MAPLIBRARIANS HAVE TRADITIONALLY been most concerned with their materials. In recent years, however, this has begun to change. The user and the user’s needs are receiving increased attention. This paper will review the literature concerning map library users and present profiles of map library users in an academic setting. The profiles are based on a recent survey of map library users at the University of Minnesota and on methodological assumptions about user groups. In an academic setting, the four main groups of users are: students, faculty, other institutions (business and government), and the general public. It has been widely accepted that an item’s use is the most valid measure of its worth to a library.’ However, opinions vary as to whether studies of use should focus on the materials-on circulation, for example-or on the user and his or her behavior and needs. Critics of use studies (those that focus on materials) maintain that those studies tend to be largely quantitative, thereby ignoring important qualitative aspects of library use.2 According to one theory, studies of library users examine four basic components: (1) the person in need of information, (2)a set of problems dealing with the needs, (3) the ways in which the user meets these needs, and (4) the items of information that satisfy these needs.3 These components can be applied in studying the user in a map library. The third component in particular, the way in which the user meets his needs, suggests the provision of reference service activities by the map librarian. Providing reference service to the user is a legitimate function of a

Map Library Users in an Academic Setting

Tobin's “A study of library ‘use studies’”: An ERIC update of neglected areas of research

Maps possess many unique attributes which standard library materials do not, and as a result they are not covered in standard library science courses such as reference, cataloging, collection development, and preservation. Some library schools have responded to this by offering a specialized course in map librarianship. However, few schools offer these courses, and most are geared toward students interested in full-time map librarian positions. Many librarians, especially public librarians, find themselves responsible for their institution's map collection in addition to their primary responsibilities. Few have any educational background in map librarianship. This paper reviews the current state of map librarian education, demonstrates how maps are used in various types of libraries, discusses the impact of digital technology on map libraries, and recommends that education for map librarianship be incorporated into the core library and information studies courses. In the appendix are outlines which can serve as guides for units on maps within standard library sciences courses.

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Jean M. Ray

Papers

Who Borrows Maps from A University Library Map Collection--And Why? Report II.

Who Borrows Maps from a University Library Map Collection--And Why?.