the traditional roles of public librarians namely promoting reading, information retrieval, consultation in information search as well as providing instruction in the selection and use of information. Evolving roles of public librarian such as technology specialist, facilitating socialisation or providing support to people in e-government services, in seeking information regarding health issues as well as in job seeking were not highlighted as important. This research contributes in increasing our understanding of the way users perceive public librarians’ roles and value the offered services. It is one of the few studies investigating users’ perceptions of librarian’s roles.

Keywords

Survey, Public Libraries, Roles, Users’ Perception.
User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Aabo, S., & Audunson, R. (2012). Use of library space and the library as place. Library and Information Science Research, 3(2), 138-149.
  • Aabo, S., Audunson, R., & Varheim, A. (2010). How do public libraries function as meeting places?. Library and Information Science Research, 32(1), 16-26.
  • Bickley, R., & Corrall, S. (2011). Student perceptions of staff in the information commons: A survey at the University of Sheffield. Reference Services Review, 39(2), 223-243.
  • Bertot, J., Real, B., & Jaeger, P. (2016). Public libraries building digital inclusive communities: Data and findings from the 2013 digital inclusion survey. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 86(3), 270-289.
  • Child, R., & Goulding, A. (2012). Public libraries in the recession: The librarian’s axiom. Library Review, 61(8/9), 641-663.
  • Chobot, M. (2010). The challenge of providing consumer health information services in public libraries. American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • Evjen, S., & Audunson, R. (2009). The complex library: Do the public’s attitudes represent a barrier to institutional change in public libraries?. New Library World, 110(3/4), 161-174.
  • Fagan, J. (2003). Students’ perceptions of academic librarians. The Reference Librarian, 37(78), 131-148.
  • Ferguson, A. (2012). Are public libraries developers of social capital? A review of their contribution and attempts to demonstrate it. The Australian Library Journal, 61(1), 22-31.
  • Fisher, K. E., Saxton, M. L., Edwards, P. M., & Mai, J.-E. (2007). Seattle public library as place: Reconceptualizing space, community, and information at the central library. In J. Buschman, & G. J. Leckie (Eds.), The Library as Place: History, Community, and Culture (pp. 135-160). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
  • Gibson, A., Bertot, J., & McClure, C. (2009). Emerging role of public librarians as e-government providers. Proceedings of the 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
  • Goulding, A. (2005). A community forum: UK public libraries as meeting places. In M. Langeland (Ed.) Librarianship in the Information Age: Proceedings from the 13th BOBCATSSS (pp. 349-358).
  • Goulding, A. (2009). Credit crunch: The impact on libraries. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 41(1), 3-6.
  • Could, E., & Gomez, R. (2010). New challenges for libraries in the information age: A comparative study of ICT in 25 countries. Information Development, 26(2), 166-176.
  • Jaeger, P. T., & Fleischmann, K. R. (2007). Public libraries, values, trust and e-government. Information Technology and Libraries, 26(4), 34-43.
  • Jaeger, P. T., & Bertot, J. C. (2009). E-government education in public libraries: New services roles and expanding social responsibilities. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 50(1), 39-49.
  • Johnson, C. (2010). Do public libraries contribute to social capital? A preliminary investigation into the relationship. Library & Information Science Research, 32, 147-155.
  • Johnson, C. (2012). How do public libraries create social capital? An analysis of interactions between library staff and patrons. Library & Information Science Research, 34, 52-62.
  • Julien, H., & Hoffman, C. (2008). Information literacy training in Canada’s public libraries. Library Quarterly, 78(1), 19-41.
  • Kinney, B. (2010). The internet, public libraries and the digital divide. Public Libraries Quarterly, 29(2), 104-161.
  • Luo, L., & Park, V. T. (2013). Preparing public librarians for consumer health information service: A nationwide study. Library and Information Science Research, 35(4), 310-317.
  • Martin-Yeboah, E., & Atuase, D. (2019). Old wine in new bottle? Users’ Perception of the librarian in contemporary information era. International Journal of Information, Library & Society, 8(1), 36-47.
  • May, F., & Black, F. (2010). The life of the space: Evidence from Nova Scotia public libraries. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 5(2), 05-34.
  • Miller, J. (2014). A comparative study of public libraries in Edinburgh and Copenhagen and their potential for social capital creation. Libri, 64(4), 316-326.
  • Nilsen, K., & McKechnie, L. (2002). Behind closed doors: An exploratory study of the perceptions of librarians and the hidden intellectual work of collection development in Canadian public libraries. The Library Quarterly, 72(3), 294-325.
  • Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, V., & Triantafyllou, K. (2015). Job satisfaction and work values: Investigating sources of job satisfaction in information professionals. Library and Information Science Research, 37(2), 164-170.
  • Nzivo, C. (2012). User perception on library services and information resources in Kenyan public libraries. Library Review, 61(2), 110-127.
  • OCLC. (2010). Perceptions of libraries, 2010: Context and community. A Report to the OCLC Membership.
  • Oliphant, T. (2014). I am a library hugger!: Public libraries as valued community assets. Public Library Quarterly, 33, 348-361.
  • Park, V. T., Luo, L., & Rosidi, D. (2014). A qualitative examination about providers’ perceptions and recommendations regarding the role of public librarians in addressing communities’ health literacy. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries (QQML), 3(3), 567-582.
  • Polger, M. A., & Okamoto, K., (2010). Can’t anyone be a teacher anyway?: Student perceptions of academic librarians as teachers. Library Philosophy and Practice. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/328
  • Real, B., McDermott, A., Bertot, J. C., & Jaeger, P. (2015). Digital inclusion and the affordable care act: Public libraries, politics, policy and enrolment in Obamacare. Public Library Quarterly, 34, 1-22.
  • Rooney-Browne, C. (2009). Rising to the challenge: A look at the role of public libraries in times of recession. Library Review, 58(5), 341-352.
  • Roy, L., Bolfing, T., & Brzozowski, B. (2010). Computer classes for job seekers: LIS students team with public librarians to extend public services. Public Library Quarterly, 29(3), 193-209.
  • Rubenstein, E. (2016). Health Information and health literacy: Public library practices, challenges, and opportunities. Public Library Quarterly, 35(1), 49-71.
  • Sigler, K., Jaeger, P. T., Bertot, J. C., McDermott, A. J., De Coster, E. J., & Langa, L. A. (2011). The role of public libraries, the internet, and economic uncertainty. Advances in Librarianship, 34(1), 19-35.
  • Spacey, R., Cooke, L., Creaser, C., & Muir, A. (2015) .Regulating internet access and content in UK public libraries: Findings from the MAIPLE project. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 47(1), 71-84.
  • Vardell, E., & Charbonneau, D. (2017). Health insurance literacy and roles for reference librarian involvement. The Reference Librarian, 58(2), 124-135.
  • Vassilakaki, E., & Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, V. (2015). A systematic literature review informing library and information professionals’ emerging roles. New Library World, 116(1/2), 37-66.
  • Vassilakaki, E., & Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, V. (2016). How public library users perceive the information professional: Is the image transforming?. New Library World, 117(7-8), 449-463.
  • Vassilakaki, E., & Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, V. (2016). Public libraries and innovation in Greece: An option or a necessity?. Advances in Library Administration and Organization, 35, 243-255.
  • Vassilakaki, E. (2015). Greek public libraries in economic crisis: The past, the present and the future. The Bottom Line, 28(1/2), 77-79.
  • Yoshida, Y. (2016). Creating a space for autonomous learning and citizen involvement in collaboration with a public library. New Library World, 117(9/10), 659-672.
  • Zionts, N. D., Apter, J., Kuchta, J., & Greenhouse, P. K. (2010). Promoting consumer health literacy: Creation of a health information librarian fellowship. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 49(4), 350-359.

