1. Introduction
Studying users and their needs is a core function of Library and Information Science (LIS). It involves understanding who the users are, what information they require, how they seek it, and how effectively the library can meet those needs. This study helps libraries design user-oriented services, develop relevant collections, and adopt technologies that improve access and satisfaction.In simple terms, user studies bridge the gap between information resources and information users by focusing on the behaviour, expectations, and preferences of individuals who use library services.
2. Meaning and Definition
The study of users' needs refers to systematic research to identify library users' information requirements, behaviour, and usage patterns. It helps understand how different user groups—students, teachers, researchers, professionals, or general readers—search for, access, and utilise information.Lancaster (1978) defined user studies as “those studies which investigate the information needs of users and how they seek and use information.”
Line (1974) stated that “a user study is the means of discovering how information is being used, what the users’ needs are, and how effectively the information system is meeting these needs.”
Wilson (1981) described information needs as “the expression of a gap in a person’s knowledge, which requires information to be filled.”
3. Types of Library Users
Libraries serve a broad spectrum of individuals, each with distinct goals, backgrounds, and information-seeking behaviours. Understanding these user types helps librarians design services, develop relevant collections, and provide efficient assistance. Broadly, library users can be classified into academic, special, public, national, and digital or remote users, depending on their purpose and information requirements.- Academic Library Users: Academic library users are individuals associated with educational and research institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, and research centres. Their primary goal is to support learning, teaching, and research. This group includes students, teachers, researchers, and administrative staff. Students rely on the library for textbooks, reference works, study materials, and digital resources for assignments and examinations. Teachers and faculty members use the library to prepare lectures, consult the latest research, and access teaching aids or open educational resources. Researchers and scholars depend heavily on journals, theses, dissertations, databases, and repositories for advanced study. Administrative staff may also use libraries for institutional data, policies, or report preparation. Academic users prefer updated, subject-specific, and digital resources accessible through databases like Scopus, JSTOR, or Shodhganga. Examples of such libraries include the Delhi University Library System, IIT Libraries, and JNU Library.
- Special Library Users: Special library users are professionals and subject experts who need precise, technical, and up-to-date information in their respective disciplines. These users include scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, economists, business managers, and government officials. Scientists and technologists, for instance, use libraries in research organisations like CSIR or DRDO to access scientific papers, patents, and technical reports. Medical professionals use medical libraries such as AIIMS Library to consult journals like BMJ or The Lancet for clinical research. Legal practitioners and students rely on law libraries for case reports, acts, judgments, and commentaries through SCC Online or Manupatra databases. Similarly, economists and policymakers use specialised libraries like the Reserve Bank of India Library or the Parliament Library for reports, statistics, and policy documents. These users value accuracy, speed, and confidentiality. They often prefer online databases, alert services, and document delivery systems over general collections.
- Public Library Users: Public library users represent the general public and come from diverse social, educational, and professional backgrounds. Their information needs include education, recreation, employment, and self-development. Children and young adults use libraries for storybooks, illustrated materials, and academic resources to support school learning. Adults and professionals visit libraries to prepare for competitive examinations, pursue hobbies, or gain vocational knowledge. Senior citizens use public libraries for relaxation, reading newspapers, or lifelong learning activities. Public libraries also serve community groups by organising cultural events, literacy drives, and awareness programs. They focus on inclusivity, literacy promotion, and equitable access to knowledge. Libraries like the Delhi Public Library, Connemara Public Library (Chennai), and State Central Libraries serve as prominent examples. These libraries offer print and digital materials, ensuring that all members of society can benefit from educational and recreational reading.
- National Library Users: National library users include researchers, historians, scholars, and policymakers who require access to heritage collections and national-level bibliographic information. The National Library of India, located in Kolkata, is an example of such an institution. It is the repository of India’s published works under the Delivery of Books and Newspapers Act (1954). Its users seek manuscripts, rare books, archival materials, and bibliographies for advanced history, culture, and social sciences research. These users rely on comprehensive catalogues, digitised archives, and preservation systems that support long-term access to historical documents.
- Digital and Remote Users: The digital age has introduced a growing class of online or remote library users who access library resources online rather than physically visiting. These users depend on online catalogues, databases, and digital libraries for information. They use platforms like Shodhganga, e-ShodhSindhu, National Digital Library of India (NDLI), or institutional repositories from home or workplace. Remote users value convenience, 24/7 accessibility, and quick search tools. They often prefer e-books, open-access journals, and multimedia resources over printed materials. Librarians serve these users through virtual reference services, online help desks, and user education programs on digital literacy.
- Non-Users and Potential Users: Non-users currently do not use library facilities, often due to lack of awareness, accessibility issues, or the digital divide. This group includes rural populations, underprivileged communities, or illiterate individuals. Libraries aim to convert them into active users through outreach programs, community mobile libraries, public awareness campaigns, and digital inclusion initiatives. By addressing language, distance, or technology barriers, libraries promote inclusivity and fulfil their information mission for all.
