How do you meet the needs of all library users?

Get out there and just talk to people. While our goals often revolve around how to get non-users into our spaces, we need to talk to those who do use us and make sure we are meeting their needs. Not only are you going to get first-hand feedback, you will also build relationships with those in your community.

Ask questions! Ask more questions!! Reference 101 in identifying needs is to recognize that most library users do NOT start by asking the right question to get their needs met. As a librarian it is my job to probe and get to the heart of the need. Once the need is clarified, I can move on to meeting the need. I might know a source and I might not. I must be willing to ask for help too. I might reach out to other librarians for harder needs and questions. I might ask the user to set up an appointment for a more in depth research session. Finally, ask the patron for feedback. Perhaps, "Here's a website where you can enter info about your library visit today and rate my service." Rinse & repeat. Share feedback results with stakeholders.

Meeting the needs of all library users, including those in an educational context, is a complex and multifaceted task. Here are some strategies and considerations to ensure that education library services are inclusive and responsive to diverse user needs

Specifically for programs, I prefer to asses before, during and after. The “Before” is when you’ve advertised that season’s events and patrons are signing up by a deadline. In order to sign up, patrons must vote for 3 scheduled events that sound fun or enjoyable. The “During” happens with a raffle. Every attendee gets a raffle ticket that must be filled out on backside with either what they liked best or least or both about this event. (Winners get to pick an item from the giveaway table. (Stuff you’d like to get rid of from the library.). Once winners have chosen, all others can choose a prize. The “After”happens via email provided at signup, asking which event would they like to see offered again and why?

It is critical that we re-skill ourselves to meet the changing demands in library services in this digital world. We need to move with the times to remain relevant.

Listening to the community also means acting. If you ask what needs are and do nothing, your trust with them is severed. Ask and then act.

Best way to improve is Asses the User's needs, adapting to changing environment, keep abreast with latest trends, motivating library personnel.

Working in a school library means catering to the needs of students who do not like reading - these students, in my opinion, are the most difficult to cater for. At my school, we have found that listening to what they enjoy doing out of school often means increasing our non-fiction collection (sports, hobbies, history, science). It also means providing simplified texts for those students still learning English (international schools) and adding comics and mangas which are very popular with lower secondary students. It also means not dismissing students who are open about disliking reading - it is difficult to make a change overnight but it is not impossible for students to change their minds!

To meet the diverse needs of all library users, we have implemented a comprehensive approach that ensures inclusivity, accessibility, and personalised engagement. Our library offers a diverse collection of materials spanning various genres, formats, and languages to cater to the unique interests and backgrounds of our community members. Our knowledgeable staff is readily available to provide reference assistance and guide users through research processes, while our digital literacy programs empower users to navigate online resources with confidence. Feedback from our users guides our continuous improvement efforts, ensuring our policies, services, and resources remain user-friendly and responsive to evolving community needs.

Communicating with student users in a school library means also communicating with the English teachers, in my opinion, since the best-case scenario is when we are all on the same page :). In the lower secondary we also have library assistants who help promote reading and discuss library needs with their peers and give us feedback that we may not necessarily have had.

That is the most important one. I think, communication is key in any institution, and since libraries work directly with the “end user,” they need to focus on survey and sometimes even just talking to people.

Be sure to tap the support of your local library association. They are extremely helpful for making connections, professional development opportunities, event planning, and marketing your own library.

Don't be afraid to think outside of the box. If you try something and it doesn't prove positive, it is fine to move on. It's better to try something that you think could be effective than to fear change. Ask for feedback from the targeted audiences to gain insight on what works/ed or doesn't. Trust your front line staff to be conduits of information. They are very valuable resources especially when it comes to gauging community needs especially since they are in front of them daily.

We definitely need to make sure that we remain relevant to our users. Looking at what other libraries do is also a good place to get ideas and if needed make any changes. It can a,so be hard to get all staff on board with changes as well. This will also need to be taken into account if changes are to be made. I really believe that we also need to be keeping ourselves adapting and changing as well so we can meet any issues head on. They more we are prepared the less issues we will have.

Flexibility is a must. Showing appreciation to your staff and engaging them in ideas to support community needs. Taking advantage of learning new technology and techniques. Being a part of the solution and decision making to supply patron and community members ever changing lives and needs.

A needs assessment can be really helpful. It doesn't have to be complicated. A simple survey might reveal something you haven't thought of.

Yes libraries are becoming more digital, but if our users aren’t that big on them, then we don’t want to push either. Making changes should also be a users choice too. We need to be sure they are ready and assist them anyway we can to take up these new resources. There’s no point in purchasing digital resources and your users don’t use them. We need to slowly introduce digital resources if they aren’t currently heavy users. We could have demonstrations, posters promoting the uses and benefits.

User engagement is a great thing and whilst this article says some interesting things none of them seem to be particularly new or true for a library. Libraries nowadays have to think more and more digital and connected all over which is nothing new to the libraries. It will grow more and more digital towards the future and libraries have a big role in this to fill.

Though libraries are becoming digital, users are more keen towards print resources. Digital resources can't take over print materials.

I get out in the community to get to know people and share what at the library. We are constantly evolving from what we used to be and they need to be constantly updated on new features and programs.

Providing these suggested services, resources and announcements is a great start to fulfilling the needs of your library users; however you must add to that by making yourself approachable. You must create a welcoming environment where users feel heard and feel that they are not interrupting you everytime they ask you a question. If you build rapport with users and are known for your approachability and willingness to help, they will come back and even recommend you to other customers, thereby increasing the chances of expanding your reach and helping to meet the needs of even more library customers. A smile and positive attittude is essential for providing a great customer experience. Are you approachable?