User Needs, Services and Collection: A strategic triangle for the Library KNAW

Abstract

By means of two user surveys the Library of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) involved the users in the development of services. The results are described. Libraries can maintain their position by strongly improving their processes for document delivery. Other types of services have to be developed in cooperation with users.

In which way do libraries have to improve their services? What is the opinion of users about the development of services? In this lecture I will treat these questions through our experiences at the Library ofthe Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Library KNAW). The Library KNAW is the national focal point library in the Netherlands for the medical and natural sciences. The library has approximately 10,000 current periodicals and serial publications in the fields of medicine, pharmacology, biology and chemistry. The main service of the Library KNAW is document delivery to other libraries, private persons or companies. Document delivery means: delivery of photocopies of articles by mail or lending to customers issues of journals and copies of books. Apart from our Dutch customers we receive requests from 58 foreign countries. In 1993 the Library KNAW received a total number of 190,000 requests. Special services are on-line literature searches and information on current research. 42 % of the requests for documents at our library are received electronically through an automated system created by PICA. The other part (58 %) of the requests for documents arc received mostly by post. By means of two different user surveys we involved our customers in the development of our services. The First inquiry was a questionnaire which was send to a random sample of users of the Library KNAW. A second inquiry was started by visiting the most important clients for an interview. The aim was to have more data about our users. To get their opinion about the quality of our services. To examine their needs for new services. The purpose is to supply the optimal package of products and services.