Abstract Views: 292

PDF Views: 1




  • Role of Greek Public Libraries: A Quantitative Study of Users’ Perception

Abstract Views: 292  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Evgenia (Eva) Vassilakaki
Project Manager, National Library of Greece, Athens, Greece
Valentini Moniarou-Papaconstantinou
Department of Archival, Library and Information Studies, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece

Abstract


This study aimed to explore users’ perceptions of librarians working in public libraries in Greece. Specifically, it aimed to investigate how much users value librarian’s different roles; how often they seek assistance for performing specific tasks and how do they rate the assistance provided. The method of questionnaire was employed to meet the needs of this study. The relevant literature was used to inform the design of a questionnaire with overall fourteen questions. The questionnaire was handed out to users in seven public libraries located in different municipalities in the area of Attica and in total, 174 public library users participated. It was found that users perceived as more important the traditional roles of public librarians namely promoting reading, information retrieval, consultation in information search as well as providing instruction in the selection and use of information. Evolving roles of public librarian such as technology specialist, facilitating socialisation or providing support to people in e-government services, in seeking information regarding health issues as well as in job seeking were not highlighted as important. This research contributes in increasing our understanding of the way users perceive public librarians’ roles and value the offered services. It is one of the few studies investigating users’ perceptions of librarian’s roles.

Keywords


Survey, Public Libraries, Roles, Users’ Perception.

References