Contentment Regarding the Municipal Library
In a recent study conducted in a lakeside city, several strategies have been identified to improve public library usage among older children and those dissatisfied with current opening hours.
The study, which involved nearly 400 participants, both customers and non-customers of the public library, revealed that libraries can increase engagement by expanding programming tailored to different age groups. Libraries are now offering more activities specially designed for children and families, such as early literacy events, crafts, and skill-building workshops, which foster engagement and help build literacy and social skills.
Another strategy highlighted is offering adult education and skill classes. Libraries provide a variety of classes like resume building, digital skills, and crafts, appealing to both parents and older children nearing adulthood. These broaden the role of the library as a community learning hub.
The study also emphasized the importance of increasing availability of technology and digital resources. Many libraries loan laptops, tablets, and hotspots, enabling patrons to access digital content at their convenience, thus removing barriers related to digital access or limited hours.
Creating comfortable, inclusive spaces is another key strategy. Libraries ensure welcoming environments with spaces suitable for children, tweens, and teens alike, encouraging longer visits and repeat usage.
Adjusting services to local needs and feedback is also crucial. For example, local servants encourage sharing program ideas with librarians to generate interests-based offerings, which may help better align with older children's preferences and scheduling needs.
Though the study did not explicitly mention strategies to directly extend opening hours, it emphasized responsive programming, digital access improvements, and creating appealing environments—all of which are common strategies to engage older children and library users dissatisfied with opening times. Increasing access through technology loans and creating attractive programming can help mitigate limitations of current hours by providing patrons alternative engagement opportunities.
The challenge for the library, however, remains reaching the age group 13 and above. Nearly 15% of the library's patrons are dissatisfied with the opening hours. Interestingly, the city library in Nettetal, another city, is found to be "cozy" and "fun" by children.
The study's findings were presented to the Culture and City Partnerships Committee, and SENTOBIB director Iris Schulz drew four key insights from the study: promoting offerings and services, offering workshops for adults, strengthening the Kaldenkirchen location, and extending opening hours. While the specifics of the last point were not detailed in the study, the strategies outlined can help increase library usage and engagement among older children and those dissatisfied with current opening hours.
In the light of the study's findings, it suggests that libraries can engage older children by offering more home-and-garden related activities and crafts workshops, which are appealing to this age group and supplement the library's current programming. Furthermore, to cater to the dissatisfaction shown by some patrons regarding the library's opening hours, enhancing the variety of adult education classes and promoting digital resources may help draw in more patrons during the hours that may otherwise be considered less busy.
