Public libraries from the users’ perspective: A Case study of Educational Sciences undergraduate students of Sahid Beheshti University

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to students' familiarity with the duties and functions of public libraries and their overall satisfaction. Methods: It was qualitative study consisted of 39 undergraduate students of educational science at Shahid Beheshti University who had taken library orientation and library science Principles course includes 10 males and 29 females. Two questions had been asked at the end of the course and all anatomical responses been analyzed gender-wise.

Findings: The results showed that the expectations of students were almost equal but and all the students understood that public libraries face a community of heterogeneity. The believed their outstanding role to promote reading. Moreover, they reckon these libraries should meet the general information needs of users as well as seek the ways to institutionalize their value in community.

Originality / value: These results can help public libraries managers and librarians to identify the strengths and weaknesses of public libraries and create a positive attitude towards librarians’ activities and public library services in community.