The Customer Is Our Master: What We Know Now, How We Can Serve Him Better

The main objectives and most significant findings of the user/nonuser survey designed and conducted at the "Octavian Goga" Cluj County Library are presented, the survey being one of the principal tasks of the Public Libraries Development Project under the European Union PHARE Partnership Programme. In order to support the library management's intention to improve  existing services and to initiate new ones,a study of the following was made: 1) the users'/nonusers' characteristics and main reasons for visiting/not visiting the public library; 2) the degree of using the available library services and the customers' level of satisfaction with these services, and especially 3) the public's needs for new services. The most important conclusion reached is that, although the main reason for library visiting is the use of books (particularly borrowing) and that the overall level of satisfaction with library available services and environment is registered as good, the users'/nonusers' interest for new library services appear  significant. The principal proposals were: an audiocassette, videocassette and CD lending service, a European Union Information service and the most important a Community Information Service. The main information priorities of the latter were: social/welfare assistance, medical/health care, employment, retraining/improving professional performance and leisure/recreation.

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