Public Library and Users’ Lifestyle in a Changing Context

Haruki Nagata (University of Tsukuba)Kanako Sakai (Institute of Developing Economy, Library)

Tetsuya Kawai (TFC Co. Ltd.)

Diverse changes in our lives and values

Swift social development and remarkable advancement in information communications technology More and more people have the access to broadband network via their home computers, and the web service is available even with their cell phones. 　

All these transformations seem to have come to cast a shadow upon public library services.

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Curious about ‘lifestyle’ change

We conducted a set of surveys over people’s lifestyles and views/attitudes toward the library.

“manner and style of a person’s life inclusive of living space, living hours and all values” (Akuto, 1999)

“expressions of individuals’ ambitions to create their own specific personal, cultural and social identities within historical determined structural and positional framework of the society”(Miegel, 1994)

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Aim and methodology:Aim of our study ：To grasp people’s lifestyles in a broader perspective and to identify the relationship between their lifestyles and library use Looking at:Lifestyle(Manner and style of a person’s life)

x Views and attitudes toward library Actual library useDemographic attributes(gender, age, persons living with, educational background, occupation and income)

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Survey of lifestyle and library use

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Survey (method) Subjects

Sampling method

# of sample

# of response (valid responses) Note

2004 survey (mail-in)

Residents of Toride City (those 20 and above living within a 2km radius)

random sampling 1,000(8

unknown)

320 (320) response rate

32.3%

Toride City, population at 80,000 (today 110,00 due to annexation)

2006 survey (hand-out)

Visitors of Toride City Library (High school students and older)

50% of visitors

801

497 (466) response rate

62%

Visitors of Yuki [City] Library (High school students and older)

50% of visitors

626

304 (293) response rate

48.5%

Yuki City, population at 53,000.

Location of two cities ＆ their libraries

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Red: Toride 　 CityGreen: Yuki 　 City

Toride City Library

Yuki [City] Library

2004 survey (mail-in to residents) 1. factor analysis of lifestyle

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Factors life

fulfillment self-sacrifice

absorption & actions

achieving goals

Prefers to live as one' wishes regardless of reputations 0.58 -0.14 0.01 -0.04

Live unbound to traditions and customs 0.58 0.03 -0.18 0.03

Values recognition for hobbies etc., rather than for work 0.54 0.11 -0.02 0.01

Real life lies in being faithful to one’s desires 0.37 -0.17 0.35 0.03

Think of others before oneself -0.05 0.65 0.03 -0.13

Sacrifice oneself for family and work 0.04 0.42 -0.01 0.11

Once started, get absorbed whether it is play or work 0.02 0.06 0.62 -0.25

Love to play the central role -0.20 -0.07 0.48 0.22

Set a little higher goal and strive for it -0.09 0.23 0.31 0.13 Can do whatever one likes only after making a success 0.21 0.16 -0.03 0.63

Enjoy life rather than striving for success -0.21 -0.18 -0.08 0.44 factor extraction method: generalized least-squares method rotation method: Promax solution with Kaiser’s normalization

2004 survey (mail-in to residents)2. 4 lifestyle clusters

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2004 survey (mail-in to residents) ３ . factor analysis of views and attitudes toward library

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2004 survey (mail-in to residents) 4. Clusters by views & attitudes toward the library

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2004 survey (mail-in to residents)5. Cross table of lifestyles and views & attitudes toward the library

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2006 Survey (with library visitors)1. Two Libraries in suburban/rural area

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Toride City Library Yuki [City] Library

Opened in 1979.7 2004.5 Floor space 1,527m2 4,135m2 Collection(2005) 303,480vols. 136,367vols. Registered users(2005) 46,497(including

branch library) 16,013

Target population(2005) 113,000(same) 53,000 No. of total users(2005) 364,868 285,868 No. of total lending (2005) 661,963 219,173 No. of vol. per capita (2005) 2.8 2.6 Note ・PCs introduced fully in

2007 ・Independent library

building

・PCs and database service available

・Part of a complex building called Yuki Information and Communication Center

2006 Survey (with library visitors)2. Two library collecting difference users

Toride vs. YukiAge group under 30: 18.5% vs. 30.9% over 55: 37.8% vs. 22.8% Education background (above university graduate) 40.1 % vs. 26.6%Aim of use: focus on reading vs. certain amount of research (Internet use): 8.8% vs. 11.7%

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2006 Survey (with library visitors)3. Preference of principal information source

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Toride Yuki

Information source

News/social issues

Everyday topics

Work/Study

News/social issues

Everyday topics

Work/Study

newspaper 65.7% 16.6% 9.2% 59.9% 14.9% 8.5%

TV 55.2% 37.8% 6.7% 59.9% 41.8% 7.6%

Periodicals 6.7% 27.6% 14.7% 9.2% 38.1% 18.6%

Books 12.15 33.2% 61.3% 7.7% 29.9% 62.7%

Search Engine 25.5% 38.7% 39.3% 15.5% 26.1% 27.1%

Blog 10.9% 19.8% 19.6% 5.6% 11.2% 17.9%

Bulletin Board 7.1% 16.6% 9.2% 3.5% 14.9% 5.9%

Ask librarian 0% 0.5% 0.6% 0% 0.7% 0%

Ask friends 0.8% 6.0% 6.1% 3.5% 10.4% 10.2%

2006 Survey (with library visitors)4. Two surveys’ difference of clusters

2004 residents survey Groups by lifestyle no concern keeping own pace actively striving respecting others Groups by views and attitudes

toward library isolated bookish exploring no interest patronage

2006 visitors survey Groups by lifestyle keeping own pace achieving aims fulfilling & active preserving traditions Groups by views and attitudes

toward library killing time no interest bookish and exploring patronage

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2006 Survey (with library visitors) 5.Clusters by the views and attitudes toward the library

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Discussion1. People with certain lifestyles appreciate library

services positively.2. Subtle differences of lifestyle and views &

attitudes toward library between residents and visitors are confirmed.

3. Library service alteration atracts different visitors.

4. People have already started to enjoy many kinds of networked service by themselves and at the same time use the library subject to its service response. 17

Thank you for your attentionご清聴ありがとうございました（ Go Seicho

Arigato gozaimashita ）

Contact: harungt@slis.tsukuba.ac.jp

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