Extended opening hours in scientific libraries

A consideration focussing on 24/7 library-concepts and their possible realization

Abstract

Objective – this article wants to introduce the reader to so called 24/7 library-concepts and shed a light on their possible implementation. User-friendliness but also the question of the relevance of expanded opening hours (in times of digital libraries) will be reviewed as well.

Methods – as a vital part of the author’s master thesis a user survey was realized. The results of this survey formed the basis for the verification/falsification of hypotheses regarding the perception/acceptance of an already established 24/7 library-concept.

Results – the output of the user survey corresponds with the results of other surveys that have been carried out during the last decade. The collected answers indicate that the "24 hour library" which was featured in the questionnaire is heavily frequented and very popular among library-patrons.

Conclusion – dealing with library-opening hours remains relevant and there is a variety of influencing factors that have to be taken into consideration when changes are planned (depending on how profound they should be). The changing needs of library-patrons are leading to new perspectives on the possible future roles of the library as a physical space.