More people would visit their local public library if they could borrow videos, DVDs and CDs, a new national survey has found.
The research, published yesterday by An Chomhairle Leabharlanna - the Library Council - found, however, that two-thirds of Irish adults have been or are members of their local library and that membership was higher among teenagers than the middle-aged and elderly.
Presenting the research, A Public Place For All, the director of An Chomhairle Leabharlanna, Ms Norma McDermott, said it was an endorsement of the investment by local government that 94 per cent of those who visited a library recently were very satisfied or satisfied with the service.
In 2003, €80 million was spent on libraries by local government, of which €11 million was spent on new stock. There are more than a million active library users, with over 12 million library visits recorded throughout the network of 344 branch libraries and 30 mobile libraries last year.
The survey, carried out by TNS/MRBI, found 68 per cent of adults (aged 15 and over) were or had been members of the library. Of those questioned in the 15-19 age bracket, 88 per cent were current members as opposed to 66 per cent in the 45-54 age group and 63 per cent in the 55-64 age group.
Women were more likely to be members than men and married women more likely than single.
Not surprisingly, the most common reason for visiting a library was to borrow or return books (79 per cent), though 14 per cent cited study as a reason and 10 per cent said they used their library to access the Internet.
Ms McDermott said there were issues of access to libraries, and of the range of stock available, which would have to be addressed. Some 35 per cent of people who had not visited a library recently gave as their reason lack of time.
"We will have to look at later opening hours, lunchtime opening and extended weekend opening. We also need to look at services for older people. It may be increasingly necessary to bring the service to them."
Twenty per cent of people who had not visited recently said it was because they believed there was nothing of interest there.
"The message is we will have to buy more stock and a wider range of stock, like DVDs and videos. This is something that would be easily remedied with more money."
And she said there were clear marketing policy issues given that 50 per cent of respondents did not know they could access the Internet at their local library.
"There are 1,400 Internet terminals in the country's libraries and these have 90 per cent occupancy."
Speaking at yesterday's publication, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Cullen, said he was keenly aware of the positive contribution local libraries made to communities, particularly for the young.
