Libraries Children's Public Library User Survey (PLUS) 2007

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Purpose	The Children's PLUS survey is a three-yearly survey of children under the age of 16 to find out their usage and perceptions of library services. The information will be used to improve library services according to the needs of the young people who use them.
Subject	Libraries
Commissioned by	Ann Marsh (County Library and Information Service, Performance Management Officer)

Geographic area	All of Lancashire
Method	Questionnaire - postal
Consultation with	Service users
Date	08/10/2007 - 14/10/2007
Undertaken by	County Library and Information Service and Corporate Research and Intelligence Team

Results

Number of responses	9808
Key findings	Children who haven't started school are more likely to visit the library during the week than school age children, and older children are more likely to visit larger libraries. Children are most likely to visit with a family member, more family visits happen at the weekend and for under fives. Library services overall (86% good) and core library services are very well thought of by children (81% books are good, 71% computers are good), although less so for homework help (60% good). All aspects of the library facilities are rated highly, although less so for opening times. Most children came to the library to borrow something (72%) followed by to read (38%). The reason most children borrow books is because they like reading (66%). Most children hadn't attended any of the additional activities offered at libraries (44%). The most used though were holiday activities (29%) and under 5s events (28%). Children are most likely to use computers at home (73%). Library computers are only used by just over a third of library users, but this does increase for older and children. The main uses children have for library computers are playing games (32%), doing homework (27%) and looking at websites (25%). Children use libraries for homework because of the resources and information available there to help them with it (books 36% and computers 28%). The two most mentioned things that the library had helped them to do were read better (61%) and learn and find things out (56%).

Number of responses

9808

Key findings

Children who haven't started school are more likely to visit the library during the week than school age children, and older children are more likely to visit larger libraries. Children are most likely to visit with a family member, more
family visits happen at the weekend and for under fives.

Library services overall (86% good) and core library services are very well thought of by children (81% books are good, 71% computers are good), although less so for homework help (60% good). All aspects of the library facilities are rated highly, although less so for opening times.

Most children came to the library to borrow something (72%) followed by to read (38%). The reason most children borrow books is because they like reading (66%). Most children hadn't attended any of the additional activities offered at libraries (44%). The most used though were holiday activities (29%) and under 5s events (28%).

Children are most likely to use computers at home (73%). Library computers are only used by just over a third of library users, but this does increase for older and children. The main uses children have for library computers are playing games (32%), doing homework (27%) and looking at websites (25%).

Children use libraries for homework because of the resources and information available there to help them with it (books 36% and computers 28%).

The two most mentioned things that the library had helped them to do were read better (61%) and learn and find things out (56%).

Project document(s)

Report(s)

Children's PLUS 2007 report

Contact information

For more information about this research contact:

Des Meyers
01772 534007
des.meyers@lancashire.gov.uk

Mick Edwardson
01772 530290
mick.edwardson@lancashire.gov.uk

Email: haveyoursay@lancashire.gov.uk