Library leaders and staff members like to know what their users think of them.
Fortunately, as it turns out, most Americans think local libraries are doing a pretty good job, particularly when it comes to serving the educational needs of their community (according to a Pew Research Center study, April 2016.)
But that doesn’t mean your particular community and users think that about your library, so it’s a good idea to ask them. It’s also a good idea to be involved in your community, meet with your elected officials, read statistical studies about your community, and get out and talk to the citizens. What are the specific needs of your community, and how is your library helping to address them?
The next step is to make sure that folks know what you’re doing for the community. This is also borne out by the Pew study, which shows that many people don’t know all that their library offers in terms of learning and education resources. It’s our job to make sure they do, through press releases, marketing, our web pages and social media presence, etc.
Read the full Pew report to learn more. What do folks think of your library?
A Life in Libraries 