Studying information needs of central scientific library users in a big industrial city to improve the library document resources

Abstract

Scientific libraries as an essential part of science, education, sociocultural and industrial complex of a region (big academic or industrial city) are engaged in developing information and communication environment. Therefore, systematic developing of library and information space is vital. Within the framework of the project “Regional scientific libraries in the changing science and education environment” (Fundamental Studies Program of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2022–2026), the State Public Scientific and Technical Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences Siberian Branch has been designing the model to adapt regional libraries to modern communications and new methods of scientific publications dissemination within the context of social transformations and changing paradigm of library acquisition of scientific literature and information resources, the services provided to specialists in science and education and meeting their information needs, modified user preferences, behavior and reading styles, and the concept of libraries interaction in building and using their document resources. The authors focus on the science and education space and library and information infrastructure of Novosibirsk (big science and education center) and Western Siberia (Tomsk, Kemerovo Regions and Altay Kray) and, for comparison purposes, that of Chelyabinsk, the large industrial center in the Urals.The authors characterize in brief Chelyabinsk industrial, science and academic specialization and its library system (based on the monitoring findings), as well as the primary results of the study of library users information needs (survey based); they also examine the compliance of document resources of Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library to the user information needs to update the conceptual model of library and information services offered to students and specialists.