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Segmentation helps an organization or institution better understand the people it serves and adjust products or services to their needs. This article presents the results of the segmentation of Polish readers and library users. The study was based on 1,010 computer-assisted telephone interviews with a representative random sample of adult Polish residents. The two-step cluster analysis method was used for segmentation. Based on the average number of books read in the 3 months before the interviews, the frequency of reading the press, reading electronic texts, and the use of libraries, five segments were distinguished: almost absolute nonreaders, (news)paper enthusiasts, library lovers, occasional users, and short-form surfers. The distinguished segments were described in terms of 5 behavioral and 12 descriptive variables. Segmentation of library readers and users enables us to understand the population of actual and potential users better than traditional measures (i.e., statistics). The article also discusses the possibilities and advantages of the application of the two-step cluster analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research paper investigates doctoral students' information literacy (IL), a demographic often overlooked in IL studies. Focusing on the unique context of Polish doctoral schools, the paper explores the competences of young researchers. The methodological and descriptive objectives of the study include creating and validating the ILDoc tool and evaluating the self-efficacy in terms of information competences of doctoral students. The research employs the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique, targeting doctoral students from five Polish universities (Jagiellonian University, University of Gdańsk, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, and University of Warsaw). Through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study refines the ILDoc model, identifying four latent factors: Information Access, Information Retrieval, Reference Management, and Information Analysis. The findings highlight the critical importance of IL in academic librarianship, particularly underscoring gaps in advanced searching and reference management skills. While gender and age appear to have no significant impact, the year of study and successful midterm evaluations do influence IL self-efficacy. Additionally, the field of study affects students' abilities in information access and analysis. The study advocates for customized IL training and support for doctoral students. It also calls for ongoing IL training that aligns with the evolving research processes of doctoral students, emphasizing the collaborative role of librarians and faculty. The application of the ILDoc tool in this study yields significant benefits, offering academic institutions, libraries, and educators valuable insights for improving support strategies, thereby enriching the information literacy journey of doctoral students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to explore information behaviour and information literacy in the group of the charitable foundation beneficiaries, their attitudes, choices, and behaviour regarding particularly COVID-19 information. Methods: Two series of quantitative CAPI studies were carried out. The first consisted of basic questions about access and preferences related to information sources. The other was explicitly related to COVID-19 pandemic information. Basic statistical descriptive measures and chi-square tests of independencewere used in the analysis. Results: Poverty and the concept of small worlds seem to be a specific living context of vulnerable groups. Information flow is based mainly on personal sources. Their searches for pandemic information did not differ significantly from everyday behaviours. The respondents felt fatigued with information about the pandemic dominating the media and informal discussions. In relation to previous studies, we see similar behaviours and competencies levels indicating information poverty, although differences in source preferences are also observed. Volunteers appear to have a limited informative role concerning the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other studies of people in crisis. Originality: Information behaviour patterns of the studied group indicate new tasks for caregivers in terms of provision of information and development of information skills, in particular in health or life-threatening circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the methodological issues around developing a quantitative research instrument of the social impact of Polish public libraries. The results of the use of this instrument to survey users of Mazovian Province, Poland, are summarized as an example of its use. Design/methodology/approach: The research focused on informational, educational and participatory aspects of social impact on the sidelines leaving cultural heritage issues. "Impact" and "social impact" were defined according to ISO 16439:2014. Information and documentation – methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries. The research instrument included questions both about the activities taken in libraries by its users and the benefits they gained. The questionnaire also contained questions which allowed to control the variables such as frequency of using libraries, socioeconomic factors and cultural practices. To describe dependencies, various statistical tests were applied. The study was conducted on the group of 1,098 users of 38 public libraries between February and June 2017. Findings: Younger and people from smaller towns felt more benefits from using libraries. There are significant differences between types of benefits people of various age, financial status and household size experienced. People who went to libraries and other cultural institutions often experienced more benefits. The more a person performs activities in libraries, the more benefits he or she has. Some added value of particular activities is also visible. Research limitations/implications: Despite the efforts and the size of the sample, it is not representative of the population of library users in the Mazovian Province (mainly due to the data collection method – auditory survey). Originality/value: Studying the social impact of the libraries in Poland is still at its beginning. The presented research is, therefore, exploratory in terms of cognitive and methodological value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of research conducted in 2012 in three Warsaw multimedia libraries. The subject of the study was to assess the quality of library services for young people in secondary schools and high schools. In the study there was used SERVQUAL method, based on measuring the gap between perceived quality and expected quality of the service. The quality of service was analyzed in the context of nine determinants. The assessment included inter alia: library staff, resources, interior spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the issue of how much information competencies are universal in the globalized, internet-connected world, and/or to what extent their perception depends on local conditions and individual needs. The aim of the project is threefold. First, it offers a comparative analysis of the information literacy skills of Polish and Spanish students, regarding both their self-assessment and belief in the importance of information literacy. Second, it focuses on differences and unique IL needs of students of courses rooted in social sciences and/or humanities. And third, due to these differences, it discusses the role of academic librarians in profiled IL training, integrated with the specific courses. Quantitative methodology was applied. The comparative study covered subgroups of humanities and social science students from Poland and Spain. Competencies in information searching, processing, evaluation, and communication/dissemination were taken into account. The results indicate some common ways of perception of valuing information competencies and major differences in assessment of IL self-efficacy. Students' reluctance to visit libraries is another argument to enhance profiled IL training being realized in close cooperation of academic librarians and the faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Thesis: The aim was to study information competencies of Polish students of library and information science (LIS), history and journalism with two aspects taken into consideration: students' belief regarding the importance (BIM) of a set of core information competencies, and their self-efficacy (SE) in this field. Approach/Methods: The IL-HUMASS questionnaire, slightly modified, was used. It consists of 26 information literacy aspects divided into four areas: information retrieval, evaluation and processing, and communication skills. Results and conclusions: The results reveal, on one hand, some common attitudes apparently associated with students' current life phase. On the other hand, some differences emerged that can be connected with the field and character of the study. Originality/Value: The results enable a preliminary evaluation of information literacy of the students in different study fields, as well as the comparison of their attitudes and skills to those of the respondents of similar foreign projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]