Librarian/user interaction in public libraries: A study of library staff's responses to users' enquiries

This paper presents the results of a study designed to find out what happens when librarians respond to enquiries from users of public libraries. The limited nature of the interaction commonly observed calls into question the rhetoric of public library ‘service for all’. Only those who have been able to articulate clearly their information needs in terms which relate to the library's organization of resources are likely to receive a completely satisfactory response.