ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to gauge how much, and why, people value visiting public libraries by asking them about the impact of the library closures. A questionnaire survey was administered to users of four library networks in New South Wales, Australia. About 19% of 1,295 respondents missed their library “a great deal,” another 28% “quite a lot.” Most commonly respondents missed browsing the shelves, taking children for visits, studying, reading, and socializing there. They also missed the quiet, relaxing, and friendly environment, and the resources provided. For many, the closures impacted their lives in a critical way.

摘要

COVID-19 大流行提供了一个独特的机会，可以通过询问人们图书馆关闭的影响来衡量人们对访问公共图书馆的重视程度和原因。对澳大利亚新南威尔士州四个图书馆网络的用户进行了问卷调查。在 1,295 名受访者中，约有 19% 的人“非常想念”他们的图书馆，另有 28% 的人“非常想念”。最常见的受访者错过了浏览货架、带孩子参观、学习、阅读和社交的机会。他们也怀念安静、轻松、友善的环境，以及所提供的资源。对于许多人来说，关闭对他们的生活产生了至关重要的影响。