แนวทางการจัดบริการห้องสมุดสำหรับผู้สูงอายุในห้องสมุดประชาชน ภาคเหนือของประเทศไทย

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to investigate service provision contexts and library use needs and problems of the elderly service users in public libraries in the Upper Northern Region of Thailand and to develop library service guidelines for the elderly in the public libraries in the region. The mixed-method approach was implemented in this research, consisting of both qualitative and quantitative investigation. The library sample group was composed of six public libraries and “Chalermrajakumari” public libraries in the region. They included four provincial public libraries in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan and Lampang provinces and two “Chalermrajakumari” public libraries in Chiang Rai and Phrae provinces. The qualitative data were collected from the library administrators and information professionals in charge of library services in the six libraries. The quantitative data were collected from the elderly service users in the six libraries. The Yamane’s table was used to define the sample size with the confidence level of 95%. The sample size was 398 respondents and 430 sets of the questionnaire were returned. The content analysis was utilized to analyze the qualitative data and the results were presented descriptively. Descriptive statistics was applied to analyze the quantitative data for frequency, percentage, and standard deviation. The inferential statistics, including F-test and One-Way ANOVA, was also adopted. The research instruments for collecting the qualitative data were two sets of the semi-structured interview: one for the library administrators and the other for the information professionals in charge of library services. The study results on the library service needs revealed that the needs were ranked as follows. For the needs in the environment and facilities for the elderly service users, the needs with the highest mean were air-conditioned libraries (x = 4.05), libraries with good ventilation (x = 3.94), and clean and orderly libraries (x = 3.91). For library services, the needs with the highest mean were sending information resources at hand or providing a mobile library (x = 3.69), information search service for the elderly (x = 3.60), and sending a list of new books or library activity programs to the homes of the elderly (x = 3.49). For library facilities, the needs with the highest mean were having cushions with backrests for the elderly (x = 3.98), providing reading space exclusively for the elderly (x = 3.71), and a drinking water corner (x = 3.69). It was further found that library service problems encountered by the elderly service users were the environment and facilities for the elderly, information resources, and personnel respectively; librarians have no human relations with users, in providing services not giving advice and assistance to users, and they did not take care or enthusiasm in providing services respectively. For the guidelines to provide information services to the elderly service users, there were three issues. Firstly, library service policies for the elderly should include providing equal library services to the elderly of all age groups, promoting reading activities and providing them knowledge by using proactive activities, providing tools and facilities to the elderly, and providing personnel to oversee the elderly closely. Secondly, service provision strategies for the elderly should include promoting reading activities, organizing integrated activities for the elderly by incorporating participation or integrated administration, and organizing proactive and passive activities. Finally, there should be plans to promote reading activities and other integrated activities for the elderly by participating in allied networks without budget requirements or integrating with activities of non-formal education. There should also be plans to organize library activities and provide knowledge to the elderly by using both proactive and passive activities and learning base. The supportive factors for successful library services for the elderly consisted of state policies, planning, budget, personnel or librarians, and other factors.