4. Objectives of Studying Users and Their Needs
Studying users and their needs is essential in library and information science. It helps librarians understand who the users are, what information they require, how they seek it, and how effectively the library fulfils those needs. Such studies ensure that library services remain relevant, user-focused, and evidence-based rather than assumption-driven. The findings help improve collection development, service delivery, and policy formulation.- To identify the Actual Information Needs of Users: The primary objective is to determine what kinds of information users require. Many libraries assume users’ needs, but empirical studies reveal their real requirements. For example, a survey in a university library may show that postgraduate students need access to previous years’ theses and online research journals more than printed textbooks. Similarly, public library users may prefer local-language magazines and career guidance materials. Recognising these specific needs helps libraries develop targeted collections and services.
- To Understand Users’ Information-Seeking Behaviour: Libraries study how users look for and access information—whether they prefer digital databases, catalogues, reference desks, or social media. This helps in designing user-friendly systems and training programs. For instance, if a study shows that most students rely on Google Scholar instead of the library’s subscribed databases, librarians can organise awareness workshops to teach proper use of licensed e-resources such as SCOPUS or JSTOR.
- To Assess User Satisfaction and Service Effectiveness: Understanding how satisfied users are with library services is crucial for improving operations. Feedback can reveal limited opening hours, poor internet connectivity, or outdated materials. For example, a satisfaction survey in a college library might show that users find it challenging to access Wi-Fi in reading areas or experience delays in issuing books. Such findings enable librarians to make immediate improvements, thereby increasing user satisfaction.
- To Support Collection Development and Resource Allocation: Another primary objective is to guide collection development. By studying user preferences, libraries can prioritise acquisitions that meet demand. For instance, a study may reveal that engineering students frequently use e-books on programming, while management students prefer printed case studies. Based on these findings, the library can adjust its budget to increase e-book subscriptions for one department and printed resources for another.
- To Improve Library Systems and Service Design: User studies help librarians understand how users interact with the library’s physical and digital infrastructure. If users face difficulties locating books or navigating the online catalogue, the library can redesign signage or upgrade the interface. For example, when the Delhi University Library System (DULS) noticed that users struggled with the OPAC search function, they improved the interface and added multilingual search options to make it more accessible.
- To Convert Non-Users and Under-Users into Active Users: Many individuals do not use the library due to a lack of awareness, distance, or digital illiteracy. User studies identify such barriers and suggest solutions. For example, if a district library finds that rural students rarely visit, it may start mobile library services or digital literacy programs to bring the library to them. Similarly, public libraries can conduct outreach events to attract senior citizens or homemakers who are potential users.
- To Facilitate Planning and Policy Formulation: Libraries use user studies as evidence to plan budgets, staffing, infrastructure, and technology upgrades. For example, if a library study shows high usage of e-journals but low usage of printed journals, administrators may reallocate funds toward digital subscriptions. Data from such studies also help justify new services to funding bodies and policymakers, ensuring accountability and efficient management.
- To Monitor Changing User Behaviour Over Time: User needs are dynamic and change with technology, academic trends, and social factors. Continuous user studies help libraries stay updated. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many libraries observed a shift from physical borrowing to remote e-resource access. This insight prompted libraries to expand online databases and offer virtual reference services. Tracking such behavioural changes ensures that libraries remain adaptable to evolving user habits.
- To Promote User-Centred Library Culture: User studies reinforce the idea that libraries exist for users, not for collections alone. Understanding user needs promotes a service-oriented culture among staff and motivates them to provide personalised assistance. For example, after a university library found that research scholars needed help in citation management, it started offering Zotero and Mendeley training workshops. This initiative directly stemmed from user feedback.
- To Enhance Library Marketing and Outreach: User studies also help in designing marketing strategies for library services. The library can create targeted awareness campaigns by identifying who the users are and what they need. For instance, if faculty members are unaware of plagiarism-checking tools like Turnitin, the library can organise faculty orientation sessions or circulate informative brochures. Similarly, social media campaigns can be tailored for more active online students.
- To Improve Decision-Making and Performance Evaluation: Data collected from user studies helps library managers make informed decisions and measure performance. For example, suppose a study shows low usage of a costly database like ProQuest. In that case, the library can promote it more effectively or consider replacing it with a more relevant alternative. Such decisions based on objective evidence ensure efficiency and accountability.
- To Contribute to Research in Library and Information Science: User studies generate valuable research data that contribute to LIS as an academic field. They help develop new models of information-seeking behaviour, such as Wilson’s Model and Krikelas’s Model, which are widely used in information behaviour studies. For example, findings from Indian academic libraries often enrich national policy discussions on open access and digital transformation.
