San Sebastin

In seven libraries, more than half of the visited ones in Alicante, two of Saragossa and other two of Murcia and Valladolid, the users could not accede to a computerized catalogue. Between that yes they had this service, in 9 of each 10 cases the technicians verified the simplicity of their handling and the possibility of knowing if the book were lent to another user or the exact location of that material within the library. Like exceptions, the unique terminals available in three centers of Cadiz, Saragossa and Murcia were spoiled. The same test was repeated asking for aid to the employees. The received service was correct in six of each ten centers. They emphasize of positive form the visited ones in Bilbao, Granada and Oviedo. On the contrary, in some libraries of Alicante, Cadiz, Madrid, Malaga and Valladolid, the civil servant limited itself to provide indications without specifying where was the book nor to accompany the user to look for it.

Another troop trials consisted of to ask for information to become partner of the libraries. Then, only in 47% they offered documentary information on the operation of the library. Those did that it they indicated the conditions of use of the membership card of user and the service of loan, as well as the penalties imposed by the delay in the delivery of the lent materials. On the other hand, eight of each ten do not warn their partners of the new acquisitions although 68% of place them to the libraries in a special section so that the users can notice themselves of their existence. All the libraries of Alicante analyzed, besides several centers of San Sebastin, Granada, Oviedo, Vitoria, Valladolid, Seville and Valencia yes notified to their partners the arrival of those new materials by letter or by means of electronic mail. One of the weak points of the Spanish libraries is the signaling.

In 79% of the studied ones there were no informative leaves in which the existence of a complaint book was indicated, in 63% did not see a note that informed into existence of a mailbox of suggestions and in 67% either were no posters exceeds what to make in case of emergencia or fire. In addition, one of each five lacked indicating panels of the location of the exits of emergencia, and in one of each eight not even the norms of the library announced (to extinguish the moving body, not to eat nor to drink within the facilities ). Compiled By. Javier Meja T.