What I learned at PLA: Do they Hear us NOw? (on oclc report)
OCLC just published it's user study and found out some intereting things on perceptions (users have) of libraries. They polled several countries and ages 14 and up.
Results:
84% start their search w/ the Internet (this was uniform no matter what country or age)
51% of population are IMing
30% visit the library website (Which means 60-70% don't know or don't care!!)
What was interesting is that the results from a 1947-50 written survey were very similar in regards to library usage!
Google is jumping off point 62% of the time.
25% say they're using the library more, 31% using it less
62% say they'll continue to use it the same way
Over 1/2 college students use the public library. When asked where they get their info they responded: friends, electronic links
33% colege students get info from a librarian. General population is only 8%.
Products and services were most appreciated and were given a positive rating
Customer service and facilities were given a negative rating
When asked how they made decisions about whether they trust information once it was found, 86% based their response on common sense. 75% based it on the reputation of the company or source of the info.
How do they double check their info? go to another web site.
Who is a trusted source? Librarians are only 2%. 62% felt info from library was as trusty as website.
Main purpose of library? 53% said information, 31% said books.
Who's better source? For Trustworthy and accuracy=library, for reliable, cost effective, easy to use, convenient, fast= search engines.
Library's role in community: 85% place to learn, 81% said place to learn, 28$ place to meet and socialize, 80 % free info, 51% meetings/community events. Only 19% high school thing it's a place to learn.
What we can do better: diseminating worthwile info
Study can be foudn at: oclc.org on homepage.
Presenter suggested offering several different library card designs (one cutesy for kids, cool for teens, etc... She also felt that the card should be value added (like with Kroger cards) providing some extra type of service. This is from a marketing point of view.
posted by chris w @ 2:12 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
We're using this book as a discussion point in the Marketing Advisory Taskforce. Everyone has sections to read and report on at our next meeting. OCLC's study was fascinating. And when you think about it, it's the same problem we've faced for a while. How we WANT to be perceived doesn't always match how the public WANTS to percieve us.
An interesting side comment is that in one of the OCLC studies they point out the the library website as a major tool for marketing and involvment just doesn't work so well. Feedback? If you want to read the study, please let me know. It's around the office someplace.
Angi asks a good question, and I don't have a good answer, do you? If we just be the "home of the book" that many people seem to want, there's a limit to our shelf life. But if we don't work at meeting needs, there's a limit anyway. My best suggestion is that we try to be a blend. We give people what they want right now, watch for the future, and do a heck of a PR campaign one person at a time. I believe that as the "millenium generation" ages into politics, that the view of libraries will change, and we need to be prepared to change with it. Okay, I'm rambling... other ideas?
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