5. User Education: Meaning and Concept
User Education refers to teaching and guiding individuals to become effective, independent, and confident users of information resources and services. It is a broad educational activity designed to help users develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to identify, locate, evaluate, and use information efficiently in any academic, professional, or personal context.In essence, user education empowers individuals to handle information intelligently and ethically, making them information-literate citizens capable of lifelong learning in today’s knowledge-based society.
User education is the systematic instruction and training provided to individuals to help them understand how to access, evaluate, and apply information effectively. It is not limited to libraries or academic settings; it applies broadly to all fields where information is central, such as education, research, business, government, and media.
According to UNESCO (2003), user education forms a crucial part of Information Literacy, which enables individuals to “recognise their information needs, locate and evaluate information, and use it effectively.”
Thus, user education is both a learning process and a lifelong competency, aiming to make individuals self-reliant and responsible information users.
6. Objectives of User Education
User education aims to develop individuals' skills, understanding, and confidence to effectively identify, locate, evaluate, and use information. In today’s information-driven society, people encounter enormous volumes of data across print, electronic, and digital media. Without proper education, users may struggle to retrieve accurate, reliable, and ethical information. Therefore, the main objective of user education is to create independent, informed, and responsible information users capable of lifelong learning.- To Create Awareness about Information Resources: The foremost objective is to inform users of various available information sources—books, journals, e-resources, databases, websites, multimedia, and government publications. Many users remain unaware of valuable sources due to a lack of guidance. Example: An awareness session may teach students about open-access databases such as the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) or Google Scholar, helping them discover scholarly materials beyond textbooks.
- To Develop Information-Seeking and Retrieval Skills: User education helps individuals learn how to search for information effectively using tools such as catalogues, indexes, databases, and search engines. It teaches them to locate precise information using keywords, Boolean operators, and subject headings. Example: A researcher trained to use Scopus or Web of Science can perform advanced searches to find relevant studies quickly, saving time and effort.
- To Enable Independent and Lifelong Learning: A significant goal of user education is to build self-reliant learners who can find and use information without constant assistance. This independence promotes lifelong learning, essential in the modern knowledge economy. Example: A trained user can independently conduct literature reviews or retrieve data for assignments even after completing a formal course, continuing self-directed learning throughout life.
- To Improve Critical Evaluation of Information: User education trains individuals to analyse and evaluate the quality of information critically. Users learn to judge the accuracy, relevance, bias, timeliness, and credibility of sources. Example: A student who learns to differentiate between peer-reviewed journals and unverified websites can select reliable material for academic writing.
- To Promote Effective and Ethical Use of Information: Another core objective is to ensure users use information responsibly and ethically. This involves understanding issues like copyright, plagiarism, and citation practices. Example: After attending a session on academic integrity, a student learns to cite references properly using APA or MLA styles and avoids plagiarism in assignments or research papers.
- To Enhance Digital and Media Literacy: In the digital era, user education extends beyond books to include digital and media literacy—the ability to use computers, online databases, and multimedia sources effectively. Users are taught to navigate e-resources, social media, and digital repositories safely and productively. Example: A workshop on “Effective Internet Searching” or “Evaluating Online Information” helps users improve their digital competence and avoid misinformation.
- To Foster Awareness of Emerging Technologies: User education also seeks to introduce individuals to new information technologies such as artificial intelligence tools, online reference services, citation managers, and cloud-based storage systems. Example: Training users to use Zotero or Mendeley helps them organise references efficiently and stay updated with scholarly communication tools.
- To Support Academic and Research Productivity: Educated users can locate and apply information efficiently, which enhances research quality, teaching, and academic performance. It reduces dependency on library staff and improves institutional research output. Example: Doctoral scholars trained in database searching and referencing produce better literature reviews and higher-quality research publications.
- To Encourage Information Ethics and Legal Awareness: User education sensitises individuals to the legal and social responsibilities of information use—respecting intellectual property rights, privacy, and digital security. Example: Awareness campaigns on “Copyright and Fair Use” or “Safe Internet Practices” help users behave responsibly in digital environments.
- To Bridge the Information and Digital Divide: Another objective is ensuring equitable access by equipping all users with basic information—handling skills regardless of age, education, or location. This promotes inclusive participation in the information society. Example: Digital literacy programs in rural areas train citizens to use online platforms for education, e-governance, and health information, bridging the urban–rural information gap.
- To Save Time and Improve Efficiency: Proper search and retrieval techniques training allows users to locate information quickly and accurately. It reduces frustration, duplication, and waste of effort. Example: A student who knows how to use the library catalogue (OPAC) or search filters in databases can find relevant materials within minutes instead of hours.
- To Promote Lifelong Curiosity and Continuous Learning: Ultimately, user education aims to cultivate a habit of continuous inquiry. Once users develop confidence in accessing and using information, they are more likely to engage in self-directed exploration throughout their personal and professional lives. Example: Professionals who regularly update their skills through online courses, webinars, or digital repositories exemplify the success of lifelong user education.