"User" Research and exclusion
There seems to be an inherent contradiction in the emphasis on "user research" as the way to design library and information services as well as to determine what content is included. If "the user" is the one studied, then the user is the only one that may have their needs met. Make sense: we want the user to be happy and return. But, doesn't this perpetuate exclusion? Are we just trying to reinforce the people who currently make use of the library? Or, are we trying to include those who have traditionally avoided the library for many, many different reasons. If the later is of concern, then user research, at the least, does not go far enough.
Ironically, when I searched for research on non-users, the emphasis was on how to get college students not currently using the library to come in so the library could get more funding.
Work to explore on this topic
Muddiman, D. (2000). Images of exclusion: user and community perceptions of the public library. Open to All?: the Public Library and Social Exclusion, 179-188.
http://librarymarketing.blogspot.com/2006/07/taking-non-out-of-non-user-part-1-of-4.html
Stoepel, M. Another perspective on library use Learning from library non-users.
http://eprints.rclis.org/9375/1/J34_nonusers.pdf
http://libr.org/isc/articles/17-Pateman-1.html
Sin, S. C. J., & Kim, K. S. (2008). Use and non-use of public libraries in the information age: A logistic regression analysis of household characteristics and library services variables. Library & Information Science Research, 30(3), 207-215.
Ironically, when I searched for research on non-users, the emphasis was on how to get college students not currently using the library to come in so the library could get more funding.
Work to explore on this topic
Muddiman, D. (2000). Images of exclusion: user and community perceptions of the public library. Open to All?: the Public Library and Social Exclusion, 179-188.
http://librarymarketing.blogspot.com/2006/07/taking-non-out-of-non-user-part-1-of-4.html
Stoepel, M. Another perspective on library use Learning from library non-users.
http://eprints.rclis.org/9375/1/J34_nonusers.pdf
http://libr.org/isc/articles/17-Pateman-1.html
Sin, S. C. J., & Kim, K. S. (2008). Use and non-use of public libraries in the information age: A logistic regression analysis of household characteristics and library services variables. Library & Information Science Research, 30(3), 207-215.
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