4.2 General findings
4.2.5 Letting young adults imagine their ideal library
4.2.5.3 Further developments to manage future needs
The chance of giving an opinion about future developments of the library activities and services has been only partly exploited by respondents.
Almost all subjects (191 out of 192, also 99,5%) gave their opinion on the kind of activities which should support them to develop their skills and relationship to the library resources. Many of them also indicated more than just one choice [see Table 4-77 and 4-78] and, specifically, the most requested advice is in the area of finding information, possibly in a short time, also in the Internet, as displayed in Figure 4.13 following below.
Prevailing opinions mark preferences towards finding information needed, saving time and searching for desired information independently, which together count for about 75% of total answers. However, also library history and techniques of book shelving were considered as topics of interest [see Table 4-78].
Unexpectedly, male subjects were more attracted by the possibility of knowing more about the history of the library than their female counterpart [see Table 4-79], particularly in the middle-school group [see Table 4-80].
The high percentage of answers on the previous questions suggests that if subjects feel to be given attention to, they are more disposed towards giving recommendations, being those related to their interests.
This feature is reinforced by the different amount of data collected when respondents were asked to imagine freely which kind of services they would like to see implemented in the library in future. Question 18 has been answered by 74% of subjects, largely under the 99% score registered for Question 16 [see Table 4-94 and 4-77].
Leaving besides those who didn’t answer Question 18 for reasons which remain undisclosed, other opinions are all valuable and strengthen some of the previously data discussed.
First of all, there is a not too small group thinking that services as they are now developed could be sufficient for their needs (15%) [see Table 4-94]13, but in some cases it is pointed up that these services have to be maintained.14
Secondly, there is a copious part of respondents who reckon that the library should do more for them in future. In particular, the acquisition of multimedia, their fruition and – possibly – their loan is desired with a 12% of occurrences on total answers, a percentage which shows even more impressively around the development of new technologies and the Internet, with 18% [see Table 4-94].
Figure 4.14 below provides the major cues for a quick overview.
68
Once more, from the data emerges the peculiar concern of males towards the challenges of the new technologies, stating with 38% of occurrences that multimedia and the Internet or other related issues will be very important in the library of the future [see also Table 4-95]. On the other hand, female subjects found these aspects rather subordinate – and in fact for the female sample the two items reach 24% of occurrences.
In addition, females disguised more themselves, either by saying that no variation is necessary (18%), or not answering the question (22%).
Differences in age result in a completely different view as far as services not directly connected to books and school activities are concerned.
In this respect, the young library users reveal their persuasion that the library could be in the condition to satisfy much more than giving them a book to read or materials for studying purposes.
From Figure 4.15 above, which illustrates the opinion of the two age groups about services to be developed, two sets of data are strikingly different from the general situation already described.
To begin with, the desire of having materials available decreases noticeably in 15-19-year olds, who are not so concerned that the library should have multimedia materials or technology. Also the reference and educational activities required results in being
mainly an idea proposed by the 11-14-year old group [see also Table 4-96], although it is present – and better articulated – in the older group.
As one 18-year-old remarks: “It would be useful if an educator would help the most deserving students in organising their study time” [190M18]. Moreover, as studies deserve more attention, also welcomed would be “the possibility of talking to personnel qualified in specific disciplines such as literature, foreign languages, history, etc.”
[173F17]. In any case, having simply “more personnel” at disposal is felt as an advantage [167F15].
Secondly, the development of free time activities and services would be welcomed more by 15-19-year olds, showing that the library, as an institution where they are or were used to go during elementary and middle school, could become more and more a meeting and cultural place for them. To this purpose, the library should be “open in the evening” to host some author or organise “a literary salon” [156F16].15
The last question asked to the subjects involved regarded, once again, the development of activities in which they could be either interested or involved [Q20]. Nine categories were provided, as well as the possibility of giving a free choice [see Table 4-114].
Figure 4.16 below provides a summary of the results of the first five preferences over the nine choices.
70
If the data above appear not very significant, a remarkable observation can be done about the preferences in readings against meeting with authors (and also with experts of any discipline), if analysed with an eye on the age distribution.
The reduction of data in this guise reveal a trend which seems to increase at some critical ages, as illustrated in Figure 4.17, which coincide with the last year of middle school and the central years of the following educational path (normally, a 5-year-curriculum).
Other suggestions, not part of the list proposed to respondents, include specifications of the listed activities, such as courses to improve various skills (computer, photography, drawing), readings in foreign languages, reading evenings, games, and also meeting singers – rather than authors!
Someone stressed helpful advice from personnel again, like “being guided to Books with a capital B” and “help in finding books”.
References
1 Tables about the data discussed are all to be found in Appendix 4, and have been numbered in the text of this chapter with “4-“ followed by the exact number of the table.
2 Data have been collected by the Home Office of the Town Hall in Ala, at the date of 31.12.2003.
3 One of the girls contacted was very pleased to help in the research, and affirmed: “Wow, a questionnaire! Nobody has ever asked my opinion before! Thank you!”
4 See questionnaire 185F15, Q3 and Q4: “I can’t remember, I was too little”.
5 See also questionnaire 178F14, Q4: “I couldn’t speak”, and in particular 152F17, Q4: “I was frightened by silence”.
6 Data collected directly from the questionnaires.
7 After compulsory school adolescents begin very different lives and they meet either inside Associations boards / events, or in pubs. They still come to the library, but at more different times than before.
8 For details, see Appendix 5, Interview 3.
9 According to this study, a typical feature of the young adult condition in Trentino is the possibility to have early access to work through either school or University development projects [Buzzi, 2003, p. 252].
10 Other respondents have suggested also that the library is “a place where to study, to amuse oneself, to get information” [156F16]; “a place where you find books for nothing, always there for you” [164M16] and also “a place where one can acculturate himself” [161M19].
11 The library cited is the one of the city where all young adults from Ala go after compulsory school to attend superior education courses. This library, situated in the area of the major secondary schools, is the second largest in the county and is open from early in the morning to 10 p.m. in the evening. It is also part of the building that includes the Modern Art Museum of Trento and Rovereto (MART), which opened in December 2003.
12 Among them, 156F16, 149M16, 179F14.
13 Questionnaires giving this hint are: 142F16, Q18: “The services now available are more than sufficient”;
14 As stressed in Questionnaire 141F16, Q18: “All services now available”.
15 A female 15-year-old says: “… [the library] should organise debates and meetings on particular topics” [185F15, Q18].