This article is from page 103 of the 2008-09-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 103 JPG
THE women of Clare are more cul- tured than their male counterparts – that’s if a survey on the county’s public libraries is anything to go by.
According to the second nation- wide survey of library users, women frequent public libraries in Clare on a much more regular basis than men, with 65% of library users surveyed being women – the only significant difference was among users of the
Local Studies centre where an equal number of men and women use the facility.
Carried out during September 2007, more than 33,000 adult library users in 369 branch and mobile h- braries asked what they visited the library for and what they thought of the service.
The number of questionnaires dis- tributed in each county was deter- mined by the number of library visits by adults that were recorded in each
county during one week in June 2007. 6,478 adults visited libraries in Clare that week and on that basis, 1,093 questionnaires were distributed and completed in libraries throughout the county in September 2007. Asked their opinion of the Clare library service, users appeared very happy with 95% rating the service as either very good or good. 38% of users in Clare visit the li- brary once a week while 17% use the service once a fortnight.
Reflecting the high concentration of internet use in the Clare public li- brary system, 78% used a computer during their visit, 42% used email and 57% used the internet.
When asked what they did when they visited the library ,57% stated they borrowed books. 49% said they came to find something out, 27% read a newspaper or magazine while 78% used a computer.
66% of users surveyed were in full or part-time employment or looking
after the home. 11% of users were either full-time or part-time students with 13% of users being retired and 6% unemployed.
77% of those surveyed stated that library membership charges were about right and 68% stated that over- due charges were about right.
The survey follows the launch in June of a Department of the Environ- ment report on public libraries which set outs the priorities for the service over the next five years.