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How public library users perceive the information professional: is the image transforming?

Evgenia Vassilakaki (Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Egaleo, Greece)
Valentini Moniarou-Papaconstantinou (Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Egaleo, Greece)

New Library World

ISSN: 0307-4803

Article publication date: 11 July 2016

991

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate public library users’ perceptions of information professionals. Specifically, it focuses on exploring users’ perceptions regarding librarians’ status, work duties, performed work and educational background.

Design/methodology/approach

The method of questionnaire was used to enquire on the users’ perceptions of six different public libraries in the wide area of Attica, Greece. Between November 2014 and February 2015, 320 questionnaires were distributed, and, in total, 291 users participated in the study with response rate 90.9 per cent.

Findings

This research revealed that public library users have a positive image of the librarians’ status, duties and work performed. Users acknowledge that it is important for librarians to obtain a bachelor’s degree in library and information science (LIS) education and specialized LIS knowledge, as well as general, pedagogical and new technologies knowledge to perform their tasks. Overall, “serving of people” predominates as a task and a series of collection-oriented tasks.

Research limitations/implications

Perceptions of non-users of public libraries and public librarians themselves were not examined in this study. In addition, some user groups based on level of education (e.g. doctoral degree) had a low level of participation.

Originality/value

It is one of the few studies that examined public library users’ perceptions of information professionals.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank the librarians of the public libraries of Agia Paraskevi, Chaidari, Chalandri, Neo Irakleio, Nikaia and Amfiali (Evgeneias and Drapetsona) that participated in this study and have helped in the distribution and collection of the questionnaires.

Citation

Vassilakaki, E. and Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, V. (2016), "How public library users perceive the information professional: is the image transforming?", New Library World, Vol. 117 No. 7/8, pp. 449-463. https://doi.org/10.1108/NLW-11-2015-0090

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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