Non-use of Library Services by Students in a UK Academic Library

Non-use of Library Services by Students in a UK Academic Library

Blog Article

Grinders Objective – This study examined low or non-use of the library at St.Martin’s College, UK and determined the possible reasons for this.Additionally, this study investigated the other sources of information non-users were accessing.The results were then fed into the library’s future strategic planning cycle.
Methods – Using data from the TALIS management system, a postal survey was distributed to students who registered as low or non-users.

Non-users were considered a hard-to-reach target group, and a further classroom-based survey was administered.
Results – The findings showed that students in part-time and distance learning courses were the largest Magnifiers group of non-users.Other factors influencing non-use included the purchase of books, use of the Internet, and a lack of awareness of services available.
Conclusions – The library service needs to target non-traditional student groups, particularly those taught off-campus, with innovative induction techniques.This survey highlighted the need to embed information skills teaching into the curriculum and a recent restructure of the department has enabled this to happen with a more focused approach to academic liaisonship.