In the process of library operation, managers and readers; management means and readers; rules and regulations and readers;service content and methods and readers; collection structure and readers; and various types of readers' needs and libraries are contradictory unity, and inevitably generate many contradictions. In the process of these contradictions, of course, a large amount of information is generated.We need to process, analyze and study these information in depth, in order to understand the state of service recipients, needs, and eventually achieve continuous adjustment of services, so that the library and readers of this contradiction between supply and demand tends to balance. In other words, a good reader survey, both the premise of good service, but also to meet the objective basis for readers. Through the reader survey, we can understand the natural composition of the existing readers, to understand what people come to the library to borrow books, check which type of books, check the purpose of the books, and whether the library's collection of resources to meet the needs of readers.
一、Description of the survey
In order to better understand readers' needs and optimize readers' services, we took the way of issuing readers' questionnaires and distributed 500 copies of questionnaires to all kinds of readers, and recovered 479 valid questionnaires, with a valid recovery rate of 95.8%, of which 99% were satisfied with the overall rating and 1% were basically satisfied. The survey consists of 12 questions, mainly in the form of single-item and multiple-choice questions, which basically cover the basic information of readers, readers' information needs and readers' satisfaction with library literature and information services.
二、Analysis of the survey results
1. The current situation of readers' demand for the library
The probability of readers using the library, in which those who choose 2-3 times a week and 1-2 times a month account for more than 80%, while once a day and several times a year account for less than 20% (see Table 1). For a public library with free opening, lending and searching, this type of thick in the middle and sharp at both ends is basically in line with the expected value of county public libraries.
Table 1 Frequency of library use by patrons
Frequency of coming to the library | Number of people | Percentage |
Once a day | 39 | 8.1% |
2-3 times a week | 169 | 35.3% |
1 time per week | 132 | 27.7% |
1-2 times a month | 107 | 22.3% |
A few times a year | 32 | 6.6% |
In terms of purpose, readers come to the library mainly for reading and cultural leisure, among which 46.14% are borrowing and returning books and 29.02% are reading for leisure, indicating that social reading awareness and social reading atmosphere are gradually formed, (see Table 2)
Table 2 Purpose of readers coming to the library
Purpose of coming to the library | Number of people | Percentage |
Writing homework | 49 | 10.23% |
Self-study、writing papers、lesson plans,etc | 70 | 14.61% |
Reading for leisure | 139 | 29.02% |
Bibliographic search and borrowing and returning books from the collection | 221 | 46.14% |
2.Current status of the library collection resources
From the collected questionnaires, we found that the number of votes in the listed deficiencies of the library is relatively average, which indicates that there is a general need to improve these aspects: as far as books are concerned, readers like to borrow most books in literature, biography, history, military, philosophy, and Chinese studies, but less in professional categories, which indicates that readers borrow books mainly for leisure; the resources of the collection can basically meet the needs of readers.
3.Other demands
In the survey, we also found that on holidays and weekends, the library receives an average of more than 3,000 readers daily, and there are still a lot of readers who can't help but communicate with each other and play games on the Internet. We will focus on reading guidance and effective control of Internet time to gradually cultivate good and civilized reading habits of readers and gradually form a stronger social reading atmosphere.
三、Reflections and suggestions
1.Strengthen the connection between the library and the readers
Readers' opinions are an important way to test the quality of the library, and only by continuously strengthening communication and contact with readers can we maximize the utilization rate of the library, which requires our staff to give feedback to the leaders on readers' opinions in time, and to reasonably supplement the collection according to readers' reading tendencies and needs.
2.Strengthen the promotion of library website functions
From the results of this survey, we can see that the utilization rate of the website is not very satisfactory because the construction of our library's electronic reading room is not sound enough. In the future, we should continuously strengthen the construction of the library's electronic reading room, and the staff should introduce the website functions to the readers more often to give full play to the functions of the Internet and improve the utilization rate of the website.
3.Strengthen team building and improve business quality
The main body of library work is the librarians, and only with high ideological awareness, profound professional knowledge and skilled business skills can they meet the needs of the development of the library business, so the librarians should improve their own quality and business level through various ways such as further training, training and self-learning, and serve the readers with a cordial and enthusiastic attitude.