The physical community college library: A single institution study of the relationship between user satisfaction and library use

As an increasing number of library resources that support community colleges become available electronically and can be accessed without having to come to a physical location, the need for the continued maintenance of the physical space of the library has come into question. Community college administrators require data about use of the library as place to inform their decision making regarding the provision of fiscal resources towards the maintenance of the physical space of the library.; The purpose of this study was to explore user satisfaction as a possible motivation for use of the physical space of the community college library. The study utilized an online library user satisfaction questionnaire called LibQUAL+ to determine user satisfaction in the area of service quality and to collect data about use of the physical library. An evaluation was made of the linear relationship between user satisfaction and physical library use, using a Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient statistical analysis.; The results of the analysis indicated statistical significance ( p<.01) and a very low positive correlation (r=.35) between satisfaction and library use. The overall satisfaction mean of the participants was high (7.19 out of 9) and use of the physical library by the participants was high (over 92% of participants indicated using the physical library). The research hypothesis was accepted; however its practical significance is questionable.