Investigating the status of clients' benefit from reference services and its future Case Study: Public Libraries of Arak City
Subject Areas : Journal of Knowledge Studies
asgar akbari
1
,
معصومه احمدلو
2
1 - مدیر کتابخانه
2 - teacher, Education Department, District One, Arak, Iran
Keywords: Public Libraries, Reference Sources, Reference Services, Benefit From Services,
Abstract :
Objective: Training and consulting on how to retrieve information sources from the duties of the reference department in order to establish interaction between patrons and libraries. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the role of reference services in the benefit of patrons and its future in public libraries.
Methodology: The current research was conducted with a descriptive-survey method. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. The statistical population of the research was members of public libraries, 224 of whom participated in the research. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of abundance, mean, standard deviation, deviation from average and Anova Friedman test.
Results: The findings of the research showed that patrons of public libraries benefit from current information, reference services, consultation, reference desk, user training, resource preparation, and reference librarian, in order from the lowest to the highest level of reference services. Also, regarding the reference sources, in order from the least to the most, they benefit from geographical sources, yearbooks, indexes, abstracts, encyclopedias, bibliographies, and biographies.
Conclusion: The reference section, whether physical or virtual, is one of the most basic services in the library, which was formed with the aim of providing a documented and justified response to the information needs of patrons in the fastest time. Therefore, keeping it up-to-date will not only improve the quality of services, but it will help to benefit from services and increase the role of libraries in promoting knowledge and awareness in the society.
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