A Survey of Users' Understanding and Expectations from Public Library Services of Kermanshah City in the Age of Technology

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine the users expectations of the public libraries of Kermanshah in the technology age.

Methedology:

The present study is a descriptive-analytical study using a researcher-made questionnaire. The statistical population included all the members of public libraries in Kermanshah. A simple random sampling method was used and 377 subjects were selected as the sample size based on the Cochran formula.

Findings:

In the technology age, users expect the dimensions of staff and librarians and technology to be at a desirable (above average) level. The expectations of users in the dimensions of resources, innovation, entrepreneurship and reference services are at an unsatisfactory (less than average) level and the expectations of outsourcing are modest. Comparison of the average rankings showed that the highest expectations were obtained from the viewpoint of users in the dimensions of librarians and staff and technology services, respectively. Friedman test results showed that users' expectations of public library services differed in importance and priority.

Libraries have poor performance in attracting different classes and have not been able to meet their expectations in the technology age.