Study title

National User Survey of Finnish Public Libraries 2018

Dataset ID Number

FSD3308

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3308
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3308

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Southern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency
• Sainio, Tapani
• Kummala-Mustonen, Merja
• Alroth, Susanne
• Ihanamäki, Satu
• Litmanen-Peitsala, Päivi
• Priha, Leena
• Sarmela, Matti
• Juntumaa, Jouni
• Valtonen, Raija
• Seppänen, Antti

Abstract

The National User Survey of Finnish Public Libraries charted customer experiences of library services in Finland. The survey charted frequency of library use, reasons for using the library, as well as satisfaction with library facilities, collections, and customer service. The user survey is part of the national evaluation of library services and a tool for the development of each library itself. The survey was funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, and each library collected their own survey.

Frequency of visiting the library was charted as well as reasons for visiting (including e.g. checking out books, searching the library's collections, using the library's IT equipment, reading magazines). The respondents were also asked how often they used online services of the library and whether they followed the library on social media.

Next, the respondents were presented with statements relating to library facilities (location, opening hours, equipment, sufficiency of space for different activities, accessibility), collections (books, audio books, e-books, magazines, e-magazines, music, movies), customer service, and different types of events and trainings. The respondents evaluated these factors according to how important they considered them and how well they were implemented in the library. The respondents were also asked to give a school grade to the library in general. Finally, the respondents were asked to what extent the library had positively affected their work, studying or other activities.

Background variables included gender, age group, economic activity and occupational status, and educational level.

Keywords

information/library resources; information/library systems and services; libraries; library facilities; library services; public libraries; public services; reading (activity)

Topic Classification

• Humanities (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Information society (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

National User Surveys of Finnish Libraries

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Taloustutkimus

Time Period Covered

2018

Collection Dates

2018-04-09 – 2018-05-06

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Users of public libraries in Finland (excluding South Karelia)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Cohort/Event-based

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Availability

Each library handled data collection and participant recruitment in their own way. To aid in recruitment, marketing materials were produced for the libraries. The objective was to reach the whole user base of public libraries. The survey was aimed at persons over 12 years old, but participation was not monitored. The online and paper questionnaires were identical and both were offered to participants, also in Swedish and in English if necessary. The survey reached 30,000 respondents in total, of which approximately two thirds responded to the online questionnaire.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

To prevent identification of respondents, open-ended responses were removed from the data, and the variable denoting the respondent's age was categorised.

Variable 14 denoting year of birth is missing from the data, but an age variable is included.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Southern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency & Sainio, Tapani & Kummala-Mustonen, Merja & Alroth, Susanne & Ihanamäki, Satu & Litmanen-Peitsala, Päivi & Priha, Leena & Sarmela, Matti & Juntumaa, Jouni & Valtonen, Raija & Seppänen, Antti: National User Survey of Finnish Public Libraries 2018 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2020-01-31). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3308

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Results and statistics of the data available on the website of Statistics Finland: https://survey.taloustutkimus.fi/dashboard/kirjastot_avoin/.

Related Publications

Seppänen, Antti (2018). Läget, lokalen, personalen - Resultaten av de allmänna bibliotekens användarenkät 2018. Publikationer från Regionförvaltningsverket 55/2018. Tavastehus: Regionförvaltningsverket. ISBN 978-952-5890-86-0

Seppänen, Antti & Kontiainen, Kristiina & Ihanamäki, Satu & Niskanen, Nina-Mari (2018). Etelä-Suomen kirjastot 2017. Aluehallintovirastojen julkaisuja 52. Hämeenlinna: Aluehallintovirasto. ISBN-978-952-5890-86-0

Seppänen, Antti (2018). Sinne vain on niin mukava mennä - Yleisten kirjastojen asiakaskyselyn tulokset 2018 Aluehallintovirastojen julkaisuja 47. Hämeenlinna: Aluehallintovirasto. ISBN 978-952-5890-85-3