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The Value and Impact of End-User IT Services in Public Libraries

Library and Information Commission Research Report 102

Juliet Eve and Peter Brophy

Centre for Research in Library & Information Management (CERLIM)
The Manchester Metropolitan University
Geoffrey Manton Building
Manchester
M15 6LL

Tel: +161-247-6142
Fax: +161-247-6351
Email: cerlim@mmu.ac.uk
WWW: http://www.cerlim.ac.uk

Manchester
April 2001

Abstract

The Final Report of the Value & Impact of IT Access in Libraries (VITAL) research project, undertaken by a team at the Centre for Research in Library & Information Management (CERLIM), the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. The project developed a methodology for assessing impact and undertook testing in three contrasting library authorities, Birmingham, Cheshire and Cumbria. The results of these tests provided evidence of positive impacts on a range of users across all three authorities and strong support for the concept of making Internet access available through public libraries. The Report ends with a series of recommendations and observations.

©Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries 2001

The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries.

RE/04

ISBN (Amended) 1-902394-57-7
ISSN 1466-2949

Library and Information Commission Research Reports are published by Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries and may be purchased as photocopies or microfiche from the British Thesis Service, British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, UK.

The authors have asserted their Moral Rights.

Preface

This is the Final Report of the VITAL (Value and Impact of IT Access in Libraries) research project, funded by the Library & information Commission (and subsequently Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries) over an eighteen month period during 1999-2000 and subsequently, for a five-month period, by the Manchester Metropolitan University. The Project’s core aim was the development of a methodology which could be used by public libraries in the UK to gain insights into the value which users place on in-library IT access and the impact on them of that access. During the project, the methodology was tested in three library authorities (Birmingham, Cheshire and Cumbria) and the results of those studies are reported here. The methodology itself has been produced as a Workbook, which is available separately.

This Report includes evidence from the three participating library authorities of the value and impact of end-user IT-based services in their libraries. Clearly this evidence is specific to those authorities, but common threads are likely to be of wider significance. In addition, therefore, this evidence is also available as a separate executive report, which can be downloaded from the CERLIM website.

The authors would like to express their thanks to the many individuals who have given freely of their time to assist in the work reported. We are particularly grateful to members of the Advisory Committee: John and Joyce Allred, Ray Benton, Brian Gambles, Jo Hendry, and Margaret Kendall; to the three staff in our partner authorities who undertook the data collection and analysis, Deep Hunjan, Kate Turner and Claire Caution; to colleagues in the Department of Information and Communications at the Manchester Metropolitan University, especially Jenny Craven, who contributed to the earlier stages of the project; and to the Project Manager, Ms. Margaret Croucher. Any errors, misunderstandings or omissions are, of course, the sole responsibility of the authors.