A Study on the New Taipei City Library as a Third Place and the Perceived Outcomes and Sense of Identity of Its Users

• Main Authors: Yu, Chiu-Yun, 余秋芸
• Other Authors: Ke Hao-Ren
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/xb8wrk

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 圖書資訊學研究所 === 105 === This study aims to explore the perceived outcomes and the sense of identity of public central libraries through New Taipei City Library. It analyses how the library benefits its users through both traditional and newly incorporated services, and discovers its definition as a third place with Oldenburg’s framework. Questionnaires response collected from library users during the period between December 7th and December 20th 2016 were analyzed quantitatively, based on a sample of 504 New Taipei City Library users, ranging in age from 13 to 65 up. Users are majorly students, and this is consistent with the user composition of public libraries in general in Taiwan. The results show that New Taipei City Library users benefit from library services in four major outcome categories: daily life, recreation, work, and education. Results also show that New Taipei City Library fully meets many of Oldenburg’s third place criteria, including (a) neutral ground, (b) leveler, (c) conversation as main activity, (d) accessibility, (e) low profile, (f) playful mood, and (g) a home away from home. Among the 8 criteria by Oldenburg, New Taipei City Library met these seven in the 50% Likert scale analysis, defined as agree and strongly agree. This study further analyses the relationship among library use frequency, perceived outcomes, library as a third place, and the identification of a central library. The result shows that the four variables are positively correlated. In summary, New Taipei City Library not only holds its core functions, but also incorporates up-to-date services to meet changing user needs, and to increase user’s willingness to visit and stay. Judging by New Taipei City Library, it can be concluded that a physical public central library is unique and irreplaceable to the community it serves. Based on the results of this study, there are some suggestions for New Taipei City Library and public libraries in general. Firstly, making New Taipei City Library an informal meeting place by strengthening the interaction between users and the library, can consequently increase the trust between them. Moreover, library space and services should be arranged according to the purposes and needs of the users. The space and services that can enhance the lower-performing perceived outcomes should be promoted, so that the central public library can elevate its importance and relatability to the users. Lastly, the New Taipei City Library should offer a library suggestion box to its users to make increase communications between the users and the library, as communication is the key to positive developments.