Community, Health and Well-being

Corporate Director – Paul Najsarek

John Pacey
By Email / Thursday 19th September2013
Our ref: FOI 378465

Dear John Pacey,

Freedom of Information Request - Libraries

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Request. We have now collated the information to respond to the following question that you asked.

Question 1: I should like the Council to be kind enough to reveal how many surveys of library user satisfaction have been conducted in respect of Harrow’s libraries, within the past five years, and then to reveal the results of the most recent survey

Answer: Harrow Library Service has undertaken the following customer satisfaction surveys over the past five years:

October 2009 – Public Library User Survey for customers aged 16 and over

November 2011 – Customer Satisfaction Survey as part of the Council’s Libraries Transformation Project

October 2012 – Public Library User Survey for customers aged 16 and over

The results of the Public Library User Survey carried out in October 2012 were as follows:

Question / Sample size / %
Very good / %
Good / %
Adequate / %
Poor / %
Very Poor
What do you like about this Library?
-opening hours / 3864 / 37.6 / 41.5 / 14 / 3 / 0.5
- opening hours (Gayton and Civic Centre only) / 515 / 52 / 36 / 8 / 1 / 0
- attractiveness of library outside / 3563 / 18 / 41 / 26 / 4 / 0.5
- attractiveness of library inside / 3596 / 27 / 44 / 16 / 2 / 0.5
- standard of customer care / 3618 / 54 / 32 / 4 / 0 / 0
YES % / NO %
BOOKS
Did you come to this library today intending to borrow books? / 3861 / 60 / 36
Did you actually borrow books today? / 3861 / 51 / 43
%
Very good / %
Good / %
Adequate / %
Poor / %
Very Poor
What do you think of the books in this library
– choice? / 3807 / 25 / 46 / 20 / 3 / 0.5
- physical condition / 3384 / 23 / 48 / 12 / 1 / 0.5
YES % / NO %
Computers
Did you intend to use a computer during your visit today? / 3951 / 19 / 79
Did you actually use a computer during your visit today? / 3900 / 16 / 81
%
Very good / %
Good / %
Adequate / %
Poor / %
Very Poor
What do you think of the computer facilities in this library? / 3249 / 12 / 32 / 29 / 8 / 6
YES % / NO % / IN PART %
Finding information
Did you come here to find something out? / 3922 / 36 / 62
If you came here today to find something out, did you succeed? / 2350 / 29 / 18 / 11
%
Very good / %
Good / %
Adequate / %
Poor / %
Very Poor
What do you think of the information provision in this library? / 3672 / 24 / 49 / 17 / 1 / 0
How good is this library?
Taking everything into account, what do you think of this library? / 3947 / 36 / 49 / 12 / 1 / 0

Question 2: I should also like to know:

  1. The quantity of books acquired by Harrow library service during the period 31 August 2012 – 1 September 2013 and the total purchase cost of those goods.
  2. The quantity of DVDs acquired by Harrow library service during the period 31 August 2012 – 1 September 2013 and the total purchase cost of those goods.
  3. The quantity of CDs acquired by Harrow library service during the period 31 August 2012 – 1 September 2013 and the total purchase cost of those goods.

Answer:

  1. The total number of books acquired during the period 31 August 2012 – 1 September 2013 was 31,112. The total amount spent on books during this period was £359,272.80.
  2. The total number of DVDs acquired during the period 31 August 2012 – 1 September 2013 was 917. The total amount spent on DVDs during this period was £2,693.
  3. The total number of music CDs acquired during the period 31 August 2012 – 1 September 2013 was 492. The total amount spent on CDs during this period was £7,010.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to the Divisional Director – Community and Culture at Harrow Council, Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow. HA1 2XF, email:

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner (IC) for a decision. Generally, the IC cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the council. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Bryan

Service Manager – Libraries, Sport, and Leisure

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